BLOTTER ART
History
I introduced Ken Kesey to blotter-art as an art collectible, then had him sign for me. He actually painted, rather than just signed, the blotter-pieces. Most are one of a kind, "autographs" done in pastels, glitter, chalk, pen and ink, stickers, ink stamps, probably lipstick, etc. Ken liked my ideas and was one of the first to get involved in the blotter art I was doing. - Tom
Blotter Art
Blotter Art
From the mid 1970's blotter has been the most available form of LSD. There are likely two main reasons for this: Firstly, after LSD was made illegal in the US (in 1967) mandatory minimum sentencing was introduced. Sentences were determined by the weight of the substance with which offenders were caught. If someone had LSD on a sugar cube weighing 1g then the sentence was the same as for an individual caught with 1g of crystal LSD (representing approx 10,000 LSD doses rather than just 1)! . The move to lightweight LSD blotter therefore reduced sentences. Secondly: There were many high profile busts in the late 60's and early 70's, during which pill presses were seized, LSD blotter was therefore more convenient for many to make.
Over the years Blotter Art has developed as a field in its own right, with images ranging from multiple repeats (so each trip has a complete image), to complex images spanning a whole sheet. Images have typically been psychedelic in nature, or relied heavily on cartoon images. Occult and religious symbols have also been widely used. There is also a distinct sub-category of satirical Blotter Art, including images such as "Gorby" and "FBI". This imagery originally served as an identifier of different batches of LSD, a form of "trademark".
There are distinctions within Blotter Art. Some iconic images have been circulating since the 70's (Eg: Hofmann's, Eye of Horus, Knights of Malta) other art work is dubbed "Vanity Blotter Art". This is art as a collectible and has never been dipped.
The original collector and originator of the scene is Mark McCloud, a San Francisco artist (and former Art Professor). Initially his collection was based on street prints, which have subsequently been exposed to UV light to destroy the LSD. In 2000 McCloud was charged with "conspiracy to manufacture and distribute LSD". The DEA claimed that having 30,000 Blotter Art sheets in his possession meant that he was supplying chemists and wholesalers. This was his second arrest (the first was in 1991). In both cases he was acquitted. It is estimated that he spent more than half a million dollars on his defence.
It is important to realise that although Blotter Art is now un-dipped, selling it (or giving it away) and claiming it contains LSD is STILL an offence.
Blotter Art can reach high prices, particularly when signed by prominent figures from the psychedelic movement. In 2004 MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) received almost $20,000 as a result of sales of Blotter Art signed by Albert Hofmann.
As a result of the growing popularity of the art-form, and high prices generated, Blotter Art is sometimes counterfeited. Another concern is the reproduction of copyrighted images without the consent of the artists.
Famous Blotter Art artists include: Mark McCloud, Thomas Lyttle, Stevee Postman. Alex Grey's images also often appear.
Links:
Erowid LSD blotter galery
www.blotterart.net
Book Review
By Thomas Lyttle
1-23-04
“LSD” by Otto Snow (Thoth Press, 2004). 245 pp. 18 pp. bibliography. $36.00 US. Thoth Press. Box 6081. Spring Hill, Fl. 34611
Having over 600 books and hundreds of academic papers on psychedelics and related hallucinogens, it is rare to find truly new information on LSD-25. It is estimated that over 1000 books alone have appeared in the US and Europe regarding LSD-25.
Snow’s “LSD” is an exciting and unique book - well-worth grabbing for many reasons.
Retired chemist Otto Snow suffered from hemiparasaethetic migraine headaches at age 15, which resembles a stroke. After several prescriptions and failed therapies, he discovered small amounts of LSD-25 relieved his illness. Snow is also author of several books on psychoactives including “Oxy” (Thoth Press, 1901) and “Amphetamine Synthesis” (Thoth Press, 2002) which has gone through several printings.
What makes this book so unusual is the extensive reprints of rare academic articles by famous LSD researchers like Aurther Stoll, Hans Kobel and others. This deals with start-to-finish manufacturing, and how the pro’s did it. Of special interests are photos of tabletting machines running from 1844 through 1980. Hand-crank tartarate tabletting machines are shown, as well as compressed tablet machines. Methods for dosing sheets of LSD blotter-paper (these papers were central to many underground LSD chemists work ). Tabletting dosing is also covered. At least 25 rare science papers on LSD-25 synthesis methods are reprinted. As well are excellent references regarding the growing of Claviceps purpurea by botanists. Ergot grows on this plant as a fungus. Ergot is then collected for manufacturing LSD-25. Another rare paper by Albert Hoffman is titled “Tabletting Lysergic Acid Amides”, and this includes sections on “Blotter Carrier”, “Thin Film Carrier”: “Clearlight or Gel”, “Preparation of Clearlight of “Sheeting”, “Lamellae” (Lamellae, also called Lamells are eye-disks containing small medical amounts of drugs. Several papers also deal with lab-extractions of Ergot and synthetic routes ending in pure LSD-25.
