Hello everyone and welcome to Diagram Club part #086. This time:
More bicycle racing cartoons than your average week
I don’t openly admit to attending rival cafes
Being an attendant in an art gallery
An unexpected Vinted arrival raises eyebrows
Diagram Club Paid: The shoelace (further update)
The Tour de France continues, and so I thought I’d post some more bike racing drawings this week.
I’ve been watching the Channel 5 coverage when I can, and I’d like to say more, but I must not.
The best place for race analysis continues to be For the Love of Cycling, with Ned and David, and whoever is or isn’t joining them. And both of their evening Substack diary emails have become part of my daily ritual.
Diagram 1. One thing I love about bike racing is the tactical nature of it. It’s really not just a case of the fastest rider getting there as quickly as he / she can. There’s so much more to it. This was my attempt to explain, in my book The Cycling Cartoonist [link to all books]. It may illuminate the subject, or not.
Drawing 2. If you go and watch a bike race the sight of the convoy of vehicles speeding past before and after the riders is more exciting than it should really be. A cartoon on that topic, once again from The Cycling Cartoonist.
Cartoon 3. A member of the ITV crew who has been missed this year is Matt Rendell, and his reports on environmental aspects and impacts of the Tour. I love bike racing, but not all of the companies who sponsor it. On which note…
[Correction / clarification (minor): Version 1 of last week’s newsletter had confused information about TV channels. The Tour was once on Channel 4, but has, of course, been on ITV for the last X years.]
Want something fun to print? Take a look at my colouring pages and weekly planners.
Oh, they are on Etsy too.
How about a book all about Household Problems and what to do about them? It would make a good gift, reference tome, or placemat.
‘Staying cool’ is the title.
News from my regular and favourite drawing cafe.
All credit to the staff and volunteers who have been working at The Cafe, aka Essex Wildlife Trust Langdon, in the extreme heat.
If I had, very occasionally, also been going to another cafe that turned out to be air conditioned I certainly wouldn’t be making a thing of it on here.
There’s loads of brilliant events and activities happening at Langdon over the summer if you’re within reach of South Essex. Crafts, family activities, theatre, walks, all sorts. Take a look and/or follow the Facebook page.
This week was the start of the Leigh Art Trail in Leigh-on-Sea, and I spent a morning being an attendant at an art exhibition at The Fishermen’s Chapel.
I go to Leigh on the train, taking a bike to cut out the walk at each end. For those interested: my Dahon Speed P8 is my local train bike because it’s 1. Easy to carry up station stairs; 2. Nicer to ride than my Brompton; 3. Very red.
One of the paintings in the exhibition, by local artist Natasha Chilingirova, whose work I love. I’m not sure a small picture does it credit, so imagine it bigger.
My friend Naomi designed me a badge to mark the occasion. The suggestion of a prefect / Blue Peter badge shape adds, I think you’ll agree, gravitas.
Becoming a Paid subscriber makes this newsletter possible, and gives you access to the entire (Diagram Club Parts One and Two) thing every week.
I absolutely understand that not everyone can, but thank you for considering it.
Owen has made an interactive version of my bells and whistles cartoon (sound on). Fun!
My friend Tom from China sent me an article about cycling in the Philippines. People all over the world are asking for safe routes to cycle. Read here: The new independence movement is on two wheels
We (Substack writers) can now do subscript and superscript, which changes everything. Coming soon: H2O opinions, whether we all agree with E = mc2, etc.
I buy and sell things on Vinted. I’m more skilled at buying than selling.
About [make up a figure] 4% of the time things do go slightly wrong, and this week was one such occasion.
I bought a pair of men’s shorts. It’s summer. Shorts aren’t a bad option as something to wear, given the time of year and the way the weather has been. A pair of shorts doesn’t, given the circumstances, seem like an entirely unreasonable purchase.
However…
.
.
.
.
.
.
This is what arrived [Slide please].
Next Petite Sexy Bootcut Jeans (size 12).
Eyebrows were raised, not least in the household generally, as I am not a size 12.
They had quite a bit of stretch, but still.
To cut a not-that-interesting anecdote slightly shorter, the seller, who we will call Gill from East Anglia, has not only refunded me but also sent the shorts. Which is very kind of her. And I [phrase I’ve not used before] returned the sexy bootcuts. And so all is well, if not slightly better than before this whole episode.
Aside (off-topic): Hint of rug in the picture. No one wants to sell you a bright stripy rug these days, as beige is the current rug fashion. But there are people you can talk to if you’re in the know who can get you a bright stripy rug. Ask me for further details.
Anyway, carry on as you were.
Colour of the week (filler): Bootcut denim blue.
Diagram Club Paid subscribers can read part two below. This week: how my new project is or isn’t coming along, Diary Part 3 (from Surrey), a rough drawing that won’t be seen anywhere else (probably), and news about The Shoelace, the most-commented upon aspect of this newsletter since we started.
That’s it for now. Have a good weekend / week, and I’ll speak to you again soon.
Dave
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