Nicola Coughlan, who describes herself as a ‘Small Irish Acting Person’, was today’s subject on the Portrait Artist of the Year live session on Sky Arts. There’s an option of using a still as reference or of joining in the full four-hour session, but I went just for the final hour and drew her as I might draw someone at a party, in a cafe or in the pub. Hopefully it won’t be too long before I can sit in a cafe again and sketch the world going by.
Today’s artist was Alastair Faulkner, who, when he’s not painting, works as a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon. He pointed out there were similarities in the two strands of his career but he can never step away from an operation that’s presenting challenges as he can from a painting.
I took the opportunity to draw presenters Kathleen Soriano, Kate Bryan and Tai-Shan Schierenberg.
As always, struggled with Joan Bakewell (top left).