In my younger years, I used to ride the TTC Subway system in Toronto (allot). Back in those days I always carried an iPod and a sketchbook with me everywhere. I would write ideas and doodle images to pass the time. Zoning out to a curated soundtrack.
But one of my favourite pastimes on the train was creating caricatures of strangers. Lurching between stations, I would master the art of glancing at a person quickly and capturing their details. Every now and then you get caught. Some move. Others (like this lovely lady) held her position in a pose as she leaned up against the opposite entry doors.
She wore a soft blue sweater with a crisp pink collared shirt. Her hair was pulled back into an explosion of high curls that bounced with every shirt of the subway car. Nice shoes. Nice Purse. No make up. Maybe late 40’s.
When my stop came up, I showed my drawing to her for a brief moment before the subway doors opened and I had to leave. When I looked back through the slowly accelerating window, I got a huge smile. It was not an attempt to pick her up. Just a moment between strangers. I never saw her again. Regardless of whether she knows it or not, she’s now a vector in the Vectorvault Vector Library. That memory pops up from time to time. I’ve always wanted to write it down and share it.
One day, I scanned the sketch and painstakingly removed all of the lines from my Moleskine notebook page. I vectorized it in Abobe Illustrator and added some colour as I remembered it. Some highlights and shadows in simple vector shapes.
Wherever you are subway girl, I hope that you are well.
If you found that story interesting, you may like this one:
A simple sketch with a memory behind it.