I’ve just published a short illustrated essay here on SV called “A Matter of Perspective” about how a college class in technical illustration literally changed the way the world looked to me. It’s also a paean to analog drafting tools, amid which I grew up:

“I unscrewed the top of the bottle and took a deep whiff, and was instantly transported into a pre-computer world of drafting tables, T-squares, long-legged fluorescent lamps, color-coordinated pen points, nylon vellum, and polyester erasers. For what makes Rapidraw India Ink special to me is not its superlative quality, but rather its unique odor. How do I describe it? Like salty wet plastic, with just a tinge of bitter citrus. It’s a cousin to the heady virgin-vinyl scent of a new LP, or of a freshly-opened Star Wars figure.

“Along with the hot-rubber smell of fresh eraser dust, for me the smell of Rapidraw is the smell of art.”

I hope you enjoy!

Categorised as: Life the Universe and Everything

Comments are disabled on this post