My brand new, awesome personal size Pelledori arrived today and I decided to take Precious (yes, I did just say that in a Gollum voice) out to Starbucks for a little urban sketching. Cue the foreboding music……
My urban sketching misadventure started out innocently enough- I ordered my cinnamon chai latte and scored a seat easily. The place was actually pretty empty for five p.m., not many victims (… er subjects) to choose from. I noticed a lady with an interesting topknot and started sketching her hairdo. She must have noticed me also, because she gave me ‘the death glare,’ packed up her stuff and skedaddled. Ooookay, I figured I’d just sit and sip my chai until someone else inspired me.
Aaack! I forgot Starbucks served its drinks at 10,000 degrees F!! Thankfully, a promising looking victim appeared to distract me from my scalded tongue. A guy lugging a computer plopped down at a table catty-cornered from me. Awesome!! Someone working on their computer would sit still and be easy to draw right? WRONG! As soon as I started drawing computer dude’s head, he hunched down into his shoulders like a turtle. Ok, I’ll just draw the rest of him ’til he pops out of his shell again. Body covered in a big puffy jacket, but do-able. Is his face out? No. All righty. Moving onto his legs. Oh my gosh his legs!! Didn’t he get the memo that people at computers don’t move? I should have just drawn that whirry circle the cartoonists put under the Roadrunner as his legs moved so much. Really, what was in his Starbucks cup? I’ll check his face again. Now he has his right hand over his mouth and chin while using his computer touch pad left handed as his mouse sits idly by on the right. What gives? Is he hiding out? In witness protection? Seriously dude, even your own Mama wouldn’t be able to recognize you from my sketch. You’re safe, I promise.
Time to give up and just fudge his face. Guess what, the pen that I checked was full before I left just ran out of ink! Fine, I’ll switch to white and put in some highlights. Nooo! I could only force out a few scribbles and it gave up the ghost also!! Grrrrrr!
Alright, I could take a hint. I packed up my gear and enjoyed my chai. Oh joy, my hot chai was now freezing…..
Oh well, I got out of the house and christened Precious. Our urban sketching adventures can only get better from here! Right?
Remember, faith works!
Leave a Reply