Island Beach Hut
A hut sits on the beach of a remote island in this illustration of a place I would like to be.
This post and this piece of art are the first in a series of three posts. The second one is here, and the third one is here. Once I had completed this one, I decided to create an alternate version of it, and that led to another different but related illustration, so they are all tied together. That will become more apparent in the future posts.
Wouldn’t It Be Nice?
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a lazy day on an island like this one? Before you answer, keep in mind that there is not a grocery store or gas station around the corner. That hut probably does not have air conditioning, either.
If the conditions above make you squirm, it is okay to say that it would not be nice for you to be there. There is nothing wrong with that. But there are others who would enjoy it, too. Although the availability of food might make me have some second thoughts.
Often, loving each other does not mean accepting each other unconditionally. Jesus tells us in the Bible that we should love our enemies. However, that does not mean that we agree with what we do. Loving them means that we want what is best for them according to God’s plan. We even share that with them if it is at all possible. We pray for them because we love them. Because it is what Jesus wants us to do.
Loving those that we do not agree with is difficult to do at times. Loving them while not enabling them is difficult, too.
But Jesus wants us to love everyone. Jesus commands us to love everyone. And so we do. Even when it is difficult.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” - Matthew 5:43-46
About the Artwork
This illustration started with an idea in my head, and that idea led to other things, as you will see in the later posts. If you want to see where I started, here is a look at the first sketch:
The basic idea stayed the same, although the shape of the hut changed slightly. That hut shape change was actually a last-minute thing that I changed right before I was ready to make this post.
That is one good thing about using layers in Procreate, and also the good thing about drawing the complete background and not just what you can see. Since the background is its own group of layers, I could change the shape of the hut without affecting the background.
