Sketchbook Portfolio

Creativity in construction visualization doesn’t come from a box; it isn’t learned in a school. A creative intellect is sculpted by self-motivated observations, exercised by years of practice. This portfolio contains links to Michael De Vlieger’s sketches and drawings produced between June 1988 and today. Some of the work is purely representational, some introspective, some stream-of-consciousness. I had been drawing figures since age 13 and perspectives since age 12; many of the construction and execution exercises from the early teens are lost. The objectives of the images in this portfolio thus no longer involve the proper construction or execution of a work of art, but are attempts and experiments at expressing a feeling or studying building construction. None of the work is perfect; perfection is not interesting. Some work has won awards, and some has been collected.

There are five main styles of drawing, the rucisaime (realistic pencil of varying hardnesses), arysanal (mixed-media stream-of-consciousness sketches), aðitriçal (marker sketches), akimvriwal (ballpoint ink realism), and aðilyral (colored pencil realism) styles. Some of the work remains bound in about a dozen sketchbooks (rykami or rucami), hundreds are loose, framed, or sold as a single piece (jimla). Several sketchbooks and many pieces have been lost or given away; only these are recorded. This is not a complete record of work.

I continue to sketch, but the endeavor of sketching has become far less self-conscious and self-important. Production sketches are done from time to time and really aim to get to the bottom of a construction problem. The mathematical and artistic drives explored in this portfolio have converged seamlessly, such that argam and higher number bases are used in my field measurements. The creative sketches I now produce are usually more casual and ephemeral. The creative energy expended in generating imagery at work has largely absorbed my focus, such that very little sketching is done today, compared to my twenties and early thirties. This said, some sketching is done, and will be added here soon.

s3964 s45b0 s4952a09 s4952b02

s3964
Rykami Jamyse
The Jayme Sketchbook
Initiated 12 June 1988

A study of ballpoint ink at age 17 is rediscovered at age 26 and expanded.

s45b0
Rykami Yasmyñe
The Jasmine Sketchbook
Initiated 3 October 1991

A travel sketchbook examining Tuscany and other parts of Italy in pencil.

s4952
Rykami Ñixaþe
The Book of Apprenticeship
Initiated 20 February 1993

A sketchbook containing imagination of exotic lands in pencil.

s51a3
Rykami Az-Zahra
The Book of Az-Zahra
Initiated 19 November 1994

Vignettes exploring the construction and proportion of the Great Mosque of Cordoba, Spain.
s5231 s5810 s611b s6861

s5231
Rykami Arysane / Rucamine
The Roseann Sketchbook / Book of the Threshold
Initiated 16 January 1995

An experimental sketchbook, pencil, ink, and marker stream-of-consciousness. Introspective and exploratory, the main vehicle for thought in my mid twenties.

s5810
Rykami Samaðene
The Samath Sketchbook
Initiated 4 May 1997

Ballpoint ink sketches of travel in France and Italy, a travelogue.

s611b
Jeleyn Añikçine Xisaëne
Journal of the Era of Committments
Initiated 5 May 1999

On-site “Aðitriçal”-style drawings in Andalucia, Spain

s6861
Rykami Peretivanal
The Book of the
Demolition of the Zodiac
Initiated 28 March 2002

Watercolor and colored pencil sketches in Italy.
s7836 s6796    

s7836
Rykami Argam
The Book of Numbers
Initiated 19 November 2006

An exploration of large number bases and development of the argam numerals.

s6796
Rykami Xaþtivanal
The Book of the
Construction of the Zodiac
Developed 1 — 6 August 2010

On-site “Aðilyral”-style drawings at Sugar Island, Michigan.

    

This page last modified Tuesday 17 April 2012.