Sketching London from a height!

A Few weeks ago I was lucky to be invited to join a group of artists to sketch from the comfort of an office on the 32nd floor in Moorgate. It was amazing experience to gradually see London light up as the sky darkened. The views were incredible. The iconic curved dome of St Paul's Cathedral caught my eye, standing out in contrast to the numerous

gridded lines surrounding it. There was so much going on that I thought the only way I could capture this was through mark making, layering and pattern. The second drawing is the view of Finsbury Square, which you can get a brief glimpse of in the bottom corner with the Gherkin peeking through in the background. I tried to capture the density of the scene. It was great to see everyone’s impression of a challenging view. Thanks to James and Carlos for arranging such a great afternoon.

Sketching London from a height!

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

More obscure movie locations...

I often walk past this spot outside Liverpool Street station and think to myself, "There's Tom Cruise's house..." Of course, it isn't really, but it was used as the location for the team's secret "safe house" in the 1996 film "Mission Impossible". I find it a clever choice, because it's an unusual building but quite iconic, situated directly above a tube entrance, jutting out into two streets, and that classic Victorian railway architecture. So the other day I decided to stop and draw it.
It must be 20 years since they filmed Tom here, but it hasn't changed at all. Below is a composite from the film, for comparison.

The latest Mission Impossible movie that came out this year saw Tom Cruise and co. in Kings Cross Station, so perhaps he's working his way around the Monopoly board.

More obscure movie locations...

Miss Jones' residence

A very busy Borough Market was the venue for a recent London Urban Sketchers outing.   I arrived late so wanted to get started quickly and noticed this lovely little building, the Globe Tavern, dwarfed by the steelwork and railway bridges.  I didn’t know at the time but the flat above the pub was used as one of the locations in the film ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’.

In the afternoon, after sampling some of the delicious food the market has to offer, I chose to draw inside the main market building.  I found the structure is so complicated to draw, with sections added here and there as the market expanded.  It was really enjoyable though and I highly recommend a visit if you are ever in the area.

Miss Jones' residence

Extra sketchcrawl: around Liberty's

James Hobbs, Piccadilly

The Borough Market gathering may just have passed, but we have an extra sketchcrawl this month, which takes place on Saturday 14 November leaving from Timberyard Soho, the cafe where the exhibition of drawings by 24 urban sketchers went on display last week.

We are meeting at the cafe, which is at 4 Noel Street, London W1F 8GB, map and details here, at 11am. We are planning to end back at the cafe at 2pm, which means a slightly shorter event than usual, but there's no need to stop if you want to go on.

On the way we will stop to draw in or around
• Liberty department store
• London Palladium
• Regent Street and Oxford Circus
• BBC Broadcasting House
We can warm up and see what we've all done back in the comfort of Timberyard at around 2pm.
Haven't been before? Don't worry. Come and say hello. It's very relaxed. Just bring your own drawing equipment.

Extra sketchcrawl: around Liberty's

Buildings under Urban Regeneration

Just lately I have been documenting places that are under threat, or in the procedure of redevelopment. Over the last few weeks I have sketched at two locations in London that are going through this process Battersea Park Power Station located at the South bank of the river Thames, Nine Elms and the Aylesbury Estate in Walworth, South East London.  

The Battersea Power station was built in the 30’s and has been inactive since the early 80’s. It was also on the front cover of Pink Floyd’s Animal album. When I was in my late teens I frequently used the train line that passed Battersea Power Station and it was always an iconic landmark for me as the train approached London.I sketched the power station from across the river.I thought that drawing with torn Paper was an appropriate medium to capture the regeneration-taking place.  

The notorious Aylesbury housing estate is the largest in London built between 1963 and 1977 and accommodates about 7600 people. Protests are taking place to save the estate. Residents are being moved off the estate, block by block, re-homed and split up all over the country.

I have used torn paper again in the sketch below, representing its looming future. I couldn’t believe the size of the estate. My sketches don’t quite capture its scale. I was captivated by the walkways leading up to the floors. I liked the cylindrical structure of this one. An interesting thought provoking location.

I have been documenting a forgotten place that has been subject to planning for many years in Norwich. If you want to see more… here is a link to my blog.http://juliebolus.blogspot.co.uk

Buildings under Urban Regeneration

A very successful Private View!

Here are the tweets about last night's private view of the Urban Sketchers London Exhibition at Timberyard Soho.

London urban sketchers at last night's PV for their exhibition @timberyarduk #soho branch pic.twitter.com/pQdw4egU5B

— UrbanSketchersLondon (@UrbSketchLondon) November 4, 2015

There was lots of scope to get up close to the pics.

Great fun at @UrbSketchLondon private view last night @timberyarduk #soho #coffee #exhibition #urbansketchers #new pic.twitter.com/kO9HSz2rtL

— dlm doodles (@dlmdoodles) November 4, 2015

Lots of opportunity to talk with fellow sketchers and those admiring the exhibition

#urbansketchers #London #exhibition #opening @UrbSketchLondon @timberyarduk @urbansketchers pic.twitter.com/BTXW3dCU3y

— Isabel Carmona (@Isacarand) November 4, 2015

and as it got to nine o'clock and the crowds began to go home we could see the artwork better from across the room

brilliant #artwork at @UrbSketchLondon #exhibition at @timberyarduk #soho at y'day's PV, (inc my @BowChurch, left) pic.twitter.com/3Csb9ls1fp

— Nick Richards (@nickrichardsart) November 4, 2015

and this morning we're getting new tweets about the artwork

Some great sketches of the capital for sale @UrbSketchLondon #TimberyardSoho 4 Noel Street London W1 pic.twitter.com/vqEVwZkCc5

— Tanya Paulo (@tanyalizpaulo) November 4, 2015

This was the Hanging Team who did a sterling job getting the exhibition hung last Saturday. I just wandered around sticking the labels up! ;)

Nathan, James, Jo, Evelyn and Olya - in front of the exhibition

...and this is the exhibition under artificial light at the end of the private view last night

The exhibition - after the Private View on Tuesday 2nd November 2015

So... I guess we'll see you all the next sketchcrawls?

• on Saturday 7th November at Borough Market in Southwark - led by Isabel Carmona
• on Saturday 14th November starting and finishing at Timberyard taking in Liberty's, the London Palladium, the BBC and All Souls Church en route - led by James Hobbs

A very successful Private View!