Drawing: “Logged Off”

Initial Ideas

This drawing was made with colouring and shading pencils, as well as Fineliner pens. An area I wanted to focus on was the depth – I’ve never really learned about shading or perspective too much so wanted to try and build on this.

On the right was my first rough idea, which developed into the final drawing. Originally, the computer was sat in a pool of a sort of blue-technology-blood. But, I later replaced this with a carpet as I thought this might be slightly too Sci-fi 😉 …

The Concept

I wanted this drawing to have enough flexibility to be interpreted in a variety of ways. Although I hope that everyone who sees it will have a different take on it, in this post I will discuss some of the ideas that inspired me to create this drawing.

The <C0MPUT3R>

I wanted to have the computer parts resembling a human body; The monitor (screen) resembles a head/neck, the computer tower being the torso, the wires alluding to limbs, and the mouse symbolizing a hand. The tilted keyboard, as well as the speaker are included to infer that technology, like humans, possess the capability for interactivity and communication.

By structuring the computer this way, I wanted to highlight some thoughts about our online social identities. In the Technological Age, less and less interactions are completed in person, and more tasks are facilitated online. Through our many online accounts and profiles (such as Facebook, E-mail, Twitter etc), its interesting to consider that representations of our human selves exist simultaneously in cyber-space; an endless, non-physical world.

The increasing technologisation of the world has indeed brought advantages. Online communities easily maintain connections to others around the globe, across many platforms. That being said, its not easy to forget that the internet isn’t just for the input of humans. We still encounter many automated and programmed dialogues, which sometimes make it seem like technology is equipped with a voice too. This is exemplified by the increasing development of voice-recognition and task aid software, such as Siri or Alexa, which act as personal assistant type technology that can help you accomplish online tasks by speaking to them.

WHO shot the screen?

One aspect of the drawing is the significance behind the arrow, wedged into the shattered monitor. I opted for the more primitive arrow because this weapon could more feasibly be constructed with a person’s own hands. That is, compared to a more modern weapon, such as a gun, which would be too complex for the average person to construct alone.

I haven’t scattered many clues to enable an exact deciphering of what has happened in the room, as I wanted to leave possible explanations behind this scene to the analysis of the viewer. However, as I was creating this drawing, I did come up with two theories of my own as to why someone might do a thing like this 😉
Theory 1 (Renegade) – Many people welcome the idea that technology is integral for advancing the functionality of a modern society. However, it would be understandable if some humans chose not to look upon it favourably. Substantial pressure exists to be part of the online hive. We require the internet for essential things in life; finding a job, applying for student loans, E-mail, homework. We are funnelled through many digital pathways and automated systems, which allow us to attain many things, just from engaging with a computer.

Although the internet has made countless aspects of living much easier, like being able to speak long distance, or order packages, I wonder if this has any impact on the way we feel about life. I have sometimes questioned whether the internet over-simplifies some of our purposes, by removing not only the effort from boring errands, but possibly dulling some of the more appealing and rewarding challenges too?

For better or worse, the internet is constantly churning out information about everything in the outside world. Depending on what we see, this can be hugely influential over our perception of it. Its not unrealistic to assume that people now know more about celebrities and politics than they do about the people who live on their own street. Humans with internet access are arguably becoming more inclined to think on a world than local level, which might be making it figuratively smaller.

Because of the ideas mentioned above, an unknown person has decided they have been over-saturated with technology, and feel compelled to be more present in their own life. Instead, they wish to experience the world directly on their own journey and through their own senses, opting to avoid any more input from their computer. Therefore, they have shut this computer down for good, quite brutally, perhaps symbolising that they view technology more as a spreading plague. Either they are on a mission to destroy more computers like this one, or perhaps they have just left behind the modern city to find a community that is not a colony of vast technologisation.
Theory 2 (Regret) – My second idea was that the computer has been unfortunately shot by its former owner for different reasons. As we know, sometimes people can use the internet for highly destructive, immoral purposes. For example, cyber-bullying, internet scams, hacking or catfishing can all bring a lot of pain into peoples’ lives. Perhaps the unknown individual used the internet to do something harmful, and as an expression of regret and self anger, they have shot their computer to crush the means of them doing it again. This theory could potentially go quite dark, but in the drawing I wanted to allude to the reminder that for all the good the internet brings, there is also
Nature and Death

There are many ways in which technological advancements have overwhelmingly surpassed humans in their abilities. For example, a computer’s memory storage is definitively better. Specific information we might need can be plucked from the internet in seconds. We can view photographs and videos in the kind of vivid clarity our memories just can’t replicate. Therefore, it perhaps isn’t unreasonable to consider technology as quite unnatural in nature.

I have emphasised the natural vs artificial contrast by incorporating the colourful trees and bushes that are growing freely behind the collapsed walls. As this is organic, natural life, I wanted to explore the way nature and tech can both link to death. In other words, natural organisms will always die, whereas non-organic things cannot, as they were never really alive in the first place. Yet, a computer offers much more human-focused interactivity and simulation than a hedge might, for example. Surfing the internet feels nothing like using an inanimate object; the continuous flow of updates and reactivity make it a swarming hive of activity.

Our mysterious perpetrator has attempted to destroy the computer in two ways. Firstly, the arrow shot is suggestive of a way that its possible to kill something living. Secondly, the main power supply has been disconnected, which is indicative of the way all wired devices can be shut down. In the world of technology, electricity is the life force. An interesting comparison is that our own human brains and bodies also require electrical impulses to function at all.

I wanted to suggest the following question: Is it possible to kill a computer? The stored data wouldn’t necessarily be lost. Information might be salvageable from the hard drive, or some of it will have been backed up or saved on the internet. Even though the computer is dead, some of its unique content would likely be reachable on the computers in the distant city behind. When a living creature dies, there is no way to transfer the experiences and memories to another place; the same is not true for a computer’s memory storage.
Links to More Thought-Provoking Art

Lastly, I wanted to share two great articles that have compiled lists of interesting art that explore some of the detrimental impact that technology might have on humanity.

The first is 65 Satirical Illustrations Show Our Addiction To Technology by Architecture and Design.

Secondly, take a look at 20 Shocking Pictures Illustrate The Sad Reality Of Everyday Life by Educate Inspire Change.

Thank you for reading! 🙂 Please leave any interpretations or questions you have in a comment below!