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Building Books: The Art
of David Macaulay
November 13, 2004 - May 30, 2005
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Building Ship: The Artist's Process
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- David Macaulay
- Maria Sousa is Beginning to Feel the Strain 1993
- Illustration and study for Ship
- Pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
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- David Macaulay's interest in travel by sea was first inspired by the
memorable transatlantic journey that he and his family made from England
to America when he was eleven. The S. S. United States, which provided
them safe passage in 1957, is now considered to be the greatest ocean liner
ever built. A far cry from the small, 1504 caravel that is the focus of
this book, the two ships have much in common. Both challenged conventional
thinking in their day, and were faster and more advanced than any other
vessel afloat at the time.
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- The 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of America
(1492-1992), and a friend's passion for recovered shipwrecks and the field
of underwater archaeology, piqued the artist's interest in the subject.
In this first illustration for his compelling fictional tale, maritime
archaeologist, Maria Sousa, searches the Brazos del Diablo reef in search
of the anchor and other remains of an early sixteenth century shipwreck
that may be a caravel.
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- David Macaulay
- Suddenly She Releases the Line and Hovers Above the Encrusted Anchor
1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- A burgeoning interest in the work of underwater archaeologists
what they find and how they recover, preserve, and interpret artifacts
was just the beginning for David Macaulay, whose research for Ship
started five years before publication. The artist began by reading all
that he could find about the history and tradition of shipbuilding and
coastal exploration. After referencing materials from archival libraries
in America, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, he traveled to distant places where
time-honored traditions were still evident. In Portsmouth, England, he
studied the rigging of the Mary Rose, King Henry VIII's favorite warship
dating from 1510. At Mystic Seaport, he became immersed in the art of rope
tying and barrel making. And a trip to Brazil gave him the opportunity
to witness the construction of Columbus' Nina in replica. Ethnographically
authentic, this caravel was built in commemoration of the 500th anniversary
of the discovery of America. While on location, the artist drew, photographed,
and calibrated structural measurements while speaking with craftsmen about
skills and techniques that had been passed down through generations of
master ship builders. The hull's dimensions were eventually used to create
accurate drawings and a three-dimensional ship model.
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- David Macaulay's narratives are initially written by hand and developed
simultaneously with thumbnail sketches that are placed in sequential order.
After being transcribed, his manuscript is divided into blocks of text
that can be inserted into more finished sketches for placement, as seen
here. Two of many, the studies for this image reveal the artist's consideration
of content and composition. The anchor appears less prominent in the final
drawing, where two divers work together rather than one.
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-
- David Macaulay
- While Most of the Vegetation Grows at Random, the Gorgonia
- is an Exception 1993
- Illustration and study for Ship
- Pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- As his manuscript and imagery began to take shape, David Macaulay sought
the expertise of professional maritime archaeologists to ensure authenticity
in his work. Scientists from Ships of Discovery, a research program in
Corpus Christie, Texas that has sought, tested, and excavated early European
shipwrecks in the Americas, enthusiastically offered advice and information.
Letters and notes written directly on the artist's sketches and book dummies
provided information on a broad spectrum of issues, from building materials
to the cloth that was used for sails and the food that the crew would have
eaten.
- In addition, Ships of Discovery staff members gave him a three-day
"crash course" in underwater archaeology and preservation, which
was invaluable. During his visit to their facility, he had the opportunity
to draw, photograph, and take notes on their processes and tools.
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- David Macaulay had never gone snorkeling or scuba diving before he
began this project, but was curious to know what swimming near the ocean's
floor might feel and sound like. After a day of training, he donned diving
equipment and accompanied scientists to an excavation site, where he created
underwater drawings and observed their work first-hand.
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-
- David Macaulay
- The Team is Back on the Site Early the Following Morning 1993
- Illustration and study for Ship
- Pencil, ink and colored pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- While on location at an excavation site, David Macaulay and his fellow
scientists drew and made notes while working underwater. As in this image,
drafting film was attached to a stiff acrylic board with duct tape and
a pencil was kept from floating away with string. Staying focused was a
challenge, however, as the current shifted him away from his subject. Divers
are seen here searching for artifacts with metal detectors and inserting
steel rods into the ocean floor to check for remnants that may lie beneath
the surface.
