Where did you get that hat 2

It's not as good as the other girl's.

Sorry, 'tis the season for sequels.

Book 'em Danno

Rounding up the usual suspects.

A few loose sketches from the past few weeks.

Black is the colour...

...Of my true love's hair.

Her face is something wondrous fair,

the prettiest eyes, and the dearest sighs,

I love the tube on which she rides.

Actually I don't know her at all, but the song came to mind as I was sketching her.

Where did you get that hat ?

Oh, you knitted it.

St. Pancras Station, Platform A, 9.15, last night.

A quick one

Because I should be doing other stuff.

But I'm not. Snigger.

Me, you and them.

There were three people involved in this sketch...

Got into a conversation with someone on the train home the other night. I was sketching and he was playing a game on his phone and we started talking about passing the time to make the journey go by, and what we had done that day.

It was a good conversation. I wished we all talked more like that.

Anyway, this is the sketch I did at the time.

As soon as I had drawn the eyes I felt it was going to be a pleasing sketch. And that was important to me, knowing I had someone watching it as well as me.

And why is that ? Why does someone else watching alter my relationship with what I am drawing ? Why am I so fickle as to want to be seen to be good at this ? Am I not suitably reassured in my ability to do this by now ? Why is it so important to impress a total stranger ? Why is it so important to be validated like that ? 

?

Actually, now I have told you this there are four people involved in this sketch.

Getting awful crowded in here.

Swap over

I was sketching this girl on the tube...

...enjoying how her hair had been pinned up and liking how the sketch was going. And then we came to a station and while I was starting the shading she got up and left and this guy sat in her place.

And while I am also pleased with the scruffy lad's sketch, part of me is saddened that the girl sketch never got to go any further.

Which suddenly makes me wonder how many of all the thousands of Londoners there are I have never seen, never sketched.  I wonder if it's higher or lower than I think.

I have never, to my knowledge, sketched the same stranger on two separate occasions.

Catching your breath

There was a fun run in Greenwich park a few weeks ago. ( "fun" run, yeah right )

I caught a few of the runners as they collapsed on the grass afterwards.

His vest said he was number 1395. If that was you, then this is you.

You all know my opinion of such activities. Why run when you can sit and watch a DVD box set ?

In the Army now

Okay, so not really someone working, but in uniform so it almost counts.

I got fascinated by how the beret sat on his head. It gave a tight outline to the shape of the skull, but then has that full overlap to one side. What is that called ? That lopsided excess bit. I bet it has a military term. Anyway, it took several goes before I was anywhere near the shape of it.

He then took it off, rubbed his head all over, and stuffed it in his pocket. The beret, not his head.

Too wonderful...

... to not try to catch.

Haven't managed to get even half of the simple beauty of them. 

Hair Text

To celebrate the birthday of texting.

HPPY BRTHDY 2 U LOL

Pondering.

How deep is this guy thinking about things ?

Or does he just have an itchy nose ?

A day late and a dollar short.

Forgot it was December 1st yesterday. How could I do that ?

Because yesterday marks the start of YEAR FOUR of doing this.

TAADDDAAAAHHHH !

I have decided the loose theme for this next year will be WORK.

Sketching people at work in as many occupations as I can talk my way into.

Nothing crazy mind, just a few money earners in among the usual commuters and slouchers.

And, to start...

My neighbour is a mobile car mechanic, rushing to fix the flat and broken down of the A1. And the other day, his truck broke down, so he and his mate upped the bonnet and did their thing.

Then stood around discussing it.