MTA Subway Sketch Series #6: Passenger Portrait Edition


This week's subway series will feature the many portraits of passengers I have drawn since I have gotten my new sketchbook in June. Normally I focus on gesture drawings, but every so often I am compelled to sketch someone's portrait. As I may have stated in previous posts, I prefer it when my subjects are unsuspecting of me. I want them to be as natural, as they can be while enduring their crowded ride to their destinations:




Passenger #1: 

Girl with a lot of hair
Contemplative state.
This particular time I was on the D train heading towards Grand St. for lunch. Two giggling girls were sitting diagonally across from me. One got off the and the other quieted down, almost as if she had taken on another persona entirely. The one thing I did notice about her was that she had a lot of hair and it was everywhere on that hot summer afternoon. Having my brush pen that day proved itself to be very handy. 


                                                                     Passenger #2:

Guy looking at me
It's observation not staring...

This gentleman was a little hard to draw as it became apparent that I was staring at him. Every so often he would look at me and I would look away. This is a pretty normal occurrence, but what made this one so special was that there was something a little odd about his eye. I have been told that as artists it is our job to make things as perfect and beautiful as possible. It's what we humans want to see.  I am of the belief that there is beauty in asymmetry and imperfections. That being said life isn't easy when you are the one bearing the weight of everyone's stares. So while I was one of those staring that night, it wasn't to be rude, but to immortalize him in my sketchbook the best way I could. I didn't tell him that, so who knows what was running through his head. 


Passenger #3 & 4:

Woman and Man with headphones
    On the same train at different times that day.

On this particular morning I was stuck standing on the F train when the woman on the bottom appeared before me. She had long black luxurious hair and she was very good about standing still. She barely exchanged looks with me except for once and that was it. The guy on top I drew later. Every so often you get someone who can't stay still and they keep moving as if they have a serious case of 'ants in the pants.' In order to combat this I try to observe them in all of their movements, pick one, and then draw from memory. I will lift my head up to observe the general structure of their face and continue drawing from there. It's a very hard technique and in my case it's not always foolproof, but it does help.


Passenger #5 & 6:

Concentrating very hard.
He is compelled to make those faces.

Basking in the warm sunlight as I stood next to the doors of the LIRR I noticed that this gentleman in front of me was making the weirdest of faces. I drew him earlier, but because he kept doing that weird thing with his mouth the picture came out odd. The second time I was determined to capture him. I took my own advice from above applied it to this sketch. He was never none the wiser. As for the girl next to him I wasn't sure if she had noticed me or she was just doing something else. After a bit she just went back to listening to her headphones. 


Passenger #7:

Sleeping Man
He's very, very tired. 

Interested in the way his turban was wrapped I decided to draw it. Next thing I knew I was drawing him as well. Not that he could complain, he was sleeping and ever so soundly. Sleeping subjects are the best to draw as they stay completely still and don't move. (Once I did manage to wake someone up while drawing them.) The downside is that they are just sleeping. They don't move and can't give you weird faces, expressions, or just even have a small grin creep upon their face when they realize what you are doing. 


Passenger #8:

Smart Phone Woman
Engrossed in smart phone.

Yet another passenger on their smart phone. Usually they are playing games or whatever, but since it's the LIRR they can get service. Some people are loud and obnoxious, but she was pretty much quiet. She didn't look over at me even though I was just the next aisle over. Guess she was pretty much engrossed in whatever she was doing. 


IN CONCLUSION:

Drawing in public is nerve wracking for a lot of people. This especially when you feel you aren't really good enough. Those feelings along with nervousness and anxiety still plagues me even as I open my sketchbook on the train and scribble away when I find someone else's portrait I want to draw. People notice you. They want to look at what you are doing. They want to take pictures. One time someone made me draw them on the spot with one my Japanese ink pens. (I tried hard not to mess up that one.)

At the end of the day that scary feeling is really born out of our own insecurities. The only person telling you that your work sucks is you. Most people usually don't say anything. When they do I just answer whatever questions they give me. Some people are just really happy to have their portraits drawn. So if you are interested in going outside and drawing from life, just do it. Don't let you stop you.

Comments