People are what make Brixton an amazing place. It’s good to be back. The people in my picture I spotted outside Brixton Underground station over the course of two months. This drawing was started two days after I returned to Brixton, after having spent five months shielding in Birmingham. I […]
Victoria line
A place to rest… My first Tube drawing of 2020 was started on my return to work from my long Christmas/New Year break. I was struck by the sight of a man meditating, in the midst of the rush-hour crowds he seemed so calm. Around me, were people watching their […]
The carnival continues underground. This one took a long time to draw, I just had other things to do and there was never enough commute time! But I had fond memories of this journey. I hadn’t realised the carnival was on, as I was out of London and visiting friends […]
Even in summer, a breeze may not be a relief on the Tube... This one is of a Tube journey when there was a bit of a breeze through the carriage as the train moved. Sadly, despite its strength, the wind is never particularly cooling when the Tube is already […]
Just another morning commute… It was a busy morning and there was plenty of activity in my carriage. The person next to me was playing Candy Crush game on their mobile, I’m guessing to everyone else I must have been doing the same on my phone – but no, I […]
There was a lot of fabric. I had to draw this in reverse, as the woman on the right of this was sat next to me. She had surprised me by pulling out of a bag a huge length of fabric, possibly old curtains, and I think she was picking […]
I’ve seen bigger plants being carried on the Underground… The woman carrying the pot of peace lilies caught my eye whilst I was returning home in the evening on the Victoria line. It’s always quite a risk carrying delicate plants on the crowded underground, but I’ve seen people skillfully transport […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
London couldn’t exist without them… London’s a busy place. I’m surrounded by many familiar people every day: friends, colleagues and housemate, even the same people handing out free newspapers and Time Outs or preaching on the streets. I often forget many people are just passing through the city until I […]
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 […]
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 […]