Yesterday (Dec. 3), metal’s reigning Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, celebrated his 74th birthday. In addition to receiving the usual well wishes from countless fans across the word, he was given something even more unique and special: an awesome new mural courtesy of a fellow Birmingham native.
According to the Birmingham Mail, local artist Robbie Jeffcott “spent fifteen hours drawing [his] portrait of the Black Sabbath frontman” at the Custard Factory. Although it was completed a couple of weeks ago (Jeffcott posted about it on Instagram on Nov. 18), it’s been steadily gaining attention ever since.
When asked why he picked Osbourne, Jeffcott gave a simple but endearing answer: “I only really paint people I admire. He’s just a living legend, probably the most well-known iconic musician to come from Birmingham. Having people walk past it and do little snaps to tag me on Instagram, it’s good for me. I’ve only had good feedback from it.”
Rightfully so. As you can see in the footage below – and as described by Birmingham Mail – Jeffcott used a “scribble method” that involved “cover[ing] the surface of a blank wall in scribbles and doodles. The wall is then photographed and . . . layered with the image he paints with the scribbles and then used as a reference point.”
The result is undoubtedly imaginative and worthy of its inspiration.
Unsurprisingly, Osbourne wasn’t the first musician Jeffcott adapted. As reported by American Songwriter, he “studied fine art at Westminster University,” and he previously painted artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Eminem and Amy Winehouse (as well as professional boxer Tyson Fury and Jeff Bridges’ beloved Dude from The Big Lebowski). Furthermore, he’s confirmed that there are “a lot more Brummies [he’d] like to paint.”
You can see more of his art here.
What do you think of Jeffcott’s visual ode to Ozzy? Let us know!
Photos: Ozzy Osbourne Through the Years
Chart Ozzy Osbourne’s career by scrolling through these photos.