So many things one can do with a digital device. I wasn’t going to or from work on this Tube journey, for a change, I was heading to a paaaaarty! In this carriage, I spotted people using their smartphones or tablet for many things. Obviously, I was drawing; other people […]
London
199 posts
The morning I got food envy… The dad in this picture was asking his young daughter: “Are you still hungry, had enough?”. As she was eating, he explained the meaning of the colours of the lines o the Tube map, especially “the green and yellow ones”. This scene is not very […]
Combining the gym with commuting. Multitasking, London style. I went in earlier than usual to work that day. When I boarded the Tube carriage, I spotted a middle-aged man doing several pull-ups before the train left the station. Over the course of seven weeks, made up of at least […]
It’s not just about having steady hands, it’s a skill! With a steady hand and good coordination, this woman managed to apply blusher on her cheeks as the train moved between Brixton and Oxford Circus stations. It was crowded during the morning rush hour, but I spotted her in a gap […]
The Thames can look magical, sometimes. It only takes a sunset to transform the Thames, elevating it from more than the muddy-looking stretch of water it often resembles. Add to that the warm weather and its banks seem like possibly the best place in the world, at least until it gets […]
We all get our internet orders delivered to work, right? I finished work late again, this explains why so much of my drawing is squeezed into my commute times! On this evening journey to Brixton, I spotted a woman with a large armful of parcels which I guessed were internet orders. Near her was […]
Sometimes, the Tube is crowded… I noticed that the people standing up in the aisle separating the rows of seats, often face the same way. On this rush-hour journey, I saw backsides and rucksacks when the standees closest to me were all facing away. Medium: Digital drawing created on an iPhone […]
A laughing baby was infectious, in a good way. Monday morning commutes are usually a busy and subdued experience. This rush hour was particularly memorable because there were a few people on the journey who were outside the normal ‘working age’ bracket. A small, very smiley toddler was making this commute to Oxford […]
I wonder what was on that phone? Just before Christmas, there can be a rush to get things done and see people. It’s one of those times when Londoners will go to the opposite side of their massive city – which can seem like long-distance travel – to see friends […]
An architectural masterpiece. This drawing was inspired by a fascinating architectural tour of 55 Broadway, the Art Deco headquarters of London Underground. I’ve wanted to go in and see it ever since I first saw a dramatic drawing of it at the RIBA many years ago. One of the guides […]
Sometimes, Brixton is beautiful… The sun was very bright whilst I was waiting for a train and carefully carrying a large homemade cake, which made me feel extra vulnerable on the narrow platform. I was going from Brixton to Kent House to see some friends before they emigrated. The elevated […]
This is how I spend my time off… Unlike most of my friends and colleagues, I did not go straight back to work after New Years Day. I booked a week off and I explored London. I hadn’t been to the Whitechapel Gallery for many years and its new cafe […]
How desperate was this guy for a cigarette? This was a journey made going between site visits for work. I spotted a man rolling his own. Of course, he wasn’t going to smoke on the Tube – it’s illegal – but I can imagine he was eager to light […]
No problem with sleeping dogs here. Initially, the lovely sleeping spaniel caught my attention as I had to step over it to get to a vacant seat. Only as I drew it and its owner did I notice the couple right in front of me. Goodness, they really couldn’t keep […]
We’ve all done it: sleep, eat, use our phones and, ummm … wear bird print (I definitely have). With teaching, work and travel, it’s been another busy time in my life, so squeezing in any drawing has been mostly a commute-only activity. The fragments of opportunity to draw have included: standing […]
Drinking tea and drawing strangers – a remedy for tiredness? This drawing is dedicated to the wonderful students I taught and the great staff who supported me at the beautiful Victoria and Albert Museum, London, when I was leading an iPad architecture drawing workshop. I learnt new things from my […]
Is it ok to be cutting nails on the Tube? On a busy morning commute, I was rather appalled when a woman sat next to me began to clip her fingernails. At first, I thought she might be trimming one quickly, but I think she ended up cutting them all – […]
Nothing stops London. Events in the news have been shocking, but – despite the headlines – life in London carries on. It has to. This drawing took two months and done almost entirely during my commutes, which was the only time I had to draw due to work and other […]
The Tube is a good place to work out your expenses. On my way to Victoria station during a reasonably quiet time, I saw how people will leave a seat between each other if they can – this isn’t possible during the rush hour! The lady on the left attracted […]
It’s winter, even on the Underground, can’t you tell? The product of six weeks’ worth of commuting time, this drawing records my first journey on the Tube to work after my trip around Europe. Somehow, the familiarity of my crowded commutes was an odd comfort after the constant change […]