Tuesday 31 March 2020

Paperwork on the Table

Paperwork on the Table
(markers in A5 sketchbook)

"This reminds me of Mondaymondays before all this stuff started" was Colin's challenge for Monday's isolated urban sketch. I went back to before Mondaymondaysketching was a thing and drew the pile of unfiled paperwork on the table. Monday was the day i used to file it away (even if the very mention of it seems to make Pat laugh).

Monday 23 March 2020

Kitchen Corner


Kitchen Corner
(Markers in A5 sketchbook)

Mondaymondaysketcher's Colin decided we should draw something in the kitchen to maintain our Mondaymonday connection. So here's today's isolated urban sketch - the advantage being that it's easy to have a cup of coffee afterwards.

Friday 20 March 2020

Dressing Table

Dressing Table
(0.2 marker in A5 sketchbook)

I've got several paintings on the go, quite a few of them scheduled to appear in a group show in a theatre gallery in Alnwick. However, the Coronavirus has put a stop to that, at least for the foreseeable future.

With the pressure to finish the paintings off for now, I found myself yesterday eyeing up Pat's dressing table in our bedroom. I've always liked the look of it and planned to draw it one day but somehow never found the time. Coronavirus provides us with copious spare time!

Normally these days I would start a drawing like this by simply making a mark with my marker and carrying on from there. With this piece of furniture, however, I lost my nerve and made a quick pencil layout to make sure I'd get it properly placed on the page. Sometimes it's just necessary.

Tuesday 17 March 2020

Studio Chair


Studio Chair
(marker and coloured pencils in A5 sketchbook)

When the Government advised us, as over 70s, to self-isolate for the sake of our health in the face of the Coronavirus onslaught, the fate of urban sketch groups was sealed, at least for the foreseeable future.

Not to be defeated, Mondaymondaysketchers decided to try to maintain group involvement, even if only online. So last Monday it was suggested that members should draw their favourite chair and post them on the group's Facebook Page.

This is my studio chair. It belonged to my Mum who hated it, but I've found it very comfortable; its only drawback is that whenever I drop something (which is often), it's really difficult to bend over the side to pick it up.

Monday 9 March 2020

Condiments at The Quayside


Condiments, The Quayside, Newcastle

(markers and coloured pencils in A5 sketchbook)



Good day out with the Mondaymondaysketchers, but it comes to something when you sit in the upstairs room of a pub with a window view of all the Tyne bridges and end up drawing the condiments set on the table. 


It was a sunny day but the wind was cold and a cold wind on the Tyne is even colder, coming as it often does from the North Sea. I found one or two hardy souls sitting at the tables outside The Quayside (a Tim Widdlespoons pub, so I held my nose and put my conscience on hold), but the upper floor indoors seemed more attractive. Quite a few other Mondaymondaysketchers were there, clustered round a table by a window with a good view of the High Level Bridge and beyond. No room left at that table, so I moved down a couple of  tables, but the view from that window was more restricted, so I resorted to drawing the condiments set on the table. I've been finding such subject matter increasingly interesting and was pleased to find that this one came out well. A few markers and coloured pencils lent a bit of colour.

[Little did I realise this would be the last Mondaymondaysketchers outing for quite some time.]