“The first time I ever touched a pencil to draw a piece of art was during the pandemic. It was inspired by me wanting to give my dad a special gift for Father’s Day, something personal that he would really appreciate.”
In June of 2020, Stacy Niemkiewicz decided to give her dad a heartfelt gift – a sketch of her and her brother’s dogs. Why? Because her father was especially fond of both dogs. She had never drawn a sketch before, but had photos of the dogs, a blank Father’s Day card, and a #2 pencil. So, she seated herself at her dining room table, and gave it a try. Little did she know that this seemingly simple act would be the catalyst for a life-changing passion.
“I didn’t know if I would be able to sketch the dogs well, but I had a picture of them and just sat down and started drawing,” recalls Stacy. “What surprised me was how much I enjoyed the process. I was really into it. I found myself in a kind of ‘flow state’ and remember getting completely lost in the act of drawing.”
Anxious to hear about the results, I asked Stacy how the drawings turned out. “The finished product wasn’t bad,” she chuckled. “My Dad framed them and still has them to this day. My brother also had a printed copy framed.”
A Natural Gift
The dog sketches sparked something significant in Stacy, and she wondered if she could translate her newfound artistic skill to other subject matter, specifically humans. She quickly turned to the internet for inspiration and began practicing with children’s portrait photos.
“I am very certain I just googled ‘children’ online and picked a child portrait that I thought was good enough quality to use as a test. So, I drew this child, and my finished sketch looked strikingly similar to the photo. I was pretty pleased with it. From there it just became an obsession … one picture after the next, after the next, and the next.”
To her astonishment, Stacy’s first human sketch attempts were nothing short of remarkable. Her ability to replicate existing photos with impeccable detail revealed what many would describe as a natural born talent.
“It was really kind of crazy,” admits Stacy. “I can’t describe how quickly that I progressed. My sketches were oddly good for being first drawings. I see other sketch artists on Instagram, and some have reels showing where they started compared to where they are today. I don’t want to sound arrogant, but the midpoint of their journey is kind of where my first drawings started. I can only attest that to being a natural gift. I didn’t have to study or put much effort into it.”
Chasing the Flow State
I prodded Stacy further, and while she may not have put much effort into her craft in the beginning, that changed dramatically once she discovered her talent. In fact, Stacy now sketches almost every night, and for multiple hours. She admits not everyone has enough endurance to do that, but for her, the hours seem timeless as she gets into what she describes as her “flow state.”
“I wouldn’t say I have ADD [attention deficit disorder], but my mind is constantly flooded with thoughts. I’m up, I’m down, I’m over here and all over the place,” explains Stacy. “Sketching takes me someplace else, void of all those ruminating thoughts. It’s in those moments, where I can zone everything out and just focus on sketching, that I feel most in my flow state.”
“I actually have a routine to get me there. I like to draw specifically in one corner of my bedroom. I’ll dim the lights, put on some music or a playlist, and just disappear into that flow state. It’s the best place to be and absolutely when I do my best work. I’m always chasing the flow state.”
To Commission, Or Not to Commission
After a year of drawing, Stacy accumulated a collection of impressive sketches and began showcasing them on social media. It was after viewing one of her sketches on Facebook that someone approached her to do a personal commission, a family portrait from a photo.
“Someone sent me a photo of their husband, and I drew it for them as a gift. I shared it on Instagram, and that led to someone else approaching me for another personal commission. Before I knew it, the commissions started pouring in.”
When she wasn’t working on commissions, Stacy would fill her time drawing things that she was personally interested in. Her favorite muses, in the beginning, were famous music artists, both past and present. “During that time, I was drawing music artists such as J. Cole. I really like his music a lot. I think Kendrick Lamar was also one of my first pieces. Those sketches came out great. Nice enough that I started dabbling with making prints, because people started showing a lot of interest in those pieces.”
“Before long, I had a small gallery of music artist sketches which I would post on social media. Shortly after, I started getting approached to be part of art shows, as a vendor. I’d table at these shows and sell prints of my work. It all started snowballing, between getting asked to do personal commissions to getting asked to be part of these art shows. It gave me a lot more exposure.”
As the demand for her sketches grew, Stacy soon found herself in a difficult conundrum. Should she continue to take on commission projects, or focus more on creating her own pieces? The decision turned out to be surprisingly easy for her. She decided to pivot.
“I don’t really take personal commissions anymore,” declares Stacy. “Each sketch I do usually takes between 30-40 hours to complete. And honestly, the amount of money I received for personal commissions didn’t reflect the amount of work that went into each piece. I also didn’t have any control over the types or quality of photos that were chosen for me to sketch. I got myself into a few pickles with people sending me really granular photos from the 90’s. They would be faded or worn, and the customer wanted me to produce something beautiful or creative with them. That’s not what I do.”
