Illustration Atelier
Word Grids
Two grids with 10 x 10 cells are arrayed at a 90° angle to each other. In each cell of the grids there is either one word or not a word. If there is a word in that cell, then the word is a description of at least one thing in that cell that corresponds to a scene beyond the grid. If there is a stream bed beyond the grid, then from different angles there might be objects in each of the cells of the grid. If a pebble on the stream bed is in a cell, then the word pebble can be put for that cell. An array of words is utilized to describe a scene. Scenes can be described with one or more grids. The grids can be one or more dimensional and can themselves be oriented in a space to each other.
Postural Group Shape
A group of people are told that they can volunteer to form a group shape, consisting of the shape formed by the postures of all the people in the group. They are told to select a posture of their own choice and at a specified moment in time they form and keep the shape for ten seconds. The number of volunteers is not limited in the event. The position in space of each person is the choice of the volunteers.
In the group shape there are the positions of the people, the directions they point towards, and the postures they make. If a point is selected for a position, then the set of points in the group is a description of the group shape. Another description of the group shape can be points with directional arrows to indicate the direction each person faces toward.
Camera Holders
A three way structure of holders for cameras has structural bars that connect in the center and are 120° angle from each other. Attached to the tips of the bars are three cameras pointed clockwise. The camera can operate with photographs and video. One to three of the cameras are activated at any time.
Apertures in Sequence
Apertures are put along a track. The apertures are oval bars 1 foot wide and 0.75 feet tall on poles with a stand at 5 feet in height. There are 100 apertures, each at a position and orientation. Each aperture is designated from 1 to 100. A person travels from aperture 1 to aperture 100 in a sequence. The side of the aperture to look through is also designated with a plaque that has the number of the aperture inscribed.
A second track of 30 apertures is put along a track. The apertures are looked through alternating between right eye open and left eye closed and left eye open and right eye closed. The odd numbers are right eye open and left eye closed. The even numbers on the track are left eye open and right eye closed.
Audio Recorders at Distance
Two audio recorders are put at a distance of 100 feet. The live audio is relayed to a set of earbuds. The right earbud receives the input of one of the recorders and the left earbud receives the input of the other recorder. The recorders are transmitted live and simultaneously to the two earbuds for 10 minutes. The distance between the two recorders is then increased to 200 feet and transmitted live for another 10 minutes.
Photograph Sets
Sets of photographs are made, where photographs are arranged across planes in both directions. In the first set, there are two photographs across one plane, in the second set are four photographs, two across each of the two planes, and in the third set there are six photographs, two across each of the three planes. The sets describe a scene from different angles.
Threshold Container
A container that has a hole in the base and an open top has hair inserted into the hole that is a length long enough such that if fully extended, it would extend at least 10% longer than the height of the container. The hair is laid flat around the base of the container. The height of the container is 1 inch. The tube is arranged to be pressed onto the skin of a volunteer with the open top at the skin. The hair is electrostatically rubbed. The hair strands spread away from each other, extending beyond the threshold of the open top and press on the skin. The pressure results in a tactile sense of contact.
The timing of the electrostatic application is kept random. The person who is equipped with the container is asked to announce when a feeling of touch occurs on the skin. The sense of electroreception is the sense of electrical phenomena. The sense of touch is utilized to assist with the sense of electroreception.
Author: David Elkins
Illustrator: David Elkins
Copyright © 2026 David Elkins
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