We drew Trafalgar Square - Saturday 12 November 2022

Midday throwdown and group photo
Photo by John Swanson

By John Swanson

It’s always a little risky arranging a sketchcrawl at this time of year. The problem is the weather: what to do if it rains? Or it’s foggy? Howling gales? So, we went with a backup plan to draw in the National Gallery, but it turned out we didn’t need it. Landseer’s lions basked in warm sunshine, and Nelson looked down benignly on the crowds idling about in shorts and t-shirts, eating ice-creams. Completely wrong for November of course, but in the circumstances the only thing to do was enjoy it.

Initial briefing
Photo by Jimmy Lu 

We gathered at 11 am. Some people had arrived earlier, and already had sketches to show. By the time the briefing began we had maybe 80 people, gathered under the rather splendid statue 'Antelope' on the Fourth Plinth.

Photo by John Webb

Then the work began. The square was already busy with tourists, but soon it was even busier with sketchers. They were everywhere. All the seats down one side of the square were taken by people squinting, measuring, sucking on pens, drawing and painting. Sketchers sat on the fountains, they inspected the lions, they set up portable easels.

Photo by Zane Karklina

Photo by Zane Karklina

Photo by Zane Karklina

At 1pm we gathered again to compare stories and sketches in the throwdown. This took place below the wall on the west side, out of the way of the crowds. However, it also meant the pictures could only be seen from one side -– or from the parapet above. With so many sketchers, this led to something of a scrum, not very satisfactory.

Seeing this, one of our number took charge: ‘Form a queue and walk past from the right! Then everyone can see!’ And after we recovered from astonishment at such a sensible idea, it all worked, brilliantly. In fact, I’d recommend future sketch organisers adopt the idea. As for the sketcher who initiated this, given the authoritative way she brought order to a disorderly bunch of independently minded citizens -– they were all artists, after all -– I’d guess she might be a teacher. Or ex-military. (I owe her both thanks and an apology, for although I did meet her, I’ve forgotten her name. Sorry, but I hope you return.)

Photo by John Swanson

The square became much livelier in the afternoon. First, there was a noisy gathering of Iranian protesters up in the north-east corner, with flags, loudspeakers and a drum.

Iranian demonstrators 
Sketch by John Swanson

Down in the square, in front of Nelson’s column, a stage had been built, and before long another demonstration arrived, this one in support of -– or possibly against — COP27. Suddenly there were more police to be seen, who, despite the hostility shown towards them by some of the speakers, treated the whole thing in a good-natured way. However, the combined racket was a bit too much for some of us, and a few sketchers drifted further afield to draw nearby scenes, like Whitehall and St James’ Palace.

The demonstration
Sketch by Katy Evans

St James's Palace
Sketch by Peggy Thistlethwaite

The afternoon throwdown was at 3.30, in the same place as before, with a perfectly operational and self-organised queueing system to view the work, all of it excellent. By the time we finished, the sun was getting low, and many of the buildings were bathed in a beautiful golden light. You might think the photographs have been photo-shopped, but they haven’t -- they really looked like that.

Afternoon throwdown and group photo
Photo by John Swanson

Trafalgar Square in golden evening light
Photo by Zane Karklina

Finally, many of us went for a cup of tea and a chat in The Crypt café at the Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, bringing to an end what I think was a very successful sketching day.

A selection of drawings from the day

Here are more sketches on the day -- out of very many -- chosen to represent the variety of scenes and topics we drew. The quality of work was excellent; there are many more to see on Urban Sketchers London social media accounts (see links at the end of this blog post). 

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped to make the day so much fun!

View of Trafalgar Square
Sketch by Paul Gadenne

The Fourth Plinth
Sketch by Sasala Wickramasinghe

Trafalgar Square
Sketch by Jimmy Lu

St Martin-in-the-Fields
Sketch by Bruce Bignold

View past the National Gallery towards St Martin-in-the-Fields
Sketch by James Walding

A lion of Trafalgar Square
Sketch by Cat Donne

 

Celebrating 10 years of Urban Sketchers London

2012 - 2022

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London by Urban Sketchers - Our 10 Year Anniversary Book

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We drew Trafalgar Square - Saturday 12 November 2022

Let's draw Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery -- Saturday 12 November 2022

Trafalgar Square
Sketch by John Webb

This month we’ll be drawing one of London’s most famous landmarks, Trafalgar Square, and the surrounding area.

