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eskimo30787 — Eye with Skull - M.C. Escher
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Published: 2007-05-29 07:33:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 33876; Favourites: 152; Downloads: 20220
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This piece, unfortunately, was the reason I now ask for a percentage of the full payment of a commission in advance. I spent almost 4 months working on this piece, as a commission for a man who contacted me, specifically asking for a replicate of M.C. Escher's famous eye drawing. I included every detail as accurately as possible, and dedicated a great deal of my time to it. I felt my efforts really paid off, however, when I tried to contact the man to organise payment and to hand the piece over to him, I couldn't get a hold of him.The hours upon hours of work I put into this piece was then wasted. I wouldn't have been as disappointed if it had have been a drawing or painting of something more appropriately suiting a normal living room or dining room... the kind of neutral piece that can be placed anywhere in a house, however there aren't many people I know who want a drawing of an eye with a skull in the centre of it hanging above their fireplace.
This is the most intricately drawn pieces I have produced throughout my whole life of drawing, and I really wish it wasn't going to waste, tucked away in my portfolio behind my desk.
Anyway... enough venting from me!
This isn't actually completely finished as yet. When I thought it was finished, I discovered a few details I could improve on, so i started to re-do parts and add more details to it.
Fabriano Hotpress paper
50X60cm
Derwent Graphic pencils (2H, H, HB, 2B, 4B, and 6B)
Mechanical Pencil (HB)
Blending Stump and Tissues
Kneadable Eraser for negative drawing
Hope you guys like it!!! I'd say its a little more advanced than the last escher eye I drew! then again, that was 5 years ago...
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Comments: 49
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Oh, there's two of them .. (eyes.) Sorry to hear about how this one came to be.
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This is really random but I drew this a few years ago, as in - I used your artwork as reference haha. Basically I had to do an artist study for GCSE and google images showed this when i typed in "MC escher" so I used this. it was a while until I realised I'd done an artist's study of an artist's study...
my drawing - xxx-ellie.deviantart.com/art/M…
nice work anyway
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Firstly, I ACCIDENTALLY requested print. (Stupid click) Sorry.
Anyhow-
Woah. So beautiful and detailed.
It's disappointing that you couldn't get in contact with that guy... the nerve of him. AND you even traveled to where he lives! That's dedication.
Good job!
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Lovely peace, I understand when someone needs a nice peace of art but they are not willing to pay for it. That is why I draw for myself know and hope others like what I do.
I do not do it for the money anymore.
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stole this picture and is claiming to have drawn it.
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reminds me of Donnie Darko not that you copied but thats my fav movie, anywho nice!!
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emmm..the upper eye-lashes. where do they come from ? Oo
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Hi just wanted to ask if it is ok if I use this as an example for an eye contest I am running?
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i love this peice of his. and u captured it very very well. i love it
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This is so wonderful. I don't know why you weren't paid for it, but I do know you will (you've probably found someone already) who will buy it. It's a beautiful picture, and if I had a buttload of money, I'd gladly help you out. It's so impressive. Honestly, I only looked at this to shout art thief at somebody, because this is marvellous. Now I'm emotionally involved.
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Very nice work. I don't think there's any sum of money anyone could pay me to replicate anyone's work considering there are prints available of Escher's work. :/ Hopefully you didn't post this before trying to get money?
What a number of artists do for commissions is require half the payment (minimum and non-refundable) to start, some percentage due after a certain period of time or stage in work completion and the final on delivery. That's typical of some freelance designers and it's what I do. Yes, it is a little annoying, but it gives me some confidence that I have at least part of the payment before someone vanishes and my client has some confidence in me not vanishing with all their money if they're concerned about scams. What I've seen on DA is people requiring full payment once a commission is accepted.
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impressive! i love how this is abstract yet very realistic. and woww you used lots of pencils.
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does it have to go to someone for money?
cant you just make art for yourself...
and you can enjoy it
art never goes to waste
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this is beautiful...has anyone boughten it from you yet?
