Build a 5-Minute Drawing Habit with Nishant Jain
This workshop is a part of USk Vancouver Sketch Weekend 2026.
In his book, Make (Sneaky) Art, Nishant asks - how would life change if, whenever you had a free moment, you reached for a tiny sketchbook instead of your phone? This workshop will teach you how to make room for creativity, art, and curiosity, even during busy periods in life.
We will do so by addressing the two biggest obstacles to any drawing habit - how to get started quickly, and how to finish on time. Nishant will share techniques developed over years of making sneaky art in public places. For the first, we will explore our surroundings with curiosity, and reframe the scope of our art to fit small blocks of time. For the second, we will put our trust in bold lines and even bolder instincts.
A 5-minute drawing habit is not about making your most beautiful work. It is about maintaining creative momentum by giving yourself the permission to always be curious, and being ready to draw at the drop of a hat!
Learning goals of this workshop include:
Starting quickly on the blank page
Trusting instinct to get over initial hesitations
Finishing within limited time
Detailing selectively to bring attention to what matters
Workshop Timeline:
2:00 - 2:30pm - Participants are guided from OPUS towards workshop location + Quick introduction to workshop and instructor
2:30 - 2:45pm - Nishant demonstrates how to get started quickly
2:45 - 3:15pm - First exercise - getting started quickly
3:15 - 3:30pm - Answering questions, giving feedback
3:30-4pm - Second demo by Nishant on how to finish quickly
4:00 - 4:45pm - Second exercise, bringing together all the ideas and techniques
4:45 - 5pm - Throwdown, individual feedback, and parting thoughts.
Supplies list:
Paper: a sketchbook or pad with which you can draw while standing.
1st tool: a pen or pencil you like to use. (e.g. fountain pen, marker)
2nd tool: a pen, pencil, or brush, of a different color or style. (e.g. marker, fineliner, colour pencil)
Nishant will demonstrate with a Lamy Safari fountain pen, Pentel brush pen, and a Micron sepia fineliner.
Nishant Jain is a writer and (sneaky)-artist, making secret drawings of his world everywhere he goes. Nishant’s work addresses urban coexistence, and drawing as a way to pay attention to our physical environments. He is the host of the popular SneakyArt Podcast, and writes a weekly Substack newsletter where he shares notes and drawings from his sketchbook adventures. His book, Make (Sneaky) Art, offers ideas to build a sketchbook habit based upon mindfulness and observation.