I painted this for the folks at Horton Hall (North Dakota State College of Science). Somewhat ironically it’s the first time I’ve used a compass in about a bajillion years. Have a great weekend, everyone.
Lois: “Have you designed any buildings in New York?”
George Costanza: “Have you seen the, ah… new addition to the Guggenheim?”
Lois: “You did that?”
George Costanza: “Yup. Yup. It really didn’t take very long, either.”
– Renee Props & Jason Alexander – Seinfeld
About this image: acrylic painting on 18″ x 18″ panel
Refrigerator Magnate 
I love talented people like you!
You are so incredibly kind… thank you very much!
BFF once did a logo for “Forsyth Technical Institute, Architectural Drafting and Design.” His design also used blue, white, and black . . . but no compass. Or hand. 😀
That sounds very cool, Nancy! I didn’t know BFF was a designer! Awesome!
Interesting! The blue was a bit of a nod to blue-printing (although I don’t think anyone uses ‘real’ blue-prints anymore)… I wonder if that was part of the reason BFF chose to incorporate that color into his design, too?!
🙂
BFF has a degree in Architectural Drafting and Design. For awhile, he worked at Cedardale Log Homes drafting . . . Log Homes. They used actual blueprints before they switched to CAD ~ for cleaner, crisper images.
He also got involved in sign design at Insign in NJ. He’s worn lots of hats.
As I recall, the school colors at FTC were blue and white . . .
Very cool, Nancy! I have a degree in A.D. too (from this school… which is why I made the painting for them – they just remodeled the building where the majority of the A.D. classes are taught – and they were looking for artwork).
We had classes were we drew by hand (and did used a blueprint machine to make prints) as well as in CAD, but everything I did while working for architects was done on computer… I think… unless I’m forgetting the odd project…
🙂
Your design is PERFECT for their remodeled A.D. building ~ it’s awesome.
You are terribly kind to say so, Nancy! Thank you very, very much! I hope they like it… it’s maybe a bit on the stylized side… hmm…
🙂
The “S” should stand for “Super SIG”! Well done.
How kind of you, Ms. C! Thank you!
I just realized I should probably have mentioned there is a giant ‘S’ on the top of the ‘Old Main’ building on the campus (I’m guessing it stands for ‘Science’?)… that probably seemed pretty random (even for me)!
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Nice job! Do they still make drawing compases? There was a time I always had one with me. Strange, now that I think of it.
Why, thank you!
You know… that’s a good question! I guess I haven’t really looked in a while (it’s a good thing I had one in a drawer to use as in my reference photo… I might have been looking for a while)!
🙂
I probably could have lent you one.
I want to know why you always had one with you. Uber-science-geekery or self-defense?
It was just a kid thing. I liked being able to draw circles with it. It was like magic to me how you could make perfect circles with it. I know. Weird.
Not weird – cool!
Agreed! 🙂
No, not at all – I can understand that! I had the same feeling about those plastic spirograph things!
🙂
Oh, don’t get me started on those. I waas addicted. 😉
Hahaha… I think a lot of kids were… well, I know I was, at least!
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Nice! I’ve been looking for a good compass supplier!
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This is wonderful, Sig! You did a great job. They must be very pleased! 🙂
That is very kind of you, Deb, thank you!
I hope they will be… this one might look a bit better ‘in person’… I stained the sides of the panel and the image wraps around a bit… I think that helps… maybe…
🙂
That looks great, Sig! My dad was an engineer, and I fondly remember playing with the compass and protractor from his drafting set. Circles and curves galore!
That’s VERY cool, Madame! And impressive! There’s no way I could have handled the math it would take to be an engineer!
🙂
Extremely cool. Are they going to use this in some documents or hang it in the building?
Thank you very much, Peg! One of the instructors told me they were looking for art to hang in the newly remodeled building… but… I don’t know… they might take one look at this and start measuring-up a broom closet somewhere!
