Sketches of my commutes – Have I drawn you?

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I’m still amazed by the frantic atmosphere created on public transport in London by the thousands of people rushing around me each morning and evening on my way to and from work. For me, it’s an endlessly fascinating subject to draw. I’m not a full-time artist, I often only find time to draw during my commutes; the Tube has become my mobile studio. It’s a personal thing to help me appreciate and understand that shared London experience – riding the Tube.

I’ve been drawing my journeys, on my iPhone (sometimes iPad), since 2012 and until the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. It made my commutes a lot more memorable. I don’t take photos, I make a quick sketch of a journey and rely on that and my memory to draw it in more detail during other journeys. As I draw, bits from other journeys are incorporated, such as the adverts and secondary characters. Drawing on the Tube isn’t original, many people have done it before and doing it right now, but I hope my drawings make you look around you a bit more and inspire you to draw too!

Here’s a glimpse of what I and millions of other Londoners see every day. The question is: have I drawn you?

Digital drawing of a scene on the Tube, London
Meditation, Victoria line, London, 8th January 2020
Notting Hill Carnival, Victoria line, London, 25th August 2019
Notting Hill Carnival, Victoria line, London, 25th August 2019
Flying hair, Victoria line, London, 18th July 2019
Flying hair, Victoria line, London, 18th July 2019
Dogs, coffee and phones, Victoria line, 3rd May 2019
Dogs, coffee and phones, Victoria line, 3rd May 2019
Curtains, Victoria Line, 3rd March 2019
Curtains, Victoria Line, London, 3rd March 2019
Friday night, Central line, Liverpool Street to Notting Hill stations, London, 11th January 2019
Friday night, Central line, London, 11th January 2019
Peace lilies, Victoria line, London, 1st November 2018
Saturday evening, Elm Park to Victoria, District line, 25th August 2018
After the pop festival, District line, 25th August 2018
Saturday afternoon, Victoria to Upton Park, District line, London, 18th August 2018 (Drawing 1124)
Digital devices, District line, London, 18th August 2018
Child eating breakfast, 8.50am, Saturday 30th June 2018, Brixton to Oxford Circus stations, Victoria line, London, England (Drawing 1117)
Family breakfast, Victoria line, 30th June 2018
Pull ups in rush hour, 7.45am Monday, 21st May 2018, Brixton to Oxford Circus stations, Victoria line, London, England (Drawing 1115)
Pull-ups in rush hour, Victoria line, 21st May 2018
Putting on makeup, 9.10am Tuesday, 24th April 2018, Brixton to Oxford Circus stations, Victoria line, London, England (Drawing 1111)
Putting on makeup, Victoria line, 24th April 2018
Internet orders, Victoria line, 5th March 2018
Internet orders, Victoria line, 5th March 2018
Tuesday morning, Victoria Line, London, 13th February 2018
Tuesday morning, Victoria Line, 13th February 2018
9.15am Monday, 29th January 2018, Brixton to Oxford Circus stations, Victoria line, London, England (Drawing 995)
Young and old, Victoria line, London, 29th January 2018
Friday evening, District line, London, 22nd December 2017
Interesting phone, District line, 22nd December 2017
1.20pm Friday 1st December 2017, Stratford to Canada Water stations, Jubilee line, London
Rolling up, Jubilee line, London, 1st December 2017
Sleeping spaniel, 7pm Tuesday, 7th November 2017, Oxford Circus to Brixton, Victoria line, London
Sleeping spaniel, Victoria line, 7th November 2017
Japanese tourists, 8pm Tuesday, Victoria line, 15th August 2017
Japanese tourists, Victoria line, 15th August 2017
9.15am, Friday 30th June 2017, Brixton to Oxford Circus stations, Victoria line, London, England.
