I went to Brussels...

... and didn't see anything of it.

I was there to attend a day of conferences at the European Commission, followed by a testing day of various European Points of Single Contact (PSC) websites.

Although this is not the most thrilling thing I have done so far, I did enjoy the opportunity to meet people from other European countries and exchange points of view and ideas on our work.

The sad thing is that I didn't get to sketch much. I was way too tired in the evening to go out and see the city.

But I did get plenty of time to sketch people on the way there and back in the train. A three hour ride each way does get a bit long when you have nothing to do.

There were the usual suspects:

... the person busy with their phone...

Looked like a busy businessman

... the person reading a newspaper...

There was a reference to Charlie Hebdo

... someone playing sudoku, in this case my colleague...

Completely engrossed in his puzzle

... the novel reader (I always wonder what they're reading and whether I would like it)...

I know: the levels... Couldn't figure out how to improve them here without making the colours look weird

... and the sleeper.

Sweet dreams!

I do love to sketch in the train. It's far easier than in the bus and less conspicuous too.

People on the bus

I really love sketching people in public transportation.

Even when they're not doing anything in particular, they are so absorbed in their thoughts that I can study them at leasure.

I tend to have more difficulties drawing men than women. It might not look like it, but this man is no exception. Although he was not a bad-looking guy at all, I made him much more handsome than he actually was.

Italian elegance distracted me

I was attracted to this girl because it looked like she was completely out of it, looking at the ceiling and smiling as if she was seeing someone she knew. I even wondered if she wasn't on drugs...

Seeing angels

I liked this woman's hair for some reason.

Loved the nose, too!

This lady looked so warm in her winter clothes and was delightfully absorbed in her book. She didn't move at all.

The hairdo was interesting to sketch as well

How could I resist this nose? Just beautiful!

Now I see him quite often. I'll have to sketch him again.

I was sitting face to face with a teenager, completely engrossed in a game. The movement of his hands was fascinating.

Fast thumb movements will lead you to victory!

Of all the people inside a bus, there are always quite a few on the phone. I liked this woman's posture. Plus the fact that her neighbour was on the phone as well. The rest was a matter of being stuck in a traffic jam.

Traffic jams rule!

I think she was Russian...

The first thing that attracted me to this person was the huge fuzzy pom-pom attached to her hat.

The second thing was her long orange-brown hair.

And then there were her long mascara-laden eye-lashes.

That's probably why she doesn't look like a teenage girl in my sketch anymore.

It's not clear from the sketch, but I absolutely loved the pom-pom!

This is a post for Portraits without mercy. Check out that fun blog!

On the bus

As the weather is getting colder, there are less occasions for me to draw outside.

Luckily there is public transport.

And drawing people is always interesting.

Deep in thought

Deep in sleep

Deep in study