Drawing Bits of New York City

A quick look inside my process

I love New York. I could write a book on why I do, but instead, I like to draw it. When I move around the city, I sometimes pause and do just that. Yesterday, I was on my way to hear a friend do a reading in Bryant Park and I stopped to get water and a snack at the Pret a Manger on the corner by the park. As I sat, I was taken by the image of a man sitting alone eating as he watched NYC (and looked on his phone). Usually I am the one sitting in that bank of stools by the window, yesterday for some reason I chose a seat set back from the large windows.

I had my iPad with me, but I decided to draw this scene on my iPhone instead, using my finger. It’s a bit crude of a drawing, but that’s my point. I am going for the feeling of what I saw, a direct connection with my emotion and visual reaction right at that moment. You get the idea of what I was seeing instantly (I hope), even though the cars are strange and the walking person is simplistic.

Just so you can see what I was drawing, here is a photograph that I took right before I began drawing this man. I do that in case he gets up to leave, I can perhaps refer to the colors and his body shape if I want to continue the drawing. Sometimes if a person that I am drawing moves away, I will either abort the drawing or make it up from memory. I have to say it’s a little odd showing you the photo, because you can see how I abbreviate, alter and leave things out in order to do it simply and get the feeling without stressing about details!