Sketching on Public Transportation

It's been a long time since I posted something so I though I would post some comments about my daily commute. I've demoted myself from Commuter Rail train to the MBTA buses and trains in order to save $100 per month in costs and it hasn't been easy. For anyone who is not a resident of Massachusetts, let me explain that the Commuter Rail are the big Amtrak-type comfy trains that you actually get to sit down in and the MBTA are the public transportation trains that are packed with people bumping into you and sometimes giving off foul odors as well. And everyone knows how buses are and why they are prime opportunities for comedy.

Anyway, I've been sketching on the trains and buses and enduring bone-jarring braking, turns that would make most race car drivers envious and hitting pot holes and speed bumps at high velocities. I've become quite skilled at sketching during quite adverse conditions but no matter how difficult it is - I'll sketching. The only way to become better at ANYTHING is to practice, practice, practice!

Artists and potential artists make all kinds of excuses not to draw and paint but if you want to get good then you have to practice. You have to draw and you have to paint if you want to improve. All you need to draw is a pencil and a piece of paper. It doesn't get any easier or cheaper than that.

I sketch faces from the free newspapers and recently I started sketching photos that I have stored on my Blackberry. I took some photos of my Loomis and Barque books and I bring them up on my Blackberry screen and sketch from that. I also sketch people on the train. You have to sketch them quick because you never know which stop they'll be getting off the train so it makes things interesting. You can even sketch your own hand or your shoes or your feet if you don't have shoes but I hope you do have shoes.

Keep sketching! You can find at least 30 minutes a day to sketch - no excuses!