“My style of drawing is simply looking at a photo … and replicating it. I think I have a meticulous eye and a supreme attention to detail which translates well to a sketching pad. But I just didn’t feel comfortable trying to replicate poor quality photos. So, I nixed it.”
Stacy’s Jam
Instead of personal commissions, Stacy turned her attention completely to music artists and sports figures. Drawing these iconic personalities allowed her to connect on a deeper level. She would immerse herself in their music or television interviews while working on their portraits, forging a unique bond with each subject.
They also represented a more scalable model. Commission projects were “one and done.” Sketches of music artists and sports celebrities, however, could be turned into prints, offering Stacy an opportunity for residual income and a much broader audience. Those types of sketches also brought her personal joy.
Stacy’s portfolio included well-known music artists such as Tupac, Lauryn Hill, 50 Cent, and legendary rapper Biggie Smalls, aka The Notorious B.I.G., whose portrait proved to be a significant challenge.
“I did the Biggie sketch for a silent auction and it’s one of my favorite pieces to date … mainly because of the amount of detail. The picture was of him in this crazy sweater which took me forever to complete. That sweater was the most insane amount of detail I’ve ever had to sketch. But it turned out incredible. I was actually a little sad to give it away.”
“When it comes to finishing these types of pieces, and if you know you have to give or sell it right away, there’s this feeling like you’re letting go of your child. You’re releasing this body of work that you spent so much intimate time with and putting it out there into the world. And while you’re happy to release it, there is a feeling of loss for a moment.”
A Sports Niche
If you look around the artist community, especially in Philadelphia, you will notice that there are very few artists focused on sports sketching. This is an area where Stacy has excelled, due to a lifelong interest in sports. It’s also a specialty that sets her apart.
“I love sports,” professes Stacy. “Whether it was football or basketball … sports were just something I grew up with and that I was always heavily into. I don’t know exactly why I started focusing on sports drawings, but I think it’s because it gave me a way to contribute to a world that I loved being around.”
“I went to Penn State for College, and I’ve done a LOT of Penn State pieces, mostly football related. When I first started, sketching collegiate players was a great way for me to get exposure. When I would draw a college player, they would think it was cool, then share it on their social. That would spread pretty quickly because the team is so popular. I feel like I have a big Penn State audience.”
“I’m starting to get into more random or abstract sports stuff too. For example, I recently did a retro Converse shoe which sold immediately when I posted it on Instagram. It was a classic white converse shoe sitting on a mirror. The positive response I got from that one was wild.”
“Right now, I’m trying to quickly finish a portrait of Phillies player Nick Castellanos. He stuck his ring finger out after hitting a double to help the team win against Miami in the wildcard game the other night. People thought it was his middle finger, but it was definitely the ring finger … suggesting that they need to put a [World Series] ring on it this year. I need to finish that one before the playoffs are over!”
One of Stacy’s favorite places to showcase and sell her sports sketches is at trading card shows. “It’s my favorite thing to do,” she laughs. “That whole world is wild and fun. It has a diverse cast of characters ranging from super savvy 8-year-olds, to gritty sports lovers, to women collectors and enthusiasts. Everyone’s got their books. It’s like a whole scene.”
“I did one of those shows in New York where Allen Iverson was making a guest appearance. Someone bought my Iverson drawing at that event and got him to sign it. That was pretty cool.”
Stacy’s Favorites
Stacy has completed hundreds of sketches over the last 3 years, but says that her favorite piece was one she drew of music mogul Jay Z, smoking a cigar. “I really captured the smoke and related details. It almost looks like a real photo. I love how that one turned out. Though I have to admit, it seems like my favorite piece is something different every other day. I did one of Bill Russell where I focused heavily on the details of his forehead and facial expression.”
Stacy brought several of her pieces to our meeting, including the Bill Russell portrait. The level of detail was phenomenal. I could almost feel Bill Russell assuredly smiling as he cupped his face with hands bearing multiple championship rings. It was a fantastic sketch.
People don’t seem to be doing many sketches like this these days. True sketch artists have become a rare breed, as many have either moved to painting, or given up in the wake Artificial Intelligence generated work which can seemingly be produced overnight.
Stacy agrees but seems undaunted. “Digital art seems to have taken over. But I’m old school pen to paper, and there are very few artists who do that now, especially as it relates to sports and sports figures.”
I asked Stacy if she thought sketching might one day become a full time, paying gig. She answered with a curt, “No.”
“I don’t think I would like the pressure of having to sell drawings to make money. That just might ruin it for me. Sketching is my peaceful side gig right now, and I love it that way.”
If you’re interested in Stacy’s sketches, you can find her work on Instagram @sketchsesbystacy, or online by visiting www.sketchesbystacy.com.
