Monstrous commute: The furry blue beasts taking over New York's subway
There’s a curious type of passenger who’s been riding the New York subway. They’re blue, generally furry, and often have curved horns and big eyes. And while most of these commuting creatures appear pretty harmless, staring out of the train window or napping alongside fellow sleeping travellers, some are hellbent on mischief.
These blue monsters are the work of Instagrammer Subway Doodle, who started drawing them eight years ago as a way to entertain himself during the commute between Brooklyn and Manhattan.
“Everyone has their subway activity, this one became mine,” he says. “When I had small children, I didn’t have tons of time to draw anymore. This process was part of me rediscovering my artistic side. I’ve been drawing monsters since I was a kid.”
In one, a blue monster hovers ominously over an unsuspecting sleeping passenger with a paper bag, about to pop it with a bang.
Subway Doodle takes the pictures with an iPhone, and usually draws with an app called Procreate. While most of the time he takes the photos first and looks at them later for inspiration, he’ll sometimes spot an opportune scene. “The catchphrase with my friends and family is ‘That’s a doodle’; when I say that, they know I’m stopping to take a picture of something I saw that interested me.” In fact his children have appeared in some of his work. “I don’t have one particular favourite but the one with my kids in them are personal favourites.”
The project has now evolved, with the blue monsters being turned into street art around New York City, with two murals planned for Manhattan and another one for Brooklyn.
Guardian Cities brings together the best in urban art and photography on Instagram at @guardiancities. Share your shots with us on Instagram with the hashtag #guardiancities