I typically avoid drawing people because I’m really uncomfortable in that area. My tendency is to attempt a realistic drawing, and I always fail. The thing with realism is either it’s real, or it’s not. Coming close to a likeness isn’t real, so you I might as well not tried in the first place.
Since I’m so weak in figure drawing – and clearly lack confidence – I’m going to try to capture more of the essence of people. As in this case, taking note of a pose and drawing it from memory later. Oddly enough, I think this picture actually looks like the person I saw waiting at the clinic across the street. I couldn’t have captured her true likeness if I’d tried, so I might just be on to something.