Family day out

Ended up killing some time in the City last bank holiday ( mainly because the DLR wasn't running that day ).

The buzz and fuss of folks around the periphery of the Tower of London had to be seen to be believed. If it had been an army I think old William Conker would have been stressing out. Moats are no defense when there are souvenirs to be had.

There were copious food outlets to sustain the invasion. So much for starving them out. How many besieged citadels would have remained steadfast if they had had a Starbucks outlet somewhere in their back streets ? Hey, Infidel hoards, I mock your battering rams and siege engines with the sugared crunch of an almond biscotti.

So... families eating.

History and vittals. A fine day all told.

The future is now

Two families of Italian's on holiday, with suitcases and children dragging along behind them. Just flew in to Luton I'm guessing.

They sit and discuss where they are heading. One guy clamps his sunglasses in his mouth, wrestles out his i-pad and is instantly looking at a London street map. All the information they need opens out in successive pop-up windows, like the city was a flowering shrub, it's streets branches, blooming just for them.

The future is already here.

Look and you will see. ( or maybe not )

So what do I see the very next day ? Someone reading a Kindle on the train.

So had to add her to the collection.

Then two Tourists stood in between me and the reader. And usually I just let it go when this happens, and move on to someone I can see. But this was a KINDLE READER. So I made it clear I was sketching the person they were blocking, with an apologetic smile and much twisting of my head to see round them. 

I couldn't have been more obvious.

They just scowled at me, and proceeded to unfurl copious maps and guide books, blocking my view even more.

I know when I am defeated.

So sketch not very good.

And that is my excuse.

Trafalgar steps. x 2

Liked this young Mum sorting her child, brushing crumbs and bits of half eaten biscuits out onto the pavement for the eager pigeons. But with that tender vigour only mother's seem to manage.

Then spotted this girl sitting on the steps from the National Gallery, and her combat pants caught my eye, something about the pockets.

Up for any adventure, the new battle of Trafalgar. 

184- Blimey !

Over half way through now. No going back.

This couple were on the tube on wednesday, as I was coming back from a location recce. He knew straight away that I was sketching him, even though I tried to cover by sketching someone else at the same time. Then I thought, what the hell, and just carried on with this one. He told his companion and they both smiled, and he took a photo of me. Fair dibs.

They got off at Camden, the destination of choice for all Tourists.

So... now the challenge of doing this is wearing off, I have to decide what purpose this serves. I could carry on just drawing, posting the one's I like here and then be done, but there has to be more to it now. What do I want these drawings to do ? What do I want to learn ?

Has to be something.

Any suggestions ?