🙂
I like the contrast between black and white
against the colour as it is very effective I think 🙂
You have once again proved that your artistic
skills are boundless 🙂 Have a really nice rest of
Thursday my great friend SIG 🙂
Andro
Many thanks, sir! I kept going back and forth with that. At first I was thinking I’d try to make it a bit more ‘realistic’, but I kept going back to something more simple / stylized… I don’t know… the way I change my mind…
My sincere thanks again, Andro! I very much appreciate your incredibly kind thoughts!
🙂
From the look of the drawing I’d say you are an expert with that compass, Robert. You’re so talented! You did a splendid job on this. I hope you have a great weekend, too.
Oh, you are FAR too kind, Amy… not at all! And the funny thing is, of all my drafting tools I’ve probably used the compass about the least (but I thought it was one of the more dynamic and had more ‘details’ to it than, say a triangle or a t-square, etc., so that’s why I chose it).
Thank you again, Amy! Very much! 🙂
I’m glad you chose the compass. I like math, and it’s the most math-y of all the drafting tools. 🙂
I’m impressed, Laura! Math has never been my strong-suit… all things considered it’s amazing I didn’t wind-up with the compass’ business-end stuck through at least one finger…
🙂
Draft the craft SIG
Is that a beer reference, or am I just thirsty?!
😉
Nicely done! I know they are happy with your work.
Thank you very much, Patti! I hope they will be (I suspect they are too kind to say if they feel otherwise)!
🙂
Well done, Robert, I hope they paid you well.:)
Thank you very much, S.E!
I went to school there, and I am donating this to them (well… I am hopping I might coerce a MFA application reference letter from them, but other than that…)
🙂
You’re going to do a Masters? Excellent! 🙂
I don’t know, S.E… I would like to (very much), but a lot of things would have to fall into place… I would have to be very, very lucky. But I guess I’ll never find out if I don’t try, right?!
🙂
I hope you do it, Robert. 🙂
My getting in would be like winning the lottery… but I’ll probably give it a shot, anyway (because it’s possibly better to try and fail than never try at all… maybe… right?)…
🙂
Really liked this one! Love the witty and funny story behind!
I am so happy to hear that, thank you! Hahaha… yeah, ‘George’s’ architectural ambitions were the first thing that popped into my mind for some reason…
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Have a wonderful weekend. A compass is really nostalgic. I never use it recently because we use a computer. 😀
Thank you very much, sir! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend as well!
Me, too! Which is fortunate, since I was never very good with a compass (whenever I came across a size that was not available on a circle-template I would always cringe a bit)!
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You are SO clever. This is just EXCELLENT.
You are incredibly kind to say that… thank you very, very much!
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Very well done!
Many thanks, Karen! I very much appreciate it – that’s very kind of you to say!
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Very nice. And very technical-looking!
Thank you very much, sir! I was trying to keep everything (in the background at least) as crisp / sharp as I could (considering the subject matter)… a bit tricky to do in / with paint (for me, anyway)!
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Have a great weekend to you!!! 😀 That compass reminds me of the school days when I didn’t know how to use it at the first time.
Why, thank you, Cristina!
Hahaha… I’m not sure I’m still able to use one very well (it’s amazing I didn’t stab my finger(s) with that thing)!
🙂
I’m late getting around…this is a wonderful piece of art….it has the look of vintage(the hand) with a modern flair. I’m sure they won’t be hanging this in a broom closet 🙂
Thank you very much for your kind thoughts, Mary! I hope so… sometimes my taste is a bit… um… ‘unique’, you know!
🙂
Very sharp design.
And I love the number “bajillion”. It just works so well to describe so many time periods. 😉
Many thanks, sir! I appreciate it very much!
Hahaha… absolutely! It seems useful for nearly a bajillion different things!
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Very well don
I thank you, sir!
🙂
I meant very well done my friend.
No worries, J.B… I wouldn’t have even noticed!
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Art Vanderlay definitely could not have done better! Beautiful work SiG
Wonderful. Your art skills are so encompassing. 🙂
How incredibly kind of you to say, sir! I thank you very much!
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A wonderful salute to technology and design – love the choice of blues 🙂
The last Compass I used had a lot of numbers on it 😉
Many thanks, Martin! It’s funny… it does remind me of the old blue-printing room in a strange sort of way… I can almost smell the ammonia… *gag wheeze*!
🙂