[Led by John Swanson and John Webb]

There are many sketching opportunities in the square and nearby. There is a new and striking statue on the Fourth Plinth, along with the famous lions, the fountains, and of course Nelson's Column, plus street performance artists and the endless crowds.

The National Gallery offers the chance to draw people in its galleries, while the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields is beautiful, famous and open to all -- another great sketching opportunity, inside and out. If you feel the need to wander further, The Mall and Whitehall are nearby.

If you wish to draw in the National Gallery, please keep to their guidelines, which are available online, and repeated here:

‘Sketching and drawing are permitted in the Gallery with the following guidelines:

• Please be conscious of other people, and move aside if someone wishes to view the painting you are sketching
• Sketchbooks or notepaper should be no larger than A3 size
• Spend no more than 10 minutes in front of any painting
• You may be asked to move along to another painting or room if we are particularly busy
• No sketching is permitted in doorways or access routes
• Painting and use of materials other than pencils is only permitted under the Copyist Scheme.’

The restriction to using pencils allows the use of coloured pencils, of course. If you draw inside St Martins, please keep to the same rule of using dry materials only. 

There is no cost, just wrap up warm and bring your drawing gear.

Key times and meeting points

11am

Meet by the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. We will meet on the lower level of the square, below the statue.

(If it's rainy, we will meet under the walkway that connects the Sainsbury Wing of the Gallery to the older part of the building.)

Location of the walkway.
We will meet underneath it if it's rainy.

1 pm

Meet for the lunchtime group photo and throwdown, by the Fourth Plinth. (If it's rainy, we will meet inside the Sainsbury Wing of the Gallery, in the open area just inside the entrance. It takes a little time to get through the entry security checks, so it’s best to allow a few minutes for this.)

3.30 pm

Meet for the final throwdown and group photo by the Fourth Plinth, or if it's wet, inside the Sainsbury Wing of the Gallery. We will then meet for post-sketch coffee and chat in the Café in the Crypt, at St Martin-in-the-Fields.

The 4th Plinth
Sketch by John Swanson

Practical information

Toilets are available in Trafalgar Square, close to the Fourth Plinth, and in the National Gallery. There is a charge of 20p in the square; contactless payment is available.

Entry to the National Gallery’s general collection is free. However, the National Portrait Gallery, next to the National, is closed until next year.

If you forget any of your drawing gear, there is a Cass Art shop just round the corner in Charing Cross Road.

There are many cafés and restaurants in the area, including in the Gallery, and there's the Café in the Crypt on the lower level of St Martin-in-the-Fields.

The nearest Tube station is Charing Cross (there are many exits, so follow the signs for the Trafalgar Square exit), while Leicester Square and Embankment stations are very close.

There are many bus services, but it’s best to consult Transport for London (TfL) for advice.

COVID-19 visit information

We will remain alert to national guidance about COVID-19 and its variants. Even while restrictions have been lifted, it's sensible to take all necessary precautions to keep ourselves and fellow sketchers safe throughout the event. The risk of infection for outdoor events is low, but basic guidance still applies:

• Please do not attend if you feel unwell
• Wear a face covering when you're close to others
• Give people space
• Practice good hand hygiene.
• 
  

Location map

See you at Trafalgar Square!

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Celebrating 10 years of Urban Sketchers London

2012 - 2022

London by Urban Sketchers - Our 10 Year Anniversary Book

Order your copy here!

Urban Sketchers London on social media

• Instagram    @urbansketcherslondon
• Facebook     @USKLondon
• Twitter         @UrbSketchLondon

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Let's draw Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery -- Saturday 12 November 2022

Let's Draw The National Gallery and Trafalgar Square at Christmas - 12th December 2015

This December's "Let's Draw London" sketchcrawl on Saturday 12th December 2015, is based around Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery. PLEASE NOTE THE LATE START.

