This series contains research materials and process work for the project Darden was working on at the time of his death. incorporated architectural drawing, collage, and narrative in the form of an architectural graphic novel centered on three characters: Helen, Cass, and Polly. The series includes correspondence regarding travel and requests for financial assistance, as well as information on and submissions to various grant programs. It also includes a spiral bound portfolio of several artists meant to be included in the project, entitled "The Graphic Novel: an Investigation of the Interdisciplinary Design Process."
Ten folders contain research materials on outbreaks of laughter and mania, on the anatomy of the human body (specifically that of speech capabilities and female reproductive cycles), on Africa (Darden's early site for the project), on Boston (a stop in the story's itinerary) and on Darden's two main sites for the project: Troy New York, and Troy in Greece. These folders include maps, postcards, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, and magazine clippings.
Darden's process for the project included experimenting with text and font, and rendering with various graphic images he had collected from his research and travels. This series includes many of these graphic experiments and sources, notably those from his travel souvenirs.
For this project, Darden worked with audio recordings of girls laughing, and four folders entitled "Laugh Graphics" contain FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) print outs that visually represent frequencies from these recordings, and were used as graphic elements.
Two folders encompass Darden's notes for the project (including notes on two airsick bags), and Darden's outlines of the girls' characters. The folder "Negatives & Prints" notably includes x-rays of the esophagus and repairs to broken bones made with internal fixation. The series also contains drawings, drafts, and storyboarding for the graphic novel.
Box 6 Folder 4
Correspondence, ca. 1991-95
Postcards, Consulate of Tanzania, Fernie Baca, Liz Hamp-Lyons, Faculty Grants, Sophia Gollek, Janus Stechel, Bernard Zeligman, Steve Frey, Ellynne Skove, Dana Crawford, Alberto Perez-Gomez, McGill School of Architecture, Chora.
Box 6 Folder 5
Submissions [1 of 2], ca. 1992-94
Application and submissions information for grants and other opportunities
Box 6 Folder 6
Submissions [2 of 2], ca. 1992-94
AIA Colorado: Arthur A. and Florence G. Fisher Traveling Scholarship, 1992 ; Art Papers: AnteMillenium Dollhouse Competition, 1993 ; California College of Arts and Crafts: Scholar in Residence, post 1993 ; Creative Activities Committee of the University of Colorado at Denver: Project proposal, 1993 ; Getty Grant Program, undated ; Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts: Grant Request, pre 1994.
Box 6
The Graphic Novel: an Investigation of the Interdisciplinary Design Process, 1994?
Portfolio of Design Participants
Box 7 Folder 1
Research materials, Africa, ca. 1990-96
Box 7 Folder 2
Research materials, Mania, ca. 1990-96
Box 7 Folder 3
Research materials, Anatomy, ca. 1990-96
Box 7 Folder 4
Research materials, Speech, ca. 1990-96
Box 7 Folder 5
Research materials, Women, ca. 1990-96
Box 7 Folder 6
Research materials, Troy, New York, ca. 1990-96
includes postcards, maps, "Americana", water tower studies
Box 7 Folder 7
Research materials, "Boston Debauchery", ca. 1990-96
Box 7 Folder 8
Research materials, Greece [1 of 2], ca. 1990-96
Greek Mythology, Troy, Euripides The Trojan Women, Monemvasia; includes postcards and pamphlets
Box 7 Folder 9
Research materials, Greece [2 of 2], ca. 1990-96
Box 7
Books on Monemvasia, ca. 1990-96
Box 7 Folder 10
Research materials, World Maps, ca. 1990-96
Box 8 Folder 1
Rendering Sources, ca. 1990-96
Text/Font experiments, cars, Symbols, Groups of three, Tarot Cards, "Rendering Tech" ; includes postcards
Box 8
The "Ladies in Blue", ca. 1990-96
Box 8 Folder 2
Travel, ca. 1992
brochures, tickets, airline safety cards, stamps, labels, drachmas [6 bills, total 9500]
Box 8 Folder 3
Travel Receipts, 1992 Jul 24 to Aug 16
Box 8 Folder 4
"Laugh Graphics" [1 of 4], ca. 1992-93
"Helen's Laugh-Flipbook (Karen),"recording print outs: FFT(Fast Fourier Transform- representation of frequencies) includes negatives : 7 items ; contact sheet : 1 item ; prints : 4 items
Box 8 Folder 5
"Laugh Graphics" [2 of 4], ca. 1992-93
Box 8 Folder 6
"Laugh Graphics" [3 of 4], ca. 1992-93
Box 8 Folder 7
"Laugh Graphics" [4 of 4], ca. 1992-93
Box 9 Folder 1
"Drawing Laughs", ca. 1990-96
Drawer 206 Folder 10
"Troy II: Existng Site", 1993 Apr 3
1 item : cardboard with Laughing Girls drawing and paper clipped drawing.
Box 9 Folder 2
Xeroxed Drawings, ca. 1990-96
Box 9 Folder 3
Notes, ca. 1990-96
includes notes on bookmark, airsick bags
Box 9 Folder 4
Girl's Characters, ca. 1990-96
Drafts for Helen, Cass, & Polly
Box 9 Folder 5
Drafts, ca. 1990-1996
Includes two postcards and one file folder
Box 9 Folder 6
Negatives & Prints, ca. 1990-96
Negatives : 60 items ; contact sheets : 9 items ; slides : 4 items ; prints : 40 items ; x-rays : 8 items
Box 9 Folder 7
"Doug Darden-Laughter", ca. 1990-96, 1 digital audio tapes
Box 15 Folder 11
Page layouts and photocopy mockups, ca. 1990-96
Box 15 Folder 9
Storyboarding, ca. 1990-96
Drawings ; 5 items ; also includes paste-ups and drafts of Laughing Girls
Box 15 Folder 10
Reference Material, ca. 1990-96
Print of Greek Houses; transparency of map of Monemvassia; Xeroxes of drawings and maps for Laughing Girls
Box 15 Folder 8
Sketches, [Plan of Troy (Past/Present)], ca. 1990-96
Box 15 Folder 7
Sketches, [Plans and sections of Laughing Girls' house], ca. 1990-96
Box 15 Folder 6
Sketches, "Helen's Perception" and front plate layout/sketches, ca. 1990-96
Box 15 Folder 5
Sketches, "Dardanos" Trojan Caricatures , ca. 1990-96
Box 15 Folder 4
Sketches, structure with eye, ca. 1990-96
Box 15 Folder 3
Sketches, "Helen tattoo" and "Polly tattoo" , ca. 1990-1996
Drawer 206 Folder 12 Box 15 Folder 1
Sketches, "Cass tattoo"
27 items
(Jonathan Rosen Donation, 2018.001)