So, nowadays i tend to get my practice in by drawing the people around me; an old artists trick but one that totally works.  I used to do it off and on but these days it keeps me grounded and, to be honest, is a lot of fun (it's also helped pass the time on long subway rides in ways you can't imagine).

So yeah, thats what I do.  Sometimes I share them, sometimes I dont.  Sometimes i give them to the subject I'm drawing, MOST times I don't.

But today?  Oh man, today couldn't be helped.

When i got on the local "A" train tonight I immediately noticed this good looking girl sitting and eating chips and immediately thought "That would be fun to draw".  So I did.  Of course, in the interest of not coming off like a staring creep; I've got my own little technique down so i can look but not stare and still get what I need to draw the picture.

I apologize if it's a little blurry, I took the picture in a hurry.  Let me explain: as I was drawing I noticed the passenger next to me trying to get my attention.  i removed my headphones and turned to her and she said "Excuse me, but does she know you are drawing her?"  At this moment everything kinda just slows to a stop for me.  Quite frankly, I was a bit embarrassed.

I look at the girl i was drawing a see her looking at me too, so my only response was "Well, she does now."

Everyone has a laugh.  The person who "called me out" says they want to see it, the subject of my drawing remarks the same.  I laugh such a nervous laugh, I'm flustered practically but I say "Okay-uh-I'll show you-let-let me just finish up" or something like that.  It's amazing that it wasn't even that long ago yet I can't remember all the exact details.

Anyway, I clean it up a bit, sign it and hand it to her.  She laughs.  I can't tell if she was embarrassed or not but she points out that i drew her in mid-chew.

So what happened next, you may be asking?

Nothing.

She kept admiring it (at least I hope so) and i put my book away and did abso-freaking-lutley NOTHING.  I could have talked to this girl; lord knows i already had an "in"--and I'm not even talking about it in a "I can hit on this girl" sort of way, we could have just talked.  Hell, the least I could have done was ask her if she liked it, right?

But not me.  I was scared/nervous/whatever you want to call it and I just couldn't work up the freaking nerve.

*sigh*

At least, once she got off, she knocked on the window and thanked me; that was cool.

Whoever you are, you truly were beautiful; it's a shame I was too much of a coward to say "hi"