Abstract charcoalism...

Seven words I have never uttered until today: "Drawing beyond boundaries was actually fun today". Mostly because I usually wish I had stayed in bed within the first 20 minutes of the class. 

Today was different for some reason. Ambrose tasked us with first copying one of our small sketches onto brown paper with charcoal. The paper was about 2 x 3 feet. I don't know how many millimeters that is. A million or so I think. 

I chose the isometric drawing below to copy thinking it would be easy to get done so I could leave. I didn't know that we were going to build further on the drawing, so my mind was set to quick task completion.  

After we got the first drawing done, we kept building layers on top for about 15 minutes at a time. After layer two, I put the Black Keys on the ipod and got down to business. First light shading, then dark, some scrolly bits...nice. 

By layer four I was onto a Chromeo album making some square forms followed by organic branch-like shading around the edges. I kept thinking back to my Mom's Alphonse Mucha book I had read over Christmas break. 

Mucha knew how to contrast geometric forms with organic. I love that. I love most things about Art Nouveau, but that seems to be a theme I keep coming back to. 

What else did I really enjoy about this process? Working big. Fuck drawing in little sketchbooks. I need a big canvas. I need to use my whole arm. I need to stand back four feet to see what I've done. I'll take a soap stone on a steel table over a 2B and an A2 sketchpad any day of the week. 

Care For a Hand-Forged Coffee Table?

I didn't actually make this table, but I did actually take the picture and write the listing, so you should still buy it. You know it would look great between your couch and over-sized television. 

Check out the Artisans of the Anvil Etsy Shop to see this table and all sorts of other cool hand forged items. I even made some of them! Mention my name and get everything at full price!

Tong Forging Demo for HCA Students

Adrian demonstrates tong forging for the class. This is part one of three.

Part 2

And 3

The Rose

Ahh, the rose; an iconic organic form. This was a lot easier to make than I thought it would be. It is just three five petal cut outs that are textured and riveted together before raising them up and gathering them together.

Figured it out first with clay and then moved to copper. The annealed copper can basically be worked by hand.

The cuff link connection

Here is an other example of a connection taken directly from the real world. It is simple an elegant. I guess there are technically two connections here; the hinge, and the nickel sheet that provides spring pressure to keep it open. 

This piece represents my first soldering experience as well, and it may be quite noticeable to those with experience. 

Copper sample didn't turn out as planned

Trying to make the paper thing on the right in copper. Put about 2 hours into this before deciding that I didn't really like it in the first place and giving up.

Momma Can Paint!

Check out my Mom's work on her site:  Angela Thomas Fine Art

I know what your thinking; "Hey Bob, how could the apple have fallen so far from the tree?" To be honest, I have no idea. I will gladly take her design advice, though.