Leonardo Da Vinci's notebooks
Image from: www.leoanatomy_unmuseum.org
A purchase made in 1994 by Bill Gates, the chairman of the Microsoft Corporation, set a sales record for the highest price ever paid for a manuscript at auction. Mr. Gates purchased the Codex Leicester, a notebook filled with drawings and scientific writings handwritten and illustrated by Leonardo Da Vinci on the many subjects that fascinated him, for $30.8 million US dollars (price has not been adjusted for inflation). It is the last Leonardo manuscript in private hands. Upon its purchase, Mr. Gates promised to lend the 72-page manuscript to museums around the world. He has also recently made available a virtual version of the manuscript.
Bill Gates describes his purchase:"I feel very lucky that I own a notebook. In fact, I remember going home one night and telling my wife Melinda that I was going to buy a notebook; she didn't think that was a very big deal. I said, no, this is a pretty special notebook, this is the Codex Leicester, one of the Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. And I personally have always been amazed by him because he personally worked out science on his own, and he understood things that no other scientist of that time did. And his work is amazing. He would work by drawing things and writing down his ideas. So he built these notebooks about how light worked, how water worked, how weapons would work. Of course he designed all sorts of flying machines, like helicopters, way before you could actually build something like that. So every one of these notebooks are amazing documents ? they're kind of his rough-draft notes of texts that he eventually wanted to put together."We have learned quite a lot about Leonardo di Vinci and the amazing notebooks that he kept throughout his life in our lectures in class as well as in the film, Leonardo Da Vinci: Renaissance Master. Take a few minutes to read more about Leonardo Da Vinci's life here. If interested, you can also read The Complete Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci here.
For your blog response this week, please provide comments related to the importance of Leonardo Da Vinci's notebooks. How do you feel about their relevance? Are they impressive for their progressive ideas, for their skillful illustrations, for their personal insights? Also, please remark about the importance of keeping your own personal notebook about your life in design.
When I hear the phrase ?Renaissance man,? Leonardo Da Vinci is the first person that comes to mind. While not only excelling in almost every academic field one can name, Leonardo was an avid inventor. Because he preserved his works in his notebooks, Leonardo guaranteed the fact that his ideas would be kept alive after his death because of his lasting legacy. As Dean Malecha has repeated in his lectures, legacy is one of the most important aspects of a designer?s life. A legacy is important because it ensures that your work will be remembered as a designer, and it will also provide a precedent for future designers to follow. It is mind-blowing to me that Da Vinci designed such things as helicopters and tanks when no one in the world possessed technology that could compare to what he was creating. Leonardo?s notebooks provide a fascinating insight to a true genius? mind. By the act of recording his observations and thoughts in a notebook, Da Vinci set a precedent for designers in the future. Although Leonardo is remembered for his amazing works of art such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, his notebooks contribute to an important factor in keeping his legacy alive. I believe every designer should follow in Da Vinci?s act of keeping a personal notebook because it not only helps organize ones? observations and experiences, but also ensures that fact that one will leave behind the most important thing a designer could leave; a legacy.
Posted by Michael Domanski on September 14, 2008 at 04:07 AM EDT #
I believe that the most impressive thing about Leonardo is his note taking ability. That is, his ability to see an object in his mind, or right in front of him, and replicate that image on the page. Before watching the documentary this past week on the life of Leonardo, I didn't understand the relevance of note taking, but afterward, I was completely changed in my thinking. I believe now that a notebook, like Leonardo's, is a key into the imagination of the artist. Unlike the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper (which are amazing), Leonardo's notebook combined notes, sketches, and diagrams to portray what was on his mind. As a beginner artist, it is unimaginable, and gives me hope, that Da Vinci, not a learned architect or inventor, was able to thrive in such fields of study. The sketches in his notebook of defense systems for the King's castle are quite amazing to me because Da Vinci had never done anything like this before, yet he was willing to take up the challenge.
Having learned more about Leonardo Da Vinci and looking at more of his notebooks, I have come to realize how important it is to keep my own, where ever I go. As a designer, you never know what or when you will have an inspiring thought that, once written down, you will never forget. Santiago Piedrafita has stressed during my studio assignments to combine elements of diagram, photographs, sketches, and note taking for you, or the person reviewing your work, will have a better grasp as to what you are trying to create. Leonardo's notebooks inspire me to do just that.
