Sketches from my sketchbook

I've been trying to do more sketching while I'm out recently, and carrying a small sketchbook around with me in my pocket. Here are a couple of sketches I drew on the train, as well as a few from The Chorus Festival Weekend at the Southbank Centre today...

Laydeez Do Comics

Tonight I went along to the monthly Laydeez Do Comics event in Foyles. After reading The Enclopedia Of Early Earth over the weekend, I was looking forward to hearing Isabel Greenberg talk about her work and influences. There was also presentations by Penelope Mendonca and Geraldine Perriam.

Here are my illustrated notes from the event...

Life Drawing

Last night I went along to a Life Drawing class, something I've been meaning to do for a while now. The last time I did any Life Drawing was back during my A-Level Art class, and I was glad I made it along.

We drew various poses, ranging in time from 10 minutes to 5 minutes, 3 minutes and 1 minute, as well as experimenting drawing with a continuous line, not taking your pencil off the paper. I felt a little rusty at the beginning but was pleased with some of the drawings I produced, and definitely plan to attend another class soon.

Here are a bunch of my drawings from last night...

Drawing in a coffee shop...

I went and got a coffee the other day and did a quick bit of sketching while I drank my latte...

Drawing on a train (Here Comes The Sun)

With the recent change of weather (which will probably change again before I've finished typing this sentence!), I can sketch people without having to keep on drawing scarves and hats! I spotted this guy today on the train from London Bridge to New Cross...

Isle of Wight sketchbook drawings

Last week I went away for a couple of days to the Isle of Wight. While I was there I did some sketching.

Some people on the Island Liner train from Ryde to Sandown...

The view from the beach and bones and fossils from Dinosaur Isle...


People in the cafe at Carisbrooke Castle...

Comica Conversation: Shaun Tan and Quentin Blake

This evening I attended a talk with Shaun Tan and Quentin Blake in conversation about their work. Quentin Blake is probably my favourite illustrator and I also really like Shaun Tan's work, so it was very interesting for me. They had never met each other before, so it was good to hear them talking about their similarities and their differences. The event was Sold Out so it was a packed room and it was hard to actually get a good view of Tan and Blake, but I did manage to do a quick sketch of the pair...

Laydeez Do Comics

Tonight I went along to the Laydeez Do Comics talk at the Rag Factory on Brick Lane. There were three interesting and inspiring talks by comics creators Kate Brown and Sally Jane Thompson, plus Emma Hayley and Doug Wallace who run the publishing company SelfMadeHero.

I did some sketches of each of the night's speakers while they were giving their presentations (as well as drawing a sketch of fellow spectator Seleem because he was sat in my line of vision, and I wanted to draw his hair!)...

Animal Magic

Today I went to London Zoo and did some drawing while I was there...

This Black-Capped Squirrel Monkey wanted to get a better look at what I was doing...!

Sketchbook Scribbles #1: X-men

I did a drawing today in my sketchbook of some of the characters from the X-men comics from memory. Just because...

Anders Nilsen in conversation with Tom Gauld at Orbital Comics

Yesterday evening I attended an event at Orbital Comics with Anders Nilsen in conversation with Tom Gauld, as part of this year's Comica Festival. Although I am a big fan of Tom Gauld's work, I wasn't that familiar with the work of Anders Nilsen, but it's always interesting to hear two creative people talking.

Here's a quick sketch I did of the pair before the talk began – and while they are both looking rather unanimated in my drawing, when the conversation got under way they were both very lively, engaging and interesting!

I got a lot of inspiration from the talk for my own comics work, and am keen to pick up Big Questions by Anders Nilsen, which has just been released by Drawn & Quarterly.

AND after the talk finished I was able to get my copy of Tom Gauld's Hunter & Painter signed!

Shaun Tan talk

Tonight I went to a talk at Waterstone's Piccadilly by Shaun Tan in conversation with Paul Gravett. Tan is an award winning author and illustrator and I'm a big fan of his work. He was a really interesting and humourous speaker and it was good to get an insight into how he works, as well as what inspires him.

Here's a quick sketch I did during the talk of Shaun, along with his character Eric who featured in his book Tales From Outer Suburbia...

Disco 2000 (and 11)

Here's a quick sketch of Jarvis Cocker I just did while watching Pulp performing at Reading Festival on BBC3...

Drawings On A Train

I recently joined a Facebook group entitled Drawings On A Train, set up by fellow Camberwell MA'er and fellow Paul, Paul Giles for people to post their sketches of unsuspecting passengers on the train/tube/DLR/overground [delete as approporiate].

It's been quite a good exercise and made me make the most of those mundane minutes onboard the train to do a quick bit of sketching. I thought I'd share some of my recent posts here in the hope that it might inspire some of you to take up the challenge. It sure beats reading the Metro...





If you're on Facebook and want to join, you can find the group here...

Dior Illustrated: René Gruau and the Line of Beauty

"Just a line? But it is the basis of all art, with a single line we can express grandeur, nobility, sensuality, the line synthesises sensations and concentrates knowledge." (René Gruau)

Today I went to see the exhibition Dior Illustrated: René Gruau and the Line of Beauty at Somerset House. The exhibition featured a number of Gruau's original illustrations, sketches and artwork produced over 40 years for Christian Dior.

I don't normally have that much interest in fashion illustration,
but I was really impressed with the strength of Gruau's line undulating across the page. The high contrast between thick and thin strokes managed to create an appearance that was at the same time both delicate and robust. It's always exciting to gain inspiration from an unexpeced source!

Here are a few sketches I made in the exhibition...


Unfortunately, today was the last day of the exhibition, so if you haven't made it along before now, it's too late to go and see it.
But you can watch a short video about the exhibition here.

Café con sketche!

This evening I was waiting in the Café at Foyles to meet some friends and go for dinner. While I was waiting, I did a couple of quick sketches from photos in a free magazine I picked up, and added some colour when I got home...


Sylvester Stallone in The Expendables


Barack Obama

I enjoyed doing these, and it was a good way to pass the time. I might do some more next time I'm having a coffee somewhere...

Sketchbook Scribbles

It's handy carrying a sketchbook around with you. It gives you something to do when you're stuck in traffic on the top-deck of a bus...

Surviving Picasso

A few sketches I did today while at the Picasso: Challenging the Past exhibition at the National Gallery, London...

Untitled #1

I've been sorting through my sketchbook today looking for images to use for the Illustration Symposium in a few weeks, and found this drawing that I did near the start of the MA course when we had a drawing day in the studio and everyone bought an item along for people to draw. I quite like it, especially the colouring...

Clown

I've been feeling a bit restless today, and not quite sure what to do next, so decided to do some quick drawings just to loosen up my brain a little and try out a few things. Here's a quick drawing I sketched onto brown paper and coloured by hand which was something I wanted to try after seeing my friend Li Jung's circus drawings on brown paper. And I finally found a use for the white pen I bought ages ago too...