These
9 drawings were done by an artist under the influence of LSD -- part
of a test conducted by the US government during it's dalliance with
psychotomimetic drugs in the late 1950's. The artist was given a dose
of LSD 25 and free access to an activity box full of crayons and pencils.
His subject is the medico that jabbed him.
^ First
drawing is done 20 minutes after the first dose (50ug)
An
attending doctor observes - Patient chooses to start drawing with
charcoal.
The subject of the experiment reports - 'Condition normal... no effect
from the drug yet'.
^ 85
minutes after first dose and 20 minutes after a second dose has been
administered (50ug + 50ug)
The
patient seems euphoric.
'I can see you clearly, so clearly. This... you... it's all ... I'm
having a little trouble controlling this pencil. It seems to want
to keep going.'
^ 2
hours 30 minutes after first dose.
Patient
appears very focus on the business of drawing.
'Outlines
seem normal, but very vivid - everything is changing color. My hand
must follow the bold sweep of the lines. I feel as if my consciousness
is situated in the part of my body that's now active - my hand, my
elbow... my tongue'.
^ 2
hours 32 minutes after first dose.
Patient
seems gripped by his pad of paper.
'I'm
trying another drawing. The outlines of the model are normal, but
now those of my drawing are not. The outline of my hand is going weird
too. It's not a very good drawing is it? I give up - I'll try again...'
^ 2
hours 35 minutes after first dose.
Patient
follows quickly with another drawing.
'I'll
do a drawing in one flourish... without stopping... one line, no break!'
Upon completing the drawing the patient starts laughing, then becomes
startled by something on the floor.
^ 2
hours 45 minutes after first dose.
Patient
tries to climb into activity box, and is generally agitated - responds
slowly to the suggestion he might like to draw some more. He has become
largely none verbal.
'I am... everything is... changed... they're calling... your face...
interwoven... who is...' Patient mumbles inaudibly to a tune (sounds
like 'Thanks for the memory). He changes medium to Tempera.
^ 4
hours 25 minutes after first dose.
Patient
retreated to the bunk, spending approximately 2 hours lying, waving
his hands in the air. His return to the activity box is sudden and
deliberate, changing media to pen and water color.
'This will be the best drawing, Like the first one, only better. If
I'm not careful I'll lose control of my movements, but I won't, because
I know. I know' - (this saying is then repeated many times).
Patient
makes the last half-a-dozen strokes of the drawing while running back
and forth across the room.
^ 5
hours 45 minutes after first dose.
Patient
continues to move about the room, intersecting the space in complex
variations. It's an hour and a half before he settles down to draw
again - he appears over the effects of the drug.
'I can feel my knees again, I think it's starting to wear off. This
is a pretty good drawing - this pencil is mighty hard to hold' - (he
is holding a crayon).
^ 8
hours after first dose.
Patient
sits on bunk bed. He reports the intoxication has worn off except
for the occational distorting of our faces. We ask for a final drawing
which he performs with little enthusiasm.
'I have nothing to say about this last drawing, it is bad and uninteresting,
I want to go home now.'
