Because sketching offers a great opportunity to capture details of people, animals or places really easily, it is worth always carrying your sketchpad and a few pencils everywhere you go. Because people are so very different and there are some wonderful characters out there, recording the characteristics of those who appeal to you can make for great paintings or drawings at a later date.

 

In order to make the most of your sketching, why not go somewhere where there are an abundance of people to draw:

 

1. Go to your main town centre and find a place where you can sit and draw without being disturbed too much. Enjoy the hustle and bustle of busy shoppers and soak up the atmosphere from all around you.

 

2. Always think about the composition of your drawing when planning which subjects to draw. The reason for this is so that you can identify those subjects which will make for a great picture at a later date.

 

3. When sketching, just try and capture the essence of those people. Consider what has drawn your eye towards them. In what ways it makes them an interesting subject? Do they seem larger than life or shy and hesitant? Some people really do stand out in the crowd for a number of reasons, sketching makes it easy to record the bare essentials.

 

4. Look for interesting events or occurrences. Where there are people, there will be activities taking place. A shopping centre will have an abundance of people from all walks of life, all with their own agenda. Some will look stressed, some will glow with happiness and success, and others will look annoyed or angry. Capture those elements and they can be transferred to your main picture later.

 

5. With sketching, the idea is to make very quick drawings which will give you body shape, expression and body language in beside no time and sketching whilst in the centre of a shopping centre will give you all of the subject matter you will need for some time. Just remember to enjoy the experience and make the most of your sketching time.