sketchaway.wordpress.com

A night-long layover at the airport means I spend some time hanging out in the lounge with other half-asleep travelers, all with big bags. More middle-of-the-night sketches, hanging out outside the airport this time. If you’re packing a palette for a trip to India, drop the neutrals, and be sure to pack oranges, pinks, purples and lime green. If you are going to sketch in public in India, you’re going to sketch around people.

A couple of months ago, I put out a call asking for donations of supplies for an urban sketching camp I wanted to run for the kids in a village in India. She asked if I’d teach the 17 kids in this village’s Elementary School (Grade 1 through 5) when I visited. I taught in Marathi, a language I speak, but not well, and they all did a good bit of helping me find the right words to explain concepts and ideas. I put out a call to my local art groups and stores and to local friends and students in classes I teach asking for watercolor pan sets and brushes they can spare.

I’m interested even in the littlest people-sketch in the story-telling potential of the sketch. So a cafe sketch isn’t just torso-and-head sketches. When drawing from life, you have to get to that gesture as fast as possible, especially if it’s a non-repeating one. If you haven’t joined the challenge yet,it’s not to late to join and sketch a few people.

When I said yes to doing the challenge with Marc Holmes and Liz Steel , I so optimistically thought I’d figure it out by now: I’d have a plan of what I wanted to work on, a focus, and a way to make time in my day for the sketches. And if you’re in the same boat as me, and wondering if you should skip the challenge, here’s what I think: Maybe we won’t get anywhere near 100, but let’s so give it a shot anyways. If you don’t know about the challenge, it’s not to late to find out more, and join in.