Otto Snow is a renegade scientist out of the loops of academia, the pharmaceutical industry, lab science and special interest groups. He dropped out after his trumped up DEA bust, which got physical and left him with a permanent disability. His brilliant books are home-spun gems. Long live brilliant outlaw scholars like Otto Snow. And long live the true facts about LSD – more books like this need to be published.
From the mid 1970's blotter has been the most available form of LSD. There are likely two main reasons for this: Firstly, after LSD was made illegal in the US (in 1967) mandatory minimum sentencing was introduced. Sentences were determined by the weight of the substance with which offenders were caught. If someone had LSD on a sugar cube weighing 1g then the sentence was the same as for an individual caught with 1g of crystal LSD (representing approx 10,000 LSD doses rather than just 1)! . The move to lightweight LSD blotter therefore reduced sentences. Secondly: There were many high profile busts in the late 60's and early 70's, during which pill presses were seized, LSD blotter was therefore more convenient for many to make.
Over the years Blotter Art has developed as a field in its own right, with images ranging from multiple repeats (so each trip has a complete image), to complex images spanning a whole sheet. Images have typically been psychedelic in nature, or relied heavily on cartoon images. Occult and religious symbols have also been widely used. There is also a distinct sub-category of satirical Blotter Art, including images such as "Gorby" and "FBI". This imagery originally served as an identifier of different batches of LSD, a form of "trademark".
There are distinctions within Blotter Art. Some iconic images have been circulating since the 70's (Eg: Hofmann's, Eye of Horus, Knights of Malta) other art work is dubbed "Vanity Blotter Art". This is art as a collectible and has never been dipped.
The original collector and originator of the scene is Mark McCloud, a San Francisco artist (and former Art Professor). Initially his collection was based on street prints, which have subsequently been exposed to UV light to destroy the LSD. In 2000 McCloud was charged with "conspiracy to manufacture and distribute LSD". The DEA claimed that having 30,000 Blotter Art sheets in his possession meant that he was supplying chemists and wholesalers. This was his second arrest (the first was in 1991). In both cases he was acquitted. It is estimated that he spent more than half a million dollars on his defence.
It is important to realise that although Blotter Art is now un-dipped, selling it (or giving it away) and claiming it contains LSD is STILL an offence.
Blotter Art can reach high prices, particularly when signed by prominent figures from the psychedelic movement. In 2004 MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) received almost $20,000 as a result of sales of Blotter Art signed by Albert Hofmann.
As a result of the growing popularity of the art-form, and high prices generated, Blotter Art is sometimes counterfeited. Another concern is the reproduction of copyrighted images without the consent of the artists.
Famous Blotter Art artists include: Mark McCloud, Thomas Lyttle, Stevee Postman. Alex Grey's images also often appear.
Links:
Erowid LSD blotter galery
www.blotterart.net
Book Review
By Thomas Lyttle
1-23-04
“LSD” by Otto Snow (Thoth Press, 2004). 245 pp. 18 pp. bibliography. $36.00 US. Thoth Press. Box 6081. Spring Hill, Fl. 34611
Having over 600 books and hundreds of academic papers on psychedelics and related hallucinogens, it is rare to find truly new information on LSD-25. It is estimated that over 1000 books alone have appeared in the US and Europe regarding LSD-25.
Snow’s “LSD” is an exciting and unique book - well-worth grabbing for many reasons.
Retired chemist Otto Snow suffered from hemiparasaethetic migraine headaches at age 15, which resembles a stroke. After several prescriptions and failed therapies, he discovered small amounts of LSD-25 relieved his illness. Snow is also author of several books on psychoactives including “Oxy” (Thoth Press, 1901) and “Amphetamine Synthesis” (Thoth Press, 2002) which has gone through several printings.
What makes this book so unusual is the extensive reprints of rare academic articles by famous LSD researchers like Aurther Stoll, Hans Kobel and others. This deals with start-to-finish manufacturing, and how the pro’s did it. Of special interests are photos of tabletting machines running from 1844 through 1980. Hand-crank tartarate tabletting machines are shown, as well as compressed tablet machines. Methods for dosing sheets of LSD blotter-paper (these papers were central to many underground LSD chemists work ). Tabletting dosing is also covered. At least 25 rare science papers on LSD-25 synthesis methods are reprinted. As well are excellent references regarding the growing of Claviceps purpurea by botanists. Ergot grows on this plant as a fungus. Ergot is then collected for manufacturing LSD-25. Another rare paper by Albert Hoffman is titled “Tabletting Lysergic Acid Amides”, and this includes sections on “Blotter Carrier”, “Thin Film Carrier”: “Clearlight or Gel”, “Preparation of Clearlight of “Sheeting”, “Lamellae” (Lamellae, also called Lamells are eye-disks containing small medical amounts of drugs. Several papers also deal with lab-extractions of Ergot and synthetic routes ending in pure LSD-25.
Otto Snow is a renegade scientist out of the loops of academia, the pharmaceutical industry, lab science and special interest groups. He dropped out after his trumped up DEA bust, which got physical and left him with a permanent disability. His brilliant books are home-spun gems. Long live brilliant outlaw scholars like Otto Snow. And long live the true facts about LSD – more books like this need to be published.