The Drawing Board

Some artists regard their sketchbook as a journal, others a sacred document.
I know a guy who would sooner slap you silly than allow you to open the cover.
Personally, I really don't care.
Consider Leonardo, who wrote his notes backwords to protect his ideas.
While the world was striving toward the atmosphere, His sketches and journals were locked in a trunk in some guy's attic. He could have been given credit for man attaining flight. Instead, He is considered a visionary who was ahead of his time.

I don't believe in original thoughts. In my opinion, we simply capitalize on the ideas and works of others. At any given moment, many bright and gifted minds are working out various takes on the same theme. In the past I have shelved many an idea, for any number of reasons, only to find a similar product produced by another. This used to bother me. I finally got over it when I realized an idea without some form of appropriate action isn't necessarily wasted if one can enjoy the process of imagination. In other words, I don't have to realize every whim, build every piece I see in my dreams. I can take satisfaction from the notion, I thought about it for a time.
My intention for this "sketch book" or "drawing board" is to share the sacred and the daily grind.
To develop a straightforward forum for those who are interested in fostering ideas, questions, or the potential to contribute to works in progress or works that are stalled due to a missing piece of the puzzle.
This element of my online presense will be developed in the "true spirit" of the internet; the acquistion and sharing of knowledge.
These pages will be rendered in gray scale or black and white.
I have several reasons for this approach. One, I will post drawings straight from my sketch book. I'm not afraid of anyone "stealing" my ideas, or using them for the own ends. I feel a copyright is no better than the bucks you have to enforce it. Secondly, black and white lends itself to concrete facts. I rarely turn out a work that looks like it did in my imagination. Ideas and dreams have no limitations. Unfortunately, from time to time we all experience a barrier or lack of resourses that stalls or shelves a project. Finally, I would like to reserve color for those projects or endeavors that have become realities. Additionaly, I do believe in giving credit where credit is due. If you have contributed to a work presented here, there will be a corresponding acknowledgement when the piece is completed.

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In the very near future I will be posting several projects in the works. The first, a rendition of Felix Du Temple's flying maching, circa 1857.

I desire to build a replica that functions as a windmill. The project is presently stalled because I am looking for some sort of a graphics or drawing program that will allow me to input a scale or dimension and recieve corresponding x and y values along any point of the line.

I know AutoCad has this capibility. DataCad does too.
I am looking for a simpler program with a few caveats;

1. a quick and easy learning curve
2. the ability to run on a 90mhz pentium with Win95
3. Cheap...let me emphasize this CHEAP!!!

I could draw the basic form or outline on graph paper and be done with the mental gymnastics. However, I want to be able to change the scale of the project on the fly. Another option would be some help with the equation for an elipse. How to obtain the aforementioned values with a minimum of fuss? I am not a math wiz. If I was, I wouldn't be asking for help. Ultimately it is far more important for me to understand how a tool works than to simply wield it.

I am in the process of developing a response form for this page.
In the interim, please e-mail with suggestions or comments.
Lawrence A. Durant
"^yes it is a link^"

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