Overview

Line Let Loose is a sustained investigation of the evolution of scribbling, doodling and automatic drawing. David Maclagan shows that each of these marginal forms of drawing has its own history, which includes spiritualism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism and psychedelic art. With reference to Paul Klee, Jackson Pollock, Joan Mir, Cy Twombly and Sol LeWitt, as well as many lesser-known or anonymous artists, he traces the links between them and a pervasive notion concerning the spontaneous and 'unconscious' creation of forms in art. He suggests that the original novelty of these unconventional drawing processes has begun to fade, and he explores their new situationin our modern digital culture.

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9781780230825

Table of Contents

Reviews

A carefully organized journey. . . . Of particular value is Maclagan's recognition of the market's impact on the character of a drawing. . . . A valuable final chapter and conclusion address the impact of computers on 'line let loose.' Recommended. --Choice

""Like the humble doodle, this slim volume belies the profundity to be found within. Richly illustrated, this work can be enjoyed as much for its visual enchantments as for its insights on the creative self."" - Fortean Times ""Maclagan . . . constructs a carefully organized journey through what he calls marginal forms of drawing, i.e. the scribble, the doodle, automatic drawing, automatism, and elaborations on these forms . . . of particular value is Maclagans recognition of the markets impact on the character of a drawing if the drawing is undertaken initially with the aim of generating a sale. A valuable final chapter and conclusion address the impact of the computer. Recommended."" - Choice

Like the humble doodle, this slim volume belies the profundity to be found within. Richly illustrated, this work can be enjoyed as much for its visual enchantments as for its insights on the creative self. * <i>Fortean Times</i> * Maclagan . . . constructs a carefully organized journey through what he calls marginal forms of drawing, i.e. the scribble, the doodle, automatic drawing, automatism, and elaborations on these forms . . . of particular value is Maclagans recognition of the markets impact on the character of a drawing if the drawing is undertaken initially with the aim of generating a sale. A valuable final chapter and conclusion address the impact of the computer. Recommended. * <i>Choice</i> *

Author Information

David Maclagan is a retired university lecturer and art therapist. based in Yorkshire. He has published numerous articles on Outsider art, art therapy and image-based psychology, and is the author of Creation Myths: Man's Introduction to the World (1977), and Psychological Aesthetics: Painting, Feeling and Making Sense (2001) and Outsider Art (Reaktion, 2009).

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