61 & 62 - Couple

Sat opposite this German couple yesterday, Sketched him first, as he was facing away from me, attentive to her. She had a lot to say to him, to include him in ( that's how I know they were German ). After a while she turned to look out the window, companionably together, so I drew her profile as well. Only had my small sketch book, so had to draw them on separate pages.

Wanted to post them side by side here, as they were. An Arundel tomb, for the internet. But when I post it refigures them one above the other, so no poetry then.

How will all of this decay ? Does the Internet have an eternity in it ?

I hope they have a good, long relationship. I hope it does survive.

Text - 60

Now I know why I sketch. Too fill the insistent mouth of this blog. Committed to it now. In for the long haul.

And it is changing who I sketch. I look for the person I can say something about. The person who appears to have a narrative going on. Or rather, someone whose narrative is showing, like underwear.

Hence this woman, who was texting so furiously yesterday. Dub Dub Dub, her thumbs hammered on her phone. If the person she was messaging was in front of her she would have been pointing her finger at them, for emphasis. Jabbing it in their arm.

59 - the joy of flight.

Luxembourg airport. One of those interminable waits, on very hard metal benches (blue). Two fellow travelers/sufferers.

And, oddly, what this reminds me of is the Western Union money transfer advertisement, in french, that kept looping over and over on a screen in front of us. Happy people sending their hard earnt money to ecstatic relatives.

And a Businessman, who sat alongside me and drank more cups of coffee than the human bladder could ever realistically hope to contain.

The legs are somewhat confusing until you see that hers are crossed and tucked close, whilst he has sprawled out across the whole bench, possessive. I like what that says about them, as a couple.

58 - watercolour

From earlier last year. As always, on the train into London, ( you have them captive and, for the most part, stationary on trains - plus I never have anything else to do other than look out of the window, so...) The sun was brilliantly white, that sharp, clean spring light. Sketched this guy, and wanted to remind myself of how the sun was so bright on his cheek and shirt, so the paint came out when I got home.

Adding colour usually isn't that successful, but I think I got away with it here.

56 - 57 Kensington Library

Was waiting for someone outside Kensington Library, lunch time. And two builders/workmen were perched on the railing by the main door, eating their dockey and chatting. Sketched them both while I waited.

One leant forward, and listened as his mate did all the talking, telling some unbelievable story...

...possibly involving scaffolding.

52 -55

Had cause to rummage through some really old sketch books today. And seeing as I have fallen behind on the running total again, and need a bit of catch-up...

A few oldies. Sketches that is, not the people.

Interesting, to me if no-one else. These were done when drawing without looking at the page was still a novelty to me. You draw without taking your eyes from the subject, you imagine the line you are drawing as you trace along what you see in your mind. It stops you censoring what you think you see. It exaggerates the shapes. Gives them an oddness and an angularity. And a freeness. A fluidity.

And I hadn't moved across to pen yet, still needed the reassurance I could rub stuff out if I needed to.

At a push this one above is only two lines. And the one below, his head is all without breaking the contact with the paper. Always satisfying.

51 - National Gallery Patron

Often used to sit and sketch in the National gallery a few years back.

This lady is very much the kind of visitor you can always be guaranteed of seeing. Especially on a weekday afternoon. Up in town for a visit, meet a friend, bit of art, bit of shopping, maybe a new piece of bondage wear to take back to hubby, tea at Fortnums, the new Bennett, and then the train home. Not too late is it ?

I loved how she sat with her coat over her shoulders, and arms folded on her bag, so composed. (Although I'm now wondering what she had in that bag ?) Managed several of her, couldn't decide which I liked best, this one won the toss. Shading a bit harsh. And the face/head slip is, as always, not that flattering.

I have always liked that the Gallery is so accessible and you can just pop in and sit. Like a library. And the paintings are good mates you acknowledge, but don't have time to stop and talk to. Cornelius van der Geest, Echo, Pan and Syrinx, Lord Ribblesdale.

Thought that last bit would come off a lot cuter than it did. Sounds a bit up my own bottom.

And just want to ask, where do I go to get a name like Ribblesdale ?!