Did you know J.K. Rowling did two kinds of drawing to think through her Harry Potter books? She built a plot model to keep track of all the stories and subplots: Lean more about her Plot grid on Open Culture She also sketched her characters out as well. Her sketches are scattered across pottermore.com
One way to build your visual vocabulary is to draw from photos. It’s easier than drawing from life, as the image has been flattened for you. This new release gives you endless images to copy and reinterpret. Artstor has released more than 4,700 new images in the Decorative Arts and Americana from four leading institutions. … Continue reading 4,700 new images in the Decorative Arts & Americana
Everyone has a different mental model in their head of what things look like, from chairs to monkeys. This delightful site shows them off. From 50 Million Drawings: “Over 15 million players have contributed millions of drawings playing Quick, Draw!These doodles are a unique data set that can help developers train new neural networks, help researchers … Continue reading 50 million drawings
I came across the Book of Qualities via a Robert Sapolsky lecture, of all things (He lectures on behavioral biology.) Something wistful in his voice made me decide to buy it on the spot. It is lovely and poetic, and brings me to ask, why don’t we illustrate books for “grownups” more often?
In 1858 nurse, statistician, and reformer Florence Nightingale published Notes on Matters Affecting the Health, Efficiency, and Hospital Administration of the British Army. Founded Chiefly on the Experience of the Late War. Presented by Request to the Secretary of State for War. This privately printed work contained a color statistical graphic entitled “Diagram of the Causes of Mortality in … Continue reading Nightengale Rose Diagram