“Cybernetic Hand”, Sept 1990. Ink on sketch paper (scanned image: 648 x 804 pixels)
The theme for Illustration Friday (21 Apr ‘06) was “Robot” (suggested by Dan Santat). Robot = Artificial device to perform human tasks (see definitions from How Stuff Works and also the Wikipedia entry). I dug around my earlier works and thought this fitted the theme, although when I did this back in 1990, I was thinking more of Cybernetics (the field of control and communications in living things and machines — see this, this or this).
The sketch came quite by chance. I was attempting a sketch of my left hand & forearm. For some reason, I ended up adding cables, wires and assorted machine parts to the picture. It was like what they say about eating potato-chips: “Once you start, you can’t stop!” Heh.
Tag: robot, cybernetics, illustration friday
21 April, 2006 at 11:29 pm
Brilliant!! I love this and can imagine just how it went.
21 April, 2006 at 11:32 pm
From the looks of this hand, I think by 1990 you already had a great appreciation for nature and its intricacy. (Robot veins look like roots) Thanks for visiting my blog! I love Invader Zim!
21 April, 2006 at 11:41 pm
The detail is wonderful, yet non-obtrusive. It’s an excellent sketch (though to be honest, I’m no art-maven…)
21 April, 2006 at 11:50 pm
Thanks for the thoughtful comments
22 April, 2006 at 1:12 am
Fantastic detail and brilliant work! Looks like it would take a long time to do this !
stevePoisonPencil
22 April, 2006 at 1:55 am
Very nice… I see input plugs at the end of the arm. I wouldn’t mind having one if I ever lose and arm!
22 April, 2006 at 1:59 am
This is exceedingly cool. I can’t help but see a face in the palm joint (first knuckle?) of the middle finger.
Do you see it too?
MjM
22 April, 2006 at 5:45 pm
Right, the fact dat this was an original illustration is indeed cool…
Attention to details is obvious…Reminds me of Luke Skywalker’s digi-arm…
22 April, 2006 at 11:54 pm
Very cool! It makes me think of Spielberg’s film “A.I.” when the various rogue robots would scavenge for replacement parts. Great detail!
25 April, 2006 at 12:19 am
Nice! I bet this took some time to draw.
25 April, 2006 at 12:41 am
To Canyonman: It was completed relatively fast. Maybe because I had a clear picture of what I wanted in my mind already. Was just a matter of going with the flow.
To MjM: You’re right! Now I see the face too. Maybe a company logo? New artform? Knuckle Tattoo?
27 April, 2006 at 10:33 pm
i love the texture it makes it looked aged
28 April, 2006 at 1:33 am
[...] This was done in 1989, even earlier than the 1990 piece. It may seem complicated but the key is in the details. Basically, once the main bolts/ screws/ screwplates were drawn for where the main joints would be, the rest of the drawing was a matter of improvising where the cables and connectors went to. This will be my submission #6 (after #5). [...]
2 May, 2006 at 1:10 am
[...] After my previous posts on the Cybernetic hands (#1, #2, #3), I wondered if I would be able to draw a new one, since the last time I drew them was in the early 1990s. Today I attempted to draw a new one using my left hand and forearm as reference. “Life Finds A Way” (May 2006), Pencil/ Ink on sketch paper. Lower res scan 600 x 954 pixels [...]