Lazy imagination isn’t bad
When I flick open my sketchbook I tend to always draw the same few things. Spacemen with antennas, people with plants on their heads, and old ladies.
I draw these things almost as impulsively as a monkey scratches its back. Although, there’s not really anything wrong with that. It’s more like a monkey scratching its back and it’s covered in mosquito bites. It’s hard to resist and the itch grows more intense every time. Similarly, with every scratch of my pen on the paper I become even more aware of myself, of my repetitiveness. I know I should stop, but I can’t because it feels so good in the moment. Drawing these figures is my comfort zone.
A mosquito bite itches because of a tiny infection. Something must have bit my soul and left a similar mark. One of my favorite songs by Ezra Furman, “Queen of Hearts” has a verse in it which I’d say puts the finger on why I draw so many characters with antennas.
I am searching, I am searching I am waving my antenna
Trying to pick up some signal through this dream
I'm an ant in a hill but I think and I feel
And I'm composing these love letters to the queen
Hoping somebody will see what I mean
The Queen of Hearts
There’s something about connection, searching signals in a huge universe and discovering what’s out there. Now that I’ve realized this, I feel like I can lean into my antenna obsession and one day make something out of it. Now that I’ve found a purpose with aimlessly drawing more of them it has just become a pleasant itch to scratch. It’s like I smeared a painkilling aloe vera on it.
I’ll keep drawing antennas until I pick up the right signal.
If you enjoyed reading this one you might also like to read When you don’t know what to draw.
