In order to get practice at portrait sketching, it is best to find people who are unaware they are being drawn, and an easy way to do it is from the television. People who are being interviewed generally keep pretty much the same pose, sometimes for a decent amount of time. I keep a pen and sketchbook near the television and most of the time forget to pick it up, but every now and then get a good opportunity for a bit of drawing. Most often the people are politicians but the odd musician sometimes crops up. Below are Paul Keating, Treasurer and ultimately Prime Minister in the 1980s and 1990s, Kevin Rudd, also an ex-Prime Minister and Jakob Dylan, son of Bob Dylan and musician in his own right.
anna warren portfolio 
Love your portraits.
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Thank you Leonie! I enjoyed doing them.
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I do the very same thing:) Terrific!
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Great minds think alike! Actually, a friend put me on to it, so I can’t take any credit, but it is a fun thing to do, and they won’t see you doing it!
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What a great idea!
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Thanks Patsy – it was a friend’s idea, and I do find it works well!
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Well .. aren’t friends wonderful when they come up with an idea like that Anna ! Great line work .. so much expression in your first one particularly .. his age maybe …
Sounds like another thing to try … oh… my list is so long 😉
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I agree! and this friend is an endless source of useful ideas. I’m glad you liked the first one – he certainly was (is) a strong character. I know what you mean about the long list of things to try – if I never bought another piece of art material I would have enough to last the rest of my life … but on Monday I bought up a whole lot of supplies for making jewellery, I have plans for making pendants out of photos of my small paintings. So another new journey!
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Oh I can see those working out VERY well Anna !
… yet..
… and I have a new little piece of lino and set of cutters but no ink
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If they work I will do a post! And am waiting to see your lino print, I’m sure it will be beautiful.
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Great idea and sketches!
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Thanks Andelieya!
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i sketch from tv too, mostly of athletes to capture “action”.
nice work anna.
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Thank you! I hadn’t thought of doing it capture action. What a great idea!
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That’s a great idea, Anna! I’ll have to try it. I haven’t had a chance to do any of my “library sketches” in a while, but I plan to get back to that in January when the kids go back to their classes.
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Its an easy way to practise, you have a captured model who won’t turn around and wonder what you are doing! I’ll look forward to seeing more of your sketches next year.
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Thanks, Anna!
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Gosh – you’re very good at this, Anna. Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd are instantly recognisable. (I’m sure the other guy is too but I don’t know him.) Drawing off tv is something which has never occurred to me…and now that you have given me the idea…I know I’ll never try it. (Looks too much like hard work)!
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Thanks Julie! But its surprisingly easy, at least you know they won’t wander off like people in live situations!
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