Pre-Pandemic: Subways

This sketch was done during an Urban Sketching Class I was teaching at Elite Animation Academy. The girl seated in front of the soda machine and sketching, was one of my best students. It is always a pleasure to find a student who has laser beam focus and a real desire to learn.

I usually take students here after instructing them in one point perspective. This sketch was done in an ancient sketchbook that was returned to me after being in someone’s attic for 30 years. The paper is brittle and thin but I am happy to finally be filling the book up.

The great part of taking students to Subways to sketch is that I can order a sandwich to eat while there. I always ordered a ham and Swiss with lettuce and tomato and a splash of oil and vinegar with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. I miss those days of going on location to sketch. For now I am exploring the world virtually to do my rather political illustrations each day.

This last week of 2020 I actually got to instruct two students virtually and I am teaching them how too use photo reference to piece together ideas. Growing up I longed to find a decent painting instructor but never really found one. Perhaps I didn’t ask the right questions. I am trying t give my students the basic and fundamental instruction that I yearned for when I was young. Hopefully they will run with what I give them. I know the student in this sketch soaked in everything I threw her way.