In early lockdown, there was a season of Instagram Live. It did not last very long. But for a brief moment in popular culture, everyone was trying it all over the world.

They became a part of my morning routine. Morning in the US, which is late evening in India, was when a lot of Indians did IG Live sessions. And I needed it. Back in those days, we were actually afraid of COVID19. Every morning began under a cloud of anxiety and fear. We were uncertain about the future. Now we are not so naive. Everything is screwed. We know that. So it goes.

But in those early days of naivete, we looked for solace and positivity.

I did a number of live drawings myself at this time. Some of them were in collaboration with other artists. Our screens were split, we spoke with each other, and we drew to small but dedicated audiences. It was difficult to see details, and a poor connection caused everything to pixelate immediately. Comments would roll over the screen and you couldn’t hide them. It was really not well-suited to what we were doing. But I loved doing it while it was interesting. I am told a lot of artists aren’t comfortable drawing live. But I always draw straight with a fountain pen, so I don’t care if someone is watching or not. I’m quick in any case. Here are some things I drew in 60 minutes or less.

Drawing from a reference pic of a junkyard, with Paul Heaston

The Season of Instagram Live