Saturday 28 March 2015

Let's Draw St Paul's to the Thames - 25th April 2015

For our next London Urban Sketchers' Sketchcrawl we're got the scope to draw some big buildings and big views!

St Paul's Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge
copyright Katherine Tyrrell
  • WHERE:  St Paul's to the Thames
  • WHEN: Sunday 26th April 2015 CHANGED TO Saturday 25th April 2015 (due to the London Marathon)
  • START: 11:00am at the top of the steps (right hand side) of the Main Entrance to St Paul's Cathedral.
  • LUNCH: 1:30pm on the Roof Terrace of One New Change (if dry; wet weather venue to be notified)
  • END: 3:30pm Paternoster Square - between St Paul's Cathedral Steps and St Paul's Tube Station (if dry; wet weather venue to be notified)
  • MAP: A map has been created in Google Maps/Drive of the area and key places
  • TUBE: Stations: St Paul's (Central Line); Blackfriars and Mansion House (District and Circle Lines)
  • RAIL: Thameslink @ London Blackfriars and City Thameslink; Cannon Street
Last time we were at St Paul's - in August 2014 - we sketched the churches of Wren's London.

London Urban Sketchers on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral
at the end of Pete Scully's Wren's Churches Sketchcrawl August 2014

On Saturday 25th April 2015, London Urban Sketchers are going to be sketching the part of the City of London around St Paul's Cathedral - down to the north bank of the Thames.
The view of where we're sketching from Tate Modern 7th floor
copyright Katherine Tyrrell
Birds Eye View of the area around St Paul's Cathedral
right click and open in a new tab to see much larger version
Above is a top down view of the area - right click the image and open in a new tab to see what's there. The suggested boundaries of the area are:
  • North: Paternoster Square, the London Stock Exchange and Christchurch Greyfriars Garden
  • West: Ludgate Hill and the narrow allies between Ludgate Hill and Queen Victoria Street
  • East: One New Change - this is a brand new shopping centre which is open on Sunday from 12:00. On the Roof Terrace (accessible via the lifts) there are great views right across London plus a really up close view of the top of St Paul's Cathedral
  • South: The north bank of the River Thames and the Millennium Bridge - accessed via Peter's Hill - south of St Paul's - which has lots of views off either side of churches and alley ways.
Here's another view of the area - taken from the map near the City Information Centre across the road from the Main Entrance to St. Paul's

Map of the area around St Paul's Cathedral

What you can sketch


There's masses to choose from whatever type of sketching you like doing. Here are some suggestions

St Paul's Cathedral and Churchyard - lots of architecture from lots of different perspectives around and about. You can find great views of it from:
  • Fleet Street and the bottom of Ludgate Hill looking up to the Cathedral
"Ludgate Hill - A block in the Street" by Gustave DorĂ©- from London, A Pilgrimage, 1872
The view caught by DorĂ© of the view up Ludgate Hill to St Paul's Cathdral.
It's a bit different now - but you could try sketching it!
    • From Peter's Hill looking up from the Thames and the Millennium Bridge
    The view of St Paul's from Peter's Hill walking up from the Millennium Bridge
    • From the Churchyard - just looking up
    • From the Roof Terrace of One New Change - where you can get a whole new perspective on the Dome.
    I created "The Leaning Dome of St Paul's" the last time I sketched it
    from the Roof Terrace!
    You can also draw people just sitting the people sitting on the steps...


    Take a walk down Peter's Hill to the Millennium Bridge

    the view down Peter's Hill to the Millennium Bridge and Tate Modern
    On the Millennium Bridge take a look at the view east up the Thames of The Shard and bridges over the Thames and, if you're lucky, the exposed shoreline complete with timber sticking up 

    The view east from the Millennium Bridge
    - of the tidal beach, the Shard and bridge along the Thames
    Go below the Millennium Bridge and there's some great views to be had of Tate Modern. Trying to draw the Millennium Bridge is tricky from any angle!

    The view of Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge from the north bank of the River Thames
    below City of London School
    Katherine Tyrrell

    PLUS (excitement!!) we're also going to be able to sketch Shaun the Sheep ;) who is taking up residence in various guises in the City of London between now and the end of May. You'll be able to see
    • one called 'Out of this World' Shaun at the City Information Centre, (- just to the south of St Paul's Churchyard) designed by Josh and Aimee Williams
    • two more - 'Fine & Gandy' by David Gandy and 'Wolly Wiggle' by Zandra Rhodes - at One New Change
    AND.....

    If people are up for it we may just try a "Draw the Dome in 15 minutes Challenge" over lunch at the Roof Terrace!  You can of course just watch!

    After the Sketchcrawl


    You can add sketches to the


    OR


    Share/Bookmark

    Friday 27 March 2015

    Anticipating summer

    I don't do a lot of outdoor drawing in London at present. I can't be doing with the cold. To remind me of warmer times I've dug out some colour drawings/paintings I've made in Finsbury Park in the last couple of years. Roll on summer!




    Share/Bookmark

    Tuesday 24 March 2015

    A bit of the ordinary with a pretty name


                              Daisy Road, South Woodford, E18

    I was in search of new chimney pots to draw and there was a lovely hazy blue distance, with pylons, to go with them! There aren't many good distance views round here but fortunately there is a road bridge over the Central Line. Pretty nippy at this time of year though.
    Share/Bookmark

    Tuesday 10 March 2015

    Around South Kensington


    We all met up to draw in and around the Victoria and Albert Museum on Saturday. It was a great turn-out, helped by springlike weather. I stayed outside to draw for most of it, around South Kensington tube station (above), and across the road from the museum in Thurloe Square (below). The museum's first director, Henry Cole, who also helped introduce the Penny Black, the world's first adhesive postage stamp, lived in the house on its corner. It would have been an easy commute for him in the 19th century – easier than now, when crossing four lanes of speeding, outsized 4x4s and tour buses is required.


    It was good to see everyone again, and especially to meet Carla Blackman, who was visiting London for a week from Cleveland, Ohio. Her drawings are on the Cleveland Urban Sketchers blog. Have a good trip home, Carla!






    Share/Bookmark

    Sunday 1 March 2015

    Odd shop in Burdett Road, Mile End


    Sandwiched between a couple of food shops is Telrose Carpets. It's windows are somewhat distressed but they still have the original coloured lights and painted metal frames. The properties on either side have exactly the same brickwork but four windows of the same proportions us the top floor ones here.  Good to see something pleasantly out of place once in a while.

    Share/Bookmark