City Council Creepin'

A totally innocent conversation during the reception for Stylized Notions (aka an art show gathering of participants in the blood drive Cartoonists Draw Blood) turned into an invitation (along with fellow artists from the show) to be special guests of the Takoma Park City Council Meeting on July 27th to do some "live drawing."  Click the link for more info about the event and art from my esteemed colleagues.

The four of us that were able to make it, Bill Brown (super sharp scratchboard political cartoonist), Art Hondros (wry humor, expressive, and classic ink works), Steve Loya (full on watercolor and ink splotch monsters), and myself (action sketching and comic jams), all had reserved seats near the front of the meeting to work our wares.  The meeting had several major votes on the docket about development in downtown, which if you know Takoma Park at all you'll understand is a really big deal.  I decided to go full color so I brought along watercolor pencils and a squeezy brush.  Never had done that in a live setting before and I'm happy to say it worked out very well.  The bristol I used was a perfect surface for the speed and and was able to absorb enough water to not buckle much.

Here are the sketches I was able to put together during the two hour session-

Gotta creep the camera guy.  The quote is from something a reporter from the Montgomery Sentinel said.

A drawing of the City Manager

An amalgam of some of the numerous residents who came to the podium to speak about their minds about the proposed development plans

The Mayor and two council members

The audience listens to advocates for upgrades to the library that are long overdue

Activist and all around interesting character, Pat.  An audience member tried to convince me that I have misquoted him saying "Love it!" but I was able to confirm it with him later on.  Hence the cross out in the balloon.

A council member being barraged by things that were said