Sketchbook Date! Drawing Strangers at a Cafe

So after a really long and big project, I like to decompress by getting out of the studio and doing some sketching So would you like to go on a date with me? Too bad. You're coming with me. Oh yeah, and if it's your first time on my channel, I'm Jess and I promise we'll have a good time together. So let's go You're probably wondering where we're off to today But I thought we'd hang out and check out a new place that I haven't been to before either As soon as you walk in the cool and calm atmosphere hits you to be honest The menu was calling my name So I ordered some food and while I was waiting I roamed around to get a feel of the place to see where I can settle down to How about this cozy corner where we can relax and unwind? And look there's a seat right next to me for you Whenever coming to a new place I love observing my surroundings taking all the little details in and there was just an overall feel-good energy here Sketching on location can be a little bit intimidating at first but a little latte surprise and some yummy food before setting up definitely helps The giant avocado toast was probably the size of my head and it was definitely great fuel and prep for a sketch session and Well creating is always better on a full belly, right? As I was finishing up and feeling more comfy in the space and as I was skimming around on what to draw I spotted some cool photos that gave me some background knowledge and it made me feel even more warm inside I love learning about and indulging myself in each place that I go to and Before I knew it. I was itching to sketch and I had my eye on the first subject My intention for our time in the sketchbook today is to simply loosen up do some ink drawings from life Maybe a little watercolor, but what we're not seeking today is perfection. Just capturing the moment and enjoying our time. I Looked around and spotted a boy in the corner, which seemed like he was gonna be here for a while so I grabbed my fountain pen which I filled with waterproof ink and Slowly began making some marks on this white blank sketchbook spread a nice way to just dip your feet in the water The challenge of drawing people on location is that positions will always change people will always move But I think that's what makes it fun. It's great practice and really gets you in the zone And Sometimes you notice your subject having to leave Luckily, I tried to work quickly to finish up the ink sketch and instead of giving up worrying or getting discouraged I decided to tap into my photographic memory and lay in some washes with some watercolor What stuck with me was the lighting that was coming from the left So I figured I'd quickly get that in from imagination with a little bit of paint This was one of my first few times playing around with a water brush It took a little getting used to but I immediately thought and concluded. It was a great on-the-go option. I Focused on capturing some distinct lighting and as I was finishing up laying in the background I was surprised to see the boy again. So I thought I'd show him my sketch Excuse me. I'm gonna show you I drew you wanna check it out Yeah, of course, I'm making a YouTube video so Boy What's your name Adrian It was so nice to see his face light up there were immediate smiles We sat for a little and talked about doing things that you love sharing your passion Consistency and I was reminded once again the beauty of connecting with strangers Sometimes when we step outside and a little bit out of our comfort zone, we end up meeting new people Exchanging stories and experiences and that alone can be a beautiful thing Eventually Adrian had to go do some schoolwork and I continued sketching with a goal to fill the spread Although I was working quickly I still wanted the spread to tell a story have a nice flow to the Composition and reveal good memories when I look back at it I usually like capturing things that spark my attention and oh boy was I not able to stop thinking about this cup of latte the barista surprised me with a little picture and it truly made me Happy and coincidentally the mug matches my shirt I think it'll add to a cool composition and I can practice some ellipses So yeah that checks off all the boxes to include it in the sketchbook spread It may seem that it's pretty simple to paint and draw a coffee cup But getting the correct perspective lighting and the cup sitting on the plate is a really great challenge. No matter what level you are This cafe was full of little plants. So I used the green plan to contrast the red next to it Keep the composition flowing onto the next page and have that be an element that moves our eye to the right And as I was painting I was thinking ahead on what I'd drawn next And I couldn't help but add a little bit of art supplies that were laying right on the table Another little composition element and reminder of our sketch day I've recently also been experimenting with writing little excerpts next to my drawings Bringing in some fun washes and splashes like I did in my self-portrait and continue to focus on what just comes naturally and intuitively There was a really cool engraving and slogan on the board that my food came on So I wrote the name of the cafe and the slogan right under I also always carry some white gouache and white pens that I can add on top and with the help of some dry brush I captured the little design the barista surprised me with There was a consistent rotation of people coming in and out of the coffee shop So I just continued to do some quick sketches and capturing them in the sketchbook I love capturing people in midst of conversation And the three ladies that were sitting in front of me were having such a good time laughing and smiling with one another So I worked quickly to capture their moment So I have to say I really miss sketching in black and white Sometimes all you need is an ink pen or a ballpoint pen And it's a great simple tool that you can do so much with not only does it allow you to work quickly But it also builds up confidence without using an eraser After I fill most of the page with some sketches I like to go back in and unify the whole spread and add some little touch-ups This can include adding shapes more ink marks Adding a wash of a similar color to the background to unify it, but I really like to make sure that it's all connected While I was finishing that up. I was also thinking of some cool text that I can add under that summarizes my day here I made up a few phrases based off the feelings that I took away in today's sketch session Ride the waves of your latte Feel the connections of the world replenish and create And oops forgot the L. There we go I just did like It is so cool. Do you just like creating it feels good, you know, I like I like writing It's vital when you got to get your feelings out, you know, yeah Yeah, for sure, yeah i'll be i'll be back i'll be back for sure