The Typewriter Art of Paul Smith

Next time you’re feeling a bit down, or that life is unfair, spare a thought for Paul Smith. Who? Paul Smith (1921 - 2007), a man with severe cerebral palsy. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, Smith (with great difficulty) used a typewriter to create amazing and beautiful works of art.

The following blurb gives a quick rundown:

Paul Smith, the man with extraordinary talent was born in Philadelphia on September 21, 1921 with severe cerebral palsy. Not only had Paul beaten the odds of a life with spastic cerebral palsy, a disability that impeded his speech & mobility but also taught himself to become a master artist as well as a terrific chess player even after being devoid of a formal education as a child. 

When typing, Paul used his left hand to steady his right one.. Since he couldn't press two keys at the same time, he almost always locked the shift key down and made his pictures using the symbols at the top of the number keys. In other words, his pictures were based on these characters ..... @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ 

Across seven decades, Paul created hundreds of pictures. He often gave the originals away. Sometimes, but not always, he kept or received a copy for his own records. 

As his mastery of the typewriter grew, he developed techniques to create shadings, colors, and textures that made his work resemble pencil or charcoal drawings." This great man passed away on June 25, 2007, but left behind a collection of his amazing artwork that will be an inspiration for many.

See him creating the artworks by clicking on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svzPm8lT36o

Some of Paul Smith’s works:

Detail of Mona Lisa 

Detail

Self Portrait

“Life is not the way it’s supposed to be. It’s the

way it is. The way you cope with it, is what makes

the difference.”

- Virginia Satir

By the way, I'm something of a typewriter, or rather computer, artist myself . . .

A person:

  0
/ I \  

 / \

A fish:
< 0 ) ) ) ><

A cat:
= ‘ . ‘ =

Another cat:

= ( 0 _ 0 ) =

Cat, back view:

 ^ - ^

(        )

(  o    )

I    I   I

(_ (__)

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