London Underground Drawing - Crowded Northern Line in Rush Hour. "Mind The Gap"

Tube drawing captures the folly of the London Underground

I have been traveling on the London Underground for years and despite the fact that it is a travel nightmare, most people avoid social interaction and a bit smelly! It is a fascinating place.

I felt inspired to draw a scene of the rat race capturing the annoyance, the displeasure and the all round chaos that unfolds in the morning and evening's getting from A to B - you should hear some of the expletives I mutter under my breath. With this drawing I felt compelled to share a sense of immense overcrowding, irritation and the general lack of personal space.


In this picture
None of these people are faceless numbers, each person is an individual with a story to tell. To pick a few faces out of the crowd: you have the builder getting to the site with his huge toolbox, both him and it covered in bits of muck and plaster. You have the woman in the middle trying sandwich herself on the already crammed train and the other woman to the right desperately trying to force herself and her luggage onto the carriage, in doing so obstructing the doors so nobody gets to where they are going but ironically she is frowning at someone else. You have the 'Turtles' (i'm guilty of this) sticking their backpack into other peoples personal space and also reducing the total capacity by a few – oh the joys. And lets not forget that stranger on the left holding a bin liner with a sword hilt inside... weirdo. This is all but a fragment of who and what travels the perilous London underground. These brave souls must venture to their place of work battling odours, the ignorant and tourists with selfie sticks, whats not to make you blow your lid!

This picture was illustrated on my travels from South Wimbledon to Honor Oak Park.

Happy new year all!

If you would like more information on this drawing be it a print or a commission feel free to get in touch.

London Artwork!

London Drawing at the Tower of London.

Update – London Drawing at the Tower of London.

Sorry, 2 weeks later and then I manage to update… what can I say, I have been busy.
Anyway, I was really impressed with the night I had at the Tower of London. The eerie surroundings, the crisp chill of the night autumn air, it provided a night to remember.

London Drawing held an event in the Tower of London where costumed models and historical back stories pathe the way for the fertile imagination. Pencils, felt tips, pastels, charcoal and various other mediums where all supplied. The group was then split down the middle and placed in 2 different areas for a limited period of time. This was to avoid the overcrowding of the small areas and to get as much drawing in as possible. I wouldn’t say I had time to get a polished drawing in as the models moved around every 10 minutes to my surprise, speed was the key to the night so sketched the model and surroundings as quick as possible.

It is great an opportunity to draw, chat and become immersed in history of Tudor England (ToL). I recommend to any life drawing enthusiasts’, artists or anyone that likes history to take part in this.

Hello to GB and VB for being there too.

Regards,

JD

take a look at some of the pictures for yourself, the back of my head is in there a few times!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/londondrawing/tags/toweroflondon/