Please Use Other Footpath

Are there too many people in central London?

illustration of London architecture

illustration of London architecture

This new image was inspired by that feeling I get sometimes when London isn't quite as fun as it should be. All it takes is a stuffy tube ride, a cancelled train home, feeling travel sick on the bus, etc. and even the most loyal Londoner thinks it might be healthier to live by a babbling river in the Oxfordshire countryside. This is not peculiar to Londoners, I'm sure. All modern (and historical) city dwellers have bad days when they wished they had the streets to themselves.

The apparent onslaught of quickly built skyscrapers is due to arrive any week now, if you believe what you read. We may all like the shining pinnacles when they are complete, but I think it is a genuine worry for people. They don't seem to be for anyone other than rich corporate boardroom goers. Architecturally, it could end up as a pissing contest - my urban erection is bigger than yours!

However, despite all this, my image ended up being quite pretty with a low sun, dramatic shadows and warm colours. Hopefully it bodes well for the future: even glass and steel can look attractive in the right light. I call it 'Please Use Other Footpath'.

Pick and Mix People

A combined post, methinks: incorporating a couple of different but both figure-based images.

Tattoo 123

illustration of the backs of three nude women

illustration of the backs of three nude women

I felt that I should do something with the life drawings I've been producing in the last year. This was one of my favourites -  the back of a woman drawn with a charcoal pencil. To liven things up, and to create interest, I've added scans of some old textured paper and experimented with colour. So many people have tattoos these days, so I tried to think of unlikely subjects for a back 'stencil'. There are a few hints of consumerism, London life, ageing, and the labelling/branding of people within this if you look.

Regent's Park Sketch

sketch of people in a park

sketch of people in a park

Regents-Park.jpg

I had a Saturday afternoon to myself the other day, so on a scorching June day I headed up to Regent's Park, north London for some people watching. I found a friendly bench, plugged into a BBC Radio 4 Ray Bradbury drama, and relaxed. Actually, it was a bit too warm for concerted drawing, so I only managed this page of my sketchbook. The main problem was that except for the woman sitting on the floor, everyone else was moving. I had a few seconds to choose them, take a mental photo and start drawing. The little dog with the ball was definitely the hardest of all! At one point, a little group of rowdy 11 year olds bounded over asking what I was drawing. Comments ranged from "Are you an artist??", "How do you do that? Are you just looking and drawing it?" to a chorus of "That is sick!": sick being the current word for cool / good / well bad / ace / top / skill depending on how old you are, reader.

Granary Square and The House of Illustration

The Discovery of Granary Square, King's Cross

Granary Square - King's Cross - London

Granary Square - King's Cross - London

I recently booked a ticket to hear the illustrator Laura Carlin give a talk about her work at the new House of Illustration, near King's Cross. What I didn't realise, until I got there, is how great the redevelopment of the area behind the railway stations is. There's still lots to do, but the post-industrial spruce up that's happened so far is exciting to me. If you've not been there, it feels a bit like bits of the Canary Wharf area but I have a feeling it's going to have a lot more soul and far fewer branches of Pret. It also reminded me of round the Albert Dock in Liverpool. The main piazza, on a sunny day, now feels hot and feisty like a square in Barcelona, not waste ground near some gas tanks.

Granary Square - King's Cross - London

Granary Square - King's Cross - London

It's great that there is also the Grand Union Canal running round and through the site. When I see these watercourses in London, there is definitely something a bit quaint and old fashioned about them (but that's no bad thing).

Grand Union Canal - King's Cross - London

Grand Union Canal - King's Cross - London

This rural scene of a father fishing with his kids, near some barges, surely is something you might see in the Midlands countryside - not 10 minutes walk from where you can catch a train to Paris.

Granary Square - King's Cross - London

Granary Square - King's Cross - London

If you get there soon, you can still see bits of the industrial architecture that has yet to be completely refurbished. I imagine most of the area was like this until a few years ago. Shame I missed seeing it, as I love progress but you've got to enjoy a bit of dereliction too, haven't you.

House of Illustration - King's Cross - London

House of Illustration - King's Cross - London

The House of Illustration itself seems to be have been carefully ring fenced amongst all the building work. I took this shot as I left the talk later in the evening, and it reminds me of some of the scenes from that great film 'The Ladykillers' which was set in this area during the 1950s, I think. The trailer gives a little flavour of the film, if you don't know it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=EoPaqgKWWv0

The House of Illustration had put on a series of talks by current illustrators, and I'd definitely take another trip up in the future to any other events they might arrange. The purpose of the whole trip was to listen to Laura Carlin, an illustrator whose work I'd not seen before, but she/it was great. The talk was very interesting and inspiring. Her style is so free and not over-considered which was very liberating to see.

Illustration of a bus by Laura Carlin

Illustration of a bus by Laura Carlin

Here is only one example of her style, but I urge you to investigate her output more, through her agents Heart Agency.