Let's draw: Squares - Saturday 15 May 2021

 [Lis Watkins writes] The challenge for May is based on the theme of ‘Squares.’ You could choose a central London Square, maybe somewhere local to you or use the theme as inspiration for sketching at home. As always, the priority is to stay safe and follow the relevant government guidelines in place at the time.

Parliament Square

My examples are from Parliament and Trafalgar Squares, drawn earlier this year.

I attempted an idea learnt at a ‘Pushing Your Sketching Boundaries’ workshop, where Swasky* explained a method to do an urban sketch but show the whole area around you. It involves moving around each side of a square and drawing each elevation to give an impression of the space. It is a fun and unusual way to approach a drawing, and it would be lovely if you could have a go. It’s a very literal way to look at the world in a different way, something we have all been doing over the past year in many aspects of our lives.

Trafalgar Square

Some other ideas for using the inspiration ‘squares’ if you are at home: 

• Board games - playing chess or draughts, rolling dice, solving a Rubik’s cube 
• Tiles - in the bathroom, around the sink, maybe around a fireplace or in a hallway 
• Paving - decorative paths, textures of slabs in the garden, 
• Cooking- making tray bakes, using stock cubes, tea with Battenburg cake 

These are just suggestions, you can respond to the theme in any way you choose, as long as your sketches are drawn from life.

Whatever you choose to draw, I hope you enjoy the process! There will be a virtual ‘throwdown’ on the Urban Sketchers London Facebook page at 3.30pm on Saturday 15th May, but please share your sketches at other times during the month, if that is more convenient for you. Use the hashtags #urbansketcherslondon #usklondonsquares #urbansketchers if you are posting on social media to help us find your drawings. 

*Swasky is on Instagram @swasky

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Let's draw: Squares - Saturday 15 May 2021