American W. Heath Robinson: Rube Goldberg Illustration Style

I was going to call this LoRA Goldberg Variations, but decided that I should make the title symmetrical with the other LoRA 😎.

Trained on eighteen drawings by the American cartoonist and inventor, Rube Goldberg (1883-1970). He is considered to be the U.S. counterpart of the British illustrator W. Heath Robinson. To see his works, please go to:

• http://screwballcomics.blogspot.com/2013/06/rube-goldbergs-cartoon-machine.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/10/science/exploring-an-inventors-cartoons-in-the-art-of-rube-goldberg.html

• http://anengineersaspect.blogspot.com/2009/10/29-rube-goldberg-machines-on-october.html

• https://www.comicartfans.com/searchresult.asp?txtsearch=Rube%20Goldberg

Apparently, Rube Goldberg predicted the invention of text2img ""Cartoonist Easy Future: Get the Idea and the Machine does the rest"❤😹:

From ChatGPT:

Rube Goldberg (Reuben Lucius Goldberg, 1883–1970) was an American cartoonist, engineer, inventor, and humorist best known for his comically complex contraptions that perform simple tasks in unnecessarily elaborate ways. His name has become synonymous with overly complicated, impractical inventions—much like W. Heath Robinson in the UK.

Early Life and Career

• Born: July 4, 1883, in San Francisco, California

• Education: He studied engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and earned a degree in mining engineering in 1904.

• Engineering Career: Worked briefly as an engineer for the San Francisco Water and Sewer Department but quickly left to pursue cartooning, his true passion.

Cartooning Success

Goldberg’s career as a cartoonist took off in the early 1900s. He worked for The San Francisco Chronicle and later for The New York Evening Mail, where his comic strips became hugely popular.

The Rube Goldberg Machines

Around 1915, Goldberg began drawing what became known as Rube Goldberg Machines—complex, whimsical contraptions designed to accomplish simple tasks (like turning on a light or wiping your mouth).
Each machine was a chain reaction of cause and effect, involving levers, pulleys, rolling balls, animals, and sometimes miniature explosions, all to achieve something trivial.

Famous Examples:

• The Self-Operating Napkin: A device that involved a series of steps—like lifting a spoon to one’s mouth, which triggered a napkin to wipe the user’s face.

• The Automatic Weight Reduction Machine: A bizarre contraption involving scales, balloons, and a boxing glove to encourage weight loss.

Why He Created These Machines

Goldberg’s contraptions satirized modern society’s obsession with technology, efficiency, and automation. His work humorously showed how people often complicate things unnecessarily, reflecting his background as both an engineer and an artist.

Other Achievements

• Political Cartoons: Won a Pulitzer Prize in 1948 for his political cartoons.

• Screenwriting: Worked in Hollywood for a time, writing screenplays and even appearing in a few short films.

• Founding Member: One of the founders of the National Cartoonists Society, serving as its first president.

Legacy

• "Rube Goldberg" Machines: The term became a part of everyday language in the U.S., representing anything that is overly complex for no good reason.

• Influence: His work inspired engineers, inventors, and pop culture references, from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure to The Goonies and beyond.

• Annual Contests: Rube Goldberg Machine contests are now held worldwide, where participants compete to create the most elaborate machines to perform simple tasks.

Goldberg remained active throughout his life and passed away on December 7, 1970, at the age of 87.

Please compare him with Robinson:

W. Heath Robinson and Rube Goldberg are often compared because both created whimsical illustrations of over-complicated machines, but they developed their styles independently and in different cultural contexts. Let’s break down their differences and similarities:

Similarities

1. Focus on Overly Complex Devices
   Both are famous for their intricate, convoluted contraptions that perform mundane tasks in absurdly elaborate ways. Their work became so iconic that their names became shorthand for unnecessarily complex solutions:

   • Heath Robinson (UK) → "Heath Robinson contraption"

   • Rube Goldberg (US) → "Rube Goldberg machine"

2. Humor and Satire

   • Their work was rooted in satire, poking fun at technological advancements and modern society’s tendency to complicate simple things.

   • Both used their engineering backgrounds (Robinson through observation and Goldberg through formal education) to add a touch of realism to their whimsical machines.

3. Detailed and Playful Illustrations
   Both drew with precision, filling their illustrations with complex mechanisms, gears, pulleys, and whimsical characters.

Key Differences

W. Heath Robinson (UK) vs Rube Goldberg (US):

Tone and Style:

• Gentle, whimsical, and often absurdly domestic. His contraptions have a cozy, Victorian-era feel.

• Cartoonish and satirical, often commenting on industrial society and bureaucracy.

Focus:

• Often depicted contraptions for household tasks, like peeling potatoes or washing dishes vs

• His machines often served as broader social commentary—like the "Self-Operating Napkin" to mock lazy consumer culture.

Cultural Context:

• Aimed at a British audience, reflecting pre- and post-WWI anxieties and humor.

• Focused on American industrial society, with his work reaching its peak during the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression.

Artistic Style:

• More naturalistic and detailed, with Victorian and Arts and Crafts influences.

• More exaggerated and cartoonish, with a clean, minimalist comic-strip style.

Legacy:

• Primarily known in the UK, though he had a lasting influence on illustrators and engineers.

• Became a household name in the US, with "Rube Goldberg machine" now a common phrase worldwide.

Visual Example

If Heath Robinson drew a contraption for making tea, it might involve steam-powered gears, levers, and pulleys inside a quaint British kitchen.
Meanwhile, Rube Goldberg’s version would involve a chain reaction featuring a rolling ball, a catapult, a bird pecking at a lever, and a man getting splashed with water—all in a wild, comic-strip style.

Cultural Impact

• Heath Robinson: Influenced British humor, wartime propaganda, and surrealist art. His contraptions helped keep spirits light during difficult times.

• Rube Goldberg: Inspired modern pop culture, including countless movies, TV shows, and annual competitions where students build Rube Goldberg machines.