I describe the circumstances that gave rise to Scan #1 on the previous page and how I had successfully done a version of this scene with huge stippling dots; but I wanted to try something different.  I had been tenaciously clinging to the notion of the dots as the simplest of “dumb” marks, featureless building blocks that I could use to prevent personality and indulgent theatricality's unwanted appearance.  Or that’s what I told myself anyway. What does our visual reality really consist of? If ones looks close enough, do “visible objects” break down into dots - as atoms break down into protons and protons likewise breakdown into quarks, etc.? Not quite.  But what to construct my visual reality out of if not dots?  As the subjects here are staring intently at a visual screen (2D representation) this drawing series seemed like the perfect vehicle through which to explore this notion.  I am not sure why, but my thoughts eventually turned to geometry.

 

No dimensions: a point (a stippling dot)

 

One Dimension, defined by two points: a line (line drawing, cross hatching)

 

Two dimensions, defined by three points: a plane (block shading, solid inks)

 

I had already done the point version.  Why not do the line and the plane version too? Scan #2 was the plane.  I had been tentatively exploring gray markers for some time.  I had tried out the different brands, made flash cards, grids, color comparisons.  Finally I felt ready to try to translate the very same rough draft from Scan #1 and all the gray values represented there into a marker drawing.  Getting the hang of relative values took some time; but I think this is not bad for a first attempt.  I liked the fact that more darks seemed possible.  And I really liked that the process took half the time.  I just needed to get a bit more polished with a brush tip.