Stratocaster, is that the two door or four door model?
Heard of it, wouldn't know one if I walked into it, let alone sketch one.
Colin Hill
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 1:29 AM
Subject: [HG] Alden's rant on iconography, and a challenge
OK, you asked for it. ;-)
Arle pretty much made my points for me already, so I'll just say this:
In scholarly circles there is, perhaps, a dedication to the iconography
that
is unwarranted. The scholars go on and on about how the instrument shown
in
this source has this feature while this one doesn't showing that [insert
your
conclusion here]. This is all very well, but any time a conclusion is
reached
by serious study of the available drawings, paintings, engravings and
sculptures, there should be a big disclaimer attached that the details of
the
source materials are suspect. We treat the iconography as if it's a
photograph, because we're used to that level of truth in our world.
So here's the challenge.
Take out a pencil and blank paper. Draw a Fender Stratocaster electric
guitar
from memory.
This is probably the most common instrument in the modern age, and even if
you
have absolutely no interest in rock music, you have probably seen the
instrument literally hundreds of times. Don't worry if you "can't draw",
and
don't worry about showing perspective, or showing the player (though you
can
if you want to). Please DON'T cheat and look up Stratocaster images on
the
web to work from - just work from memory, because that's the point of the
experiment. Scan your drawing and email me the scan, or send it to me via
snailmail. I'll post them all anonymously over the next week or so.
I was going to write what I expect to see, but I think I'll wait until the
experiment is over. Since I'm asking you all to do this, I'll post a
drawing
also. Remember, to make this experiment work, I need YOUR drawing. No
one
will laugh at it, I promise.
Alden
