William T. Ayton recently
found this small, 30-page sketchbook, from August 1998, hidden on a shelf
under
a pile
of magazines
and papers. It seemed to hold together as a complete piece, so he decided to
scan every page (including the cover to the left, which is the drawing the
manufacturer
chose to use), and put it up on his web site.
The drawings are not as
finished and worked as many on this site. These are not really preparatory
drawings
for other works (although they may seem to be). They are smaller, more whimsical,
less obsessive versions of his more developed themes. However, many of the
major
ideas which occur in Ayton's work appeared in this small book, so he thought
it would be interesting to reproduce the book in its entirety, to show a
certain
train
of thought which came into being.
The dimensions of the sketchbook
(and therefore all the drawings therein) are 7" by 5". He used a rapidograph
pen and black ink.
Ayton has deliberately
left commentaries off these pages. There are many references to other works
presented
here, and many influences surface in these small drawings, but in this case he
prefers to let the viewer come to his/her own conclusions.
If you look closely, you
can spot references to Redon, Brueghel, Picasso, Goya, and many other artists.
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