I drew this week’s illustrations while sitting upstairs at Don Q – one of the oldest bakeries in Kobe. The company began in 1905, although this particular location first opened in 1952. It was a famous meeting place for couples in the ‘60s, and still has that bit of classic Showa-era atmosphere. It’s a great spot to draw people since you can look down on one of the busiest streets in the city. Plus, people often stop across the street for the traffic light, which makes easier for quick sketching.
The weather in Kobe has already started to change for spring. The afternoons are getting warmer and there are already green leaves on the trees. In a few weeks, the cherry blossoms will start to bloom. Before spring arrives, however, it feels like winter is sticking around for one last fight. A few days ago, the cold came back with a vengeance and we even had a bit of snow! So, while scarves have disappeared, long coats have not.
I spotted this man in a navy coat and charcoal sweater. His jeans and chunky Air Force 1s were a nice way to play off the formality of his topcoat – both helping dress it down and give it a more modern feel. As shown here, blue, gray, and white make for a great color combinations, whether that’s through a more formal sport coat, dress shirt, and trouser ensemble, or something more casual.
Another good example of how to combine blues, grays, and whites. This man paired his navy topcoat with grey trousers, a white t-shirt, and some blue accessories. The open brown shirt helped add some visual interest by serving as an additional layer, while also picking up the browns in his shoes and bag.
Some serious multi-tasking here. This man was spotted reading a book and munching on what seemed to be either a donut or bagel. Unlike the previous two men, he was wearing a lighter weight coat with a warm, chunky sweater. I imagine him to be a hip, young, literature professor somewhere, or perhaps a graduate student working at Kobe University. The kind of person who might not spend a lot of money on his clothes, but has a natural eye for mixing colors and materials. Note the combination of lighter shades – a tan topcoat with beige sweater and washed jeans. It doesn’t have the color contrast of the earlier men, but it works well.
Finally, for those who might be curious as to how these post are made, I start by drawing everything by hand. The illustrations are then scanned into a computer and electronically colored before they’re uploaded at Put This On. As usual, I hope you enjoyed my report from Kobe! – Graeme