44 - Good People

Last week, I shared the new episode of the podcast. I spoke with Roisin Cure, a self-taught illustrator and urban sketcher in Galway (Ireland), about learning to draw from both fine art and comic books.

In this issue, I am sharing the portraits of some good people. All of them - directly or indirectly - have donated to support COVID19 relief efforts in India. My 100+ Faces for India Project has raised over $5000 thanks to the contributions of 125 patrons. This week, I reached portrait #80.

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100+ Faces for India

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More Spots on the 100+ Faces Project!

On popular demand, I am offering another 25 slots at $50. If you’re interested in being part of the project, please click the link below.

As before, contributors get a high-res scan of the drawing, and 100% of the collections go to organizations providing essential supplies to India’s vulnerable populations.

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Visit here to see all the portraits drawn in this project.

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SneakyArt

I walked along the sea-wall in downtown Vancouver on a beautiful, sunny day. I decided to draw from a spot where I could see yachts, Granville Island, and bridges on the far horizon. It was a challenging scene, with many interesting elements in the foreground, middleground and background. I debated whether to draw it in the larger Stillman & Birn sketchbook or the smaller Moleskine sketchbook. The scene needed to be a vertical double-page spread.

If I chose the smaller sketchbook, it would be a different drawing in many ways. A lot shorter in time, for one thing. I wouldn’t bother about the bridge very much. I would draw the middleground very quickly, maybe as a single line. In the longer sketchbook, I could go into the details. It would be a lot more work, but with the big payoff of being a truly great sketch. I stood there for 10 minutes, holding up one sketchbook and then the other, trying to make my decision.

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I will share the full account of this drawing - including the creative decisions I took during the 90 minute drawing process - with members who support my work every month. The piece goes out this weekend. If this interests you, consider signing up to become a member!

Membership brings many other exclusive privileges too. Read about them by clicking the link.

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Tiny People

Earlier this week, I sketched people crossing a street in downtown Vancouver. It’s fun to notice how people’s mannerisms and clothing change with the seasons. In early March, when we were still in the grips of winter, you would see coats and large, huddled forms of people walking quickly. On this day, it was summer wear, a leisurely pace, and occasionally loud conversations.

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Bonus Commentaries

Members who support my work receive a bonus commentary with every podcast episode. In these bonus commentaries, I address some of the interesting tangents from conversations with my guests. Since the conversation is all audio, I see the bonus commentary as an opportunity to add a visual element for my listeners.

Ep 17’s bonus commentary is about the art and artists who inspired Roisin at an early age - Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Herge, and Uderzo. It is interesting to see her work as a self-taught journey catalyzed by these inspirations.

For Ep 16 with sketch-journalist Gabi Campanario, the bonus commentary riffs on Gabi’s idea of the ‘city as a living organism’, and his self-identified role as a storyteller at the intersection of art and journalism.

In Ep 15, I asked George Butler what inspired him to draw in conflict zones. In the bonus commentary, I speak about the history of war illustration and reportage, and share the lives of two artists - one who inspired George, and one who kindled my interest in depictions of war.

As a member, you can download these as free pdfs. To everyone else, they are available at the cost of just one cup of coffee!

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That’s all from me this week. Next week is an exciting, new podcast episode!

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