Open up google maps, look at my calendar and plan for the day. What do I want to do, where do I want to go? Recently was passing through Potrero Hill and noticed a cafe…. Thinker’s Cafe. So as I’m thinking where I want to get coffee/breakfast to start my morning. Get out the house, get sunlight within first hour of waking. Wellness, goodness, thinkness… you know what I’ll go check that place out. Bring my unfinished work, my laptop, pens of all colors, let’s go to think!
Building the Sketch Thinker’s Cafe
Thought is Free. Moderation is a fatal thing, nothing succeeds like excess.
Come follow me and let the World babble.
— Dante Alighieri
Get yourself situated, and think… and observe, and watch. Sonder…. Who are the people who visit this place? Wow I wish this was two blocks from my house, but is it really that far? It’s across Market st, under the freeway, up the hill…. I’ve lived over here before though, and reallly it was the hill that stops ya…. why? It’s part of the steps, just do it…. but yea I drove here lol.
Pick a side, pick a seat, inside or outside. What’s interesting about the place, where can I put my back against a wall feng shui. Ideas are great, photos help, but composition is a series of decisions. The best way is to do quick thumbnail sketches, the better way to do it is do enough to say F it and do it live! Don’t try this at home kids!
When I first arrive it’s one woman outside with her dog, journaling? Sketching? Not sure, but for framing a composition, if I want to get a scene outside with her, with someone, with the serendipity to come, that has to be the furthest right… so how does my composition communicate that’s outside? There needs to be a wall, a window, something that starts the inside, and rule number 1 of composition don’t split the page in half…. so that wall has to go somewhere between half way anddddd, well, how much do I need to leave for the outside scene?
Action is picking up, here come the dogs! Who let the dogs out! Ya’ll dog owners are funny, or maybe it’s the dogs that are funny. Six one way, half a dozen the other…. Clearly a local legend, this man and this dog are regulars. The dog leads the way, walks up into the cafe, followed within seconds by the man. Get outside…. the dog knows the drill, outside to wait, sentry mode activated. I’m not inside dad, now get me my treat, my treat. There is a plate on the counter, clearly set for complimentary dog treats… and look at that POS system. I have never seen a swinging arm POS system mounted to the post like that. The swivel interaction, keeps the counter clear for the dog treats. Efficiency, an interesting advancement that took thinking, clearly the Thinker’s Cafe
DAD, THE TREAT YESSSSSS. Ok that is cute, the dog has now advanced to the threshold. The cafe is lava, but I’m not standing on it dad! This time I’ve been bouncing between drinking my coffee, eating my food (in this case smoothie), not necessarily in that order. Checking my phone, catching up on texts, out of my house and changing my space.
And the composition for this less than half, portion of the sketch is clear. Look at this neon sign. LOVE, with a dog paw. And when did this guy show up? Other people have moved about their day in sonder, and noticing a quiet morning reading his book and the important part in this fly by the seat of pants method of composition is ensuring your foreground can carry it’s weight in the composition. So we’ve got a wall/window, neon sign, man reading a book and a chance for more in the midground and background. No excuses, time to start… oh but look at the quotes… nope, just start.
Andddddddd we’re back. Wall, window, man reading, woman journaling, Built the wall with view through window to the far side of cafe. Also started the opposite less than half but something more than zero composition build. Skipping a of steps here, next time I’ll explain it better. It’s a start, and it’s all the things I mentioned, look at the ipad looking POS (point of sale, not piece of sh!t for those who didn’t know). Attached to the post, another person filling their coffee, the man grabbing a treat for the dog, or maybe I dunno, it’s on the page and i’ll figure it out, but that was the first intent. We’ve got a baked goods, sides, cooler, the employees behind the counter, menus, what’s on the walls? The Thinker from Rodin obviously will make an appearance and the clock is the obvious choice. Now it’s just finishing the sudoku puzzle. Does there need to be a deeper background, a tree outside, what about the awning? The quotes, the pictures & paintings, pick your toppings.
Thought is Free. Moderation is a fatal thing, nothing succeeds like excess. The greatest minds, as they are capable of the highest excellence, are open likewise to the greatest aberrations. Come follow me and let the World babble.