Artist Spends Thousands on 7-Foot Pen to Create Giant Art

Tom Goldman

Crying on the inside.
Aug 17, 2009
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Artist Spends Thousands on 7-Foot Pen to Create Giant Art


What's the best way to create a giant work of art? With a giant pen, of course.

Cartoonist Weathercraft [http://jimwoodring.blogspot.com/], now has a new artistic weapon at his disposal that is totally unique to him. Woodring manufactured a 7-foot pen with the intention of discovering what kind of art can result from its use.

He raised the funds to create the really big pen by soliciting donors [http://www.unitedstatesartists.org/project/giant_steel_dip_pen_and_penholder_for_demonstration_and_display], whom offered more than $4,800 dollars. The accompanying video shows off just the "nib," the 16-inch tip that puts the pen's ink on a page.

Woodring also manufactured a 6-foot wooden pen holder which is "hand turned and lacquered with a cork wrapping and metal insert with spring retainer." The nib itself is pretty gorgeous, so I'd assume the pen holder is just as attractive.

The purpose behind the 7-foot pen was to "bring into the world a large functioning pen and see what can be done with it," Woodring told Wired. He's been training in its use and plans to put on multiple public performances where he uses the pen to create art with dimensions up to 4 feet by 6 feet in front on an audience.

"It may be that the drawings made with it are too awful to keep, or it may be that they have qualities unattainable any other way," Woodring said. "It may be that I won't be able to operate the pen well but someone else will. We'll see."

Woodring calls the pen "heavy and awkward," but still intends to demonstrate his abilities with it in public on January 9, 2011 at the Nibbus Maximus [http://www.gageacademy.org/events/?page=current&type=24] event at the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle, WA. What will come out of this monstrosity's creation is anyone's guess, but one thing's for sure: It'll be big.

Source: Wired [http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/01/jim-woodring/]

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CaptainCrunch

Imp-imation Department
Jul 21, 2008
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It's a cool idea, but I'm cautious about the nib. It seems like the surface tension of ink will make for a leaky writing implement, as well as splash out of the reservoir.
 

Sevre

Old Hands
Apr 6, 2009
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Somewhere, an entire functionalist flock of artists are crying.
 

Actual

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Jun 24, 2008
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Yeah, like Crunch said, I can't see how the pen will hold ink. It's just going to pour out.

Also the reason we have small pens, for fine motor control. There's nothing he can draw with a giant pen you can't draw better with a regular pen.

This is just ridiculous attention seeking and I'll be happy when it proves a waste of time and money.
 

Jesus Phish

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Jan 28, 2010
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I too thought "there's no way that when pressure is applied it's going to hold the ink at a steady flow"

Looks like a waste of time, money and effort, even if it turns out to work.
 

Baldr

The Noble
Jan 6, 2010
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Now all he has to do is spend another couple thousand on a robotic machine that will actually hold the pen and copy everything he does with a smaller pen.
 

Earthbound

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Aug 13, 2008
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Actual said:
This is just ridiculous attention seeking and I'll be happy when it proves a waste of time and money.
Jesus Phish said:
Looks like a waste of time, money and effort, even if it turns out to work.
Why so negative? The guy's doing something he loves and got a bunch of people to support him in doing it. Who are you to denounce him for doing something unique and interesting; It's art, which isn't always about being 20% more efficient than those around you.
 

Quaxar

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Sep 21, 2009
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Oh, I know what he built it for. Cheesy pickup lines!

"Hey baby, wanna come home with me and see my... 2 meter pen?"
 

Wolfram23

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Mar 23, 2004
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He sounds waaay too into that. "Whaddaya think? Whaddaya think?"

Anyway... I guess that's art for you. At least he admits it might suck, but would be kinda cool if it works out ok.
 

Pseudonym2

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Mar 31, 2008
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For those of you that don't know Jim Woodring is as an acclaimed artsy-fartsy lit-comics cartoonist. He doesn't just do stuff for attention. If he did, he would be drawing Batman by now. I've met him in person. He's nice but curmudgeonly guy.
 

Thorvan

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May 15, 2009
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I personally think this is utterly awesome. It's practically art unto itself, regardless of what it can draw.
 

tzimize

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Mar 1, 2010
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Tim Latshaw said:
But is it mightier than the sword?

...

I'll just let myself out...
Bwahahahahahahah! Clever. I enjoy clever stuff. Thanks for the laugh :>

OT: I dont really have much to add, almost smirked at the final comment in the article though. Think I'll be monitoring this thread, more comedy is bound to ensue.
 

DigitalSushi

a gallardo? fine, I'll take it.
Dec 24, 2008
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Wont that leak everywhere?, is their a video of the cartoonist using said huge fountain pen like practically?

CaptainCrunch said:
It's a cool idea, but I'm cautious about the nib. It seems like the surface tension of ink will make for a leaky writing implement, as well as splash out of the reservoir.
See this is what I was trying to say, although in lamens terms.

I still think its a cool idea though, if it works its a new way of making art, not a brand new way but still... new.
 

The Diabolical Biz

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Jun 25, 2009
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That, my friends, is a pretty sweet pen. I kinda want it, just to see the looks on peoples faces:

Signature, you say?? Mind out the way people!!

I would be genuinely interested to see the art created by that
 

Idocreating

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Apr 16, 2009
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I dunno, an oversized tool for a job that's done much better with a smaller pen? I foresee it turning out to be a failure. There's no way you could craft an image with that as fine as with a normal handheld pen.

Nice that it got made though. Always good to sate that urge for random silly stuff, just don't think it'll be terribly useful as a pen.

Plus, brios ftw.