Alright, so I saw this phrase, “‘dam cowboy’,” and I was like, what the heck is that? Sounds kinda cool, kinda weird. I figured, let’s mess around and see what I can make of it.
First, I just brainstormed. What comes to mind with “dam”? Obviously, a big wall holding back water. And “cowboy”? Well, that’s horses, hats, the Wild West, all that stuff.
Trying to mash it together
I started picturing a cowboy, but instead of herding cattle, he’s…herding water? It sounded ridiculous, but also kinda fun.I thought it’s good start.
- Started drawing a super rough sketch. Just stick figures, really. A cowboy hat on a blob, a wavy line for water, and a big rectangle for the dam.
- Then,I made the cowboy a bit more detailed. Gave him a lasso, some boots, the whole deal.
- Fiddled with the dam. Made it look more concrete-y, with those big, blocky shapes.
Added some cracks, because, you know, dams sometimes have problems.
- The water was tricky. I tried different shades of blue, added some white for foam, made it look like it was rushing and splashing.
Adding Some Story
It needed something more, though. It wasn’t just a cowboy near a dam. He had to be doing something. So,I imagined this cowboy is the dam’s last hope. The water’s rising, the dam’s about to burst, and he’s the only one who can fix it. Super dramatic, right?
So, I tweaked the drawing. I made the water look even wilder, almost overflowing. I put the cowboy right at the edge of the dam, lasso in hand, like he’s about to rope the water itself. Maybe he’s got a determined look on his face, maybe he’s yelling, “Yee-haw, water! You ain’t gettin’ past me!”
It’s still a goofy idea, a cowboy fighting a dam. But, it’s also kinda got this epic, against-all-odds feel to it. That’s it! My “‘dam cowboy” story.