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-
- David Macaulay
- The Replyis both Speedy and Troubling 1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Pencil, ink, and collage on paper on paper
- Collection of the artist
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- In the contemporary half of Ship's story, scientist James Stevens
reports to the Cherubian government on the Brazos de Diablo site, noting
the reasons it deserves excavation. A sizable portion of the wooden hull
may still be in tact, and possible artifacts located by metal detectors
suggest that the site has not been salvaged, making it a time capsule of
its day. Collaged over the artist's drawing, a letter from Cherubia brings
unfortunate news that treasure hunters have recently been intercepted in
the region. Beautifully designed elements, like the logo on the letterhead,
lend authenticity to the details of this fictional tale.
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-
- David Macaulay
- As the Equipment is Being Loaded for the TripA Fax Arrives 1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Pencil, colored pencil, and collage on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- In this illustration, equipment is loaded onto trucks for the trip
back to Brazos de Diablo in the wake of troubling reports. As the team
works, a fax containing information about an early sixteenth century caravel
arrives from a researcher. The Magdalena, which set sail from Seville
in 1504, may be the subject of their investigation.
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- When David Macaulay designed Ship, he considered several ways
to integrate the contemporary and historic aspects of his story. Initially,
scenes of the past and the present shifted back and forth. In another approach,
as seen here, ghostly figures of deceased seamen made their way onto modern
vessels, suggesting a sense of continuity. Both possibilities were eventually
rejected as potentially confusing for readers. The artist also experimented
with point of view, finally placing the viewer above this scene, looking
down.
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- David Macaulay
- Stevens and Keiffer Witness the Carnage 1993
- Illustration and study for Ship
- Pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- When archaeologists return to the diving site, their worst fears are
confirmed. In their search for riches, treasure hunters have destroyed
anything in their way. The anchor that first welcomed them has been torn
away, and artifacts are either missing or disrupted.
- Note the diver's shift in placement to the left facing page. His position
in the final composition balances and calls attention to the unfortunate
discovery on the right
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-
- David Macaulay
- All Measurements Must be Accurately Recorded 1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- David Macaulay offers detailed information about artifact collection
techniques in this double page spread. In a systematic excavation process,
grids are used to map the ocean floor, and the location and size of artifacts
are accurately recorded. Large objects like this bombardeta, or cannon,
are brought to the water's surface with the help of balloons. A blue screen
applied to the artist's underwater illustrations during the printing process
provides a sense of deep-sea atmosphere.
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-
- David Macaulay
- Precious Cargo 1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Pencil, ink and colored pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- In this expansive scene, the Cherubian government's well-worn Pride
of Sea leaves the excavation site filled with artifacts that scientists
have collected, and makes its way toward shore. The artist's contemplative
composition was a perfect counterpoint to the active, informational images
that fill the book, but the piece did not start out that way. Before settling
on a final image, David Macaulay explored several potential visual solutions.
Reactions to his studies were recorded in the margins and on post-it notes
by maritime archaeologists at Ships of Discovery, offering food for thought.
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-
- David Macaulay
- The Artifacts are Soaking in Tanks of Solution 1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Pencil, colored pencil, and acetate on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- The iron artifacts that have been removed from the sea, such as guns
and anchors, will deteriorate quickly if not properly preserved. David
Macaulay's two-part illustration clearly details the process of preservation.
Here, objects are first soaked in tanks of solution to reduce deterioration
by salt water, and residue is carefully cleaned away before they undergo
electrolysis, another bath, and a wax immersion. Red acetate has been applied
to this and other images in the book for printing purposes, indicating
that an area of color will appear in an otherwise black and white piece.
In the published piece, these sections are blue.
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-
- David Macaulay
- Many of the ArtifactsHave Become Cemented 1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Pencil and acetate on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- For most artifacts, cleaning and preservation takes months or years.
The painstaking work of the archaeologist is illuminated in these images,
which offer a precise look at two specific techniques. In the sketch on
the left, encrustation is pieced together to make a mold of an object that
has deteriorated. The finished drawing gives a sense of just how many items
have become cemented into this large cluster, or conglomerate, over time.