Posted by Zack Davenport on September 15, 2008 at 11:51 AM EDT #
In mentioning Leonard DaVinci, most people are quick to accredit him for his magnificent frescos and perspective paintings done during the renaissance era. Paintings like the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper are reminders of his brilliance, but his notebooks truly bring his legacy into the 21st century. After learning about his ability to synthesize and discover through the blank pages of his notebook, I realize the documentation of his process is the most valuable gift to a designer. It is pure inspiration for designers because his drawings show that he was not afraid to explore that which did not exist. He was not caught up in purpose, function, or production; he merely designed and gambled with ideas of science and art. His marriage of progressive ideas with skillful illustrations enables his personal thoughts to be expresses and flawless communication of his idea to others. Many people find themselves unable to express their thoughts through words and sketches; they can only master one way. Leonardo had the ability to do both. This was paramount for his work, for he was inventing cutting edge material that was unrelatable to the common man. Simple words or conversation couldn?t express what hadn?t been done before. Lastly, Leonardo?s notebook keeps hope alive that he was more than just an artist. He was an inventor, a craftsman, a painter, and an architect. In this day and age, design is broken up into many facets. Leonardo is a constant reminder that one can constantly strive for a mastery of all principles.
Initially, as a new student in design, the idea of a notebook was intimidating. As I progress, I am enjoying my own space to allow myself to think and explore. My notebook allows me to be articulate with words and pictures because I often struggle when verbally communicating my process. When I walk through an environment, whether natural or built, criticisms, feelings, and comments have flooded my mind. I feel like I am finally putting these comments to use when I draw, write and explore in my notebook. Now that I am recording my ideas, I can look back at them in years to come. Designing is a compilation of knowledge from your experiences mixed with your values and culture. If I continue to document my experiences, my knowledge will only get stronger, and in time, my designs will follow.
Posted by Kristin Cunningham on September 15, 2008 at 10:54 PM EDT #
what i have learned throughout the teachings of Leonardo Da Vinci is that even taking notes is apart of the design process. This is so because it allows you to express some of the emotions or ideas that you could not normally do with sketches. Also i found that the use of a notebook is important because sometimes you get an idea in your head randomly and if you dont have a notebook with you, you could forget the idea later on. This was one of the primary reasons Da Vinci had a notebook because his thoughts were so scattered he needed to write them down so he could revisit them in a later time.
At first i never really understood the point of a notebook for the design program, but after having the reasons mentioned above pointed out to me i now understand revelance of it.
Posted by Austin Clark on September 16, 2008 at 12:12 AM EDT #
Da Vinci's notebooks are quite possibly one of the most interesting artistic artifacts I've heard of to date. They are a marvel simply because it gives one a glimpse into the scattered and brilliant mind of Da Vinci. He was without a doubt a genius. His groundbreaking work in frescos and paintings proves that, but his notebooks drive it home. His notebooks capture the essence of what it means to be a "Renaissance man" and demonstrate the vast extent of knowledge, understanding, and skill that Da Vinci gathered throughout his life.
Of course these notebooks are important historically, and of course they are important for designer's to learn from, but I think they're relevance is really to serve as inspiration and a challenge. A challenge to the world saying, "Anything's possible. Get out there and go for it." It's a call not just for designers, but for all of us to realize our potential.
That said, I feel that the use of a notebook in design IS important for everyone. The reasons however are not all the same as the reasons Da Vinci's are so important. A design notebook can serve the same purpose Da Vinci's does now of inspiring the world or at least other designers, but with regards to one's own notebook it is good to keep in mind why Da Vinci made his. A notebook organizes your thoughts, or at the very least it puts many of them in one place, where they can be observed and played with. It allows for the opportunity to throw ideas around without judgment and without success or failure. So really a notebook for a designer can be like freedom. It can be his/her own world to play with design, or other fields, and from that great things arise.
I personally like the idea of keeping a notebook, for all of the reasons above, but also simply so that I may go back at any time and marvel at what I've thought up. And more than that, recreate it or start playing with a new idea in conjunction with an old one. It's fascinating to me.
