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DarthFar — 1st Class, Cambridge
Published: 2008-04-22 18:23:23 +0000 UTC; Views: 4063; Favourites: 34; Downloads: 59
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2nd class, Oxford.100 Pictures Challenge #78: Drink.
EDIT: A portrait of Professor Stephen William Hawking as a young graduate. Because it would seem a lot of people have difficulty identifying him.
I don't really like drawing famous people unless there's a personal link somewhere. That said, there seems to be a dearth of serious drawings of my biggest living hero, here at dA, in spite of the fact that he is no stranger to fame.
I chose to draw him as a young graduate rather than as who he is now because... how many people remember him the way he *was*, anyway? Unexceptional student, got borderline results (between 1st and 2nd class hons) in university, went on "Ban the Bomb" marches, crashed boats...
And no, I'm not saying who it is. If you know me, you should be able to work it out for yourself. And if you don't... well... there are enough clues here.
2B, 2H and 6H pencils on A4 textured grey card. White watercolour pastel for extra highlights.
I give full permission to display this picture in the club gallery.
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Comments: 72
This is a drawing?! I thought that it was a photograph.
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I don't actually aim for detailed realism when doing pencil drawings; I'm gratified that this gave the illusion of being a photo, if only for a moment. 
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Your passion for choosing unusual subject matter (and I should know) always impresses me.
Your skill in every medium (and I am not going to make any more suggestions) is becoming legendary.
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Thank you very much, Richard. 
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Wow, I'd never have guessed that was him! What a brilliant mind that man has. I amire him not only for his mental capacity an abilities in his field, but to be able to do all that in his current state is nothing short of amazing. Just like your wonderful drawing of him. :
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You know, in a weird way, Hawking makes me think of Rodin's Celle qui fut la belle heaulmiere . I sometimes wonder if he might have accomplished greater things had he remained physically well, or if it was his condition that forced him to come up with new ways of working without the benefit of paper, thus securing his legacy, y'know? Sometimes you don't know how to feel about things like that.
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts, Bats.
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I'm not stalking, I just wanted to add a comment.
You know how I feel? I'll try and word this well but, you know me, lol. I think that horrible situations can root out the best in people. They do one of two things; they give up, or they fight and become more than they would have before. Like how amazing terminally ill children are. Great attitudes, love to learn, it's almost like they grab life because they know it's fleeting. Instead of mirroring most people who say "I should", they say "I will". I think Professor Hawking is like that, he has such a great attitude. 
Reminds me of a story I just heard. There was a man boating the amazon and he got attacked by a hippo and lost his arm and most of his shoulder. My cousin made a prosthetic for him. What did the guy do afterward? He went and finished his Amazon trip. I love it. These kinds of people are made of win, seriously.
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Yeah, I've both observed and experienced the same. Sometimes it's the only thing you can do, no? You're not a robot; there *are* negative emotions and energy, and it has to go someplace, and the best thing it can be is fuel to drive you full speed ahead. I know you do the same, btw.
STALKER!!!
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I watched a ocumentary of his life, and a biography that someone wrote about him. I think he became ill sometime in his twenties. I think at first, his limitations really frustrated him, but I suppose he realized early on that the only muscle he really neeed to function was his brain. In all these years he's overcome all kins of obstacles, but he's still one of the most brilliant minds out there. I think it's totally cute that the man also has such a great sense of humor. In my opinion, a man like that doesn't need to be pitied, but admired. The world could use more men like him.
Like with that sculpture, I suppose I see the brilliant mind that lives inside that shell that we all call a body, and I don't focus on his physical limitations what he can't do. Wow, now you make me want to go back to my books and read about Black Holes (and no, I don't mean orificies).
You're most welcome, Far. I think you're the first person I've met since my high school days, with whom I can talk about Hawking.
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[Far has read... oh gizkas, how many books? on Hawking 
The adjectives used to describe him, as I recall, ran along the lines of "merciless", "arrogant", "no self-pity" - which I suppose you'd have to develop to survive 40 years with a debilitating condition like that. And that's what I admire most about him: the ability to charge forward with his brain, and to hell with the physical world. I don't ... pity him but, as a big fan of alternative histories, I *am* guilty of the occasional what-iffing.
