Live Pencil Sketches of Daily Life
I document the fleeting rhythms of urban existence through immediate, observational sketches, capturing the unspoken narratives of transit, markets, and public spaces.
A collection of random sketches done while traveling on the Mumbai local train. These quick pencil drawings capture fellow passengers and fleeting moments, serving as a visual diary of my daily commute.
More of my sketches from the Mumbai local train. I focus on capturing the diverse faces and postures of people in transit, from a woman holding a pole to portraits of men in profile and wearing turbans.
A selection of my local train and station sketches from 2023. These observational drawings are a practice in capturing character and mood with quick, expressive lines.
Some of my older, random sketches from the Mumbai local train. These works show my ongoing dedication to drawing from life and documenting the world around me.
A series of live sketches capturing various scenes of people in groups. These drawings explore composition and human interaction in public spaces, from street corners to waiting areas.
These sketches depict the life of laborers and migrants. I aim to capture the sense of struggle and perseverance in these drawings of people carrying loads or waiting for a train.
A video showing the process of live sketching, capturing a crowd at a public gathering. My hand can be seen adding details to the drawing, showing how these scenes come to life on paper.
This video shows my hand as I sketch a group of figures on a large sheet of paper. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at my process for creating complex, multi-figure compositions from observation.
A collection of live sketches focusing on character and figure studies. These drawings capture the postures and interactions of people in various social settings.
These pencil sketches document scenes from daily life, capturing the rhythm of people gathering and moving through public spaces. Each drawing is an observation of a moment in time.
About Live Sketches: The Pulse of Daily India
These sketches are produced on location, often within the ephemeral environment of the Mumbai local trains. Each piece is an unposed, raw documentation of transit, captured on 130-150 GSM acid-free paper to ensure archival quality.
My process of live sketching stems from my training at the Sir J.J. School of Art, where observation became a foundational discipline. When I sketch in public, whether in a crowded station or a quiet corner of a market, I am not merely recording figures. I am studying the subconscious struggle and the quiet perseverance of the people around me.
Each study uses high-quality charcoal, graphite, or Indian ink on 130-150 GSM acid-free cartridge paper. Because these works are completed in the moment, they retain an authentic energy that posed portraits often lack. I ensure that every drawing is treated with an archival fixative spray to prevent smudging and degradation.
If you are interested in a commission, I offer these A3 and A4 format studies at a range of ₹3,500 to ₹6,500. They are delivered unframed, secured between hardboard or in a rigid tube for safe transit. Whether you are looking for a portrait that captures a specific character or a scene that reflects the rhythm of daily India, my sketches are an honest reflection of the reality I observe.
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