Reading

Believe it or not, there were a lot of readers in the army. As conscripts, most of us did not want to be there, and reading provided a great form of escape from reality. During some 21 months at 1 Intelligence Unit, Kimberley, from 1979 till 1981, I got a chance to sketch numerous okes reading to while away the time.

This piece of paper is looking its 30 years, but I still enjoy the feel of this sketch. I suspect his mattress is being buckled under the weight of his arm.

This guy, his surname was Selkirk, was an amazingly strong character despite being thin as a rake. This is the first of two drawings I did where his feet, due to foreshortening, are huge in relation to the rest of him.

While the cross-hatching here leaves much to be desired, I do think this was not a bad drawing, with the curve of the spine the focus.

Not much info here, but there is something in that hand to the face during the process of reading which is a universal mannerism.

That man Selkirk again. This time the huge feet and knobbly knees are augmented by the pipe in his mouth. Wonder what became of him?

Another somewhat scratchy sketch, I think I none the less captured the pose of an oke concentrating deeply.

Another of my fellow conscripts reading away.

I rather enjoy the exaggerated, knobbly shoulders. Who knows, perhaps this was that man Selkirk again, from behind.