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History as It Happens

Arthur Lien talks about drawing at the Supreme Court

In this sketch, attorney Ted Olson makes an argument before the Supreme Court.

Scholastic Art: What is your job?

Arthur Lien: I am a courtroom sketch artist for NBC and SCOTUSblog. Cameras aren't allowed in many courtrooms. Instead, I attend court cases and create illustrations of the witnesses, lawyers, judges, and other people to tell the story of the trial.

Arthur Lien

SA: What cases have you worked on?

AL: My regular gig is the U.S. Supreme Court. But I cover cases in other courts, too, such as the Boston Marathon bombing trial, the White House fence jumper trial, and the 2010 Russian spies trial. I’ve also covered U.S. Senate hearings as well as military court proceedings.

SA: What materials do you prefer?

AL: I work on fairly cheap paper. To capture the action, I use a mechanical pencil to make line drawings. Then I add a splash of watercolor to capture the atmosphere in the courtroom.

SA: How do you capture people’s facial expressions and gestures so quickly?

AL: Sometimes a witness or a lawyer will repeat a gesture or expression over and over. So I capture a little bit, and then I wait for the person to do it again, and I add a bit more until I finish it. But with the big dramatic gestures, it’s often from memory.

SA: How did you become a courtroom sketch artist?

AL: Totally by chance! After I graduated from art school, a friend told me that a local television station was looking for a sketch artist. I went to the newsroom and did a few sketches. They hired me, but I made a big mistake with my first assignment. I used gouache on a non-absorbent paper. The paint puddled and all the colors ran into each other. It was so bad that I was fired. But I redid the sketch on cardboard and convinced them to look at it. They did, and they rehired me!

SA: What is the best part of your job?

AL: I love having such a great seat to watch history unfold! 

Career Profile: Courtroom Sketch Artist

Salary:

Courtroom sketch artists earn between $20,000 and $90,000 per year, depending on location and experience. 

 

Education:

Most courtroom sketch artists have a bachelor of arts degree (B.A.) or a bachelor of fine arts degree (B.F.A.).

 

Getting Started:

  • Go to a public place and make sketches of people nearby. Focus on their expressions and gestures.
  • Build a portfolio showing your ability to render personality in your sketches.
  • Visit a local courthouse and sit in on a public trial. Practice drawing the participants.

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