A year of drawing strangers on the Paris Metro

What I've learned and observed from this year-long project

When I first started drawing strangers on the Paris Metro, I didn’t expect it to resonate with anyone. But somehow many of you said you loved it and asked for more — even going as far as to subscribe. That support pushed me to keep going, and I’ve been regularly drawing strangers both on and off the metro for over a year now. So thank you to all my subscribers who have liked and commented on this project!

I started drawing on the metro as a way to practice drawing people. I was also very busy with my regular freelance journalism work and didn’t have a lot of time to draw. Inspired by

Nishant Jain

’s tiny sketches of strangers, I decided to try drawing people on the metro during my commute to my coworking space.

I wanted something small that I could put in my purse so I decided to use an A6 RoyalTalens sketchbook and a calligraphy marker which allows me to get bold, quick lines. A year on, I have an almost full sketchbook of strangers from Paris and elsewhere.

When I draw strangers on the metro, I only have about 30 seconds to a minute to draw people between metro stops, as people move on and off, changing my view. This means I have to be quick, which translates into being simple. I try not to focus too much on details, nor do I worry if I got their likeness or not. I simply don’t have time.

In the year I have been sketching people, I haven’t had anyone comment or ask to see what I draw. While that’s usually not the case when I am urban sketching, for some reason people just don’t talk to each other on the Paris metro. Even if people notice, they pretend not to, probably because most people are on their phones. While some people read, for the most part Parisians stick to themselves when they are on the metro.

My favorite time to sketch people is late mornings. I need to be sitting down to draw people, as it’s difficult to draw while trying not to fall as the metro speeds away. There are all types of characters on the metro and I have a lot of fun picking out features — a large scarf, statement sunglasses, a particular hairstyle.

When deciding who to draw, I quickly scan and look for someone close but not too close who is either on their phone or just not paying attention to me. Sometimes they move or get off the metro before I’ve finished.

But I find that the longer I’ve done this, the faster I become. And it’s taught me a lot about gesture drawing and picking features of people to draw. I’ve even started to slowly incorporate this style of bold lines of people in my larger urban sketching pieces.

The metro might get a bad rep for being crowded, smelly, full of pickpockets, with lots of technical issues, works, and strikes. And while all of that is true to some extent, I love the Paris Metro. To me, there is nothing more Parisian than sitting, drawing, and people watching while taking public transport.

What I’m Enjoying Lately in Paris

• “L’art est dans la rue” exhibit at the Musée d’Orsay about illustrated posters during the second of the 19th century in Paris. As an illustrator it was incredible to see these designs in person and understand a bit more about advertising during that time period. On until July 6.

• “Protect Me From What I Want” at the new art gallery Possibly Sometime Tomorrow in Belleville. This thought-provoking exhibit was curated by my friend Anouska Kobus and looks at the connection between capitalism and desire. Plus the gallery space is gorgeous.

• All the flowers in bloom and the last of the wisteria and lilacs.

• Reading Émile Zola while having a drink on a terrace.

• Noodles at Lim Sept in Belleville.

• Goat cheese and fresh strawberries from my local marché.

• Spending a weekend in Picardie at the old family home of a good friend. Going on a walk in the forest and taking a nap in the grass.