Moleskines are a great size for when you're trying to draw people on the tube. I travelled to see my god-daughter yesterday (I'm doing her portrait for her 21st birthday present - and we were having our first artist/client consultation!) and used the tube to get across town to Hammersmith.
Having gone all kitted out with arty stuff I thought I'd limber up by trying to draw the other people on the tube. Now anybody who knows the underground in London will know that smooth running is NOT what it excels at - and trying to draw while the compartment bounced around on the rails was interesting to say the least!The worst problems associated with drawing on the tube are not knowing which stop people are getting off at (rule of thumb - it's always just before you get to the important finishing bit you've been putting off) and the vertical poles which people hang on to tending to block out out key bits of people's faces. I tried to draw two women - each time the pole cut the face in two! On the other hand you do get the dozing traveller - who is unlikely to move their head very much.
So - these are not examples of great drawings but rather evidence that it is worth taking the Moleskine when using the tube!
Technorati tags: art , drawing , drawing people , moleskine , pencil , sketch , sketchbook 
Sketching people in public is challenging and fascinating! I've done my share of sketching people on restaurants, buses, parks, airports.. just about anyplace I've had to sit and wait. Two of my favorites places were while waiting at the Motor Vehicles Dept to renew my license, and also waiting in the Jury Room to be called to Jury Duty. You can't be bored while drawing!
ReplyDeleteIf I'm sketching someone and they are beginning to wonder about me, I shift my eyes so that they'll think I'm looking to the side of them. In fact, I do that often. I'll look over them, past them, and around the room, and then sneak another look at them as I continue my sketch. I've never had anyone leave because they figured out I was focusing on them.
Btw, it's also great fun in restaurants to leave the sketch on the edge of their table as you leave. I like to do this if I've drawn couples who are obviously in love!
Very nice drawings!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love taking my moleskine out for "stealth drawing" people in public places. I do occasionally get those shifty eyes from strangers when they catch me. But then from the small size of the book I can make it look like I'm jotting a note.