The indictment and early morning arrest of Roger Stone overshadowed Paul Manafort’s appearance in a DC courtroom yesterday. Manafort chose not to be there but judge Amy Berman Jackson insisted he attend the hearing over his lack of cooperation with the Special Counsel.
Leaning heavily on a cane as he walked into the courtroom, his hair a bit more gray, Manafort is looking old and tired.
The hearing will continue next week but under seal, behind closed doors so no sketches. However, on Tuesday Roger Stone will be at the DC courthouse for arraignment, and I wouldn’t want to miss that.
Courtroom sketching is a form of visual journalism or reportage drawing that is slowly dying out. Where once upon a time news organization each had their own artist covering a story, today a “pool” artist often sketches for all. It is a demanding and stressful discipline where the drawing is often done directly and under tight deadline.
After forty-five years of news sketching in courtrooms and congress I’m calling it quits. It’s been sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating, almost always interesting. I’ve been lucky to work with some really great people. Don’t think I’ll miss it, but a little scared of not having a deadline.
While I won’t be sketching in court anymore, I may continue to post to this blog from time to time. Not sure what that might be. I’m about to start a new assignment documenting infrastructure and construction. Could be interesting.
As always I learn a lot :) curious to know what sizes are your sketches. ?
Two sizes, 9″x12″ and 11″x15″