Caricatures vs Realism: A Trade-off

Today's Lesson Learned.....I have a sense during the few moments that I am sketching others during my daily commute that if I attempt to draw in a realistic manner, I can't get the details down fast enough and lose the moment and also fail to capture what my eye may see. But if I go faster and attempt a "caricature" approach with an emphasis on salient features, then I may actually get closer to accomplishing a likeness in the short amount of time allowed.

Daily Sketch: The First Caricature - Copyright James E. Martin 2012

Daily Sketch: The Second Caricature - Copyright James E. Martin 2012