You would've been cool to hang around. That's if you didn't mind mixing Schrodinger, disgusting infectious diseases and Star Wars together in some weird melting pot!
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Haha! I believe that! You gobble up anything and everything that has to do with science. You are your own "Black Hole" and the books are your "Mini Universes".
Oh yeah, I'll believe that too! I remember my professor used to relate the story over an over about him an his love for repeating the fact that he was born exactly 300 years after Galileo's death. That factoid seems to be the first senntence on every internet website as well. 
You would've been cool to hang around.
Would have?! *pouts* Sheesh! I wish you ha shared some of my classes way back when. I may have actually continued on with that degree.
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I recently came upon something written by him that I *had* to send it to your twin. Now that I know you're a Hawking admirer, you should read it too, because it's right up your alley.
However David Mason, of Cambridge Adaptive Communication, fitted a small portable computer and a speech synthesizer to my wheel chair. This system allowed me to communicate much better than I could before. I can manage up to 15 words a minute. I can either speak what I have written, or save it to disk. I can then print it out, or call it back and speak it sentence by sentence. Using this system, I have written a book, and dozens of scientific papers. I have also given many scientific and popular talks. They have all been well received. I think that is in a large part due to the quality of the speech synthesiser, which is made by Speech Plus. One's voice is very important. If you have a slurred voice, people are likely to treat you as mentally deficient: Does he take sugar? This synthesiser is by far the best I have heard, because it varies the intonation, and doesn't speak like a Dalek. The only trouble is that it gives me an American accent.
If nothing else, one has to admire his sense of humour.
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!!!
I remember that anecote as well. I've come across it in a few articles before, how he always jokes about having a synthesizer with an American accent. 
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DALEK, Batty, DALEK!
And no, you may *not* call me Hoover. Hoover is the name of the plush frog someone gave me for no particular reason.
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Not really all that surprising. You can't be brilliant and not like Dr Who.
Smeg! Smeg! Smeg! Darth Smeg!
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Well done. I could tell who it was. You're GOOD at this.
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Perfectly done 
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Thank you very much.
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You're welcome
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There's the clue to how young you are when you associate Hawkings with The Simpsons!
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*g* As I remember he was at least in two episodes
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He was in two episodes?! You're such a geek!
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I've just searched in Wikipedia, he was even in three episodes
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Wasn't Hawking in an episode of Futurama as well?
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OMG! You're right! I forgot about that one. 
I'm not sure about Futurama, but it wouldn't surprise me if he did appear on that cartoon as well.
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Actually I still don't know who he is...
But I like this drawing, it shows a feeling of a very old photo!
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Thank you very much!
Here's a link to his website: [link]
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Oh, I didn't recognize that this is Hawking! Great man
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Ha! ha! Boozer!
Nice work, I like how you managed to make it look somewhat like a vintage photo. That's so classy.
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Thanks! The reference picture *was* a vintage, to begin with (taken in the early?mid? '60s).
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I guessed so, but you really managed to keep the feel well. When I saw the thumbnail I wasn't sure if it was a photo manipulation, painting or pencil sketch. Your powers of illusion grow strong.
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You know, every time I open one of your deviations, I have to check to see if it's a photograph or a drawing. Your talent disgusts me.
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I doubt that Cati and bug-eyed-Carth could ever pass for real, but aheheh, thanks Occy.
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It kinda looks a little like you
It is wonderful 
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OY!
Aside from that... thank you.
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Who wouldn't want to be in the middle of Fars? 
You're not a geek, you are an Adonis
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My clones shall take over the world. 
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*Looks forward to becoming a Sagan-guzzling computer geek and being able to understand her computer while programing her VCR, TV and DVD player.*
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Boom de ah da! My favorite channel makes me learn stuff.
There is something about geniuses and being horrible students. 
I love this, Far. Your pencil work mixed with the watercolor is fabulous. I especially like the disheveled look you gave him. Who it is only makes it so much better.
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PS: You might like to know that this was done on card that I'd originally bought to make companion cubes.
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