Spare, AO - Automatic Drawing

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ut of the flesh of our mothers come dreams andmemories of t he Gods. Of other kind than thenormal inducement of interest and increasing skill,there exists a continual pressure upon the artist ofwhich he is sometimes partially conscious butrarely entirely aware. he learns early or late in hiscareer t hat power of li teral reproduction (such as

that of the photographic apparatus) is not more than slightly usefulto him. He is compelled to find out from his artist predecessors theexistence, in representation of real form, of supersessions ofimmediate accuracies; he discovers within himself a select iveconscience and he is satisfied, normally, in large measure by theextensive field afforded by this broadened and simplifiedconsciousness. Yet beyond this is a region and that a much greater


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one, for exploration. The objective understanding, aswe see, has to be attacked by the artist and asubconscious method, for correction of consciousvisual accuracy, must be used. No amount of visualskill and consciousness of error will produce a gooddrawing. A recent book on drawing by a well -knownpainter is a case in point; there the examples of

masters of draughtsmanship may be compared withthe painter-author's own, side by side, and thefutility of mere skill and interest examined.Therefore to proceed further, it is neccesary t odispose of the "subject" in art also (that is to say thesubject in the il lust rat ive or complex sense). Thus toclear the mind of inessentials permits through a clearand transparent medium, without prepossessions ofany kind, the most definite and simple forms and

ideas to attain expression.

Notes on Automat ic Drawing

An "automatic" scribble of twisting and interlacinglines permits the germ of an idea in the subconscious

mind to express, or at least suggest itself to theconsciousness. From t his mass of procreative shapes,full of f allacy, a feeble embryo of idea may be

selected and trained by the art ist to full growth and power. Bythese means, may the profoundest depths of memory be drawnupon and the springs of inst inct tapped.

Yet, let it not be thought that a person not an art ist may by thesemeans not become one: but those artists who are hampered in

expression, who feel limited by the hard conventions of the day andwish for freedom but have not attained to it, these may find in it apower and a liberty elsewhere undiscoverable. thus writes Leonardoda Vinci:-"Among other things, I shall not scruple to discover a newmethod of assist ing the invent ion; which though t ri f ling inappearance, may yet be of considerable service in opening the mindand putt ing it upon the scent of new thoughts, and it is this: if youlook at some old wall covered with dirt, or the odd appearance ofsome st reaked stones, you may discover several things like


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landskips (sic), battles, clouds, uncommon attitude, draperies, etc.Out of t his confused mass of obj ects the mind wil l be furnished wit habundance of designs and subjects, perfectly new."

From another, a myst ical writ er, "Renounce thine own wil l that thelaw of God may be within thee."


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The curious expression of character given by handwriting is due tothe automat ic or subconscious nature t hat it acquires by habit . SoAutomat ic drawing, one of the simplest of psychic phenomena, is ameans of characteristic expression, and if used with courage andhonesty, of recording supconscious act ivit ies in the mind. Themental mechanisms used are those common in dreams, whichcreate quick percept ion of relat ions in t he unexpected, as wit , andpsycho-neurotic symptoms. Hence it appears that single or non-

consciousness is an essential condition and as in all inspiration theproduct of involution not invention.

Automatism being the manifestation of latent desires (or wishes)the significance of the forms (the ideas) obtained represent thepreviously unrecorded obsessions.

Art becomes, by this illuminism or ecstatic power, a functional


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activity expressing in a symbolical language the desire towards j oyunmodified-t he sense of t he Mother of al l t hings-not of experience.

This means of vital expression releases the fundamental statictruths which are repressed by education and customary habit andlie dormant in t he mind. It is the means of becoming courageouslyindividual; it implies spontaneity and disperses the cause of unrestand ennui.


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The dangers of this form of expression comefrom prejudice and personal bias of suchnature as f ixed intellectual convict ion orpersonal religion (intolerance). Theseproduce ideas of threat, displeasure or fear,and become obsessions.

In the ecstatic condition of revelation fromthe subconscious, the mind elevates thesexual or inherited powers (this has noreference to moral theory or practise) anddepresses the intellectual qualit ies. So anew atavistic responsibility is attained bydaring to believe-t o possess one's ownbeliefs-wit hout at tempting to rat ionalizespurious ideas from prej udiced and tainted

intellectual sources.

Automatic drawings can beobtained by such methods asconcentrat ing on a *Sigil-byany means of exhaust ingmind and body pleasantly inorder to obtain a condit ion of

non-consciousness-by wishing in opposition

to the real desire after acquiring an organic impulse towardsdrawing.The Hand must be trained to work f reely and wit hout control, bypractise in making simple forms with a continuous involved linewithout afterthought, i.e. its intention should just escapeconsciousness.

Drawings should be made by allowing the hand to run freely withthe least possible deliberation. In time shapes will be found toevolve, suggesting conceptions, forms and ultimately havingpersonal or individual style.

the mind in a state of oblivion, without desire towards reflection orpursuit of materialist ic intellectual suggest ions, is in a condit ion toproduce successful drawings of one's personal ideas, symbolic inmeaning and wisdom.


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By t his means sensation may be visualized.

f i rst publ ished in FORM MAGAZINE Vol. 1 No. 1, Apri l 1916

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Spare, AO - Automatic Drawing