Bird print dress, 30th June 2017, Victoria line
Cutting nails, 16th May 2017, Victoria line
Cutting nails, 16th May 2017, Victoria line
6pm, Good Friday, Pimlico to Brixton, Victoria line, London, 14th April 2017
Good Friday, Victoria line, London, 14th April 2017
Friday morning, Victoria line, 10th March 2017
Friday morning, Victoria line, 10th March 2017
9am Wednesday morning, Victoria line, London, 25th January 2017
Wednesday morning, Victoria line, 25th January 2017
11pm Saturday, Oxford Circus to Brixton stations, Victoria line, London, 17th December 2016 (Drawing 807)
Saturday evening, Victoria line, 17th December 2016
9am Tuesday, Brixton to Oxford Cricus stations, Victoria line, London, 15th November 2016 (Drawing 791)
Morning commute, Victoria line, 15th November 2016
4.30pm Sunday, Victoria to South Kensington stations, District line, London (Drawing 775)
Flat-pack furniture, District line, 16th October 2016
Bank holiday, Jubilee line, London, 29th August 2016 (Drawing 741)
Monday bank holiday, Jubilee line, 29th August 2016
9.30am Friday, Brixton to Oxford Circus stations, Victoria line, London, 29th July 2016 (Drawing 720)
Sunburn and cakes, Victoria line, 29th July 2016
Stretching, 3rd August 2016, Victoria line
Stretching, Victoria line, 3rd August 2016
Dog during rush hour, Victoria line, 12th July 2016
Dog during rush hour, Victoria line, 12th July 2016
8pm Wednesday, Oxford Circus to Brixton stations, Victoria line, London, 8th June 2016 (Drawing 681)
Wednesday evening, Victoria line, 8th June 2016
Tuesday evening, Overground line, 3rd May 2016
Tuesday evening, Overground line, 3rd May 2016
Monday morning, Victoria line, 11th April 2016
Monday morning, Victoria line, 11th April 2016
Tuesday morning, Victoria line, 15th March 2016
Tuesday morning, Victoria line, 15th March 2016
Sunday afternoon, Victoria line, 21st February 2016
Sunday afternoon, Victoria line, 21st February 2016
Cake and tears, District line, 30th January 2016
Cake and tears, District line, 30th January 2016
7pm Monday, Oxford Circus to Brixton stations, Victoria line, London, 11th January 2016 (Drawing 598)
David Bowie, Victoria line, 11th January 2016
Christmas gifs, Tuesday afternoon, Victoria line, London, 15th December 2015
Christmas gifts, Victoria line, 15th December 2015
4.30pm Saturday afternoon, Victoria to Elm Park stations, District line, London, 28th November 2015 (Drawing 577)
Pram, District line, London, 28th November 2015
9am Wednesday morning, Brixton to Oxford Circus stations, Victoria line, London, 25th November 2015 (Drawing 575)
Rush hour, Victoria line, London, 25th November 2015
7pm, Wednesday 18th November 2015, Oxford Circus to Brixton stations, Victoria line, London
Sudoku, Victoria line, London, 18th November 2015
7.45am Thursday 1st October 2015, Brixton to Oxford Circus stations, Victoria line, London
Tired, Victoria line, London, 1st October 2015
Friday morning, Victoria line 21st August 2015
Card and flowers, Victoria line, 21st August 2015
Sleeping commuters, Victoria line, 18th June 2015
Sleeping, Victoria line, London, 18th June 2015
Two fingers, 7.30pm Thursday evening, Oxford Circus to Victoria, Victoria line, London, 28th May 2015
Two fingers, Victoria line, 28th May 2015
8.40am, Tuesday morning, Brixton to Oxford Circus stations, Victoria line, London, 5th May 2015
Tuesday morning, Victoria line, 5th May 2015
Father and baby, 11.30am, Good Friday, 3rd April 2015, on a Northern line Tube train from Stockwell to Kennington station, London
Father and baby, Northern line, 3rd April 2015
Meditating, 9.40am, Thursday morning, Victoria line, 26th March 2015
Meditating, Victoria line, 26th March 2015
Clothes rail, 4.30pm, Sunday afternoon, Brixton to Stockwell, Victoria line, 15th March 2015
Clothes rail, Victoria line, 15th March 2015
Two guys, 11pm Saturday, Oxford Circus to Brixton, Victoria-line, 28th February 2015
