Obviously, it is much simpler for me to achieve pleasing results when drawing from reference photos. Nevertheless, my goal is to draw like this when I go outside to sketch street scenes in Bonn and other towns. I am working on capturing those fleeting decision-making processes that I can just about discern in my head when drawing. These decisions involve gesture, rhythm, shape language, and colour.
In the coming days, I’ll be practicing finding a spot in town where I can attempt to quiet the rush of emotions, thoughts, and doubts I experience when sketching in public. I will also practice coaxing the thoughts, feelings, and ideas I have when drawing at home.
The first step will be to decide on the scope of the scene. How much of the environment do I want to capture in the sketch? Then I’ll determine how many of the available figures I’d like to include in the scene. I believe I should start with one figure per scene and then gradually build up to two or three figures in other sketches. I will need to take my time observing and recording the clothes and gestures of the figures that interest me. I shouldn’t rush this part. Perhaps making a few notes or small sketches on the side could be beneficial, such as noting the colours of clothing, interesting accessories, facial expressions, hand gestures, types of shoes, and many other details. All the while, I will focus on keeping my cool and not worrying about what people may think of my results.
Once those initial steps have been performed successfully and without rushing, I will decide how much space the figure(s) will occupy in the sketch. Then the sketching can begin. I’ll go straight to ink for the figure, using a limited number of lines and always focusing on body language, facial expression, hand gestures, and proportions. Colour mixing will come next. The figures will need saturated colours and should receive only one layer of colour for each shape (I mustn’t go back over a colour). I also need to resist the urge to capture the light with soft and hard edges; there may be some happy accidents, but I’ll have to wait for them to appear in the finished sketch. One more thing with the colours: I should try not to let them bleed into each other.
Stuartdraws 