Michael Nobbs

On auto-pilot

A wid view of a morning drawing scene on the tartan blanket. On the left, a round wooden-framed mirror reflects Michael’s face and glasses as he looks into it; part of the phone being used to take the photograph obscures the lower centre of his reflection. To the right lies the small handmade sketchbook with the black-ink self-portrait on its back cover and the handwritten words, “Feeling very tired and could hardly face myself this morning.” The date 11-9-26 is written beside the portrait. An uncapped Pigma Micron rests nearby. Behind everything is a tray lined with blue hen-patterned fabric, with a bright green teapot and part of an orange mug visible at the top of the frame.

Very tired this morning and could hardly face myself, but habits can be like being on auto-pilot and, as soon as I poured out my tea, I reached for my mirrors, sketchbook and pen.

The only place I had to draw to hand was the back cover of my recently filled little homemade pocket sketchbook, so this was a smaller attempt at seeing myself, made with an 05 Pigma Micron — a recent gift from a friend and a pen I haven’t drawn with since I restarted drawing, and possibly not for twenty years.

Close-up of a small black-ink self-portrait drawn on the back cover of a handmade pocket sketchbook, lying on a red, grey and cream tartan blanket. The drawing shows Michael from the shoulders up, bald, wearing glasses and looking slightly to one side, with short broken lines describing his beard and stubble. Beneath the portrait he has handwritten, “Feeling very tired and could hardly face myself this morning.” The date 11-9-26 is written vertically beside his head. An uncapped beige Pigma Micron pen lies to the right, with its cap above it. Behind the sketchbook is a tray lined with bright blue fabric covered in patterned hens.

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