Notes on Nose
I don't remember when exactly I started sketching side profiles looking towards the left. What I do remember though is that it was during all those boring lectures in school & college.
In school time I used to do it on the back pages of my class notebook. I used to draw other things like cubes, elaborate geometric figures which I used to meticulously shade, cars, trucks etc. Amongst all these side profiles formed a sizeable bulk.
During my college days, or lectures to be more precise, I went on with my free hand sketching on the margins of my notes. Dental Material being the deadest of all subjects brought forth my artistic talents in first year. I expanded on the side profiles, added different age groups, hair styles, ears, eyes but the nose more or less remained unchanged. Except for kids of course. 2009 May ending I went to Leh. There in a cafe at dusk I was sitting with Ayush facing the entrance. Suddenly the light went off and the candles at the tables provided mellow lighting. Just then a woman entered with her husband and 2 daughters. Slim, dusky, around 5'2", early 30s and very bengali. There was something about her which seemed very familiar. She sat facing me on the next table. I racked my brains for school mates, neighbours, college mates, train journeys, weddings, patients but couldn't place her anywhere nor could get over the feeling of familiarity. Made Ayush take a look but even she was clueless about her identity. The fact that even she was looking towards me made it all the more frustrating.
Then all of a sudden she looked to her left . . . . . . . the epiphany hit me like a bolt of lightening, the face/nose I had been sketching all these years was right in front of me!
Delicately curved tip, straight bridge, floor at a slight inclination, narrow nostrils, at a perfect junction with the brow and the upper lip. In my excitement I pointed it out to Ayush but she obviously was both clueless and bored by my weird excitement.
So now what are you supposed to do in such a situation? You just can't go over and say "Excuse me, you know I have been drawing your nose for years. I am glad that we finally met. That is your nose and me."
So like a chicken that I am I just sat and gapped at her nose while she got all flattered by the attention.
In school time I used to do it on the back pages of my class notebook. I used to draw other things like cubes, elaborate geometric figures which I used to meticulously shade, cars, trucks etc. Amongst all these side profiles formed a sizeable bulk.
During my college days, or lectures to be more precise, I went on with my free hand sketching on the margins of my notes. Dental Material being the deadest of all subjects brought forth my artistic talents in first year. I expanded on the side profiles, added different age groups, hair styles, ears, eyes but the nose more or less remained unchanged. Except for kids of course. 2009 May ending I went to Leh. There in a cafe at dusk I was sitting with Ayush facing the entrance. Suddenly the light went off and the candles at the tables provided mellow lighting. Just then a woman entered with her husband and 2 daughters. Slim, dusky, around 5'2", early 30s and very bengali. There was something about her which seemed very familiar. She sat facing me on the next table. I racked my brains for school mates, neighbours, college mates, train journeys, weddings, patients but couldn't place her anywhere nor could get over the feeling of familiarity. Made Ayush take a look but even she was clueless about her identity. The fact that even she was looking towards me made it all the more frustrating.
Then all of a sudden she looked to her left . . . . . . . the epiphany hit me like a bolt of lightening, the face/nose I had been sketching all these years was right in front of me!
Delicately curved tip, straight bridge, floor at a slight inclination, narrow nostrils, at a perfect junction with the brow and the upper lip. In my excitement I pointed it out to Ayush but she obviously was both clueless and bored by my weird excitement.
So now what are you supposed to do in such a situation? You just can't go over and say "Excuse me, you know I have been drawing your nose for years. I am glad that we finally met. That is your nose and me."
So like a chicken that I am I just sat and gapped at her nose while she got all flattered by the attention.
We move on to today i.e. 28th of August, and today again I saw a nose quite close to perfection, that to on a parent during Robin's class presentation. This nose was pretty good but it was no match to the picture perfect one I had met in Leh.
Aah! Memories came rushing back . . .
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