Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Metroheads - Three of 40 unknown persons in a confined space

The scanner did a nasty thing here, looks as if this was a page someone found in an old house's attic...

This is a perfect image of how people try to escape space and time when travelling in a crowded metrocar: stare ahead, look down on your feets or the feets of others, read.

Today I found a quote I like by Emil Nolde (expressionist painter 1867 - 1956, there is a big exhibition with his works here in Paris at the moment which I have not seen yet but absolutely have to:):

"Der Maler braucht nicht viel zu wissen. Schön ist es,wenn er unter instinktiver Führung so zielsicher malen kann, wie er atmet, wie er geht"

"The painter need not know very much; best of all let him work instinctively and paint as naturally as he breathes or walks"



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16 comments:

Andrea and Kim said...

Andrea, you have it perfect...these are just the expressions on commuter trains. Another wonderful line drawing. I love it!

And it is interesting what the scanner did to this image. Well, sometimes it just is supposed to be, don't you think?

Wonderful Work, to be sure.

Unknown said...

Kim good morning, thanks a lot for your comment, I wonder which expression is on my face, generally I try to hide my interest in the people, but my eyes don't lie I guess, when taking all those people's images. I calculated approximately, on a crowded day, I see about 100 faces pass (just one way) on my metro trip, so, some of them more some less consciously, but the brain registers them .... an awful lot...

Anonymous said...

Is this the expo of his "ungemalte Bilder"? Few years ago this was in Holland. I went 3 times!
Andrea, with your love of watercolor you also are going to love these.
Enjoy!!!!!

Unknown said...

martine, hi, thanks so much for visiting, and the exhibition is mostly oilpaintings and others shows in chronological order... I hope to see some of his water colours too!

Anonymous said...

dera andrea,
you donn't have to know anything about the person you paint,
maybe it's better not, that way it's pure and simple what you see, but oh boy what a sight what a painting..
wonderful..

sukipoet said...

Great quote. I wonder where I would look on the Metro. If new to Paris, I am sure out the window or at the folks around me. But as I know in the city you arent supposed to look anyone in the eye, correct? Wonderful sketches as always. It just looks like you dropped the notebook in the metro and it got scuffed by feet wear Miss Doodles shoes.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing the quote! Great drawings as always!

Karen Smithey said...

I love these. The person reading the book even has that 'hunched' look that people use to separate themselves from touching other people...

Danielle M. Le Bris said...

Bonjour Andrea,

I am back.
The house restoration is almost done.
Now, I need to paint the walls etc...
I have a show coming up this November so I am very busy preparing for it.
I hope that your summer went well.
Talk to you soon.
Danielle

Andrea and Kim said...

And do you know what I thought of Andrea? When you see all those people, do you think that sometimes you might combine features? Like draw the nose of one person with the eyes and mouth of another? I wonder how your brain does keep them all straight?

These are really lovely, though.

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

Very good drawings. I think we try not to invade each others spaces. We are just passing strangers and most dont want more then that.
Love the quote. Hope you get there to see the show.

Lynn Cohen said...

I love this comment...I want to do that!
Your capturing of the people again all so interesting and well done.
I like the woman reading.

~Babs said...

Even the bag over the shoulder is very well done.
(also love Miss Doodle's shoe post)

It's a super quote too, Andrea!

Anonymous said...

C'est passionnant les gens dans le train ou le metro. J'ai tendance a regarder les maisons dehors en ce qui me concerne ou les immeubles tres tres pres des lignes de train au Japon...

Yvette said...

It was a pleasure to visit your last blogs (I was behind)

Mary Richmond said...

love these sketches of people waiting, watching, listening....