2015 INK BOOKPLATE - THE COSMOGRAPHICAL SPHERE

Here is my yearly, ink drawing created for use in personalized bookplates.  I have been creating these drawings each year for the past 10 years.  I work on it while my advanced students are also working on their ink drawings.

For the past few years I have restricted my drawing to only stippled marks but this year I returned to using hatching, cross hatching and modeling marks.  

This past year, I discovered some clear, glass spheres and marbles for sale at art shows.  I purchased one and then had a lot of fun taking photos through the glass.  I knew I wanted to include the glass spheres in this year's drawing.

I wanted this year to be something about the cosmos.  When I researched the subject I stumbled on an ancient drawing by William Cunningham called "The Cosmographical Glasse."  It should an astrological chart with Atlas holding up the world  I added to that drawing an Armillary Sphere, a Compass, a small and a large glass globe and engravings of both Copernicus and Galileo.

I also decided to do the drawing from an angle rather than a straight on view.

There were lots of challenges in creating this drawing.  I always seek a new challenge each year when I plan my ink drawings.  This subject had lots and lots of concentric circles which had to be drawn as ellipses.  It also required capturing the reflected, inverted images seen through the glass orbs.

The Cosmographical Sphere

8.5" x 11.5" Ink Drawing on White Sulphite Paper

I reproduce these drawings on personalized, adhesive labels and give them as bookplates to friends and family.  I like to add hidden little images in my drawings.  This one has a pretty prominent six in the large glass sphere on the left - this celebrates our sixth grandchild expected in the new year.