My feel-good moment
I had a vacation day today (even though I spent a couple of hours in the office wrapping some things up). At around 2 this afternoon, I went back to the local coffee shop to sit with my drawing stuff and a coffee. Last time, I took my pocket-sized notebook, one pencil and an eraser. This time I took my lapdesk, drawing pad, loose paper, and my full kit.
I got my coffee and did a couple of sketches. I was drawing a dinosaur/demon/creature/thing when a state worker came in with a special needs kid (I say kid, but he wasn't particularly young. I have no idea how old he is). He came over to see what I was doing and asked what I was drawing. I told him it was a dinosaur, and he asked if I could draw turtles. I looked confused for a moment, and he clarified ... Raphael, Leonardo ... Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I told him not really, and his chaperone told him not to bother me and led him off.
I finished up the dinosaur and thought about it. I know what the Turtles look like, so I got out the tiny notebook, did a quick sketch and decided I could probably pull it off. I switched to a full sheet and laid out a page with all four turtles leaping into action. I have no idea who's who, but at least I know what their weapons are. I laid it out in pencil and asked the staff at the counter if I could borrow a sharpie. Then I went back and inked the lines. Midway through, they made to leave. I flagged down the chaperone and asked him if he could wait another five minutes or so; he said they could, so they sat back down and waited while I hurriedly finished inking it. I didn't want to rush it too much and ruin the linework, but I skipped a lot of the shading and extra weight that I would have done if I had time. Instead, I took a grey marker and did some rough shading to make it look less flat and give it at least some form and shape.
Finally, I signed it and unclipped it, and took it over to where they were waiting. I showed it to the kid, and he was as pleased as Punch! His chaperone said they would hang it on his wall when they got back, and took the drawing to keep it flat on the way. The kid gave me a hug and thanked me, and said I was a really good drawer. I thanked him in return, the chaperone thanked me .. it was nice.
This was the first piece of work I recall having done specifically for someone else by request, and I think it made him very happy. As the subject says -- I feel good about it.
I got my coffee and did a couple of sketches. I was drawing a dinosaur/demon/creature/thing when a state worker came in with a special needs kid (I say kid, but he wasn't particularly young. I have no idea how old he is). He came over to see what I was doing and asked what I was drawing. I told him it was a dinosaur, and he asked if I could draw turtles. I looked confused for a moment, and he clarified ... Raphael, Leonardo ... Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I told him not really, and his chaperone told him not to bother me and led him off.
I finished up the dinosaur and thought about it. I know what the Turtles look like, so I got out the tiny notebook, did a quick sketch and decided I could probably pull it off. I switched to a full sheet and laid out a page with all four turtles leaping into action. I have no idea who's who, but at least I know what their weapons are. I laid it out in pencil and asked the staff at the counter if I could borrow a sharpie. Then I went back and inked the lines. Midway through, they made to leave. I flagged down the chaperone and asked him if he could wait another five minutes or so; he said they could, so they sat back down and waited while I hurriedly finished inking it. I didn't want to rush it too much and ruin the linework, but I skipped a lot of the shading and extra weight that I would have done if I had time. Instead, I took a grey marker and did some rough shading to make it look less flat and give it at least some form and shape.
Finally, I signed it and unclipped it, and took it over to where they were waiting. I showed it to the kid, and he was as pleased as Punch! His chaperone said they would hang it on his wall when they got back, and took the drawing to keep it flat on the way. The kid gave me a hug and thanked me, and said I was a really good drawer. I thanked him in return, the chaperone thanked me .. it was nice.
This was the first piece of work I recall having done specifically for someone else by request, and I think it made him very happy. As the subject says -- I feel good about it.