The Ship of Fools is Becalmed

Another new drawing in the Coronavirus series, as I'm probably calling it. Another version of the Ship of Fools.

The Ship of Fools is Becalmed, 2020, ink on paper, 14" x 11"

The Ship of Fools at the Edge of the World

Speaking of larger, more monumental works (see last post), here is a new, large-ish ink drawing of the Ship of Fools, a theme I've explored once in a while over the years. I expect I shall create some more works of this kind of scope.

The Ship of Fools at the Edge of the World, 2016, brush & ink on paper, 28.5" x 22.5".

The Ship of Fools

This is a subject that I've treated before in drawing but not as a painting. It came out simpler than I intended, & almost abstract, which I like & perhaps re-opens a door or two in terms of direction. We shall see.

The Ship of Fools, 2012, acrylic on board, 12" x 9".

The Ship of Fools (again)

I wasn't entirely happy with yesterday's version (see below), so I returned closer to the earlier pencil sketch version I liked:


The Ship of Fools, 2009, brush & ink on paper, 23.5" x 18".

The earlier sketch:


The Ship of Fools (sketch 2), 2009, pencil on paper, 11" x 8.5".

I was feeling that the previous version was getting too cluttered...truth is, though, there are elements in both that I like. The new version is a better drawing, I think, with fewer obvious flaws (though the other one was more of a working sketch.) I will just have to paint it (monochrome, I think) on a large scale & work it out from there. I hope to start that process soon.

Ship of Fools - large working drawing

After a brief interlude, we return to serious business:


Ship of Fools (working drawing), 2009, brush & ink on paper, 23.5" x 18".

I'm going to put this piece in the Entropy Drawings series for now, though it's not technically a finished piece, rather an extended sketch. Still, I think it might fit, thematically & stylistically. Time will tell, as usual.

Note: as you may be able to see, there is no water.

Wang Chung & Ship of Fools

This morning I was driving my daughter to school in the car because it was raining (as opposed to when I drive her to school because it isn't raining) & the Wang Chung song "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" came on the radio:

On the edge of oblivion
All the world is Babylon
And all the love and everyone
A ship of fools sailing on

Which reminded me that I'm supposed to be working on my Ship of Fools painting (see sketches somewhere below). I'm not a big Wang Chung fan, though I've heard that song a number of times & mostly noticed that they managed to get the name of the band into the chorus lyrics. This time, however, the Ship of Fools line stood out, reminding me what I'm supposed to be working on...

Ship of Fools sketch 2

Here's a more developed sketch of the Ship of Fools idea a couple of posts below:


Ship of Fools sketch 2, 2009, pencil on paper (contrast adjusted in Photoshop using auto levels), 11" x 8.5".

Obviously, the figures are more human-like, & the rocks on the horizon have become buildings...

Another head

Another pencil sketch of a head, possibly for the Ship of Fools:


Head (for Ship of Fools), 2009, pencil on paper, 11" x 8.5".

I'm using Zebra #2 mechanical pencils, for anyone who's interested in that sort of thing.

Pencil sketch of a head

Here's another pencil sketch, possibly for the Ship of Fools image (below):


Pencil sketch of a head, 2009, pencil on paper, 11" x 8.5". I didn't adjust the contrast on this one (see Ship of Fools image below), this is the way the image came off of my scanner.

For a long time, I've mostly been avoiding using pencils in my work, as the contrast is not so crisp, & they get muddy easily. However, it strikes me that those are qualities (lack of contrast, muddiness) that can actually be useful sometimes. Pencil work is a lot more spontaneous than ink work, in most cases.

Sketch for The Ship of Fools

Since I haven't been able to get out to my studio & work much recently, due to family visits, sick kids, wallowing in nostalgia (see posts below) & so forth, I felt compelled to grab a piece of the nice "fine granite" printer paper & a pencil or two & sketch out an idea that's been gestating inside my head (as they tend to do) for a while now for a large (maybe epic) piece. The subject matter might have been a little more appropriate a few months ago (the ship of state sinking, lunatics at the helm) if you get my drift (sic, ha ha), but it's a universal motif & you can bet that somewhere right now there are a bunch of fools in a ship (as it were) heading for the brink of disaster...or something like that. Anyway, here you go:


Clicking the pic will give you a bigger view. You'll have to use the back arrow on your browser to get back here, however. But, you probably know that already. I'm just saying.

Sketch for The Ship of Fools, 2009, pencil on paper, 11" x 8.5". I did increase the contrast in Photoshop for visibility, btw. Done on the kitchen counter, like the real pros do (note the surprising lack of coffee stains). I may develop the figures into more "human" forms, also they are rather static. I've done this subject before, but in some ways, this version is more literal, tho still allegorical...

I should perhaps mention that Bosch did my favorite version of The Ship of Fools.