My Objective in Object Drawing

Scampering Lantern sketch, drawn from my great grandfather's lantern.

Drawing from life--objects, figures, etc.--never thrilled me as a young student; most likely because I struggled with it. It did not come naturally, and teacher's instructions to "just draw what you see" helped not at all. Bored by replicating something in front of me, no one ever explained to my young-self why it was useful. 

While I figured out its value (as a means to a creative end) in art school, copying objects remains difficult for my short attention span. I sometimes admire the technical ability of photo-realism, but I'll never understand the point of spending that much time with being a human camera as an objective.

 So, figuring out how to tweak an object to suit me helps, as does messing about trying to add a bit of personality. It's a great way to build a mental image library, hone skills, and have some fun.

This clock was drawn from the one that hangs in the living room. If the real clock was this goofy looking, it would please me immensely, but then I wouldn't draw it :)

Being a fan of the anthropomorphic tradition helps too--the illustrations of Sir John Tenniel and many other artists continue to inspire.

This lantern sketch was gestured out pretty quickly using a crimson Colerase pencil on toned gray sketchbook paper, and outlined with a brushpen. Crosshatching was added with Micron pens. A bit of blue Prismacolor and white highlighting--using a Uniball Signo pen--finished the sketch. Hope you like it, and

thanks for reading!

 

 

Of Haunted Clocks and Clockwork Monks

http://tomsarmo.blogspot.com/

Old clocks have been a passion for years. Like most vintage objects, they were crafted 

with the artistic care that doesn't exist these days, in modern clocks at least. This particular 

beauty--not working and pretty beat -up--was found for me by my brother. 

As creepy-looking as it is, this is not the haunted one.

Still, I like it--tend to like the inside as much as the outside.

I'm not an horology fanatic, but I readily admit to being a clockworks nerd, so I can't 

imagine these gears being uninteresting to anyone.

http://tomsarmo.blogspot.com/

Now this fellow--in working order and the best time-keeper I own--is my absolute favorite. 

And it's haunted. I'll get to that.

But first--the aesthetics! Look how the wood grain in the twist still glows--even though the finish is checked and worn. The scratched and rubbed face shows that it was well-used and wound for years. And the ghost-story?

When I got this clock, it worked right away, ticking along like clockwork. But when brought to 

my studio, it stopped and refused to run. I took it to Jake, my clock repairman, who got it ticking right away. Still, I had him clean it and keep it for a few days to make sure it was running well.

Took it back to the studio and it stopped again, not a tic nor a tock to be heard.

So back to Jake's shop, where of course, the clock started right up.

http://tomsarmo.blogspot.com/

"There's nothing wrong with this clock," he said, matter of fact. Then, raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Is there another clock in your studio? 'Cause if there is, I'd try taking it out. Bet this one will work then. Seen this kind of thing before. You know clocks, they got wound and touched a lot by the owners, so they get haunted quite a bit. And sometimes they don't much like any competition."

Not a skeptic when it comes to that sort of thing, I removed an old clock--not a favorite--that I'd had ticking in the studio for a few years. And after that, you got it: This great old stubborn and haunted clock 

has been working fine ever since!

http://tomsarmo.blogspot.com/

But speaking of haunted, this is the guy that I'm sure initiated my itch for the clockworks.

I snapped this photo when my wife and I, as a young couple, visited the Smithsonian and saw it in 

a case there. I wanted it so badly!

Here are a few more views from the internet, and a video of the ancient monk walking around. Made in 1560, this eerie automaton still works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ycyj76VPOtc

http://tomsarmo.com/

The best I can do, since I can't have the monk, is collect and draw old clocks. It sort of 

scratches the itch, so that's gotta be enough for now.

Thanks for reading!