Cafe Nero - 4th March 2006

Again a low output from Saturday morning. The cafe was very busy, heaving in fact, and I was hemmed in on all sides by people, making it difficult to get a good view across the room. Also I think I got a bit too precious about the drawings on this trip, waiting too long for people to sit still enough to draw. I guess the more of these sketches I do, the more I want to see a progression in each batch, which won't always happen, obviously. This whole trip was marked by a feeling of frustration. Maybe I was just having an off day.

First drawing. Although he looks like he's asleep, he was actually just reading a paper. I would rate this one fair to middling, and not a very good likeness. The drawing does have some character about it though I guess.

Although I was less than pleased with it at the time, it wasn't a bad start. I think generally I'm getting the proportions of features and the placement of them on the face a bit better now. Although I only did this drawing yesterday morning, I can't remember what the guy really looked like, which is a sure sign that this drawing doesn't look like him.

I'm even less happy with this one. I'd started a few by the time I got to this one, but either because people sat in my line of sight or because the subjects moved I couldn't get them finished. I think I was trying too hard. I've noticed I've been spending longer on the drawings now, which isn't always a good thing. Sometimes that can work out well, but only if the person I'm drawing stays pretty still for a long time.

If I try to do every drawing like that, it becomes a problem. Some of them have to be done in a minute or two, less sometimes, that's just the way it is. I must remember that all I'm doing here is practicing. Every time I start caring too much about the quality of the drawings I'm doing I get frustrated, and I learn less.

Although it was a busy day in the cafe, and that did present some problems, I think the real problem on this trip is that I tightened up too much, trying to produce ever better drawings than the last trip. These drawings have to be done quickly, and without too much concern over the results, because there just isn't time to be trying to produce portraits.

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