line drawings

Autumn sketchbook: observational drawings in Cambridge

Pages from my current sketchbook, drawing at locations in Cambridge. I find that in some places you can almost guess the location from the people; what they say, how they sit, what they wear, etc. I enjoy catching snippets of conversations as people pass by, or sitting in the bus, or at a cafe. I have notebooks full of these snippets, discovering what my city is talking about.

Kettle’s Yard Garden Kitchen cafe, Cambridge

Kettle’s Yard Garden Kitchen cafe, Cambridge

Above and below are drawings from Kettle’s Yard Garden Kitchen. After pondering the exhibits I sat in the cafe with a bowl of soup (delicious - recommended!) and sketched the staff and patrons. Then walked up the garden path to the quaint St Peter’s Church.

Kettle’s Yard Garden Kitchen cafe, Cambridge

St Peter’s Church, Cambridge

Quick line drawings of tourists (and birdies) in the rain by the river at St John’s College.

Cambridge tourists in the rain

Cambridge tourists in the rain

Selfie sticks ahoy!

Selfie sticks ahoy!

Cambridge central library

Cambridge central library

In Cambridge Central library I had a little sit down and draw situation in the newspaper and magazine areas. The elderly man on the left was a wonderfully curious character to observe, removing his glasses and peering over the newspaper. Sometimes I see people out and about that I am aching to draw but they are already gone by the time the thought enters my head. At least with libraries they don’t move so quickly!

I have pages of drawings of people punting, but they are not great - it’s so hard to draw not only the people moving very quickly - not just their bodies, but moving along in the boat at speed. I need some more practice and to find a technique of capturing that speed and movement using fewer (and more expressive) lines.