Tourists in Paris

So I found this drawing in an illustration blog I normally go through (drawn.ca). This artist, Rick Tulka, drew this series of all different kinds of tourists in Paris. Some were simple, like this one, with just a few forms and a white background, while others were full representations of the entire environment. I am pretty sure these drawings are done in charcoal. ¶ I think the idea of drawing tourists is always intriguing because they are essentially plucked out of their natural environment and unloaded into cities where they always look out of place. Most don’t even try to fit it, but that is probably because it would take too much effort to completely change a wardrobe for a trip that will only last about a week or two. But anyway, Rick’s work deals with these people who seem so extremely out of their element. ¶ What is actually the most interesting thing about these drawings is that they seem to come right out of his sketchbook but look like they could be a finished illustration. The example I am showing of his work looks like it could have been drawn at completely different periods, but he almost creates perspective by shrinking the group into the space underneath the man’s camera. It shows an environment without showing much. ¶ I also love the style that Rick uses when he draws these characters. When he outlines, he uses expressive and defined lines, and when he is shading, he scribbles, but in a way that seems fantastical and youthful. Each individual character had their own personality, and Rick makes me want to know more about these caricatures he has created.