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-
- David Macaulay
- Two More Trips are Made to the Site 1993
- Illustration and study for Ship
- Pencil, colored pencil, and acetate on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- In the artist's story, the wooden remains are the last to be taken
from the excavation site. Collected during two additional trips over the
next five years, these artifacts are less attractive to treasure hunters,
and their recovery process is long and complex. Underwater photographs
of ship remains on the ocean floor, a building plan that the artist acquired
in his research, and his own studies of a ship's hull served as reference
for the site plan on the left. In an earlier version, structural remnants
stretch out horizontally across the double page spread.
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-
- David Macaulay
- I Have Found What Looks Like a Journal or Diary 1993
- Illustration and study for Ship
- Mixed media on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- In Ship, fragments come together as a metaphor for a larger
process of discovery.
- In this final image of the first story in the book, we are seated at
the desk of an archaeologist. Covered with utility bills, letters, a magnifying
glass, and even the resident cat, it also holds a fax from Diane, a "fellow
digger," who has found what appears to be an early sixteenth century
diary. The diary's first entries discuss the building of a caravel, which
could help the scientists interpret the artifacts found at Brazos del Diablo.
This reference to the past provides a seamless entry into the historical
section of the book, which is set in 1504.
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- This image was built up in four distinct layers that appear as one
through the magic of the printing process. Text serves as a base for the
artist's magnifying glass and cat tail drawings. In a third overlay, colored
acetate indicates that the desk will appear as one continuous tone. Finally,
the signature and envelope return address will be screened separately,
in deep blue. Note that a postage stamp illustration in the upper left
corner commemorates Ships of Discovery, a nod of appreciation to the scientists
that David Macaulay worked with so closely.
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-
- David Macaulay
- The Seventh Day of January1504 1993
- Illustration for Ship
- Ink and marker on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- In the first entry of the diary that Diane has uncovered, we learn
that two brothers from Seville are enjoying success importing dyewood and
pearls from the Indies, but are seeking new sources for these precious
commodities. They have therefore commissioned the Guerra shipyard to build
them a caravel. "Such a ship, although quite small, is surprisingly
capricious," the narrator reflects. "It is also of modest draft
and can be heavily armed, making it ideal for the uncertainties of exploration."
The story is told in the voice of the journal writer, who records all aspects
of the vessel's construction. Silhouetted caravels at various stages of
completion punctuate the narrative, inspired by ship drawings of the period.
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-
- David Macaulay
- We Passed this Rainy Afternoon Reviewing the List of Timbers Required
- for the Hull 1993
- Illustration for Ship
- Marker on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- Master Alonso agrees to oversee the project, and promises that no detail
will be overlooked. The ship's hull will be built of the finest white oak,
selected by Alonso personally. After specific trees have been marked, they
are felled and sent to the shipyard by way of the Guadalquivir River.
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- In Ship, the images that bring us back in time are created in
full color, in contrast to the black and white drawings that trace the
caravel's eventual discovery. David Macaulay's painterly drawings, created
with marker on translucent drafting film, are reversed after completion
to soften both color and focus. The effect of snow in this wintry scene
was the result of his experiments with the medium.
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-
- David Macaulay
- The Guadalquivir River Does All the Work 1993
- Illustration and study for Ship
- Marker and pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
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-
- David Macaulay
- José and His Able Apprentices were Already Shaping the Keel
1993
- Illustration and study for Ship
- Marker and pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- Master carpenter, José de Arbora, begins shaping the keel, which
is the ship's backbone. Once the rough timber has been shaped, it is smoothed
with short strokes of the adze, as seen here. José is reputed to
be one of the finest adze men in Seville, but his work is not without cost,
for he has lost a toe on his right foot. While on location in Brazil observing
the recreation of the Niña, David Macaulay drew and photographed
craftsmen utilizing traditional techniques, which served as reference for
his illustrations.
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-
- David Macaulay
- The Yard is Very Busy These Days 1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Marker, pencil, and colored pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- In this overview of the active shipyard, the Magdalena's keel
is situated between two larger vessels that are in need of Alonso's attention.
One of Their Royal Highnesses' ships has been hauled onto its side for
repairs, and the cargo vessel on the right is being caulked in preparation
for a launch. The Magdelena's sternpost now supports a fine, broad
transom. Note the artist's experimentation with content, perspective and
composition before arriving at his final solution. The messages to be communicated,
the mood the image conveys, and its place within the grand sweep of the
book are considerations that influence his artistic decisions.
