Robin Lauersdorf

To many artists, drawing is used as a preliminary means to an end. Through years of meticulous work, I have tried to show that the pencil can be used as an art form in itself. Through close observation, I render my graphite pencil drawings as detailed and realistic as possible. Without the use of color, my drawings must stand on design and value alone. Opposed to pen and ink, pencil allows me to obtain all of the subtle values ranging from very light to very dark. Charcoal, being very soft, doesn’t allow for fine details. My subject matter often varies. I find that anything is interesting to draw as long as I can be creative in the designing of the piece. Like most artists, I have a vision of what I want to draw and must research, photograph and sketch until I have illustrated what I envision. The design process can take longer than the actual drawing itself. However, because of the detail I try to achieve, it can take up to three months before I feel satisfied with the completed drawing. Like many people, I have always been fascinated with the M.C. Escher’s trompe l’oeil work. I started my art career creating portraits, landscapes, and architectural drawings, but have always thought about how Escher played with reality. After twenty-five years of drawing, I was looking for a new challenge, I decided to create whimsical drawings that would leave the viewer questioning what they saw.