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man i feel your pain, i know how it feels to try to sell your work to someone who promiced to buy it from me, if you did this by hand and not with a projector then you trully are a great draftsperson, i onther hand am just starting how to use a pencil propperlly though, i never used different pencils in one work b4, but now im starting to, and i really think its an improovment....
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holy mother of God wow... speachless. i would totaly put that above my fireplace... if i had won. lol. thats fricken Amazing! great job!
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i think ur absolutly amazin .. keep the gr8 wrk up..
im A FAN already.. ill be watchin u 
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Nice!
Your blending is very smooth and yet you got all of that detail in
Did you use charcoal?
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Thank you! I actually used graphite pencil throughout the whole piece. I'd love to work more with charcoal. Its a lot more expressive and dramatic, being able to get the darker tones and all!
Thank you for your comment!
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Wow, that is really incredible. I would want that hanging above my fireplace. What kind of pencil do you use for the darkest parts of the drawing? I don't know much about pencil types, so I don't know which ones to use for dark parts, light parts, etc.
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Thank you! You're one of the very few who WOULD actually have it hanging up! haha
I used a 4B and 6B pencil on the darkest parts... The B range pencils are softer than the H range, thus creating darker shades with the same amount of pressure applied when using H range pencils... (If that makes sense...). Also, in the B range pencils, the higher the number, the softer the pencil is, and in the H range pencils, the higher the number, the harder the pencil gets, therefore creating lighter shades. The normal pencil for general writing, and everyday stuff, is a HB pencil, which is between the H range and B range, therefore not too hard, but not too soft. Hope that helps a little!
I use derwent graphic pencils, and swear by them! During my lifetime of drawing, they are, by far, the best pencils I've come across. They give a really nice texture and finish, and dont have random hard graphite bits in the lead, which really pisses me off!
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for replying. I had no idea of all the types and will definitely use your advice, and get some of those pencils. One again, thank you and keep up the great artwork!!!
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Absolutely amazing! I love it. The detail in the hairs and the skull in the pupil are great! You can definitely tell you put a lot of time and effort into this piece.
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This impressive, awesome job. sorry bout what happened, guess its one of those things you grow from. wish you the best of luck with it. you never know, things work out funny. My grandmother had the most awesome drawing of a woman looking into a vanity, but it was one of those drawings that looks like her body and the mirrior image all together makes a skull image. I want it so bad, not sure who artist is though. Think my uncle took it, so don't think i'll ever see it. wish i had a copy at least. oh well.
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Oh! i love that piece! i know the one ur talking about, but i cant remember who did it either...
Was gunna do a version of that too, but alter it, so instead of the vanity in the shape of a skull, i'd do her reflection as a skull, either that or do a young womans body, but an older womans reflection... not sure... its something im thinking about though!
thanks for the comment! and yes- its something we can only grow from!
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That would be pretty cool, i think i like the idea of a young woman body and older woman's reflection. Hope I get to see it some day here, i'm sure it'll come out awesome.
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awesome! you're back in action!
i'm going to be starting a piece soon headed your way
this is great trac, it is a shame that it's sitting in a portfolio. i think you should copy it in high res, put THAT in your portfolio and hang this up somewhere or sell it.
I find iris' so hard to draw and you pulled this one off nicely
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duuuuuude! yep i'm back online! but not really back drawing again... this piece was from a year ago! i just never posted it till now... Am busy with studying at the moment... exams start next week, finish on the 13th, then my ex from Holland is coming to visit! Can't wait! so it'll be a busy time for me over the next month or so...
Can't wait for you to start something! tell me when you start and i'll start one too! We gotta have a drink sometime! How long have we been sayin this though?! Next time i'm in the city around 5 or 5:30 i'm making it my mission to meet up with you! hey... maybe even friday?! i finish work at 4... got some uni work to do... so depending how much study i get done tomorrow... do you wanna meet then?
Anyway, i'll probably talk to you at some point before then anyway. Take care Benji!
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Ah! Vanitas...go Escher. See, I'd have this hanging above my fireplace...if I owned a fireplace and had money to buy it from you...but I need to focus on buying my own art schooling.
