Restaurants are one of my favorite places to draw. There’s a table for your sketchbook, so that’s a win. People usually don’t peek over your shoulder unless it’s to refill soda. They almost always have bathrooms. Oh, and the best part — FOOD!
The arrival of the meal is the perfect stopping point. That hook (or something to pull you away from your sketch) encourages quickness. It’s likely why I always do the best work in a waiting room. Maybe I should plan all my doctor and vet visits around book deadlines!
My excitement over working this way began last summer at the animal clinic. Our beloved senior pets need a lot of routine maintenance. The drawing ends when we get called back to see the vet or pay the bill. I made a whole post about it here and below.
I always left the clinic with barely finished sketches that were devilishly wonky, and I couldn’t have ruined them even if I wanted to. Their wild inaccuracy lets me be free and fearless when finishing them from my imagination.
Having half-finished pages of energetic marks to return to makes me happy. I never have to worry about a blank page or how I’ll fill it. It takes me back to the moment when I started the sketch, which was usually a pretty joyful place.
SECRET WORD: BIRTHDAY
Prompt
Draw at dinner time! There are infinite ways to interpret this one.
You could sketch the ingredients of your meal
Take your sketchbook on a dinner date
Sketch your cat before, during, and after mealtime, which could make a fun sequence of images!
Draw in our restaurants replay, with the wonderful Nathalia Velásquez cohosting!
Not sure where to begin?
Note what is most eye-catching or interesting to you. Something you see in the other room? Texture of the food? The shape of a glass? Start there and branch out!
