How to Civilization

First:

Define time by tracking the stars, especially the largest and brightest star in the sky.
When time is defined and shared, the concept of ‘future’ emerges.

Future begets anticipation, and anticipation begets planning.
Planning necessitates drawing and recording.

(Detail)

Sol tracker detail 2.png

Sol-tracker

Sol tracker.jpg

Write, draw, write more...

...then, plant a garden and tend to it like a bee to her flowers. Share the fruits of the garden, and sacrifice a small portion to the famished.

The seeds of civilization are planted by sacrifice.

(Detail)

Sus Garden Detail 1.png

Suspended Garden

Suspended Garden color.jpg

The first sacrifices were given by the blood of our sons and daughters, but what did it achieve? As civilization progressed, the sacrifice of others became the sacrifice of the self. One’s present time and pleasure were offered in return for future rewards.

Among these rewards was... more time to write and draw.

Drawing:

As always, I begin with the center. The drawing expands outwards according to its own principle. From the lines I carve out the shape and character emerges.

(Unfortunately, the ‘character’ remains eclipsed until destruction is brought with an eraser…)

After a geometric template is developed, several iterations are derived (two in this case). The organic material is added, which clashes with the rigid geometry in a constructive way. The naked geometry has it’s unique appeal, as does the organic form of a flower or tree. When they are brought together, though, a new life emerges. A story, an idea; a living, breathing object comes forth from the ether, eager to be more fully realized.

The plant matter becomes the referent; it’s relatable to the viewer and adds scale to the otherwise fully abstract geometric object. The object becomes almost three-dimensional. It becomes large (or small); upright, (or on it’s side). Meaning emerges from the meaning-less.

Suspended Garden, desaturated

Suspended garden BW.jpg

Templates are drawn with a 0.1mm mechanical pencil, compass, ruler, and colored with Faber Castell polychromes.

The “plants” on Sol-tracker were inked in afterwards with a simple Pantel sign pen.

(Sorry I don't have progress photos, these were drawn a while ago before I knew I was going to share them)

-Kabba

This is my submission for @sammosk's creative competition

Thanks to:

@juliakponsford for creating #artexplosion,
@rhondak for helping myself and other minnows get registered on the PAL network on Discord,
@artsygoddess for setting up a steem-art network on Discord!
@andrejcibik for inviting me to his Facebook group for designers on Steemit.