Leonardo Da Vinci: The Tragic Pursuit of Perfection
by Daniel Di Biase
Leonardo Da Vinci is most famous for producing the world’s most prolific painting: The Mona Lisa. While his painting ability was revolutionary, the true impact of his genius lies in his 30,000 pages of sketches which revealed a true understanding of what he was studying.
These pages were filled with innovations and notes throughout fields ranging from geology to architecture to anatomy. Da Vinci’s passion for studying anatomy would be a lifelong obsession that went as far as dissecting corpses to gain a deeper understanding of the human form which would ultimately help him create more profound artwork.
This level of dedication inspires me to embrace my own curiosity and gather as much knowledge as I can in regards to art, anatomy, and design. By abandoning my former methods of focusing mass amounts of hours on finished renderings, I find myself placing a much greater value on the volume and quality of the quick sketches that I produce. With the intensity that comes with each piece that I tattoo, it is important to me to also make time to loosen up – not get too precious – with sketches. Although produced quickly, these sketches can be very expressive and ultimately lead me to create finished pieces that communicate a deeper understanding of my subject matter.