So, if I couldn’t do 100 pen-and-ink people in a single day, what makes me think I can do it in watercolor? I only managed 25 today! The same thing happened to me last year! What’s that saying about doing the same thing over and over expecting different results? :)
It shouldn’t be a surprise that doing a sketch (clear-line in pencil this time) AND painting it – naturally that’s going to take twice as long.
Plus – I have to find a restaurant (or the study carrel’s at the public library are perfect) where I can lay out sets of six or seven sketches and work them all wet at the same time. I do these in waves, getting all the first pass washes, then going back for any dark touches. Then clearing the deck when they’re dry and doing another round. It must look like a kind of crazy game of solitaire.
So; these are all done from cellphone snaps, rather than from life. It seems like the only way to get a huge number of sketches in a day. Besides, if I go to a nice café, I can have a slice of pie while sketching :)
I don’t know what I was thinking with this people thing! I should have been sketching my desserts. Maybe this summer I’ll do a 100-pastry tour of Montreal. That sounds like a lot more fun :)
[ Click anywhere in the gallery to start a slideshow ]
Back in the day, (I’m sure this was N.C. Wyeth, so that’s 1940’s), he used to have costumed actors come into the drawing class. They would strike some poses or do a little skit – then leave the room. Students would have to paint the models *from memory*.
So, my point is, once you understand the planes of the head, and the way clothes drape, you don’t really need to be staring at someone to draw them. I’m quite sure I could just sit watching people, maybe make some squiggly five second doodles, then just draw them from my ‘notes’ when I get home. Remind me to try that sometime and post the results!
These days when I use a cellphone picture, I don’t even try for a good picture. It’s basically impossible when you’re trying to take stealthy shots. I actually don’t like taking pictures of strangers. It feels like bad behavior – though I don’t really think it is. It’s actually less intrusive than drawing them live! But it seems more weird to be doing it.
I don’t know if that’s just me. What do you guys think? Is it rude to take people’s pictures? I think in Europe it would be considered more rude. People here are willing to let it slide. I’ve had one guy shake his head at me, but that’s one out of hundreds.
Tons of artists do subway sketches; do we all hide what we’re doing?
One thing about drawing live – if you get caught, you can just show people the drawings and they usually enjoy it when they see it. If you’re just collecting people on your phone, it’s much harder to explain what you’re up to.
Here’s a story: I was finishing off my day at Fameux, a notorious Montreal landmark (a 24 hour greasy spoon with – honestly – terrible food :) but somehow there’s an allure to a place like that. I had a poutine, because, why not, it’s traditional in a place like this. And I like their completely fake lemon meringue pie. The kind that is basically Jell-O with a mountain of whipped cream topping.
Anyway! – I’m finishing up these dog walker sketches, and the waiter approaches me, asks if I can draw his puppy that recently passed away. So I took his phone and did a quick sketch for him. He seemed really moved, and offered to get my dessert but I said that was ok, no worries.
You really can’t get that kind of heart warming interaction by taking photos, can you now? Sorry to all the street photographers out there. I know that’s a whole art form, and they’re always seeking credibility for what they do. But it’s just not a charming interaction. Photography has that aspect of ‘stealing your soul’. It seems somehow like a ‘taking’ activity. But when people see you drawing, it’s really like magic for them. In this case, it was absolutely a ‘giving’ opportunity.
So; that’s my conclusion. I do this snapshot thing for the marathon, but I really wouldn’t do it ‘in real life’. so – maybe next year I won’t! This will be the last year of these kind of fun-but-fussy sketches! That’s my commitment!