Two guys, Victoria line, 28th February 2015
Tuesday morning, Brixton to Oxford Circus, Victoria line, 10th - 26th February 2015, London
Coffee+conversation, Victoria line, 10th February 2015
8.25am, Tuesday morning, Brixton to Oxford Circus, Victoria line, London
Make-up, Victoria line, 27th January 2015
Family, 1.30pm, Thursday 22nd January 2015, Brixton to Green Park station, Victoria line, London
Family, Victoria line, London, 22nd January 2015
'I love Brixton', 8.45am, Wednesday morning, 7th January 2015, Brixton to Oxford Circus, Victoria line, London
I love Brixton‘, London, 7th January 2015
Frosty couple, Saturday 10pm, Camden Town to Tottenham Court Road stations, Northern line, 29th November 2014
Frosty couple, Northern line, 29th November 2014
10am, Saturday morning, Maida Vale to Baker Street, Bakerloo line, 11th October 2014
Mother+daughter, Bakerloo line, 11th Oct 2014
Nice tie, 9am Monday morning, Maida Vale to Regent's Park, Bakerloo line, London, 8th September 2014
Nice tie, Bakerloo line, London, 8th September 2014
Reading financial reports, 7pm Tuesday evening, Oxford Circus to Maida Vale, Bakerloo line, 19th August 2014
Financial reports, Bakerloo line, 19th August 2014
4pm Sunday afternoon, South Kensington to King's Cross station, Piccadilly line, 17th August 2014
Tired, Piccadilly line, 17th August 2014
Blue suits, Friday morning, Maida Vale to Regent's Park, Bakerloo line, London 15th August 2014
Blue suits, Bakerloo line, London 15th August 2014
Man crying, Sunday afternoon, District line, London, 10th August 2014
Man crying, District line, London, 10th August 2014
Hidden face, Saturday afternoon, Bakerloo line, London, 2nd August 2014
Hidden face, Bakerloo line, 2nd August 2014
Nearly empty, 9pm Tuesday, Piccadilly Circus to Maida Vale, Bakerloo line, 29th July 2014
Nearly empty, Bakerloo line, 29th July 2014
A couple on their phones, Elephant and Castle to Maida Vale, Bakerloo line, 20th July 2014
A couple on their phones, Bakerloo line, 20th July 2014
Solving a Rubik's cube, 9am Tuesday, Maida Vale to Regent's Park, Bakerloo line, 15th July 2014
Solving a Rubik’s cube, Bakerloo line, 15th July 2014
Drinking on a Saturday evening, Edgware Road to Maida Vale, Bakerloo line, 12th July 2014
Drinking, Bakerloo line, London, 12th July 2014
Wednesday evening, Bakerloo line, 25th June 2014
Wednesday evening, Bakerloo line, 25th June 2014
Monday morning, Brixton to Oxford Circus, Victoria line, 9th June 2014
Monday morning, Victoria line, 9th June 2014
Saturday night, from Victoria to Brixton, Victoria line, 14th June 2014
Saturday night, Victoria line, 14th June 2014
Tired woman, 12.30pm Sunday, Brixton to Oxford Circus, Victoria line, 1st June 2014
Tired woman, Victoria line,
1st June 2014
Tiger, Sunday afternoon, Brixton, Victoria line, 25th May 2014
Fancy dress, Victoria line, London, 25th May 2014
Sunday evening, Victoria line, 18th May 2014
Highlighter pen and bags, Victoria line, 18th May 2014
Last Tube home, 12.30am on the Northern line, London, Sunday 28th April 2014
Last Tube home, Northern line, 28th April 2014
Monday evening, Victoria line, London, 21st April 2014
Monday evening, Victoria line, 21st April 2014
Carrying an A1 model, 10am Saturday morning, Victoria line, London, 19th April 2014
Carrying an A1 model, Victoria line, 19th April 2014
Birthday present, District line, London, Saturday afternoon, 5th April 2014
Birthday present, District line, 5th April 2014
Nail biting, Friday morning, Victoria line, London, 14th March 2014
Nail biting, Victoria line, London, 14th March 2014
Dachshund, train from Herne Hill to Blackfriars, London, 22nd February 2014
Dachshund, train from Herne Hill, 22nd February 2014
Snickers bar, Wednesday morning, Victoria line, London, 19th February 2014
Snickers bar, Victoria line, 19th February 2014
Reading other people's magazines, Victoria line, 11th February 2014
