This is a great exercise with lots of possibilities. There’s nothing better than being outdoors and really seeing first hand such a wide array of subjects. What is also good about the exercise is the range of materials you can use such as audio or video. Having discussed with my tutor my use of an A5 sketchbook for some of my outdoor drawings she agreed this was a good idea and that she had also used A5 sheets when out and about herself. I shall be visiting the RA in London and will try to undertake the derive on my trip. My medium will be charcoal or biro. I’ve used biro before, and it worked reasonably well.
Before I began, I read the question again and watched one or two of the John Roger’s videos. I hadn’t come across the term psychogeography before and how this referred to how we feel or behave in certain places or environments. Whilst acutely aware of the concept I hadn’t heard this word applied to it before. It is really relevant to the work I intend to undertake and the different scenarios I wish to depict, so I must bear this in mind. As I watched the John Rogers videos it is clear that he tries to really bring to life and to our attention, the everyday landscape, but he does this in a very informative and detailed manner as he walks quite unusual pathways.
My derive is as already stated about my trip to the Royal Academy. My first image is about the journey. I take a mental note of waiting for the bus. My trip was amazing and I have written up in the Artist research separate heading the information about the exhibition and how it relates to my work.
Waiting for buses and the trams was the main difficulty I had. I wasn’t able to draw on my coach journey out to London as the bus was full and seats occupied all around me. My fellow passengers were also sharing the table. When I’ve read articles on other reportage artists they take opportunities to sketch on buses, trains and in other public places so I do want to get into this habit. During the exhibition I had a break and managed to find a quiet corner by a lift. There were only two little benches opposite each other so no one would be around or too near to me. I wanted to depict the various people in the gallery watching in awe of the work. I have written up the exhibition separately.
My derive stats with a photo of the Academy below. I’ve actually arrived!
My first quick sketch is below. I included the viewer looking at faces as my mind was on one of Kentridge’s works.
After this quick sketch I was ready for lunch and treated myself to a meal in the restaurant. It was very busy as it was lunch time. I wanted to soak up all the atmosphere as well as reflecting on the exhibition. There were several people I found fascinating to watch and at times to listen to. After I finished my lunch I spoke for some time with three people who were very like minded and really admired Kentridge not just for his visual work but for the challenges his work brings to help confront injustices. The female in the party was a writer and she was interested about our shared views about people being honest in confronting their own unconscious bias and prejudices. I shared with her some research links to follow up.
My next quick sketch had to be a couple that I was watching in the restaurant. The woman on the right was really leaning in to listen intently to the person she was with. I completed this from memory when I had a coffee while waiting for the bus home.
I could work at this more but they are only quick sketches.
The next one is about my journey back to the coach on the underground. As I was going down the escalator to get the tube there was some great jaz being played by a black african man and he was playing a clarinet. I visualized again from memory and drew the next sketch in the café, while waiting for the bus.
My next encounter on this trip was a bit unbelievable. After coming down the escalator onto the platform I was very nervous and wanted to be reassured that I was on the right platform. I turned to this woman who was just to the right of me and just asked her if I was on the right platform for Hammersmith. To my surprise I realised who she was and wanted to acknowledge this as I’m a huge fan of her work. She looked a bit surprised at me asking the question but she did answer me yes I think it is. I then took the opportunity to say that I did recognise who she was and that I really liked her work. I chose my words carefully as I didn’t want to draw any attention to her. It was obvious she wished to be anonymous and to just get on with her everyday life as anyone else does. She smiled a knowing smile and then just sauntered off saying she was listening to the jaz. She was very beautiful and had very little or no make up on. As she strolled away she pulled up her scarf over her face. She walked further up the platform about four yards further on to board the tube. What a surprise this was. I’d come face to face with Kristen Scott Thomas! What an adventure I’m having. I’ve really enjoyed a lot of her films. She was dressed in trousers, boots a pull on hat and scarf. No drawing would do her justice but I undertook this sketch on the coach home. She is a truly beautiful woman.
My final image is of the coach home. Again from memory I drew this on the journey home. I was lucky and had the table and other seats to myself.
I’ve really enjoyed the exercise and it forced me into undertaking work on the go. The drawings could have been better but as I’m learning from Kentridge a drawing can be anything. The exhibition featured a video of him interviewing himself about drawing. It was a send up of what drawing is!
My means of documentation was mainly visual images from memory as in some places it was difficult to undertake the direct drawings. I also took some photos for reference. I thoroughly enjoyed the exercise and am beginning to really enjoy the smaller sketchbook of charcoals. Although there are not as many images as I would have liked I had such a great day it was so worth it despite being shattered when I got home. I do feel that everything I’ve learned is beginning to come together and my drawing is really improving through the use of charcoal. I do want to practice the derive and reportage skills more as this will help me develop more skills for my future project. Thanks to the RA I had a ball!
Drawing 2 Interpreting the environment 