Drawing of the Day #1 Gentleman reading Reg Kray on the train to Barry

Drawing others is a revealing process; with different artistic styles and ways of seeing, no two artists will ever produce the same portrait.

Portraiture is always my first point of call for a cathartic drawing session. Often in the end result I can read some reflection of how I felt whilst creating the work.

This drawing is from a journey I took on the rattling Welsh trains from Cardiff to Barry on a summer day - this gentleman was well dressed, with a denim jacket, white hair and tattoos across his knuckles. He was engrossed in a book on Reggie Kray, and so maintained his intensive gaze even when he realised I was drawing him (I made sure to ask permission to continue! Turned out he liked the impression of him). I started experimenting here with graphic novel style pen work, inspired by brilliant illustrators such as Dave Gibbons and Eddie Campbell.

I like this quick drawing for it's expressiveness, scratched in with a fineliner during the short journey. A body of quickly collected drawings can be an excellent way of keeping a visual diary, and as well as being great for memories, they build a picture of your artistic progression for self-reflection.

Follow to keep posted to a portraiture painting master class coming soon :)