Drawing Game
From The Extended Group
trocdom The Drawing Game is a pastime commonly employed in group gatherings, introduced to The Extended Group by Lilian Ho in 2003.
Contents |
Overview
The game itself is comprised of Palettes (an erroneous term that has, over time, entered colloquial use)--that is, individual sheets of white paper divided into fourths. Typically, the paper is separated in halves and taped together vertically to feature four upright panels. To play the game, an individual writes out a hypothetical situation at the top of the first panel and passes to the person seated directly next to them (either right or left), who will in turn draw out the aforementioned situation to the best of his/her ability. After completing their drawing, this individual will then pass the Palette to the person seated directly next to them, with the original message concealed. This process of rotation continues as individuals craft new situations based off of interpretations of either a drawn or written situation to contribute to an end scenario that is often vastly different from the original, and in many cases exceedingly hilarious. As such, some have compared the format to a written version of the game of "Telephone". Some time afterward it was learned that the concept of the game is rooted in the techniques of French Surrealism, specifically, a parlour game known as the Exquisite Corpse. "The Drawing Game" can also be called by its alternative names "Writey Drawey" and "Spanking Yoda".
Appeal
Many consider the period of 2003-2004 to be the Renaissance of the game. Still young in its establishment, the game was enthusiastically introduced to branch social groups of extended group members, as it was viewed by many to be a convenient way of sharing Group Culture with new friends made in College. Predictably, this enthusiasm died down over time and saw a marked decrease in use even among the group itself. Although continuing to make appearances over the course of School Breaks, the prospect of playing is often met with mixed reactions. Those who tend to hold off on playing point to the fact that too much effort is required to even begin the process of the game, and that sitting down for extended periods of time can be painful. Proponents argue that the effort put into playing, which is in fact very little, is worth it when resulting panels yield hilarious results. Regardless of the game's popularity now, memorable Palettes are regarded with unanimous cherishment, and the game itself is seen as an important symbol of group unity.
Fads
- For more information about The Drawing Game fads please see the list of The Drawing Game fads article.
Numerous fads have arisen as a result of notable drawings or messages contained within Palettes. While some fads are either based entirely or partially off of specific, pre-existing references (for example, Terry being attacked by Gay, Naked Vampires), others have developed within the framework of spontaneous drawings or messages. Perhaps the most notable example of this is showcased in panels featuring the Jeremy Monster. This character, created by Jeremy after being prompted to draw a picture of "Jeremy desperately trying to eat himself", was immediately championed as "Genius" for its absurdity and general lack of artistic effort. Such breakthroughs have led to the creation of several Jeremy Monster-based panels, and even a round dedicated specifically to the character. Instances such as this highlight the importance an individual panel can have on the overall Group Culture.
Archive
Starting in the winter of 2004, Brett took up the task of collecting all Palettes completed within extended group sessions, to post online in a photobucket archive[1]. The objective of the site was to create an easily accessible database for all group members and to establish a physical contribution to the group's collective memory. Thus far, some 50 Palettes, or 200 panels, have been canonized out of a total that extends probably into the hundreds.