Reading, Victoria line, 11th February 2014
Delayed morning service, Victoria line, 28th January 2014
Delayed service, Victoria line, 28th January 2014
Reading, Tuesday morning, Victoria line, 7th January 2014
Reading, Victoria line, 7th January 2014
No.68 bus from Euston to Norwood, 3rd January 2014
No.68 bus from Euston, 5pm Friday 3rd January 2014
Giant bear, 8.30pm Tuesday, Victoria line, London, 3rd December 2013
Giant bear, Victoria line, 3rd December 2013
Bald man, Train to Farringdon, 21st November 2013
Bald man, Train to Farringdon, 21st November 2013
Wednesday morning, Victoria line, 13th November 2013
Crotch view, Victoria line, 13th November 2013
Monday morning, Victoria line, 4th November 2013
Coats and winter, Victoria line, 4th November 2013
Thursday evening, Great Portland Street to Farringdon station, Metropolitan line, 31st October 2013
Couple, Metropolitan line, 31st October 2013
Friday morning, Victoria line, 25th October 2013
Friday morning, Victoria line, 25th October 2013
Morning rush hour, train to Farringdon, 22nd October 2013
Train to Farringdon, 22nd October 2013
Train to Euston, 21st October 2013
Train: Birmingham to Euston, 21st October 2013
Thursday news, Victoria line, 17th October 2013
Thursday’s news, Victoria line, 17th October 2013
Popcorn for breakfast, bus stop, Dulwich Road, Herne Hill, London, 9th October 2013
Popcorn for breakfast, bus stop, 9th October 2013
Sweating postman, Victoria line, 1st October 2013
Sweating postman, Victoria line, 1st October 2013
Applying make-up, bus to Brixton, London, 29th September 2013
Applying make-up, no.196 bus, 29th September 2013
Burger eating, Monday evening, Victoria Line, London, 23rd September 2013
Burger, Victoria Line, 23rd September 2013
Coat stand, Victoria Line, 5th September 2013
Coat stand, Victoria Line, London, 5th September 2013
Sunday evening, Victoria line, 25th August 2013
Sunday evening, Victoria line, 25th August 2013
Feet off the seats, train to Herne Hill, London, 12th August 2013
Feet off the seats, Herne Hill, 12th August 2013
Lipstick and scratching, Victoria line, London, 1st August 2013
Lipstick, Victoria line, 1st August 2013
Bright colours, Monday morning, Victoria line, 29th July 2013
Bright colours, Victoria line, 29th July 2013
Empty Tube carriage, Bakerloo line, London, 20th July 2013
Empty Tube carriage, Bakerloo line, 20th July 2013
Pregnant woman and woman knitting, Victoria line, London, 16th July 2013
Pregnancy ad knitting, Victoria line, 16th July 2013
Celebrities in print, Victoria line, London, 15th July 2013
Celebrities in print, Victoria line, 15th July 2013
Armpits on display, Victoria line, London, 13th July 2013
Armpits on display, Victoria line, 13th July 2013
Wearing sunglasses on the underground, Victoria line, 9th July 2013
Wearing sunglasses, Victoria line, 9th July 2013
News of Andy Murray, Victoria line, 8th July 2013
News of Andy Murray, Victoria line, 8th July 2013
T-shirts, Victoria line, 4th July 2013
T-shirts, Victoria line, London, 4th July 2013
Person asleep, Victoria line, 29th June 2013
Person asleep, Victoria line, London, 29th June 2013
Victoria line, 24th June 2013
Person planning a trip, Victoria line, 24th June 2013
Man picking nose, train to Herne Hill, 12th June 2013
Man picking nose, train to Herne Hill, 12th June 2013
Man eating, number 3 bus, Brixton, 10th June 2013
Eating, no.3 bus, Brixton, 10th June 2013
Man tying shoelaces, Farringdon station, London, 3rd May 2013
Tying shoelaces, Farringdon, 3rd May 2013

 

Train to Farringdon from Herne Hill, 15th April 2013
Train to Farringdon from Herne Hill, 15th April 2013
Train from Herne Hill, London, 6th March 2013
Yawning and texting, Herne Hill, 6th March 2013
Northern line - 22nd September 2012
Box of cupcakes, Northern line, 22nd September 2012
Eating a McDonald's breakfast, Piccadilly line, 16th August 2012
Eating breakfast, Piccadilly line, 16th August 2012