181. Tiny People in New York
scenes from the highline.
Dear reader,
Do you know about the Highline in New York City? It is an old, elevated railroad line re-converted into a walking trail, with public art installations and plants growing along the unused tracks. Such a fascinating use of public space!
In today’s post, the people I saw on the Highline on a cold but sunny day.
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🛤️ Walking on the Highline
Walking on the Highline, I wondered if the people around us were also tourists. Could I tell the locals from the tourists? This was my goal when I stopped to draw.
But it is not so easy. People come from all over the world to live in New York. And people come from all over the world to visit New York. Everyone looked like a tourist. Everyone looked like they could belong.
We are all just travellers, I suppose, passing through this world for a brief period of time, a tiny, tiny blip in the grand scheme of things. Everyone belongs everywhere. Great cities emphasize this fact.
🏙️ Brooklyn Workshop
This Sunday was my workshop with Samantha Dion Baker in Brooklyn. The feedback has been so positive that Sam and I are eager to do another one soon!
I took the first session, helping participants draw dynamic human activity. In the second half, Sam instructed them on how to compose different elements (architecture, people, observations, thoughts) on the page.
We ended with a throw-down and chat in Sam’s studio.
🗣️ Upcoming Events
I will be in Seattle during the weekend of 24-26 March. On Saturday the 25th, I am attending a USk Seattle meetup. If you live in Seattle and would like to meet (and sketch) with me, this is a great chance to connect!
The next Insider Hangout is on April 2nd. During this Zoom session, I will show my latest sketchbook pages and demonstrate how to draw people. If this interests you, become an Insider to get the link to this free (but exclusive) event!
Today I visited the Oculus in the World Trade Center. The challenge I set myself was this: to depict the stunning verticality of its architecture while not failing to emphasize its role as a busy thoroughfare.
Thank you, dear reader, for your time and attention. To see the drawing processes of the above drawings, check out my Instagram. See you next week!
I've heard of the Highline. I think it's a great idea to repurpose the rail line. I don't know that I completely understand the design plan, but I think the Seattle waterfront park(s) will be something like this. It is replacing the elevated Alaska highway that was torn down some years ago. Though it won't be elevated...or maybe there will be a bridge from Pike Market down to the waterfront?
I looked up the Oculus as I wasn't familiar with it. It's an amazing structure. And then I read this, which gave me chills: "It is in alignment with the sun’s solar angles on each September 11, from 8:46 am, when the first plane struck, until 10:28 am, when the second tower collapsed. Its central skylight fits this alignment and washes the Oculus floor with a beam of light."
Kate Buike
Now that you’ve conquered the NY Highline, it’s time for the one in Paris. https://www.salutfromparis.com/coulee-verte-paris-highline/ Give me six months notice and I’ll meet you there along with twenty other sketchbook-toting fans of Tiny People. Or would they be personnes minuscules? How would they compare with the New York Highliners? Only one way to find out!