Natasha Illustrates...Strangers ♥

I don't really travel anywhere unless it's to go to the big city so I'm rarely on trains and so couldn't sketch anyone falling asleep on one. I do however walk to work every day and see quite a few people on the way and happily going about their business in the town centre with all their christmas shopping now we're coming into December. I thought it would be interesting to include these as they sort of fit in with the whole feel of things at the moment, the rosy cheeks, the christmas shop, wrapping up warm and feeling sleepy.

Rachel Illustrates... Strangers

I'm a little bit late, but I've finally scanned in my 'strangers' contribution.
I was on a train for 6 hours yesterday and it would've been the perfect opportunity to draw strangers, but the train was so packed, I didn't have alot of space :( I snapped a pic on my phone and drew it when the woman got off the train - she was really irritating, so she probably would'nt have liked me drawing her openly!

It's been a while since I sketched people from observation so it was a fun challenge :)

Inspiration: Lynne Chapman

Well, Rachel's post just reminded me of a great illustrator I discovered when I first joined twitter, Lynne Chapman. She too illustrates strangers on her train journeys.

I love the changes in the quality of her line work, as well as the wonderful added colour and writing. It reminds me of some of the tea and crayon's ladies actually!

I hope you like these too, I find them rather inspiring! It shows that practice makes perfect. I think I may try to carry a sketchbook around always, I want to improve my observation skills further!

Inspiration: Ami Underground

After setting the weekly 'Strangers' theme, and knowing my main opportunity to do it would be while on the Tube, I remembered there was an artist I came across a few years ago that did a similar thing.

After much searching through my bookmarks, I remembered it was Ami.Underground and I spent a good while looking through his stuff again.

He spends literally every day drawing these people, on the NY subway, and he's amazing at it. He clearly has no qualms about drawing strangers and the fluidity and immediacy of his sketches are lovely.

Amazing right? Hope you've all had a good weekend, I'll be posting more inspiration stuff soon :)

Rachel L x

Kayleigh illustrates... strangers

Hello all. Rachel L's 'We illustrate' for this week was certainly a challenge, but I love the varied results we've seen so far and enjoyed the thrill of the challenge! Hehe.


My initial idea was to draw strangers while dining in fast-food's finest McDonalds (ha!), however it was really difficult. I managed to draw one lady sheepishly eating her chips (see top illustration) but didn't dare draw anyone else. The other two quick sketches I made came from when I held a craft stall. As I sat there freezing my toes off, I thought what better time than to draw a few strangers?

Doing these speedy sketches reminded me of my old life-drawing lessons. Do you regularly draw people on the go? If not, I say give it a whirl! It certainly tests your observational skills and loosens you up somewhat. Thanks for a great challenge Rachel :)

Rachel L illustrates... Strangers

After I set this task, and I realised I had to actually do it, I started to regret it. I haven't drawn people in this way for a long long time and I was a bit scared! But then I just did it... and loved it. These are the best and most fully formed of the people I spotted; the problem with the Underground is someone can get up and leave and all you've got is an eyebrow and half a nose. But the great thing about the Underground is you get everyone from all walks of life.. and I think I'm going to keep drawing people, it totally beats reading nonsensical shit in the Metro and staring into space.

What's funny is that the majority of people I draw will be looking down; reading a book or the Metro themselves; I can't really draw people if they're looking right at me! Ha. And also, in the case of the woman, asleep too. Creepy.

Abby illustrates... strangers

When I saw this I was a little scared- I'm not great at quick drawings and I'm a bit of a perfectionist! I do get a little afraid of sharing drawings I'm not completely happy with, but this brief is good - It's something i just have to get on with and practice makes perfect, oui?

I get the bus to uni almost daily and always see these two adorable old ladies.. I like to think at that age i'll have a friend like this! They always wear headscarves too (aww!) I didn't get a great angle, but maybe this week i'll see them again!

Hope you like it! :)

Abby x

Fritha Illustrates - Strangers

I have to say I felt really daunted by this prompt as it seemed like a major challenge. I am the first to admit I'm not really very good at actually drawing things as how they are. I can draw from my imagination fine but if I get myself worked up about something actually looking like something sometimes it just doesn't quite work.

Well this lunch time I went to Boston Tea Party in Bristol and tried to spy some strangers. I sat opposite this guy and pretended I was doing anything other than drawing him. I guess he might have worked at the bank or the travel agent because of his badge...

I only had a red pen so he is red

I actually am kinda pleased with the result, it encorperates my style without trying to hard to be what it is supposed to be I think!

Hope you like! xoxo

We illustrate... Strangers

Hello everyone, hope you've all had a lovely weekend?

This week, Tea & Crayons will be illustrating strangers for you. I picked this theme because I think it's quite challenging to draw people you don't know, (often) quickly, capturing their character before they guess what you're doing and either a) move away or b) start posing. Which ruins it. (or c), chase you away. Scary.)

I sit amongst hundreds of strangers every day on the tube, but it's a very cramped place so drawing someone feels weird. I guess you just have to get over it; most of the time they probably don't think you're doing it.

It also forces us to observe people in their daily life, gets us out of our comfort zones a bit and means we have to carry a sketchbook everywhere!

Look out for our '....illustrates Strangers' posts all this week!

Rachel L x