FEBRUARY SKETCHES 2016

WE WENT TO THE DESTINATIONS SHOW AT OLYMPIA, FEBRUARY 2016

I managed to do a sketch, while perched on a high stool, with a paper cup full of weak coffee.

Olympia, Kensington, London Destinations Show

LONDON URBAN SKETCHES IN WINTER 2016

URBAN SKETCHING CONTINUES, BASED IN LONDON AND THE SOUTH WEST

I am trying out a variety of drawing media, including Derwent Inktense sticks and Inktense water soluble pencils. I usually add watercolour and sometimes a little white gouache.

Putney Embankment, the Boat Race weekend

The Royal Academy Garden exhibition showing a film of Monet painting

FINDING CUPIDS IN CHARING CROSS ROAD

CUPIDS ARE FLYING BY THE LAMP POST IN WC2

If you go down Charing Cross Road, London towards Trafalgar Square, look out for these cute cupids.  You can see them in this image, which is a print. I have not seen any cupids lately, so maybe they are waiting for the weather to warm up at bit. 

FEBRUARY IN LONDON, SKETCHING AND COFFEE IN 2016

PLACES TO SKETCH ARE SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO FIND

I like to sit down to draw, and if possible to use watercolours in my sketching.  The paints I use are Windsor and Newton Artists Watercolours, and I have two fairly big boxes, a tiny box and an even bigger box that used to belong to my father. His one is heavy and I don't take it sketching.  He did though. He retired to Dorset and loved sketching the landscapes around Sherborne and Yetminster.  My preferences are more urban and if possible I include people.  

DESTINATIONS SHOW AT OLYMPIA LONDON  2016, A VIEW FROM A COFFEE STALL

Destinations Show, Olympia, London

DOORS TO THE RESTAURANT IN THE CENTRE OF THE WALLACE COLLECTION, MANCHESTER SQUARE, MAYFAIR

Wallace Collection restaurant, London

A FINAL CUP OF COFFEE AT PRET A MANGER IN ORCHARD STREET, MAYFAIR

Pret a Manger coffee shop, Orchard St, London

GARDEN IN THE WINTER - LONDON SUBURBS - AND THE BUSES OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY

WINTER GARDEN FROM THE WINDOW, EARLY JANUARY SKETCHES, CRAYON AND WATERCOLOUR

This garden is in the suburbs so has a mild-ish micro-climate. Nevertheless, lots of plants die right back in the cold frosty weather. I have quite a few hardy sub-shrubs like tree heathers, lavenders and santolina.

Watercolour, January garden, 2nd sketch

Watercolour sketch 1st sketch of garden January

My visit to the library gave me the inspiration to sketch the buses - red London buses, and the bright orange barriers around the on-going building works by the traffic lights.

Red London buses and road works, London suburbs

Another day I travelled to Waterloo station in London, one of the huge terminals which has been modernised over the last few years. 
Only the original clocks remain. I found a seat to sit and sketch, using pen and a little colour.

Waterloo station sketch, January, London

One warm and sunny morning at the Wisley Gardens, run by the Royal Horticultural Society, it was nice enough to sit outside, drink a coffee, and draw the groups of people also enjoying the sun. I used water-soluble crayon on damp paper.

Outside Wisley Gardens, RHS, Surrey, winter 2016

SKETCHING IN THE NEW YEAR, 2016, IN CANARY WHARF

SKETCHING WITH THE URBAN SKETCHERS GROUP AT CANARY WHARF IN JANUARY

A large group of sketchers met up one Saturday in January, excellently organised  by Katherine Tyrrell who explained the layout of Canary Wharf, with its confusing centres of shopping and the viewpoints, such as the garden right on the top, called Crossrail Place Roof garden.
Link to Canary Wharf group website 

We two chose to sketch outside overlooking the massive excavation work going on for a new block.  

In this area of the old docks, you can see three of the original cranes, which are now preserved as part of our industrial heritage. Poor things looked a bit lost in the wide open desolation.

The second sketch is indoors, we had to thaw out a bit! It is a sketch of the Jubilee Shopping complex, not as busy as usual. 
On a Saturday the workers are mostly absent.
Link to information on Jubilee Place shops at Canary Wharf

Cranes at Canary Wharf, London docklands

Saturday shoppers indoors in Jubilee Place Mall

WINTER SKETCHES IN LONDON WITH URBAN SKETCHERS

SKETCHING IN WINTER IS A BIT NIPPY, YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT QUICK!

The Urban Sketchers London Group met near the National Gallery to sketch, just before Christmas 2015.  

There is always a large Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square, given by Norway to the British people as a thank you.  
The plaque ate the bottom of the tree reads: This tree is given by the city of Oslo as a token of Norwegian gratitude to the people of London for their assistance during the years 1940-1945

Here is my first sketch done in Trafalgar Square. I used watercolour and pen. The second one is done from the cafe inside the National Gallery.  
I used pencil for this one. 

Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square London, 2015

Trafalgar Square seen from National Gallery, London

Coffee in Cafe Nero, St Martin's Lane, 

In Waterston's Bookshop, Costa Coffee bar upstairs