You never know who might actually want to buy it. Use eBay maybe? Flaky clientelle just don't win there...and yes, they are annoying. Luckily, I didn't have to actually do a ton of work before finding out it wouldn't work out with mine....
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sorry to hear about your flakey client. i have many of those as well. people seem to take advantage of artists for some reason. but your talent really shows through in this drawing! it's really amazing and that person is really missing out on a beautiful piece.
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Spectacular.... If you want to I know a target group of women who might be interested in purchasing this if you give me some more info I could post it on my message board and see if you get any interest? Its way too good to not be admired!
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Aw that would be awesome! wow! thank you so much for that! I was thinking of keeping it in my portfolio, but then decided against it because its not an original, and the kinds of work i want to keep in my portfolio, i want to me MY work, and not replicates of others.
Thank you so much for that Amanda... that'd be great!
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Do you want me to put a price on the peice when I post it? Or would you like me to say price negotiable? By the way the forum I'm posting it to is punkymoms.com those women LOVE their skulls and surrealists lol. I can post it up as soon as you let me know what you want me to include with the post. I really hope I can get this thing sold for ya! Oh and if you could write your e-mail down since I'm too lazy to go looking for it lol
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Thats amazing dude!!
shame to hear about the guy not getting back to you
I wish I could draw like that!!!!
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I'm not a of M.C. Escher's fan myself, however I do recognize a good (no, make that excellent) replication of a famouse piece. I'm sorry that you had such a huge disapointment on this particular comission. I've been there, done that. It sucks.
My advise as someone who has lived a bit litle more than you would be something like: Don't allow these incidents to make you feel bad with yourself. If you are pursuing a commisioned artistic career chances are that it will happen again. Don't get down by it. Keep the drawing to your personal collection/portfolio. In a few years you will have an investment both financial and in quality work. Just keep doing what you do best.
Best regards
Kaledrub
PS**** Sorry for the overly extended comment...
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Thank you so much for taking the time out to comment! I'm not letting it get me down, in fact I think it was good to experience, because now I know I need to be careful when dealing with commissions I get from people I dont see every day, and people i've never met. Its sad to say, but i now know I can't completely trust everyone out there, and its a lesson all artists (well, not just artists, everyone in fact!) have to learn.
take care of yourself Mr. Darkblue! Nice to speak to you again! its been a very long time!
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Ok, first things first. It was a shame that the guy who commissioned you was an ass, but perhaps give him more time to get back to you? How long has it been? Also, I think it's a good idea to finalize payment before you have completed or even started the work, it's when the client is unsatisfied with the work that you renegotiate pay.
Other than that, the drawing is very well done. The only thing that bothers me about it is the lack of eyelashes on the upper lid. As someone who does eyes a fair amount I might notice something that insignificant faster than the average person, but hey, if it doesn't bug you leave it alone, only a suggestion. I too admire Escher's work and know it's very difficult to replicate, I copied his self portrait once.. ouch..
But don't be too peeved about the whole affair, if nothing else you did a very good piece and it was a learning experience. I hope the guy gets back to you though. Good luck!
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Thanks for the reply! its been almost a year since I tried to contact him. I emailed him countless times, over several months, even travelled up to Amsterdam one day (which is where he lives) in the hopes that I could meet up with him then, but I got nothing back. In the end I moved back to australia, and kind of gave up hope... but hey! i've only learned from this experience!
Haha yes... there is a lack of eyelashes on the top eyelid... this is one of the places I began to fix up, when I realised there was no point, because the guy wasn't getting back to me. I know I should finish it, and it definately needs some extra eyelashes, so maybe one day i'll come back to it. The eyebrow needs some work too actually.
Argh! you tried his self portrait?! Thats the one and only piece of his that i've avoided! He's got a very particular look about him too. I take my hat off to you for even considering starting a piece like that! well done!
When I lived in Holland I spent countless days in the Escher museum... its by far my favourite museum, and I've seen museums all over the world! Theres something about his work that captivates me... I love it! He's the main source of my artisitic inspiration!
Thank you for your comment! and your kind words! take care
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You're welcome, keep up the good work!
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