The insistent sketch. ( or Olympic apparel 4 )

Every time I flick through a particular sketch book, this one asks to be posted.

But you never got finished, There isn't enough of you to warrant scanning and writing about.

And yet still she looks at me with those big eyes. Damn it !

There, done, scanned, posted. Now stop with the looks.

She was drawn during the Olympics and is wearing an Olympic hat hence the second title.

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.

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.

Olympic Apparel 3

The perennial hoodie.

I got me one of these.

The only way to watch Olympics

Is sitting in a park.

With friends.

Olympic apparel 2

And for the rest of us...

... the t shirt.

Olympic Apparel

They have been an ubiquitous as pigeons on the streets of London these past few weeks.  Games makers. Volunteers.

In their funky top to toe outfits. Had to catch me one.

Look, even the watch is official. It takes a brave soul to pull off those colours. But I kinda like the trousers.

So I guess they'll migrate away now, such bright plumage unsuited to an English winter. Maybe the odd flash of a cap, or a bag, will glimpse through the padded layers of coats and scarves, to remind us of that summer when...

Swiming

Went to watch the swimming marathon in the Serpentine yesterday. 

The day was amazing. You could feel the weight of the sunlight on you. Your whole body unfurling into the high, bright air. And other people were doing all the exerting.

Sketched, of course, and this is my favorite, folks on both banks, observers lost in the watching.

Even if his neck does look a little dis-jointed.

Opening.

Had the good fortune to be at the Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday. And was determined to sketch something while I was there.

Had some suitably marked paper to do it on too. Ha.

Not brilliant I know. The backs of people's heads, a wheeled trailer and the flock of sheep ramp onto the stage. Oh and look, the dancers spacing marks.

And a couple of quick audience heads.

Then it all started and I forgot to sketch. Loved the molten rings. Bemused as to why they covered us all in blue silk before the show started ?

But made for a cool view under the blue.

Am going to a few events so aim to get some more sketches done before it all rolls out of town.