I am a crew member and I have been working on ships for many years now. I draw because I love it and I always found a moment to do some doodles even on a busy day at sea.
My experience at sea has not been the easiest one as I believe there is no such thing as an easy life for a crew member. However I have seen that crew members always tend to smile and show their innate joy. It amazes me!
Working on a cruise ship is like being part of a comedy show and being paid for it… in US dollars!! If there were more cameras around we would feel like we are part of a reality show.
Behind all the “show business” set up for the guests there is a lot of stories unfolding such as: gossip, hard work, friendship, love, sex, hate, harassment, loneliness, alcohol, tobacco, more sex, overtime, drills, trainings… etc. Some of those stories seem to have a second season when the participants step off the gangway.
My preference is to illustrate my experiences through my sketchpad rather than using a camera. The pause on operations due to the global pandemic increased my opportunities to explore things that I usually don’t have time to. Details such as uniforms, name tags, tools and daily routine were the focus of my artwork in those days at sea without any duty.
Special thanks to Diana for being a model in the casino, to Melissa for hand modeling while using her phone and to Chelsea for inspiring me to keep drawing even with a broken heart.
Upon repatriation I came home with no money but with two sketchpads full of drawings about our life and moments as crew members. One of my friends encouraged me to post my drawings on social media and that gave birth to “Crew Member Illustrated”.
Shortly thereafter, I was commissioned to illustrate for my fellow crew members who entrusted me with their memories at sea. I felt honored… a big THANK YOU to Erica, Dino, Rafael, Steffi, Nikki, Lincee, and many others.
Being part of the crew on those huge cruise ships has been the experience of my life. Every moment at sea is precious, even when some days I don’t have the time to look at the ocean. I will keep posting my memories as a tribute to all the crew members in the world regardless the company or position. #crewmembertribute
Oscar David