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-
- David Macaulay
- The First of Magdalena's Ribs Have been Assembled
- and Hoisted into Place on the Keel 1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Marker, pencil, and colored pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
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- While on location in Brazil, where Christopher Colombus' Niña
was recreated, David Macaulay made proportionally accurate drawings by
taking exact measurements of the ribs that form the ship's hull one
of the "trickiest" parts of his process. After returning home
to Rhode Island, the information that he had gleaned was used to build
a precise model of the ship out of cardboard. That three-dimensional structure
became the subject of hundreds of exploratory drawings, allowing the artist
to view the ship from every possible angle and viewpoint. In this illustration,
the Magdalena's ribs are assembled and hoisted into place on the
keel. The artist's "camera eye" moves in and out on the scene
before the final composition is established.
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-
- David Macaulay
- The Last of the Ribs are in Place 1993
- Illustration and study for Ship
- Marker, pencil, and colored pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- Dazzling in its dramatic use of dark and light, we move beyond the
shadow of the boathouse in the foreground of this image to the illuminated
ship beyond. Two heavy planks called wales now tie the ribs of the hull
together. In an earlier version that was rejected as too symmetrical, the
hull stretches across the bottom of the page, while a seascape and text
balance each other above.
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-
- David Macaulay
- The Keelson is Notched to Fit Snugly Over Every Floor 1993
- Illustration and study for Ship
- Marker and colored pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- The artist utilizes one point perspective to great affect here, placing
us within the skeleton of the ship's hull to provide a sense of its depth
and scale. Visual texture abounds, as marker strokes enhanced by touches
of water from a paintbrush emulate the look an feel of wood grain, earth,
and sky.
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-
- David Macaulay
- They Painstakingly Measure and Trim Each Plank 1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Marker and pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- In this illustration, inspired directly by the postures and activities
of shipwrights carrying out traditional building techniques in Brazil,
craftsmen sheath the hull by measuring and trimming each plank to create
the tightest possible seam. In an earlier version, carpenters appear in
a sequence of snapshots that move across the top of the page. Commentary
on his studies by Ships of Discovery scientists, whom the artist worked
closely with, offers food for thought and factual information.
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-
- David Macaulay
- The Ship Glided Whole into the Same River 1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Marker, pencil, and colored pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- Cheers rose in the air as the completed hull of the Magdalena
slid along greased tracks into the same river that had delivered her in
pieces just a few months before. The drawings of the hull that are seen
here represent hundreds that were created by the artist to ensure his understanding
of the structure and his facility in working with it convincingly.
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- David Macaulay
- I Arrivedto See the Mainmast Being Raised Above its Hole
- in the Center of the Deck 1993
- Illustration for Ship
- Marker on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- Shortly after sunrise, the lofty mainmast is raised. The narrator in
David Macaulay's story tells us that he has inserted a gold coin into the
slot in the mast step, which he believes will bring good luck to the Magdalena
and her crew. A close-up of the ship's rudder in the facing illustration
was eventually substituted by a small silhouette of the boat with an indication
its placement.
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- David Macaulay
- The Long Horizontal Yardsare Made Up of Two Pieces of Timber
- Bound Together 1993
- Illustration and studies for Ship
- Marker and pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- Understanding the complexities of the ship's rigging preoccupied David
Macaulay for some time. He sought visual reference from many sources including
research papers and books, built a scale model of Columbus' Santa Maria,
and traveled to Mystic Seaport in Connecticut and the Mary Rose Museum
in Portsmouth, England to gain first hand knowledge of the subject. The
complexities of outfitting a small ship like the Magdalena are underscored
in the artist's images and text. In a study for this piece that was eventually
revised, workers bind pieces of timber together to make long, horizontal
yards to which sails will be attached.
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- David Macaulay
- Two Wagons Arrived Bearing Magdalena's Sails 1993
- Illustration and study for Ship
- Marker, pencil, and colored pencil on paper
- Collection of the artist
-
- The artist's research of caravel cargo lists revealed that at least
one extra set of sails was stowed below deck in the event of an emergency
at sea. At this point in his story, the ship's construction has been completed,
the sails have been lashed to the yards, and the third and final payment
to the Guerra shipyard has been made. A complete inventory of the ship
and its contents was then begun. The artist's study for this image reveals
a simultaneous development of images and words.
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