Here's a painting that I worked a bit differently to usual on. I started this one as a pencil sketch drawing from life which I never really do anymore. I was at the Save Large™ supermarket here in Miramar where I'd seen this guy working stacking cans a few times over the last month or so and today I happened to have my sketchbook on me.
New Zealand's labour laws are still catching up with the rest of the world when it comes to regulating mechanical employees so we have this weird situation now where bots are forced to take 15 minute breaks three times a day just like their flesh and blood colleagues. This unit was standing totally still and alone waiting for his timer to run out the enforced rest period, a perfect sketcher's model!
Right, I'm gonna voice what is probably a pretty unpopular opinion: I don't like these guys. I am certainly not robophobic in the least but I am positive we will see an incident with these particular units in the near future. They are over-engineered, under-regulated and take voice commands way too literally. I hadn't finished my sketch when his break was over and unthinkingly I asked him to freeze - he over pressurized his coolant reservoir causing LN2 to flow over the articulated sections in his torso, seizing him up solid. I got the hell outta there before his supervisor came out so I don't know what sort of state he's in now, I'll check back in a few days.
One of few instances where I hate being right all the time always about everything.
same thing happened to me man! these guy's are no good! but your painting, is REEAAL good! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks AB! Glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks can stacking should be handled by more appropriate and responsible employees ie: pimply teenagers.
ReplyDeleteGreat likeness, man - you've captured that silent, stupid, dangerous stillness of the stackbot smoko perfectly! Nicely done. Those green ones are so cheap, your one probably ended up in the dumpster out back.
ReplyDeleteYou have madness in your skills CP. Your robots provide much inspiration for my face. Great work man.
ReplyDeletePure awesome. I'd love to see your process on painting these. There's a subtle noise in the greens that is abso-fawking-fantastic.
ReplyDeleteAs for robots in general, I don't mind them, but I don't care for the new EMO-U2 chipset. I don't need sad/happy/frustrated laborers, I just need laborers. I have no clue what the friggin' science ministry is thinking lately.
Ahh poor guy, he got arrested... I bet he was innocent too! Robot rights need to be improved.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, love the drawing. :D
Fantastic design my friend! I love the bright green colour too. Made me think that it was a Mountain Dew robot at first glance for some reason... not that I love Mountain Dew that much... Perhaps the forearms look like long pop cans, or perhaps subconsciously they've made my brain relate the colour green to their product! Dang you Pepsi cola!!!!
ReplyDeleteHey cheers yous!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you Doug! That noise is cos I just took a photo of my pencil sketch with my phone rather than scanning it. It added a buncha crappy grain that I was very grateful for! Total agreement re; the EMO-U2 as well. A dangerous, short-sighted piece of hardware.