Exploring my favourite local neighbourhoods. In the summer of 2022, I was made redundant after 13 years of service. It turned out to be a fantastic opportunity to take stock and – sounds cliched – explore new opportunities for my art at least. I started lots of new projects (such […]
London architecture
18 posts
Possibly my last drawing of Brixton. I miss Brixton a lot and this made me determined to finish my drawing of one of my favourite corners of London, Brixton Village market. It captures a route I used to walk several times a day, passing the stall I used to get my […]
One last sketch. The atmosphere in London was so different; its usual energy had been replaced by a sense of uncertainty. Walking home to the Tube station that day, passing the sights and landmarks of one of the greatest cities on Earth, it was odd to see them mostly quiet. […]
The Thames can look magical, sometimes. It only takes a sunset to transform the Thames, elevating it from more than the muddy-looking stretch of water it often resembles. Add to that the warm weather and its banks seem like possibly the best place in the world, at least until it gets […]
An architectural masterpiece. This drawing was inspired by a fascinating architectural tour of 55 Broadway, the Art Deco headquarters of London Underground. I’ve wanted to go in and see it ever since I first saw a dramatic drawing of it at the RIBA many years ago. One of the guides […]
London couldn’t exist without them… London’s a busy place. I’m surrounded by many familiar people every day: friends, colleagues and housemate, even the same people handing out free newspapers and Time Outs or preaching on the streets. I often forget many people are just passing through the city until I […]
A visit is recommended. After much construction work the impressive new extension to Tate Modern has opened and added a new landmark to London’s skyline. The interior of this twisted brick pyramid is fascinating to explore. On my first visit, I drew what I saw, whilst making my way upwards […]
Euston, you only look good at night. Euston is an ugly station, but at night it’s transformed. The office blocks that surround it become less monolithic in the dark, before the office lights are switched off; the silhouette of office furniture and the blinds break up the rectangles of lights from […]
It’s a noisy and expensive city, but at least the spectacular sunsets are silent and free From the terrace on my roof I saw a spectacular sunset for a brief few minutes before it went dark. In the distance was the clock tower of Lambeth Town Hall, with its clock […]
A new corner of London with lots of old memories Due to bad timing I arrived too early at Tottenham Court Road station to meet my girlfriend, so I used the time to draw the new entrance building to the station. This corner of Charing Cross Road and Oxford Street has changed […]
Sometimes I have to remind myself London is a great city, despite the expense and insecure tenancies… This was unusual in that it’s drawn from a photograph, which I took earlier the same evening, rather than sketched onsite. The scene was spectacular, like from a painting by Monet. I wanted […]
Entry to the landmark was free! Open House is a fantastic free event. The place I chose to visit, Battersea Power Station, was so popular it led to a two-hour wait with 18,000 other visitors that day to get in, but it was worth it. Good company meant the queuing time didn’t […]
Black is the main colour of umbrellas. It has been a wet end to the summer. It was a Friday evening, I had finished work and I was making my way down to Oxford Circus station when it rained heavily. A lot of people walking carelessly with pointy umbrellas too […]
iPad drawing I was lucky to be able to visit St Paul’s Cathedral, there I attend a guided tour, saw it’s collection of artefacts and explored right to the top of the dome. The trip, organised by my workplace, exceeded my expectations. The view from the dome is amazing; one […]
iPad drawing It was a dark and cloudy day on the weekend that forced me to stay in my flat. What else could I do but draw the view from my window? This is the first time I didn’t use any lines when drawing digitally. Days like that give me […]
iPad drawing There’s a lot of life in Borough Market and it has been fascinating watching the Shard being built. This drawing was done onsite, fortunately the weather was good.
iPad drawing This is a drawing of the view from my office. It was a sunny day and this gave me a chance to practice using light and shadow. Bridford Mews near Portland Place is a quiet street in Fitzrovia overlooked by a mix of high-status offices and residential flats […]
iPad drawing This was my first drawing done at night. The full moon caught my eye as I returned home from a late night at the office.