This drawing, like "A Hamburger's Perspective", was an experiment in perspective that I created as a short assignment in a foundation level art class in college. It was one of my first drawings I completed with the use of models. Models, whether people or objects, are used when trying to create references for a preconceived idea. In this way a model set up differs from a still life set up.
This particular drawing was inspired by some surrealistic work I was liking at the time, but instead of going the Salvador Dali route (think melting clocks) I wanted to lean more toward Rene Magritte's work. In many of his pieces, the overall feel is pretty comfortable–made up of familiar objects and elements–but then you realize that something is just not right, usually scale or defying a law of physics. ("Oh yeah, that apple is floating in front of that man's face.") This is what secures it in the realm of surrealism.
So I wanted to set a scene where most everything seemed normal, and then throw a proverbial wrench in as a surprise for the viewer. So I set up this scene of a bathroom, with normal bathroom stuff, only things aren't quite normal in this bathroom. The water is everywhere it shouldn't be and the toothbrush must have been borrowed from the giant at the other end of the beanstalk.
In order to get the appropriate perspective, the correct refraction of the toothbrush in the water, and the right shadow cast with a translucent toothbrush, I decided to create a set up from which I could take pictures to draw from. I could have guessed at these things, but this drawing would have been much more difficult. So I emptied one of my plastic "dresser" drawers, filled it with water, stuck a toothbrush and a little hand mirror down in it, added some paper behind it, and floated a little ceramic lid for the sink. It helped tremendously. I really think creating set ups like this are worth the effort.
That's the story behind this week's TBT.
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