I was waiting in a customer service line for my number to be called, along with other shoppers. It was crowded and the pace was slow so I began to sketch three women who, from my vantage point, pretty much looked like they shared a single body. The more I looked at this sketch, the more I liked it because it says something about the experience of waiting. The center woman is staring at the ‘Serving Customer Number ___’ display, while the others are staring off into space, possibly thinking about everything they have to do. The holiday lights suggest a purpose for the shopping and the white space says something about the impersonal setting of a large store.

I used a soluble pencil and later added a wash of red and brown.