Lately, I’ve been drawn to people reading, writing, or drawing off their phones. Whether at a café or on the subway, I’m on the hunt for these moments. They aren’t too hard to find if you’re looking—though they still feel rare and precious when they appear. Yesterday, in one subway car, there were three people within my sight reading books. How crazy is it that we are in a place in time where seeing three people reading actual books on the train feels like a miracle?
Is it strange that I’m eyeing these people, sneaking reference photos, and drawing them? I feel a little bad highlighting individuals who are trying to escape into a story, a journal, or a sketchbook…privately. Because it does feel a bit intrusive, I create my drawings loosely so their privacy is respected. The finished pieces are simply interpretations of their analog moments.
In today’s Draw Your World meetup, we all worked from a reference photo I took in Paris last month—two strangers writing with pen and paper, side by side in a café. Above is my interpretation. So many others created beautiful work—it seems we’re all craving these quiet scenes of people creating off of screens. I especially loved seeing how many subscribers who’ve said they’re afraid to draw people embraced the challenge.
I had such a great chat with Andy J. Pizza on his podcast, The Creative Pep Talk. I know there’s so much to listen to these days, but I think this one is worth your time—maybe on a walk or your commute. Andy has a wonderful way of breaking down what I do and challenged me with thoughtful questions and a fresh perspective. I’m so thankful! You can watch on YouTube or click here to listen.
Mentioned in the video at the top, some of the things I am working on in the studio:
•An updated Blackwing Volumes print will be available soon!
• More ArtToolKit Draw Your Adventures Sets will be coming in time for the holidays.
• My simple yet very useable handmade sketchbooks—this post shares how I make them.
