In a BBQ joint during lunch, we designed a set for a musical. We were having our initial meeting with the director, and in between getting to know each other and looking over menus, we began to discuss the show. Luckily, the restaurant provided something to draw on, and Kevin quickly took advantage. When the need to sketch arises, no surface is safe.

The placemat, right side up, doing its thing, advertising the wonderfulness of Barbecue.

Kevin was quiet for a few minutes, doodling a proscenium and portal. He stopped for a moment when the director asked a question about the size and depth of the stage and what space was available backstage. This sketch was the catalyst for a flurry of pointing and handwaving by me and the director. Kevin nodded and sketched, nodded more and sketched. The director and I kept throwing out ideas, needs and wants, we weren’t at the the intersection of resources and budget yet, we were on the creative superhighway.

Kevin sketched away, as ideas were loved, debated, enhanced, ridiculed, thrown out. Here’s the meeting in sketches:

Designers are always designing, and given a receptive audience, they can really go to town. We pretty much designed the bulk of the show during lunch, a very productive and I’m sure somewhat entertaining – for the business types around us – time. Oh, did I mention that Kevin did all the sketches and notations with a fountian pen, upside down, so the director sitting across from him could clearly see the work and comment. Lots of fun, but you better have some badass sketching chops to keep up with this guy.