The aim of starting later is to have time to sketch the tree in lights as dusk begins

This is the Event Link on Facebook.

The Christmas Tree on Friday 4th December 2015 at 4.40pm

In early December the Christmas Tree from Norway is erected in Trafalgar Square. You can see a photo of it that I took on Friday afternoon last week above.

For those wanting to sketch the Christmas Tree and the lights at the entrance to the Strand I recommend experimenting with some dark paper with you and media which works on top of dark paper!  Otherwise you just end up filling in a lot of darks!

In case it's wet or for those of us who don't do to well in cold/damp weather (I shall be indoors!), the National Gallery offers lots of opportunities for keeping warm and dry and drawing people and paintings in art galleries.  The trick with drawing people fast is to focus on the shape, size and posture and not the faces.  There's also any amount of architecture and perspective in the very large interiors to keep the 'drawing buildings' fans happy!

The National gallery has sketching stools - but they're sometimes difficult to locate

PLEASE NOTE: The National Gallery does not allow wet media for sketching. You need to use pencils or coloured pencils. Pens that don't use wet ink seem to be OK i.e. no dip pens and no fountain pens.

This is what they have to say about Sketching in the Galleries

Guidelines

• Sketching is not allowed in exhibitions
• Use a hand-held pad of paper, pencil, graphite stick or felt-tipped pens
• Avoid materials such as pastels, wax crayons, charcoal and fountain pens

Copyists

If you wish to use paint, or other oil/water-based media, request an application form from: information@ng-london.org.uk

The National Gallery also has 'facilities' - see the map of the interior (Level 0 in main building and Level 1 or -1 in the Sainsbury Wing)

Looking at the Turners in the National Gallery - sketched from the splendid red sofas!
sketch in pencil and coloured pencils (11 x 16") by Katherine Tyrrell

A group of school children having a lesson about art - in the National Gallery
pen and ink and coloured pencil sketch in a Moleskine by Katherine Tyrrell

Information for Saturday 12th December

Times and Places 

• START venue/time: 12:00 (note later time)
• wet - in the lobby area of the Ground floor entrance to the National Gallery (to right of external stairs)
• dry - next to the 4th Plinth, National Gallery side
• LUNCH: 2:00pm - Bottom of the stairs, ground floor of Sainsbury Wing
• FINISH: 4:30pm - Bottom of the stairs, ground floor of Sainsbury Wing
• AFTERWARDS: Buttery section of the National Dining Rooms - at the top of the stairs in the Sainsbury Wing for tea and cake!

MAP: Map of start/lunch/finish places
Websites: Trafalgar Square | National Gallery

Refreshments: Sandwiches - In the National Gallery (Grab and Go next to the National Cafe and Expresso Bar in the Basement), M&S @ Charing Cross, Boots at the Trafalgar end of The Strand, various coffee places around Trafalgar Square


Travel:

• Nearest Tube Stations - Charing Cross, Leicester Square, Embankment - so far as I am aware there are no planned closures.
• Nearest Rail Station: Charing Cross 

In early December the Christmas Tree from Norway is erected in Trafalgar Square.  Last year it was lit on 4th December.Plus the National Gallery offers lots of opportunities for keeping warm and dry and drawing people in art galleries.

The aim of starting later is to have time to sketch the tree in lights as dusk begins

• Websites: Trafalgar Square | National Gallery
• MAP: Map of start/lunch/finish places
• START venue/time: 12:00 (note later time)
• wet - in the lobby area of the Ground floor entrance to the National Hallery (to right of external stairs)
• dry - next to the 4th Plinth, National Gallery side
• LUNCH: 2:00pm - Bottom of the stairs, ground floor of Sainsbury Wing
• FINISH: 4:30pm - Bottom of the stairs, ground floor of Sainsbury Wing
• AFTERWARDS: Buttery at the top of the stairs in the Sainsbury Wing
• Travel: Tube Stations - Charing Cross, Leicester Square, Embankment

- See more at: http://urbansketchers-london.blogspot.co.uk/p/london-sketchcrawls.html#sthash.JsdrpzGS.dpuf

Let's Draw The National Gallery and Trafalgar Square at Christmas - 12th December 2015