Today was a LOT of fun but also much harder – not only because of the painting but also because I was much closer to my subjects and in a more obvious seat in the cafe. As a result of my physical location, a number of people (including the cafe owner) spoke to me and at one stage most of the people in the cafe were aware that I was sketching. Aagh! The great thing was that I was very relaxed about it, while previously this would have added pressure and caused me to panic a little with my lines. Ah! it’s so good to be more comfortable!
I am glad that I had paced myself for this challenge by starting with simple line sketches before adding colour. I hope that you can read my hand written notes as I don’t have much time to type up my thoughts today.
During the afternoon, I did some more research related to what I have found hard during the day. When you sketch moving people you really need to have a lot of knowledge in your head to rely on and sketch from memory.
And in the evening some fun with watercolour!
Day 3 tip: Try only adding colour to the areas that are in shadow – something that Marc Taro Holmes and Suhita Shirodkar do so well.
4 Comments
Great tip about painting the shadow areas! Nice job on these. I find that if people notice I’m sketching them they are usually cooperative. My friend and I were sitting opposite each other on the train and sketching the people next to us. When the woman next to me saw I was sketching the person on the other side she realized my friend was sketching her, so she put her phone in front of her face…so my friend finished the sketch that way. lol
thanks Joan! they either hide or pose… it is very hard to for them to continue naturally. THe logistics of sketching people is just as important as drawing skills
Hi Liz, nice shadow work. I had the same situation today at the coffee shop. I was sitting right where everyone could see me sketching, which makes me extremely nervous and it did affect my drawing. Drawing in public, at least that public, makes my heart race, my hands shake and I probably resemble one of those speed drawing videos because i’m drawing so quickly. But I did manage to get eight very shaky sketches in about 15 minutes. I’ll be glad when, or if, that feeling goes away so I can just calm down and just have fun sketching live.
Hi randy. I know that feeling of shaky lines well. So it wa special that I felt calm yesterday. Practice is the only cure. Keep it up.
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