The transition of the arrow (rusted, corroded & worn on the left ... smoothing to the clean & new on the right side), is a fairly complete reference to the concept of direction & renewal... in and of itself. (The addition of the dinosaur of course modifies and perhaps amplifies that notion).--
As I sketched and planned for this piece, I was especially torn on the decision of whether to include the oil derrick elements atop the dinosaur. I felt that without the derrick's, (stripping out any reference to petroleum), the piece had more universality... more openness as a general metaphor for the "old guard" that are resistant to change and progress (whatever the topic might be). This broader interpretation was compelling... but in the end, I obviously opted to include the derrick's - narrowing it to a more specific issue of our time.
On a purely visual level, I likewise liked the protruding shapes of the derrick's... repeating the triangular motif set by the arrow....
and of course borrowing from the age-old (dangerous dagger-laden) contour of the stegosaurus.
As I sketched and planned for this piece, I was especially torn on the decision of whether to include the oil derrick elements atop the dinosaur. I felt that without the derrick's, (stripping out any reference to petroleum), the piece had more universality... more openness as a general metaphor for the "old guard" that are resistant to change and progress (whatever the topic might be). This broader interpretation was compelling... but in the end, I obviously opted to include the derrick's - narrowing it to a more specific issue of our time.
On a purely visual level, I likewise liked the protruding shapes of the derrick's... repeating the triangular motif set by the arrow....
and of course borrowing from the age-old (dangerous dagger-laden) contour of the stegosaurus.