~*~*~ HARMONOGRAPHIC ART ~*~*~

A Harmonograph is a complicated drawing tool consisting of two pendulums. It clamps to the side of my desk and hangs down with the pendulum arms not unlike a pendulum in a Grandfather clock. A drawing board hangs vertically against the side of the desk, I start the pendulum swinging which moves the other pendulum attached to an interchangeable pen.

It creates very fine and perfect patterns similar to a child's Spirograph toy. Unlike a Spirograph, the Harmonograph is a technically balanced art tool which creates an endless array of patterns, each one perfect in it's uniqueness. There's very little chance of human error with a Harmonograph. Anyone who has used a Spirograph will know how hard it is to turn out perfect patterns without the pen slipping.

One rainy afternoon I used my Harmonograph to entertain my young son and his three friends. I drew a pattern with the Harmonograph then asked them what they could see. (It was like looking for shapes in clouds.) Once they decided, I drew by hand the detail. It kept them amused for hours.

Here are some pictures we created that afternoon. Children's imagination is truly wonderful.