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labornthyn — Tree of Life

Published: 2008-02-26 18:07:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 5749; Favourites: 135; Downloads: 1
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Description The above is the older, poorly scanned version of:
[link]
I left this old one up for the sake of comparison...
Visit this link for the better scanned, enhanced version.

double A4 Canson Bristol; 0.10 Rotring Rapidograph, black ink

The completion of this work was quite a saga for m personally. It was initiated in December 2000 in an apartment in the city of Tianjin, China, and worked on through an intense time into January 2001, after which for various reasons I fell into a depressed state, and the drawing was left only half completed. I ceased drawing for many months thereafter, during which I landed back in the States for a brief interlude, went on a mad bicycle journey through France, across the Alps and down into Italy to end up in Rome in October 2001, where I was soon able to find a job. I hadn't drawn for so many months, and I had to go to the art store to buy new rapidographs, which I had not even thought to pack in my bicycle bags. In a wonderful room in the Pigneto district in the southeast corner of the city, I began to draw again, this time an ouroboros.

Many months, and many strange times beyond this idyllic life, I once again found myself back in the States in December 2002. I was there to fulfill my fantasy of converting my grandfather's workshop, which had been collecting dust and rubbish for the 25 years since his passing, into my personal live/work/art chamber. Thus I spent 9 months in absolute hermetic solitude, sleeping on a reassuringly solid bed of pine planks I built to raise myself above the concrete floor, from which I could stare up at the deer antlers and old felt hunting hat of my grandfather. Nine hours a day, 7 days a week, for nine months, of solid drawing, drinking vodka and watching anime after finishing the shift at 12:30am.

The second half of the above drawing was begun soon after I acquired this domain, in January 2003, and completed in February. So a total of two years separate the top half of this work from the bottom. The completion felt extremely intense, and the ensuing isolation and focus on art was a revelatory time...

This scan makes the background too black, taking away the silvery black texturing of the original. Please check out the further detail shots in my gallery, which are flash photographed, to get a better idea of what this piece looks like in life (this scan is very unsatisfying to me).
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Comments: 80

churist [2008-03-13 15:32:31 +0000 UTC]

+ + +

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

labornthyn In reply to churist [2008-03-13 21:32:40 +0000 UTC]

Yes...

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

koalacid [2008-03-13 03:40:50 +0000 UTC]

whats radiograph ?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

labornthyn In reply to koalacid [2008-03-13 04:20:59 +0000 UTC]

Rapidograph is a type of ink pen with a very narrow tube shaped steel tip. Inside the tip is a hair-thin filament of steel along which the ink runs. The smallest size rapidograph is usually .10, and that is the one I mainly use. It tends to cut up the paper surface, and you need very smooth paper (bristol is the best) so that the pen will not get caught up. It is a very fun tool to use, but can be very frustrating. It often clogs up, leaks, or simply refuses to work for no discernable reason. But you can get microcosmic detail! This particular drawing probably took between 250-300 hours to complete. Not quite sure, because once I start one of these I completely lose track of time.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

mulduan In reply to ??? [2008-03-10 22:12:53 +0000 UTC]

The textures are so sharp in this drawing that you feel it. It has a intense feeling this drawing of yours. Your art is just as intense, and outpour of creative energy.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

labornthyn In reply to mulduan [2008-03-13 04:22:55 +0000 UTC]

I thank you for your comment. I am happy that the drawing affects you. I just replaced the file, so click on it again for a better view than the first one...

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

panshadow In reply to ??? [2008-03-09 02:38:34 +0000 UTC]

great work

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

labornthyn In reply to panshadow [2008-03-13 20:58:08 +0000 UTC]

Much appreciated...hopefully the details look better now with the new file...

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PeterZigga [2008-03-07 12:35:08 +0000 UTC]

Outstanding!!!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

labornthyn In reply to PeterZigga [2008-03-13 04:24:54 +0000 UTC]

Check it out again, I just replaced the old file with a much more detailed shot which can now be clicked on for a better view. And thank you for commenting!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Kyuzo001 [2008-03-07 07:11:02 +0000 UTC]

holy fuck. that's all i'm saying.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

labornthyn In reply to Kyuzo001 [2008-03-08 21:35:03 +0000 UTC]

Haha! Much appreciated. This beast took some time to fashion. Actually, the top half was begun in the winter of 2000, under mentally strained circumstances (though when is this not the cas?), and put away until the beginning of 2003, when I assumed control of a secret work room in the hills and was able to finish it in peace.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

BlackBird-melbourne [2008-03-07 04:57:11 +0000 UTC]

amazingly detailed style,bet this looks awesome in real life.....rich in symbolism and fascinating details,could gaze at this for ages....

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

labornthyn In reply to BlackBird-melbourne [2008-03-08 21:45:04 +0000 UTC]

You are right, it looks so much better in person. I am going to try to upload some detail shots soon. This piece got sold long ago but I have some giant old scans that the gallery people made for me.

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pat-pending [2008-03-06 07:05:19 +0000 UTC]

great sense of balance. theres so much going on, but it's uncluttered. great piece.

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labornthyn In reply to pat-pending [2008-03-06 09:16:29 +0000 UTC]

Gratitude for the kind words. Glad you enjoy it.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Musta-Aurinko [2008-03-05 10:37:58 +0000 UTC]

Amazing!

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

labornthyn In reply to Musta-Aurinko [2008-03-21 19:45:38 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

labornthyn In reply to Musta-Aurinko [2008-03-13 04:25:43 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! You can now click on it for a more full, detailed view.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Musta-Aurinko In reply to labornthyn [2008-03-13 09:24:02 +0000 UTC]

Yes, I've looked through almost every detail... could you tell how much time did it get?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

labornthyn In reply to Musta-Aurinko [2008-03-13 20:06:08 +0000 UTC]

I'm not quite sure how long it took. I first worked on it, probably for about about two months, between December/January of winter 2000/2001. It was completed during the two months January/February 2003. I am assuming, according to my working habits during these separate times, that I spent at least 250-300 hours on this, maybe as many as 400. I go into trance when working on these long rapidograph pieces, and only roughly keep track of time by how many cds I have listened to during the session.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

labornthyn In reply to ??? [2008-03-02 20:44:13 +0000 UTC]

Many thanks for the comments. I am hoping to get a more detailed shot of this up soon.

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tiamat9 In reply to ??? [2008-03-02 00:12:44 +0000 UTC]

Fantastic composition. I love the detailing and formation. Great style and fine balance.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

labornthyn In reply to tiamat9 [2008-03-13 04:26:21 +0000 UTC]

Thanks for the comment. I replaced the old file so it should now be clickable for a choicer view.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

tiamat9 In reply to labornthyn [2008-03-13 15:05:10 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

pen-it-black [2008-02-27 00:52:21 +0000 UTC]

...wow

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

labornthyn In reply to pen-it-black [2008-03-13 04:27:01 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! Click on it for a better view, I replaced the old file.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

BeardoMcWeirdo [2008-02-26 20:03:02 +0000 UTC]

superbly detailed.. This looks much like a wood or linoleum cut..

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

labornthyn In reply to BeardoMcWeirdo [2008-03-13 21:04:19 +0000 UTC]

Thank you...and hopefully it looks better after the refurbishing of the file...

👍: 0 ⏩: 0


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