During a live music performance, everything shifts in a sketch: the light, the colors, the focus, the framing. The entire stage environment is crafted to create an emotional effect on the audience, who in turn feed the performers' energy. Whether it's an over-the-top, Taylor Swift–style production or a sunlit street corner where a busker plays, we sketchers have a knack for noticing and wanting to record these moments. And our drawings, too, are meant to spark something—either in the moment of creation, within ourselves, or later, to tell others, or as a vivid memory of the experience.

In this 4-session course, I’ll share the techniques I use to sketch live performances, whether on stage or on the street. We’ll focus on using watercolor to fuse atmosphere and performer, keeping the linework to the bare essentials.

By the end of this course, you will:

• Confidently capture the energy and atmosphere of live music performances using expressive line and watercolor, even in fast-changing or unpredictable conditions.

• Learn to make the most of limited time and challenging environments—like low lighting, constant movement, or busy street settings—by simplifying what you see and focusing on what matters.

• Develop your own visual storytelling approach to live sketching, blending performers, setting, and mood into cohesive, emotionally resonant sketches.