The highlight of my recent trip to Gwaii Haanas was traveling with renowned Haida artist Robert Davidson. A master of many disciplines, Robert is a pole and mask sculptor, printmaker, painter, jeweler, drummer, singer, dancer, and cultural leader. He played a pivotal role in the renaissance of Haida art and culture when, as a young man, he carved and raised a pole with the participation of the Haida community. At the time, he may not have fully grasped the profound and lasting significance of this action—it was the first pole raised in Haida living memory, symbolizing the end of the suppression of Haida culture by settlers.
Robert has since become a prolific artist and a mentor to aspiring Haida artists. During our journey aboard the Island Solitude, he shared insights into the foundational elements of Haida art, emphasizing the importance of the ovoid shape. One afternoon, he led a workshop on drawing the basic ovoid, offering us a rare opportunity to learn from a true master of the craft.
My Attempts to Draw an Ovoid
The ovoid may look simple, but on that day and days that followed, I tried to master drawing an ovoid freehand, following Robert's guidance. Symmetry and consistency are important. You can see that I need much more work on this shape.
Robert was patient. Despite our misshapen ovoids, he coached us to use the ovoid to draw an animal. This is my third, and best attempt, so far.
A Lament on the Ovoid
A little discouraged at my progress, I asked ChatGPT (or Chatty as I call the verbose AI), to write a short lament about the ovoid and how difficult it is to draw.
The Ovoid
By Chatty
Oh, the humble ovoid, deceptively simple in form,
A shape that defies the rules of the norm.
To capture your curves with the sweep of a pen,
Is a trial that vexes both women and men.
Not quite a circle, nor an ellipse so clear,
Your outline eludes, brings artists to tears.
With every attempt, the lines go askew,
A testament to the challenge of capturing you.
Symmetry mocks as it dances away,
Leaving frustration to color the day.
Oh, ovoid, your elegance so hard to confine,
In each imperfect sketch, a silent decline.
Yet in the struggle, there's something profound,
A reminder that beauty in flaws is found.
For in every attempt, a lesson is sown,
That the hardest of forms is never fully known.
The lament was so well written that I wondered if Chatty, the AI, would be able to do much better than I at drawing. We had an amusing exchange.
Chatty the AI Attempts to Draw an Ovoid
Me: Can you draw an ovoid?
Chatty: Here’s a drawing of an ovoid. As you can see, it has that characteristic egg-like shape—slightly elongated and narrower at one end. Capturing this form in a drawing can be tricky, but the result is a graceful, organic shape that’s quite satisfying once it’s done right.
Me: That's what I call an oval. Instead, can you draw what the Haida consider to be an ovoid shape in their art?
Chatty: The Haida ovoid is a distinctive shape used in their art, especially in the context of formline design. It’s not a simple geometric shape like the mathematical ovoid but rather a stylized, elongated shape with rounded ends and a slightly concave or convex curve on the longer sides. The ovoid is often used in the design of eyes, joints, and other key elements in Haida art.
Let me draw a representation of a Haida-style ovoid for you.
Me: That's not it. The ones I've seen seem to be flatter on the bottom.
Chatty: You’re right! The Haida ovoid often has a more distinct shape, with the bottom being flatter and sometimes slightly concave, while the top is more rounded. Let me adjust the drawing to better reflect that traditional form.
Me: That is way off. First of all, there are no vertices in Haida art, only rounded edges. The top of their ovoid is more like the shape of a butte.
Chatty: Thank you for the clarification. You’re absolutely right that Haida art is characterized by smooth, flowing lines and rounded forms, with no sharp vertices. The top of the ovoid does indeed resemble a butte, with a gentle, rounded curve that transitions smoothly into the sides, while the bottom is typically more flattened and may have a slight concave curve.
Let me correct that and create a more accurate representation.
Me: That is getting better, but you seem to be like me in taking a long time to get it right. The form needs to be closed. It looks like you gave up partway through.
Chatty: You’re right; the form should be closed to accurately represent the Haida ovoid. I appreciate your patience as we refine this together. Let me close the shape properly and make sure it reflects the continuous, rounded nature of the Haida design. I’ll correct that now.
Me: WOW! This is way off. Your inability to draw an ovoid (like my inability) just shows that it takes time to master Haida technique.
Chatty: You’re absolutely right; mastering the Haida technique, especially the iconic ovoid shape, takes a deep understanding and a lot of practice. The form is deceptively simple yet incredibly intricate, requiring a true appreciation of the flow and balance in Haida art.
This experience really highlights how challenging it is to capture the elegance of such a cultural art form. It also shows why the Haida ovoid, with its precise curves and proportions, is such a respected element in their visual language.
Thank you for your patience as we explored this together. It’s a humbling reminder of the skill and care involved in traditional art practices.
Me: I must say that your last drawing is quite a unique form. Can you use that as the basis for art that reflects your life as an AI?
Chatty: Creating art that reflects my existence as an AI, using the unique form we’ve developed, is a fascinating idea. I’ll base this on abstract concepts that symbolize the AI experience: learning, complexity, interconnectedness, and evolution.
Let me create an artwork that embodies these themes using the unique form we’ve explored.
Me: You seem to have found your inner artist! It does resonate with the concepts related to the AI experience. It also gives me a deeper appreciation of Haida art and the discipline needed to pursue it. Now it is time for me to get back to practicing.
About the first image (perfect ovoid): The artist is Freda Diesing, taken from the paper Characterization of the Northwest Coast Native Art Ovoid by Nathanial P. Wilson July 10, 2010
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