People Watching: A Daily Portrait Challenge

Professional designer and self-taught illustrator George McCalman writes and illustrates a monthly column for the San Francisco Chronicle. Called “Observed,” the column features sketches and illustrations of the people and personalities he meets on his adventures around the city. Drawing from this experience, George leads you through a month of drawing people by layering colored pencil, pens and paint. Use your own source material and capture the essence of your model’s personality by focusing on gesture, texture, and personality while playfully over-emphasizing features. Be inspired by George’s relentless curiosity and joyful presence as he encourages you to illustrate friends, family, and strangers alike, and reveals his sources for unlikely models and where to find them. Learn how to:

• Sketch with gouache
• Layer fine pens over colored pencil
• Make texture and pattern
• Capture personality and emotion visually

What you'll get:

• A 31-day series of easy-to-follow video lessons on how to illustrate from life
• 32 HD video lessons you can access online anytime, anywhere
• Detailed supply list
• Step-by-step instructions by artist George McCalman
• The ability to leave comments, ask questions, and interact with other students