- Christoph Niemann drew the caricature with a black dry-erase marker
- It was done while he was riding in a car from The New Yorker offices
- More than five million people have watched his video since he posted it on his Facebook on March 2
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A caricature of a cycling man on a car window appears to race past pedestrians on the busy streets of New York City.
The video, captured by New York illustrator Christoph Niemann, has gone viral, with more than five million people watching his drawing since he posted it to Facebook four days ago.
Niemann used the car window as his sketchbook, drawing the cycling man with a black dry erase marker while riding in the backseat of a vehicle from The New Yorker offices, he told NBC News.
As the vehicle moves, the drawing appears to move, too. Without pedaling, the cyclist responds to the ebb and flow of traffic.
At one point, the stick-figure cyclist, clad in a black, long-sleeved shirt, shoes and helmet, waits for a traffic light in front of parked Citi Bikes.
New York illustrator Christoph Niemann drew the cycling man with a black dry erase marker
Niemann recorded the caricature while riding in a vehicle from The New Yorker offices
As the vehicle moves, the drawing on its backseat window appears to move, too
The German-born artist (right) is featured in the Netflix series 'Abstract: The Art of Design'
Fans lauded Niemann's creative simplicity and the parallel between the transparent drawing and real-life cyclists, who are often difficult for drivers to see.
'This is brilliant - should be etched onto the windows of ALL new cars...,' Mark Jones commented.
German-born Niemann has had his work featured on the covers of The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine.
Since July 2008, Neimann has been a writer and illustrator for The New York Times blog 'Abstract City'.
He's featured in the first season of the Netflix documentary series 'Abstract: The Art of Design', which highlights artists in the field of design.
