Sketching Strangers on the Train
Welcome to Draw Tip Tuesday!
There is something about being on the go that makes drawing feel easy. No desk, no setup, no perfect conditions. No overthinking.
Just a sketchbook on your lap and whatever is in front of you.
On a recent 35-minute commute I filled a whole spread with the scene in front of me. My hands and foot, then fellow passengers, including my husband and a woman across the aisle. Not everything went as planned, proportions got wonky, but when you embrace the wonkiness, you'll often end up with interesting results. And when you make "mistakes": you can not redo a decision mid-sketch, but you can take a mental note for next time.
The woman noticed I was drawing her, and we ended up having a lovely conversation. She was a musician on her way to a performance, and we talked about practice, creativity, and the things all art forms have in common. She told me she was going to start keeping a notebook in her bag too! That made my day.
Click the image to watch the video
The whole drawing, including color, took less than 20 minutes.
We often assume we need more time than we do. A time limit forces quicker decisions, and those often lead to more lively results. Same goes for keeping your tools minimal.
Materials used:
Sailor fude fountain pen loaded with waterproof Platinum Carbon Black Ink
Daniel Smith watercolors (including Italian burnt sienna, warm yellow, grey washes made with blues and browns)
Pentel Aquash waterbrushpen
Videos mentioned:
