Lincoln at Ford's Theater 1973

Warrington Colescott made this piece, Lincoln at Ford’s Theater, with pen on paper. The lines create the image and that’s it - no hiding, no embellishment. The confidence on display is a real lesson in how to draw. Everything is just lines. It's fascinating how the artist used a continuous line to create the figures and forms in this piece, like he was trying to capture their energy and movement. Some of the lines seem hesitant and uncertain, while others are bold and decisive. The pig-like figure in the upper left really pops. It's like a single, emphatic statement in the midst of all the other details. Colescott's work often incorporates caricature and satire. Think of Honoré Daumier, but with a sharper, more contemporary edge. Both artists use their work to comment on society and politics. Anyway, what a strange drawing! It makes you think about how artists use line and form to make sense of the world.