Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Charcoal Sketches on the Train



This evening I was planning on going to figure drawing, but when I got to the gallery there was a note saying it had been canceled. Luckily, I'd taken a little time on the train home to warm up a bit because those warm-ups turned out to be the sum total of all the figure drawing for the evening. Cookies crumble, you know.

The gentleman above was partially hidden from me by the railing. I was on the upper deck looking down on him. He was also very squirmy, and I'll claim that as the reason I surrendered finishing the drawing.



I just loved her hat. I could never pull it off myself. You have to know your limits when it comes to hats. Certain hats require a certain attitude, and any attitude I might work up would undoubtedly fail me midway through the day, and the hat would sit there like a stolen object. Wouldn't be able to take it off for the hat head, so I'd just have to wear the evidence of my once assertive, playful, dare I say "jaunty" attitude.



Ah yes, the shoe/foot drawing: Along with the hand self-portrait, it is a marvelous fall-back position when everyone around you knows you're sketching and they are giving you the hairy eyeball in order to discourage becoming your model. You can only do so many partially obstructed portraits of squirmy people before you must settle on a subject that you can cast your eye upon without accusation. Unfortunately, a fellow passenger needed to get off the train, and he needed to get past me in order to do so. As a result, the pant leg was all ahoo, and nothing I could do would make it drape the same as it had been. Perhaps along with no two same snowflakes, there are no two same cloth drapes, perhaps not.



This hand had one of those marvelously ropy veins running across it, but you can't tell from the sketch can you? Of course not, and I *ahem* meant for that to be the case. Yeah, that's it. Despite my failure to depict the vein, I was rather pleased with the sleeve. Lemons, lemonade you know.

Thanks for stopping by!

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow awesome sketches!

Mark Kwasny said...

Wouldn't it be fun to work in really heavy charcoal then blow the dust all over on the train? You won't make any friends, but dang! That would be fun.

Alan said...

I admire people who can draw people. I haven't tried yet because I am a bit intimidated by the whole thing. I suppose I should at least try. Awesome sketches. Thanks for sharing with us.

Nan said...

Pamyla, thanks!

Mark, LOL, yeah I don't think that would go over very well. Although the train condictors coming over the intercom and saying, "Please keep your feet off the railings and seats, there is no radio playing allowed, and try to keep the charcoal dust from coating other passengers," would be pretty priceless :-D

Alan, Go for it! I didn't post all my false starts, but I just forged ahead. I still get intimidated too, and last night I got called out by one of the people across the aisle who had seen me sketching his buddy. That particular sketch was one of my false starts, but I showed it to him anyway. They were both amused and friendly about the whole thing.

Lynn said...

These are great sketches! You have a real talent for finding odd perspectives and drawing them.

dcpeg said...

Sketches: FAB!! Narrative: PRICLESS!! Particularly like the gnarly boot sole. Yoo kin do some serious walkin in doze!!

Nan said...

Lynn, thanks. My odd perspective has been a blessing and a curse...tee hee.

Aunt Peggy Poo, Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Hi, I love your sketches because I get a real sense of being on the train with you and seeing these people myself! My favourites are the man sleeping and your partial leg and shoe sketches.