I began an Istanbul sketching group today, creatively called “Istanbul Sketchers.” We are a group of people from all sorts of places who live in Istanbul and feel the urge to draw this gorgeous and unique city. We’ll meet every week at a different predetermined location, armed with sketchbooks, pens, pencils and various other artsy tools.
On our first outing, we chose to draw some of the vibrant café life in Cihangir, known for its Bohemian flair and interesting characters. While I was working on the sketch below, the guy in the sunglasses surprised me by coming up and asking to see the drawing of him he knew I was doing. I handed over my sketchpad with shaky fingers and a slight pink in my cheeks, hoping I’d get a positive reaction. He showed his friends, who all seemed to approve, and as he handed back the drawing, he confided with a smile that he wished he could have it.
Since we are brand-new and quite small— so far— I’ll get Istanbul Sketchers its own blog once we have some more work behind us. Stay tuned.
Here are some sketches I did yesterday, to warm up:
