Drawing
In this catalogue, works classified as drawing are as follows:
Drawing refers to any work with primarily drawn lines on paper or similar supports.
Drawing (color separation) defines works intended for transfer to a print matrix for a single color run of a print. Many color separation drawings contain collage elements in addition to drawn line.
Drawing (in a book), drawing (in a notebook), drawing (in a sketchbook) and drawing (in/from a guestbook) refer to drawings on different bound supports (or in the case of guestbooks, also removed from bound supports).
Drawing (instructional) works are a small group of demonstration drawings the artist made for students or friends.
Drawing (on print) is assigned to drawings on photographs and newspaper or magazine clippings. Most marker drawings are color studies over photographs of black line drawings.
Drawing (pastel) refers to a specific group of early drawings in pastel.
Drawing (technical) refers to designs for the artist's utilitarian inventions.
Drawings with only small printed paper clippings or cut paper "corrections" are not considered collages.
See also: 4.20. SKETCHBOOK, 4.12. NOTEBOOK
Titles
Most of Lichtenstein's known drawings were a starting point for developing ideas and compositions for paintings, sculptures and prints. In this catalogue, these drawings carry the title of the finished/final work followed by "(Study)," such as, RLCR 2560, Figures (Study). Titles of drawings with no known related final works were assigned per the methodology described in 6. TITLES.
Dates
The artist usually signed and/or dated his drawings once they left his studio. At times, this was years after completion and the date of creation was misremembered. Those dates have been corrected with a remark explaining the rationale. In the absence of an artist date, dates usually follow the RL Studio Card, or the date of a related subsequent work (e.g., a more finished collage, or final painting) with the qualifier "c."
Media Lines
All visible media on the recto is described. Media is listed in order of visual predominance as indicated by the researcher, followed by the support, usually paper. Lichtenstein mostly drew with graphite pencil and colored pencil; a greater variety of media is found in his early works on paper.
When relevant, both the implement and the medium are given (e.g., pen and india ink, brush and india ink, etc.). Colors of mediums are not described. General media terms are used instead of brand names with some exceptions (see below). For most definitions and styles, entries follow: Ash, Nancy, Scott Homolka, and Stephanie Lussier. Descriptive Terminology for Works of Art on Paper. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2014.
Media of signature or inscriptions by the artist, if not used elsewhere in the work, is added separately, as in RLCR 937, Piano.
See also: 9. MEDIA AND SUPPORT
Dimensions
Entries include both sheet and image dimensions unless a work was overmatted or could not be unframed for examination. In those cases only image dimensions are given. When an examination was not possible, the dimensions found in the RLF Archives or other sources are given and cited in Remarks.
See also: 10. DIMENSIONS
Signature, Inscriptions, Marks
The artist signed and dated his drawings primarily in graphite pencil. Signatures and/or initials are found on recto or verso, with and without dates. Marks by the artist on the recto (e.g., dimensions, top indications) are not transcribed since they can be viewed in the Primary Image of an entry.
See also: 11. INSCRIPTIONS
Process and Media Details
Support
In this catalogue, most drawing supports are broadly defined as paper.
Specific types are colored paper, ruled paper, graph paper, tracing paper and Denril (although technically not paper).
Colored paper refers to any paper to which the manufacturer likely added a coloring agent. It typically is not applicable to off-white and to tan-colored papers.
Ruled paper and graph paper describe papers with printed parallel or gridded lines. Drawings are also found on graph board.
Tracing paper and Denril are translucent supports Lichtenstein used for tracing images for color studies, transfer drawings, or projection. Tracing paper is a fibrous paper substrate, whereas Denril looks similar to tracing paper, but is a plastic (polypropylene) film. Denril is one of the materials identified in this catalogue by brand name due to the fact that the artist's assistants confirm that it was used consistently in the studio and its physical characteristics have been defined with some certainty.
Non-paper and unusual supports are identified to the best of the authors' knowledge (e.g., board, parchment, envelope, canvas board). For photocopy and stationery, paper is implied.
For works classified as drawing (in a book), the support is inside the commercially printed book (e.g., book page, inside back book cover).
For works classified as drawing (in a notebook), drawing (in a sketchbook) and drawing (in/from a guestbook), the support is paper; it is implied that the paper is inside the notebook, sketchbook or guestbook, respectively.
In the case of multiple adjacent supports, the number of sheets is listed with an indication as to whether they are joined. Secondary supports are only included when likely original.
Dry Media
Bolder graphite lines and fill have often been confused with black colored pencil, which the artist rarely used. Thicker graphite lines sometimes suggest the use of graphite stick. Due to a lack of definite confirmation, in this catalogue, all graphite lines are categorized as graphite pencil.
When researchers could not distinguish between colored pencil and wax crayon, colored pencil is listed.
Litho crayon, oil pastel, wax crayon and similar media are all referred to as crayon, with the exceptions of conté crayon and stenciled lithographic rubbing crayon (when confirmed in works of the early-1960s by conservators at The Morgan Library & Museum, New York).
Lichtenstein used pastel and charcoal primarily in his early drawings. Charcoal wash refers to fields of charcoal pigment that were spread with a wetted brush.
Wet Media
When describing ink mediums, both the implement and the medium are listed to the best of the authors’ knowledge (e.g., pen and ink, brush and ink, ink wash). Also identified are ballpoint pen and marker (any porous-point pen).
Distinction is made between ink and india ink when possible. Modern india ink is a deeply black ink made waterproof with shellac. The resinous substance gives the ink a characteristic sheen, used as a means for identification.
For drawings with painted elements, distinction is made between opaque watercolor (for gouache), watercolor, oil and acrylic when possible. Application by brush is implied. Works made primarily from these paints are classified instead as painting (on paper). Brushed-on white corrections are characterized as "correction fluid or opaque watercolor." When paint type is unknown, the most likely paint is listed with a question mark.
In a couple of early drawings, Lichtenstein applied an unknown resinous substance listed as resin in the entries.
Attachments
Most drawing attachments are cut paper corrections with graphite pencil and/or colored pencil additions. Method of attachment is not included in the media line unless it is visible from the recto.
Printed paper clippings are sometimes incorporated into the image or serve as a starting point (source material) for an idea.
Color and dots swatches are attached to drawings sent to printmakers for instructional purposes.
Other miscellaneous attachments are described to the best of the authors' knowledge.
Other Techniques
When media application involved a masking out technique, the medium is listed followed by "with masking out." The material used for masking (e.g., frisket or small objects) is not identified.
If the media is manipulated with a wash of water applied by brush, it is listed as "wetted brush."
When lines are created by scratching through the media and revealing the support, the entry says "with scratching out."
Tracings and Transfer Drawings
In addition to tracing from projections, Lichtenstein traced directly from source material or from his own drawings and collages onto tracing paper and Denril. Tracings that have drawing on both sides (as indicated in the media line) were used to transfer an image to another sheet or board.
Pre-Pop Drawings
Busche 1988 was a major guide when defining media lines for the artist's pre-Pop works. Busche viewed many of the early drawings in person and was sometimes able to consult with Lichtenstein.
Sketchbook Page Matches
For information about how the authors determined connections between drawings and sketchbooks or nonextant sketchbooks, see: 4.20. SKETCHBOOK, 4.21. SKETCHBOOK (NONEXTANT)
Catalogue entry
Work donated to Artist's Key Club, a one-night event held at Penn Station, New York, on March 13, 1965, during which artists contributed small works to station lockers that could be unlocked by patrons' keys purchased for $10 via lottery at the Chelsea Hotel.