Monday, October 28, 2019

Londonist Drinks



It was lovely to be asked to produce an illustrated map for ‘Londonist Drinks’ the follow up to ‘Londonist Mapped.’ I was commissioned to work on a map for the best pubs near mainline train stations. All the research had already been done so it was my job to add the chosen venues to a map.

First stage was a B&W rough. I drew all the stations and pub signs separately before adding them to the map on Photoshop.
Here are some of the individual images and the finished map.



I also provided some of the smaller images dotted throughout the publication.



Thanks to Rebecca Needes who oversaw the design. The book is now available and would make a great present for anyone who likes London and drinking!

Monday, October 14, 2019

Drawings from Amsterdam


Drawings from a week spent in Amsterdam at the end of July, during the USk 2019 Symposium. Although I didn’t attend the workshops, it was great to meet up with many Urban Sketchers around the city. I used Stillman and Birn watercolour paper to make the sketchbook and really enjoyed working in it although scanning it was slightly problematic, hence the varying sizes of the images. 















Saturday, October 5, 2019

Workshops with Isabel Carmona in Valencia


Last month I went to a drawing course in Valencia entitled ‘Space Oddities’ run by PYSB, which stands for 'Pushing Your Sketching Boundaries.' There were three different tutors and today I’m talking about the sessions with Isabel Carmona.

The location of the first workshop with Isabel was at ‘Torres de Serranos’ and started with some nice loosening up exercises of quick drawings, including some ‘blind drawing’ exercises. We looked at the skyline and the ‘ground line’, where the people came and details on the buildings.


Rooftops
Rooftops and a line of detail
Rooftops, ground line, details and the line of people
Recording solid shapes
                                                                             
Using different strengths of colour to show distance
In the second workshop she focussed on a ‘fisheye’ technique, where you imagine your view to be inside a 180 degree sphere and draw everything in it. We drew in and around the ‘Centre de Carme Culturo Contemporania.’ I think I tend to draw a bit like this anyway so I was able to grasp the concept although it is tricky to do, especially round the edges!





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Each of the instructors provides a set of approaches/ideas which you can use to help your drawing if you choose - a bit like adding more tools to your drawing toolbox.

Isabel is on Instagram @isacarand and you can find out more about PYSB and their upcoming courses @pushingyoursketchingboundaries




Friday, October 4, 2019

Workshops with Swasky in Valencia

Second attempt at the square

Last month I went to a drawing course in Valencia entitled ‘Space Oddities’ run by PYSB, which stands for 'Pushing Your Sketching Boundaries.' There were three different tutors and today I’m talking about the sessions with Swasky.


My first attempt

For the first workshop we walked to ‘Plaza de la Virgen’ and Swasky asked us to start by making our own drawing of the space. Then he talked about how he would approach drawing it and we produced another drawing using his ideas. I had difficulty in working out how to draw the corners of the square and took a while to get the hang of it. Then we made a drawing trying to focus on one side of the square. I struggled again with this and it’s something I probably need to try again!

Focusing on one side of the square

For the second session we moved to the ‘Torres de Quart’ and talked about the concept of ‘bending the floor’ and imaging that your drawing has ‘hinges’ showing different angles and perspectives. Of all the techniques from the workshops, I found this concept the most difficult to understand but Swasky was very patient trying to explain. By the end of the session I produced something sort of along the right lines. My sketching boundaries were definitely pushed!


First attempt

Starting to get the hang of the concept
Each of the instructors provides a set of approaches/ideas which you can use to help your drawing if you choose - a bit like adding more tools to your drawing toolbox.

Swasky is on Instagram @swasky and PYSB are @pushingyoursketchingboundaries

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Workshops with Hugo Barros Costa in Valencia

My drawing from the terrace

Last month I went to a drawing course in Valencia entitled ‘Space Oddities’ run by PYSB, which stands for Pushing Your Sketching Boundaries. There were three different tutors and today I’m talking about the sessions with Hugo Barros Costa 

I first remember seeing Hugo’s work at ‘Rendez-vous du Carnet de Voyage’ in Clermont-Ferrand in 2017 where he had a stand displaying his drawings from his book ‘NYC Graphic Chronicles’ so when I saw that he was going to be one of the tutors for the PYSB workshops in Valencia, I was keen to take part.

Hugo’s two workshops were located near the large Spanish department store ‘El Corte Ingles’ - we were to draw the view of a street from ground level and then the same street from a terrace at the top of the building.


My rough of the street view

In Hugo’s own drawings, he is not afraid to tackle very complicated views and he showed us lots of examples of his work, quite a few which were drawn over several sheets of paper and over several days. He talked about planning out the drawing using a pencil as a unit of measurement. It’s something I have done in the past but often forget to do now even though I know it’s a really useful way to help get everything in the right place. I tried to take my time and not rush, and Hugo gave lots of feedback and encouragement.

My colour drawing of the street view
Each of the instructors provides a set of approaches/ideas which you can use to help your drawing if you choose - a bit like adding more tools to your drawing toolbox.

If you want to find out more about Hugo and his workshops, he is on Instagram @yolahugo


More information about PYSB on Instagram @pushingyoursketchingboundaries

A drawing made a few days later from the hotel in Seville trying to use the techniques from the workshop