Sketchcrawl - Old Spitalfields Market

Staedtler Pigment Liners, Tombow Brushpen and
Neocolour II Wax Pastels in 7.5" x 7.5" Handmade Sketchbook

Urban Sketchers London Sketchcrawl at Old Spitalfields Market today. My friend, Ella, came with me; it was her first one and we had a great day. It was warm and dry and there were plenty places to sit, eat and sketch. It was such an interesting venue; thank you USK London organisers.

I didn't have time to do the art deco building in the distance but will another time; it's beautiful.

Almost finished my sketch

(my subject in background)

Lunchtime and end of day comparisons

So many interesting places to sketch

Impressive view

222. Violinist 1 and 2 plus a 'Shout out' for USK

Schmincke and Unison Soft Pastels plus Charcoal

on Clairefontaine Pastelmat paper

The Pastel Society had their annual Art Evening at the Mall Galleries this week and, almost at the last minute, I ordered a ticket and went along - last year, they had a classical guitarist but I spent the evening drawing Kimono instead. (See post 121 or click the 'Kimono' label.)

This year, the musician was a frantic (but oh my goodness, so skilled) violinist and there was another beautiful Kimono lady (lying down) plus, out back, a life model. I chose the violinist for two reasons: her gorgeous ultramarine blue, linen dress and the fact that she was moving all over the place. Even when she sat down, she didn't sit still! A couple of people told me they found this difficult, of course but to me it was an amusing challenge.

Something occurred to me on the way home: whenever in the past I've attended such events, I've sat an drawn (or painted) one or two pieces of art and returned another day to view the exhibition. This year, in the three hours, I did four sketches (three figure and one still life) then walked round and viewed the whole exhibition before going home. This is surely thanks to sketchcrawling with Urban Sketchers. On a sketch crawl, especially the London ones, there are people flying back and forth in front of us and so much to capture that we are forced to work rapidly. Add into the mix the fact that at 1:30pm and again at 4:00pm, we reconnect and photograph our artwork so there is a constant subliminal countdown to finish something and appear with your artwork in the group photo! However, sketchcrawls are so much fun that we are not stressed! What this amounts to is that, personally, I've become quicker and more decisive - who knew?!

So, thank you 'Urban Sketchers London' and 'Drawing Outside Northampton' - your training has been and continues to be priceless!

Schmincke and Unison Soft Pastels plus Charcoal

on Clairefontaine Pastelmat paper

Our model (Anna, I think) took a break and sat down before walking around looking at everyone's sketches.  Even as she sat, she was wriggling about so much that it was a job to even capture the violin. Had I thought of it, I'd have sketched it on both sides of her, rather than waiting for her to revert to one of her many positions. She was fantastic, playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons, amongst other lively pieces, for three hours straight minus two five minute breaks - an amazing young woman!

219. USK - Sketching the Wallace Collection 2 of 2

Pilot G-Tec C4 pen, W&N watercolours and Tombow brushpen

in Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook, 8.5" x 5.5" (x2).

This sketch was done in the Wallace Collection Restaurant with USK London on Saturday. As usual, Katherine made us sketch the fare before consuming it. I don't like strawberries, cream, etc, so just had a pot of (lovely) tea and sketched someone else's cream tea.

The restaurant staff were really encouraging, walking around and commenting on our sketches and we were so pleased they allowed us to paint at the tables (not inside the galleries though!).

One newbie and two regulars - I always love the international flavour of Urban Sketchers London! In our little group of four (above), the only continent not represented was Australasia but I bet further down the table (below), there was at least one. (Almost 20 of the 30+ sketching on Saturday stayed for cream teas.)

218. USK - Sketching the Wallace Collection 1 of 2

Pilot G-Tec C4 pen, Unipen 0.05 and 0.5 pens and Tombow brushpen

in Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook, 8.5" x 5.5"

With Urban Sketchers London at the Wallace Collection yesterday.  Can't believe I only did two sketches all day but I must admit I enjoyed doing this immensely. The more I sketched, the more I saw to sketch, like the reflections in the mirror and all the intricacies in the  gold ornamentation - everything is like that there! As you can see from the photos below, the bottom half of the sketch should should have been longer to prevent the hearth bit looking so stretched widthways but hey… we were 'sketching'!

195. Book Club

Lamy Safari fountain pen and Neocolour II wax pastels

in Stillman & Birn Alpha Sketchbook, 8.5" x 5.5"

I spotted this dear gentleman in the train as we were waiting for the train doors to open on the station and, in a flash, knew I needed to sketch him so when the doors opened I dashed to the table diagonally opposite him. He had obviously just purchased this book and was totally engrossed in it so, for the first twenty minutes of the journey, I was able to observe and sketch unnoticed by anyone (even my husband wasn't looking).

A couple of times when I'd nearly finished sketching, the man looked at me with vague curiosity but I just gazed down the centre aisle until he was lost in his book again. By the way, this is a 'Weymann' (it's from the 1940s):

194. Peace Pagoda

Lamy Safari Medium Fountain Pen, Neocolour II wax pastels and a

smidgeon of Tombow brushpen in Stillman & Birn Alpha Sketchbook, 8.5" x 5.5"

I love drawing buildings and architecture but this structure in Battersea Park was so difficult for me that I can only put it down to the fact that it is not a typically western construction.

It was so cold yet we still had a fantastic day with the Urban Sketchers London group. One of the highlights on these 'sketchcrawl' days is comparing sketches over lunch and at the end of the day; we all had way too much fun at the Doodle Bar (a completely unique artistic space!) at the end of the day warming up with pots of tea and poring over the work in each and everyone's fabulous sketchbooks - artists are so very friendly and encouraging!

193. Sketchcrawl - Vauxhall Bridge

Lamy Safari fountain pen, Neocolour II wax pastels 

and Tombo Brushpen in Handbook Travelogue Journal, 5" x 5" (x2)

Done at the Urban Sketchers London Sketchcrawl: 'Let's Draw Battersea". This is Vauxhall Bridge from the Albert Embankment. It was full of such interestingly shaped buildings, cranes, etc - my husband had to drag me away to the next spot as I was getting very carried away.

149. Sketchcrawl - Opposite the Flask Pub

Pilot G-Tec C4 Watersoluble pen, Staedtler 0.1 Pigment Liner,
Tombow Brush Pen and Caran d'Ache Neocolour II

in Handbook Travelogue Journal, 5" x 5" (x2)

Lots of errors being corrected here, as you can see, but that's the beauty of the sketchbook - try and try and try again until it's right then be honest enough to share for the encouragement of others. See, Azra, Julie and Rolina - I'm learning!!! Thanks to each of you for your very kind words that changed my thinking and helped me to see sense.

148. Trin's Cake

Pilot G-Tec C4 Watersoluble pen,

Staedtler 0.1 Pigment Liner and Caran d'Ache Neocolour II

in Handbook Travelogue Journal, 5" x 5" (x2)

Yesterday, five of us went to the Hampstead Sketchcrawl with Urban Sketchers London. Lunch was at the Buttery Cafe and one of my friends had this lovely-looking cake. One of the great advantages of these days is having the opportunity to do quite a few en plein air sketches. I also sketched outside the Flask Pub and finally John Constable's house - I'll post these over the next few days.