Pandorica 5 – In Progress

Pandorica-inspired work #5 - in progress

Yesterday, I started my largest Pandorica-inspired drawing so far. The drawing pad is 14″ x 17″ and — in the photo — you can get a sense of proportion by comparing the drawing with my pen.

(The pen is 5 1/4″ tall.)

This work will take many days to complete, but — from the start — I’m really pleased with it.

In this photo, you can see how I start each drawing with two circular guidelines, drawn lightly in pencil.  They’ll be erased when the work is completed and fully dry.

After that, I place blocks that indicate the general slant of each section in the work.

Though my angles sometimes go a little askew, the basic blocks keep me on track.

This drawing will remain black and white.  I may try color in my later, similar works — in fact, I’m sure that I will — but this one is going to be the first really large work in this series, so I’m sticking with the basic concept that worked for years.

(I drew these in the margins of my class notes, when I was in my teens.  Then, around 1970 – 1973, I sketched them as 9″ x 12″ drawings and turned those into massive wall murals, usually about 15 feet tall.)

This partically-completed drawing is number five in this Pandorica-inspired series.  I’ve already posted my first recent, related work, and then I did three slightly smaller ones that I’ll experiment with (color, black background, etc.).

After them, I drew a very small, detailed piece to see how well I like the smaller block size.  It turned out well, and I’ll mat it next week before placing it online.

Pandorica #5 - detailNow, the big project is this larger work.  You can see a small area from it, at full size (at 72 dpi), at right.

I’m using a zero-point pen with black (India) ink on drawing paper that has a very smooth surface.

In the photo at right, you can see that each block is drawn individually.  That’s part of what gives the work its energy and keeps the viewer’s eye moving around, noticing the hundreds of blocks and nuances in the piece.

*Note: I have no connection with the British TV series, Dr. Who, or the artwork of the Pandorica shown on it.  My work is simply inspired by the Pandorica episodes, and other related artwork.