Surrealism and the Automatic Drawing Technique
Introduction
There are many different styles of fantastic art, and the range of tools and techniques differ greatly from artist to artist. Some paint in oils, some in acrylics, while others prefer watercolors or ink. Some artists paint using live models or references, while others build their pieces entirely from imagination. The truth is that there are as many approaches to fantastic art as there are artists, because each artist is a unique individual who brings a distinctive set of talents and life experiences.
The techniques and methods utilized by an artist to produce art is called a process. Many artists have a single process they’re familiar with, one they’ve spent years honing and perfecting, and which they know will produce predictable results within an expected timeframe. A few artists choose to work by combining mediums and processes in an experimental manner, which can produce some unpredictable, yet fascinating results.
One of the processes I make frequent use of is a method called automatic drawing or psychic automatism. Automatism is a technique first introduced by the early surrealists as a way to tap into subconscious thought as a means of expressing ideas which might otherwise be repressed by the conscious mind.
What is surrealism?
Surrealism originated as a literary, cultural, and political movement which grew out of the Dada movement in the early 1920s. Dadaism was an anti-art movement which deliberately defied reason, logic, and any sort of artistic norms in response to the horrors of World War I. Whereas dadaism was an expression of nonsense and the absurd as a form of left-wing protest against nationalism, capitalism, and violence, surrealism was based on the positive expression of the bizarre and fantastic with the principle aim of freeing people from rigid thinking and restrictive customs. During this period, surrealism was primarily concerned with exploring revolutionary philosophical concepts, and there were competing views of how best to define this new philosophy.
In his Manifesto of Surrealism, André Breton set down what eventually became the most widely accepted interpretation of surrealism. While he rejected any form of spiritualism, Breton also rejected a purely rationalistic or materialistic view of the world, arguing that logic and realism alone produce unsatisfying answers to our deepest questions because they ignore important aspects of human consciousness. He referred to this as a mental state of dull “mediocrity.” In defining surrealism, Breton endeavored to somehow reconcile or combine the differences and contradictions between the two states, dream and reality, creating what he described as a type of absolute super-reality, or surreality.
Free association of objects, people, and ideas, as well as dream analysis figured heavily in this attempt to liberate the subconscious from the limits and repression of thought imposed by the rational mind. Juxtaposition of objects not normally found together became a technique to explore the full range of the imagination and reveal powerfully emotive effects which defy conventional explanation.
Given the nature of the philosophical concepts being explored, it’s unsurprising that passionate disagreements arose and surrealist thought splintered into a variety of different camps. Some of these camps remained purely philosophical and eventually largely died out, while others continued to evolve and, over time, became associated with the visual arts thanks to being popularized by early surrealist artists.
Today, few people are acquainted with surrealism’s revolutionary philosophical roots and it is primarily thought of as a type of fantastic visual art.
Automatism in art
Just as the concept of surrealism has evolved over the years, artists have adapted various approaches to automatic drawing, or automatism, as a tool to better express artistic ideas by deepening understanding of our own inner thoughts. Automatism can be used as method to sharpen and enhance certain skills. However, for some artists it serves as the primary inspiration behind many of their works.
While the understanding of the method varied greatly from person to person, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Jean ‘Moebius’ Giraud, Max Ernst, and Zdzisław Beksiński all experimented with some form of automatism during their careers. All were highly imaginative artistic revolutionaries who established their own provocative visual vocabularies and contributed their own unique visions to the surrealist movement.
But perhaps no modern artist is more closely associated with psychic automatism than Hans Ruedi Giger, who produced a wide range of wholly unique landscapes and monsters, including the being from the film Alien. The Swiss surrealist practiced psychic automatism in its purest form, and painted in a completely uninhibited manner, never shying away from even the most controversial subject. To H.R. Giger, the dark, the obscene, and the taboo were a fertile playground where the artist made himself at home.
Surrealism became instrumental in helping define modern art, and the legacy of prominent surrealist painters has had a lasting influence on contemporary art, movies, and popular culture.
The Technique
When employing automatism, the artist does not start off with a developed idea, nor are there any preliminary sketches or color studies as would be the case with more traditional approaches to art. At first, the artist may be as surprised by what comes out during the painting process as an observer would be. The choice of medium is whatever the artist is most comfortable with.
The mind is at its most creative when relaxed, so the first step is to clear the mind of conscious thought to the degree it is possible to do so. The artist then begins by making whatever marks feel right without any concern regarding traditional aesthetic fundamentals such as perspective, values, or color.
As forms and shapes begin to appear, these can be encouraged, repeated, or obliterated according to the artist’s intuition. Familiar motifs may be worked into the piece at any point and in any manner the artist sees fit. However, the process should continue with a focus on spontaneity so as not to become bogged down considering what works and what doesn’t.
At this point there’s no need to worry over symmetry, composition, or the overall level of quality as this isn’t about making the image look good. When unintentional splotches or malformed strokes occur, such “mistakes” should either be left alone or incorporated into the body of the work. These represent opportunities to explore unfamiliar shapes or textures, and later in the painting such areas often become the most genuine concentrations of spontaneous creativity.
The more often automatism is practiced, the easier it becomes to follow one’s artistic instincts. While this may sound simple in concept, there’s a lot more to it than blindly making random marks and hoping something interesting appears.
The important part to remember here is that, in drawing or painting this way, one is attempting to combine developed ideas from the waking mind with impulses from the subconscious, ideally creating something unique which wouldn’t have appeared otherwise. Like any other technique, it takes practice and patience in addition to a willingness to push outside the limits of one’s comfort zone.
Automatism can be thought of as a tool for the experienced artist to explore new ideas and evolve into a better artist by breaking down barriers and deepening the connection between the art and the artist.
Final thoughts
Automatism can be a fascinating and very interesting technique for an artist to explore new territory by breaking down the limits imposed by conventional thinking. But while it remains an important technique, its centrality to surrealism tends to be somewhat overstated by people writing on the subject. Pure psychic automatism seeks to grant the subconscious mind permission to run wild and create without regard for logic, morality, or any of the other clutter imposed by the rational mind. However, a lot of what may seem automatic is in fact very “thought out” and highly edited. Surrealism is not composed of random chaos and shouldn’t be confused with the almost total anarchy of Dadaism. While dadaism can be thought of as a form of anti-art, surrealism is best understood as a positive melding of the conscious with the unconscious.
Embracing this process can produce some truly shocking or even frightening images, so it’s no surprise that one might very well be left wondering where these visions come from and what led the mind to such a place. Nonetheless, nothing should be off-limits in art. That which enlightens us, that which frightens us, informs us, horrifies us, our dreams, our nightmares — all are worthy of being fully explored. The purpose of art is not to make us feel safe or comfortable.
Even for an experienced artist, sharing one’s innermost thoughts, dreams, and feelings can be an overwhelming and unsettling experience. Even so, works created in this fashion are a window of sorts into the mind of the artist and, disturbing and bizarre as they can sometimes be, these images often resonate with a peculiar type of energy and beauty for those who care to look.
