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I don't really have time to do this, but I wanted one last post for september so...

Drew this guy's foot way too big, have scaled it back a bit in photoshop, but it shows at the ankle.

Like the symmetry of hair and bag.

One last word

...On the Olympics.

First the Teams and their supporters with their flags of all nations went home.

Then the purples and pinks and greens of the Games makers and travel advisors and Security people disappeared.

Then the Team GB shirts and scarves and hats became passe.

Then the banners and graphics and signage started to be taken down.

And yesterday I had to stop and mark another loss.

They have removed the Games Lanes from the Motorways into London. Burnt them off over night and repainted with the old normal road markings.

I don't know why that caught in my mind ( and heart ) so much.

But it did.

3 times a face

Sketched this guy several times.

First a quick preamble.

Then did some one line, 'drawing without looking at the page' kinda stuff.

Did quite a few of these. All different, all loose. ( and intriguing as hell to the woman sitting opposite me )

Then took what I had learnt about the shape and forms and redrew him again more formally.

I like the process, I like the changes that happen when you try to see, rather than just looking.

Always an admirable goal.

Para time

This guy's shirt labeled him as a Time Keeper.  He waited on the trackside until things had happened, then went out into the middle of the stadium to converse with other Time Keepers.

One thing I noted about him was he was VERY tanned. Must have just been on holiday I asumed.

But later, when the event was over, he spent the rest of his time in the centre of the stadium sitting in the sunshine next to what I assumed was a very important time measuring device that was not to be moved or tampered with. If he had done that for the whole of the sporting spectacular, no wonder he had got him a tan.

So he was less of a time keeper, more a time body guard.

You ain't gettin' in without a watch on.

Get out the flags

'Cos it's my 500th post.

One of the army of supporters who wore their flag like a superhero cloak.

I think there is something intrinsically comforting about wrapping yourself in a flag like that. Connecting back to childhood play and the undeniable pleasure in wearing cloaks. Who wouldn't want to go through life in a cloak ? Feeling it billow as you stride through doors, and swish past the lowly and uncloaked. A fluid fabric echo of you.

Para stewards

Went to watch the marathon races on the last sunday.

As always the athletes were too fast to sketch ( although I had a go ) but drew the stewards manning the barriers.

This guy was in the best pose ever, obviously bored and tired in the mid morning sunshine.

With his elbows and afro, he was a joy to draw.

Then, further down, a whole load of them were manning a crossing.

Although the word 'manning' makes them sound a lot more active than they actually were.

The woman with the plait, she was obviously in charge. She had the radio. 

"Who put the arrows the wrong way round ?" she demanded in a voice even I could hear. "they are confusing everyone."

No one changed them though.

What is the collective noun for a gang of marathon stewards ? A cramp ? A halt ?

In a row

Not a great sketch, but I liked the image.

A row of Games Makers, waiting to assist in the Paralympic Women's Shot Put.

Their job was to fix each paralympian's seat to the throwing plate and make sure they were satisfied with it to make their best throw.

Olympic Apparel 3

The perennial hoodie.

I got me one of these.

Paraknackered

This guy had flaked out on the train seat after a hard days supporting.

After a while he sat up, conscious that he was on a train, surrounded by others, and then appeared to doze off again, sitting up.

Come on, we've all been there.

It might all be over...

... but I have a small backlog of sketches to post and keep it echoing across the week.

This Dad and his daughter were on their way to support someone doing something.

And while the little girl occupied herself with her flags.

Dad had to carry the stuffed toys and everything else.

The toy Wenlock is in his lap, but I realise it isn't very obvious here.

Paralympic sadness

Overheard in the Olympic park yesterday...

A Mother comforts her distraught young daughter. " Don't be sad, it was only an inflatable Mandeville ".

And, at the end of the day, as I was leaving...

A family of four, the youngest son sobbing into his Union Jack, bawled out, " but we'll never have this again. Ever ! "

I know how they both feel.

Paralympic apparel

The ultimate must have accessory of the summer.

Paralympic weekend pt 3

Every current train journey will include a smattering of flag carrying, Team GB wearing, paralympic going folk. Whose quota increases the closer you get to transport hubs that link to any venue.

Here are is a middle aged couple from the weekend. Flags rolled and ready in anticipation.

I like the idea of their calm, very English reserve being replaced with flag waving and cheering, then being rolled up and put back for the journey home.

Don't know what they went to see but they got off before the connection to the Olympic park, so I am guessing probably The O2 or the EXcel.

Are there Paralympics at the O2 ?

Paralympic weekend pt 2

Sunday I had a day pass to the Royal Artillery Barracks - current home of the Shooting and Archery.

Thought I would go for an hour or so... stayed all day. It was utterly brilliant.

Firstly, Pistol shooting.

No idea what the rules were, or how the scoring went, or who was in the lead.

Or even who won.

I made a few notes look, this was Yunas Bahceci of Turkey. Like the nonchalant hand in pocket.

And Zivko Papaz of Serbia.

I want to say this guy was from Japan, but I didn't note it down. After the noise and frenetics of the swimming it was so calm, and still and ( because of the ear plugs we all had to wear ), quiet, almost contemplative. Just the steady raising of the pistol arms, and the occasional sharp crack of each shot. It was almost monastic in it's focus.

And it occurred to me,I don't think I have ever sketched people in wheelchairs before. 

Which is not something I am proud to admit.

Paralympic weekend Pt 1

Went to the swimming on saturday. Saw Elli Simmonds break her own world record. Which was excellent, but also hazardous to human ear drums, as the noise the audience made literally hurt to hear.

Mostly forgot to sketch, but here are two from in between the splashy stuff.

I was up in the stands looking down over a whole row of people recording the events for each team. Netherlands, New Zealand and Japan were immediately in front of me, according to their shirts. I assume they are so the swimmers can watch it back and see how they did, how they can improve.

I could do with someone to do that for me in general

Had to add some quick colour to this one, loved the blue of the pool, and the red and yellow of the lane markers.

All life should be that colourful and clear.