I didn't pay attention in school - ever. I lived lost in my own head, and spent class time writing notes to my friends, or scribbling song lyrics and quotes and poetry in my notebooks. I loved this. I still do this, in fact. Look for me in the conference room at work, in the chair with the best view of the Hudson River, the one where the sunlight will spill just right across my open notebook, and there I'll be, actively listening to whatever is going on (because I am a grown up now and apparently I must) but with my hand busy, deep in a doodle session without even noticing.
But back in school, I noticed that when it came to doodling, most people drew things - stick figures in compromising positions, little friendly houses, flowers, cartoon characters smoking cigarettes, that kind of thing. But when I "doodled" what came out was always words. Bubble letters, fancy scripts, big block print. Shaded in or left open, just stark outlines and white insides. I'd write the same words or phrases over and over again in all different ways and styles. Some of my friend's names had a weird rhythm to their letters, and to this day I write those names over and over again for no reason when my mind wanders. It's completely creepy to wake up after a phone call reverie to find a piece of paper with the same name written on it 25 times, of course. But something in my hand loves to scrawl those letters out, to play with their length and width and shading.
I used to think this quirk was just me, that I was a big weirdo. I didn't know there was a whole art form around it. Lo, what the internet has brought to me.
Now, when I do this stuff it essentially looks like no more than a goofy, manic doodle war splattered all over the page. I am physically artless and I know it. But some people make glory! Glory! Like this guy! My freaking god!
Tell me you don't want to wallpaper your entire house, your whole stinking planet, in this kind of perfect word beauty. Words are already beautiful, of course. Do this to them, and I'm slain. It's done. Game over for this girl.
Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment