London by Urban Sketchers - Open Exhibition 8-16 October at The Art Pavilion, Mile End Park

 

Sketch by Isabel Carmona

As we approach the end of our 10th Anniversary Celebration Year, Urban Sketchers London are showcasing our work in an open exhibition. 

Come and be inspired by urban sketching! 

London by Urban Sketchers

Open Exhibition

Saturday 8 - Sunday 16 October 2022

11am - 6pm daily

At The Art Pavilion in Mile End Park E3 4QY

The Art Pavilion in Mile End Park
Photo courtesy of Visit London

Who are urban sketchers?

Urban Sketchers is a friendly all-volunteer network of people from all walks of life around the world who draw the cities they live in and travel to. Our mission is to ‘Show the World, One Drawing at a Time.’

Urban Sketchers London (USk London) is one of more than 300 chapters of urban sketchers worldwide. We organise monthly sketch walks (also known as ‘sketchcrawls’) in London which are completely free to attend – no registration or membership required. Our activities are publicised here on our blog and on our social media accounts -- you'll find links to Urban Sketchers London on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at the end of this blog post.

The Urban Sketchers Manifesto

What’s happening at The Art Pavilion?

Over 100 works of art will be on show, all drawn by urban sketchers, in London, on location, as per the Urban Sketchers manifesto. Some of the artwork will be for sale. 

In addition to the exhibits, we will be running several urban sketching activities. You are welcome to join in any and all of them: 

• Urban sketching demonstrations (see schedule below)
• A large scale communal artwork (material for this will be provided), and
• A typical Urban Sketchers London 'sketchcrawl'. 

You’re free to watch the demonstrations, or bring your own art materials and draw along with us. 

We will also hold our monthly 'sketchcrawl' in Mile End Park on Saturday 15 October. We'll start by meeting at the Art Pavilion at 11 am. See the sketchcrawl blog post for more details.  

There is no need to register for any of these activities. Just turn up with your art kit!

Exhibition hours and the private view

 

The exhibition will run from Saturday 8 October to Sunday the 16th, open daily from 11 am till 6 pm.

A private view for exhibitors and their friends and family will take place on Sunday 9 October from 4.30 to 7.30 pm. 

Sketch by Ray Chan

Demonstration and sketch walk schedule

Sun 9 October    Demos         12-1pm and 3-4pm

Thu 13                Demo           3-4pm

Fri 14                  Demo           3-4pm

Sat 15                 Sketchcrawl 11am-1pm and 2-3.30pm

Sun 16                Demos          12-1pm and 3-4pm

Any questions? just drop us an email!

Sketch by Lis Watkins

How to get there

By public transport

Mile End Underground Station is on the District and Hammersmith & City lines. Connect at Whitechapel for the Elizabeth Line.

The 25, 250, 277 and 425 buses stop in Mile End Road. For their routes, locations of bus stops and real-time bus locations, please visit the Transport for London website.

By car

There is very little car parking near Mile End Park. The local streets operate a permit system for residents. Limited parking is available at Bow Wharf, to the north of the Art Pavilion.

Sketch by Jane Cradock-Watson

See you at the exhibition!

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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

Join our mailing list

Sign up here to receive all the latest Urban Sketchers London news in your email Inbox.

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London by Urban Sketchers - Open Exhibition 8-16 October at The Art Pavilion, Mile End Park

Let's draw Waterloo Station - Saturday 12 March 2022

Our first meeting point of the day: The Waterloo Clock,
'one of the most famous meeting places in London'
From 15 Things to Do at Waterloo Station in London for the History Buff 

[By Nigel Gibson and Helen Hayhoe]

In March we draw Waterloo Station

Waterloo Station is a major rail and Underground station in London with services all across the South West of England, including Bournemouth, Exeter, Portsmouth, Salisbury, Southampton and Winchester. There are multiple platforms, including what was once the Eurostar terminal. 

The station has some interesting sculptures and commemorative plaques as well as views across the river, and is good for people watching. 

The day is free of charge, no need to book, just turn up with your artist’s materials.

Waterloo Station 14 January 2016

by Paulina Little

By special permission

Waterloo Station has kindly given permission for our large group to sketch at the station for this event. They have asked that each of us sign in at station reception when we arrive. It's no. 7 on this map of Waterloo Station, near Costa Coffee (no.5) and the information desk (no. 9). You may need to show valid photo ID.

Detail of the Waterloo Station map
We are asked to sign in at station reception when we arrive.

We have been asked to estimate numbers and to provide names of possible attendees. If you plan to join in, please send us your name at urbansketcherslondon{at}gmail.com and we will include you on our list. 

NB: Please allow extra time to sign in before our 11am start.

Tag your sketches on Twitter

Waterloo Station encourage us to post some of our sketches on their Twitter feed -- just use their Twitter tag @LondonWaterloo.

Key times and meeting points

Meeting points and local landmarks are shown on our location map at the end of this blog post. 

11 AM

Meet underneath the Waterloo Clock in the main concourse – not the clock by the main entrance! It is sheltered from the weather and close to many amenities such as Costa for coffees / drinks and Marks & Spencer’s Food Hall for snacks and sandwiches.

1 PM

Meet again at the upper concourse (Balcony Level) at the end closest to the main entrance at Victory Arch. There are some benches there, and the area can be directly accessed via escalators. This location can be found at location B1 on the station map.

3.30 PM

Meet again (at the same place as for 1 PM) to view drawings and to take some group photographs. 

Afterwards

For those who would like to linger after our final meeting of the day, join us at the bar in the Royal Festival Hall in the Southbank Centre across the street from Waterloo Station (see our location map).

Royal Festival Hall

Options for drawing

• The Victory Arch was designed by J R Scott, the chief architect. Made of Portland stone and bronze, it depicts War and Peace, with Britannia holding the torch of liberty above. Leading from Station Approach onto the concourse, the Victory Arch forms the main entrance to Waterloo. Look up and see the colours of the glass roof. There's more at 15 things to do at Waterloo Station in London for the History Buff.

London and South Western Railway Waterloo Station

Sketch of Main Entrance [Victory Arch] 1921-22 by architect J R Scott

• Graffiti tunnel There is a famous and constantly changing graffiti tunnel underneath Waterloo Station at Leake St. 

• South Bank Arts Complex has a variety of concert halls, cafes and galleries. Their web site lists some of the attractions which are available, including a food market.

• Lower Marsh has a flea market on Saturdays and is a short stroll from Waterloo Station. Some information is available on Tripadvisor. 

• The London Eye is nearby alongside the Thames. 

History of Waterloo Station

Replacing the first terminus of the London & Southampton Railway at Nine Elms, Waterloo Station was opened in 1848 by the London & South Western Railway as part of extending the line two miles to be nearer the city. This original station, known as ‘central station’, had six platforms.

From its very earliest days the station was popular with race goers travelling to Epsom -- the original station opening in 1848 was brought forward a week to enable passengers to travel to the Derby by rail for the first time. In modern times Ascot Week sees thousands of passengers dressed up for a day at the races. 

On a more sombre note, nearby there was the London Necropolis Railway station, which took coffins to Brookwood Cemetery. It was damaged by bombing during WWII and never rebuilt.

For more information about the history of Waterloo Station there is an historical timelineon the Network Rail website and a recent book Waterloo Station: A History of London's Busiest Terminus by Robert Lordan (2021).

Waterloo Station in popular culture

Many films and TV series have used Waterloo Station as a backdrop, including The Constant Gardener (2005), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), Arabesque (1966), Howl (2015) and The 7.39 (2014).

There’s a book of poetry, A Ghost in Waterloo Station by Bert Almon (2007), and of course the classic song 'Waterloo Sunset' by The Kinks, with the lyrics: 'As long as I gaze on
 Waterloo sunset 
I am in paradise'.

There is a map of the whole of Waterloo Station.

Looking up at Waterloo: The glass station roof alight in winter sun
Sketch by Helen Hayhoe

Safety and security guidelines

The beauty of our sketchcrawls is their informality, but we would like to comply with the following sensible rules, so thank you for doing so.

The relevant guidelines at Waterloo Station are mostly common sense:

• remain in public areas
• don’t choose a position where you’re going to be in anybody’s way (e.g. close to entrances and escalators)
• stay behind the yellow line if you’re going onto the platforms
• don’t overhang the balcony balustrade, and
• don’t leave any items unattended. 

Please check the guidelines recommended by Network Rail which apply of course to artists and sketchers as well as the general public.

Practical information

Waterloo Station is a major transport hub serviced by trains, buses and the Underground including Jubilee, Northern, District and Circle Lines. You can also travel by bike.

Photo by Nigel Gibson

Driving is not recommended unless you are confident on London roads and have a parking location planned.  

Toilets at the station are free and generally well maintained. 

COVID-19 visit information

Since COVID-19 and its variants remain even though 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
• respect those who choose to wear a mask
• give people space, and
• practice good hand hygiene.

There is also the option of self-testing before the event. 

See you at Waterloo Station! 

The day is run by Nigel Gibson and Helen Hayhoe.

Location map

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Draw London with us in April, May and June!

We'll be sketching in Camden, St James's Park and Twickenham in the coming months. Find out more at Let's draw London in 2022.

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Follow Urban Sketchers London on Instagram and use the hashtag #urbansketcherslondon to have your drawings featured

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

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Let's draw Waterloo Station - Saturday 12 March 2022

We drew the Design Museum and Holland Park - Saturday 20 November 2021

Urban Sketchers London at the Design Museum
November 2021
Photo by Si Newell

[By Jimmy Lu and Helen Hayhoe]

On 20th November we got together at the Design Museum for our fifth sketchcrawl since lockdowns ended.

Despite anxieties about the pandemic, more than 40 people made their way to Kensington for what became a very successful day. 

The Design Museum was a great venue. The staff were welcoming, the location easy to find and the setting in Holland Park had varied and interesting sketch potential. 

Lynne Flinders

We were careful about Covid. People were encouraged to test before they came, and we followed guidelines about mask wearing and distancing.

Many of us chose to sketch out of doors in the morning, just in case it rained. The cold drove many of us indoors but there was a good sprinkling of people around the café, Holland House, the Orangery and the Kyoto Gardens. 

Mike Whalley

Inside, there was plenty to see and sketch, and the layout of the main atrium with its tiered seating was perfect. It was a social yet spacious place. 

Cal Hoy

It was very heartening to chat to people who had come a long way to join us, and to people who were joining us for the very first time. Meeting old sketching pals after a long absence was also a joy.

People went on to the pub afterwards to compare notes and sketchbooks.

Sasala Wickramasinghe

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Follow Urban Sketchers London on social media

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

Visit our new Instagram page @urbansketcherslondon and use the hashtag #urbansketcherslondon to have your London drawings featured.

And if you haven't already, join the mailing list for the Urban Sketchers London blog to receive all our news in your email Inbox.

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We drew the Design Museum and Holland Park - Saturday 20 November 2021

My London sketchbook: Out and about with Sue Lees

Global Day of Action for Climate Justice march - November 2021

= By Sue Lees =

I have been outdoor sketching, and urban sketching, for quite a few years now with the Islington Art Society, the Highgate Watercolour Group and Urban Sketchers London. The benefit of having others around also with their drawing books out in public places is huge, helps to get over assorted fears and stage-fright.

I sketch mostly in watercolour, but I do use pens and watercolour crayons if either the subject or the weather suggests watercolour will be difficult.

Vauxhall Bus Station 2017

These two pictures are from an Urban Sketchers London sketchcrawl in 2017 around Vauxhall. It began to rain as I emerged from the Tube. I started the bus station pic on site, but it had to be dried off in the Underground, and I finished it at home. I went into the nearby Starbucks to dry myself off and warm up, and while I was there I sketched a girl with her phone. 

On the phone in Starbucks 2017 

Always the outdoor painting brings with it a memorable encounter. I got talking to two men in schoolboy uniforms, shorts and all. Never got to the bottom of why they were dressed like this!

The bronze horses of Goodman's Fields 2017

Another memorable outing in 2017 was with the Islington Art Society's 'Art in the Park' group, when we went to Goodman's Fields in Aldgate. Fantastic bronze horse sculptures by Hamish Mackie were the draw. Unfortunately the water feature the horses were meant to be rushing through was not working, and there was the most appalling noise from building works as the already vast development was being expanded. 

The churchyard at St Mary's church, Walthamstow 2018

In 2018 I joined Urban Sketchers London in Walthamstow where I drew St Mary's churchyard, looking very pretty in spring. 

Extinction Rebellion rally in Trafalgar Square 2019

This is a peaceful protest reportage drawing from Extinction Rebellion's rally in Trafalgar Square in 2019. I have turned out in support of climate action and pro-'Remain in the EU' marches many times. I find it very difficult to sketch marches, as everybody is moving and that presents difficulties with composition, etc. The Extinction Rebellion rally was relatively easy to do because everyone was listening to the speeches.

I see from my notes that I had very little drawing gear with me -- the police were banning protests under the UK's Public Order Act, and I had thought that there might be a roundup of all attendees. (A charming protester lent me the coloured markers.) I fear for liberal democracy as the Conservative government threatens crackdowns on peaceful protest.

I now make my own watercolour sketchbooks! 

In post-lockdown 2021 I'm using my bicycle instead of public transport for outdoor sketching. I can't carry as much watercolour gear as I used to, so I started making my own A5-sized sketchbooks with my favourite watercolour paper in them (Saunders Waterford High White Rough). 

I found a YouTube demo which seemed achievable, and am very grateful to Julia Bausenhardt for putting up this demo. Though YouTube itself has become more irritating with its adverts since it was bought by one of the internet giants.     

While these homemade books are less smart than professionally made sketchbooks, I know where I am with the paper -- and the paper matters hugely with watercolour. And they are much cheaper!

St Augustine's Tower, Hackney 2021

I took my new sketchbook along on a drawing day with the Islington Art Society's 'Art in the Park' group. St Augustine's Tower is all that remains of the original Tudor Church -- the oldest building in Hackney -- which was demolished when they built the huge St John's Church nearby.

Egyptian Avenue, Highgate West Cemetery 2021

On another day I was out with the Highgate Watercolour Group at Highgate West Cemetery. The day was wet in patches -- this has not been a good summer for plein air painting.

To my knowledge, this is the first season when visitors have been able to go round the amazing West Highgate Cemetery unescorted, and without the guided tour. So sketching has suddenly become possible!

The architecture of Highgate West Cemetery transports the visitor back into ancient Egypt (this part) and into other very old places of antiquity (slightly loosely interpreted). Definitely a place of atmosphere and deserving of many artistic visits.  

Global Day of Action for Climate Justice march 2021

On the 6th November I went on the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice march, and made this sketch at the Bank of England assembly point before the march moved off (I applied washes at home). Once again, the police were a static central feature of my drawing, and provide a handy splash of colour as well. Regrettably I did not see any other urban sketchers!

While the main street action was obviously at COP26 in Glasgow, it was great that the London march (and other marches around the country) took place to try to drive home to our government that people around the country want actual emissions reductions to stop the global climate changing any more, and not just promises for future action which can - and have been - broken.

Sue Lees is on Instagram as @suesymslees 

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My London sketchbook: Out and about with Sue Lees

To remind -- Let's draw the Design Museum: Saturday 20 November 2021

= To remind =

In November we draw the Design Museum, off Kensington High Street. 

Joining instructions

We're meeting at 11am on the paved area outside the main entrance of the Design Museum at 224-238 Kensington High Street, London W8 6AG.

For all of the key times and meeting points, options for drawing and practical information, please see the original blog post.

COVID-19 visit information

Since COVID-19 and its variants remain even though 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, and practice good hand hygiene. There is also the option of self-testing before the event.

= The day is run by Jimmy Lu and Helen Hayhoe =

See you at the Design Museum!

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To remind -- Let's draw the Design Museum: Saturday 20 November 2021

We drew Stoke Newington reservoirs - 21 August 2021

Morning sketchers group under the Coal House Café canopy

[Isabel Carmona writes]

It is so good to be out sketching again with other sketchers, welcoming new participants and saying hello to older acquaintances.

I’ve been wanting to come to this oasis of greenery in North East London for a while and finally the day came, with London drizzle and even rain. That didn’t deter us, we found shelter under the canopy of the Coal House Café overlooking the East Reservoir. 

Morning throw down

There are two reservoirs -- the West Reservoir is a venue for water sports, the East is the home of the Woodberry Wetlands. The sketches of the day recorded both areas but most of us stayed overlooking the wetlands where we did the throw down.

A selection of sketches below

Sketch by Zita Kasp

Sketch by Jia You

Sketch by Adam Topor

Morning and afternoon sketches by Martin Stone

Sketch by James Hobbs

Sketch by Fei Yin

Sketch by Alison Gardiner

Sketch by Sufian Ahmed

Afternoon throw down

Afternoon group

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We drew Stoke Newington reservoirs - 21 August 2021

We drew the British Library - November 2019

The weather forecast of high winds & rain plus the early start of Rugby World Cup final meant I was expecting a low turnout for the November sketchcrawl at the British Library. But I was pleasantly surprised at the numbers of people who came along, including sketchers from the West Country, Midlands, Manchester and even Melbourne, Australia. Richard Aitken joined us as part of a European trip and produced this stunning ‘urban collage’ yesterday.

Thank you to Sangeeta for organising the event and being such a useful source of information on the day. A brief selection of some of the drawings made below. Do check out the USk London Facebook page for more.

All those books! Work by Alison

Work by Tessa

Helen sketching

Sangeeta's view of the terrace

Watercolour by Robert

Very atmospheric piece by Christine.

Sketchbooks by Jimmy

Final shot of the group at the end of the day. Thanks for coming!

Next month we meet at the Natural History Museum for the final sketchcrawl of 2019.

We drew the British Library - November 2019