I recently tried one of the oldest tricks in the sketchbook: drawing people on the subway. One guy was featured in the New York Times and on NPR for his ambitious goal of drawing every person in New York.
As most of my lovely readers know, I might have a slightly negative perception of New Yorkers, so I approach this activity with the sense that New York is perhaps not the most hospitable environment for drawing random fellow passengers. I've seen too many people assuming the worst of a perfectly well-meaning stranger, so it makes me a bit nervous to be a perfectly well-meaning stranger. But there's always the thrill of getting away with it.
One woman told me she's been drawing people on the subway for ten years. She says most people think it's pretty cool when they catch her drawing them. They like to see what you've made of them, she says. Kids especially love it. And generally people are so fixated on whatever device they're tapping on or reading, or they're plain conked out asleep, that they don't notice the spy with the sketchbook.
Recently she said she was getting off the train near her house when another woman started yelling at her about how it was a violation of people's privacy and you can't go around doing things like that and how dare you think it's okay. So, that's New York.
And I'm turning into a regular criminal here.
As most of my lovely readers know, I might have a slightly negative perception of New Yorkers, so I approach this activity with the sense that New York is perhaps not the most hospitable environment for drawing random fellow passengers. I've seen too many people assuming the worst of a perfectly well-meaning stranger, so it makes me a bit nervous to be a perfectly well-meaning stranger. But there's always the thrill of getting away with it.
One woman told me she's been drawing people on the subway for ten years. She says most people think it's pretty cool when they catch her drawing them. They like to see what you've made of them, she says. Kids especially love it. And generally people are so fixated on whatever device they're tapping on or reading, or they're plain conked out asleep, that they don't notice the spy with the sketchbook.
Recently she said she was getting off the train near her house when another woman started yelling at her about how it was a violation of people's privacy and you can't go around doing things like that and how dare you think it's okay. So, that's New York.
And I'm turning into a regular criminal here.
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| Riding the 4-5 express |