Posted by Jordan Deva on September 16, 2008 at 07:11 AM EDT #
There is no one like Leonardo Da Vinci. Few have ever ventured or attempted such a mastery of so many subjects. Leonardo's notebooks flawlessly exhibit his unprecedented curiosity and imagination, which far exceeded anyone of his time. For someone to dive into so many unfamiliar subjects without fearing ridicule from those who master these fields is incredible. But to exceed any familiar and relevant field and attempt to create that which is far beyond his time is unbelievable. Leonardo?s ability to draw and manipulate whatever he could imagine made it more possible for others to get an idea of what he was communicating, as well as remind himself of the exact mental image that provoked such an idea. But I believe that a notebook is not simply a documentation of ideas and drawing to use as a reminder. It is a record of one's imaginative and creative growth. When looking through Leonardo?s notebooks one can almost clearly see his mental processes and how they develop and change. I found it enthralling to see some of Da Vinci?s boyhood sketches when we watched Leonardo Da Vinci: Renaissance Master in class. With the help of such sketches one can witness the growth of mind that later inspired his many paintings, frescos, and notebooks.
I believe it is incredibly important to carry a notebook to record thoughts, sketches, and
ideas, which can also serve as a record of one?s creative growth process. It is hard to pinpoint when an idea will make itself known in your mind. Sometimes we strive for an idea and have none and other times they arrive when you are not even trying. I have often had mental images or ideas (especially before I fall asleep) that I believe I can recall later, that slip away. I would probably have countless pages of sketches and ideas if I had recorded in a notebook when I should have. Keeping a notebook can only help a designer?s growth and success.
Posted by Dan Cox on September 16, 2008 at 10:36 AM EDT #
Nothing is perfect the first time through. It has to be worked on over and over again. By using a notebook, it helps you work through the idea process until you reach your final goal. For many artists, notebooks are like visual diaries. A good example of one of these artists is Leonardo Da Vinci. His notebooks hold great significance and are probably the most famous ones of any other artist. He used them to construct and collect his ideas. Not only were his notebooks full of sketches but elaborate writings and diagrams as well. As shown in the video Leonardo Da Vinci: Renaissance Master the notes he took were amazingly detailed. They showed the specific way in which his mind worked and how he created many of his inventions. However, Da Vinci was widely accused of leaving things unfinished. Often in the mist of his work, he fumbled upon new things he wanted to try. Instead of waiting for another project to experiment or express his new idea, he would just start something new. The beauty of using a notebook is that it allows you to do this and easily go back and work on what was previously started. He probably also borrowed some of his earlier ideas to create new things.
Leonardo Da Vinci?s notebook is a clear representation that he liked to dabble in many things. As designers, we are told to come up with more than one possible idea or solution to a problem. We are told to have more than one right answer. It seems to me that the only way to be successful as a designer is to keep a notebook to record and experiment new ideas. Experimenting and trying new things is probably the only way we are going to find those right answers.
Posted by Danielle del Valle on September 16, 2008 at 09:52 PM EDT #
Leonardo Da Vinci invented design process sketchbook as we define it today. Along weaponry, helicopters and rules for seeing, he created the most important tool that many of us, designers, are using now everyday.
An interesting thing about da Vinci's notebooks is that they were extremely functional. He was writing down things he didn't want to forget, like ideas, and those that made him awe, like birds. That gave him opportunity to return an work on those images, ideas, thoughts later. Another striking thing is Da Vinci's approach to design: if he was creating a new type of cannon, he would also think of how it could be transported, what should it be loaded with, what angles it might be fired at, etc. He would not concentrate solely on the canon, instead he thought about every detail of its exploitation and maintenance. I think that is an important message for all designers.
A designer's sketchbook is his most valuable library. It is also a space where he can unravel his genius, even though he might not be aware of it. Our colleagues and future generations will judge us by this material, by whatever we leave in these sketchbooks. What would we know of Da Vinci, if he did not leave his notebooks? That he was a talented skillful innovative painter, who did not finish many of his work? He would still stay a great mystery in the history of art, but certainly, he would never become so admired. Only in the notebooks can we see the true breadth of his mind.
Sketchbook should not be seen as obligation. Once its importance is recognized, it becomes a lot of fun to do. It is like a favorite pair of slippers - I want to take it everywhere with me. And since I am so comfortable with it, I feel free to put any kind of idea or observation into it. Later, when I return to my old sketchbooks, I find a lot of scribble and a handful of fantastic concepts in them, which I can use.
Posted by Lidia Churakova on September 16, 2008 at 11:32 PM EDT #