Urban Sketching Venice

Venice 2, a photo by simoneridyard on Flickr.

I'm just back from the Venice Architecture Biennale with my students. It was a pretty full on study trip but I managed to take time out to do a few urban sketches....of which this is one.

St Ann's Sq. Manchester

Both St Ann's Sq. views, a photo by simoneridyard on Flickr.

My drawings from Wednesday's urban sketching afternoon. A good afternoon's work I think?

The Civil Justice Centre, Manchester

The Civil Justice Centre, Manchester, a photo by larosecarmine on Flickr.

Just lovely...wouldn't you say..?

Pier Arts Centre, Orkney

I thought these images might be of interest. The building is the award-winning Pier Arts Centre in Orkney by celebrated Scottish architects Reiach and Hall and the photograph is by Gavin Fraser which was reproduced in the Guardian and architectural magazine RIBA Journal. I am really drawn to it....maybe it's the fading light contrasting with the illuminated gallery, or the highlighted pink of the buoys and adjacent red building - and look at the colour of that water...all with a backdrop of rather dour Scottish granite and pebbledash - I hope I won't upset anyone by saying that, but it's a wonderfully juxtaposed colour palette for the aspiring watercolour painter!

A very close architect friend of mine spent the best part of a couple of years working with the Orkney Council Architects' Department, and I hoped to visit her whilst she was there. I particularly wanted to visit Pier Arts Centre, and enjoy this view for myself, but sadly, didn't make it in the end - however Orkney remains on my wish-list of places to visit! The original painting was completed about 2 years ago, directly inspired by the photograph. It's since been sold although I do have a rather low res digital copy...so it isn't lost to me forever. I am thankfully much better these days at keeping a record of my work.

Polzeath, Cornwall

Polzeath, Cornwall, a photo by simoneridyard on Flickr.

Just uploaded this from earlier in the summer.

Recent Society of Architectural Illustration meeting

I have been meaning to write this post for a few days after I returned from a meeting of the Society of Architectural Illustration at Solent University School of Art in Southampton last Friday. It was a long day, flight down and long very busy train back...being a Friday and rush hour...and half term. It was the first time I had met my fellow Society of Architectural Illustration members, and very good to meet some of them at last! I arrived late into a packed seminar room full of staff, students and practioners, just as Don Coe (FSAI) and ex president, had started an illustrated talk - and how fabulous his speedy, evocative sketches were! Good to see a professional illustrator working at the top of his game, the students must have been so delighted. Then followed a series of presentations and demonstrations, highlights for me included Keith Hornblower's stunning live watercolour demonstration, I am such a fan of his loose and expressive watercolour style. Also Shona (I'm not sure her surname), did an excellent 'how to set up a perspective exercise' from a plan and elevations. I sort of know how to do this intuitively, but how good to have it explained so clearly. I will definitely be repeating this with my students and also Pete's (again not sure of his surname) very clever 'draw a peg' exercise. Great also to hear from Joe Robson, our current president talking about his CGI work and inspiration for it. So...a whole series of excellent talks, quick lunch, a few introductions then straight into a workshop session at which the students could choose to work alongside one of the illustrators and attempt one of the earlier demonstrations...with the added incentive of good prizes! Students were interestingly from both interior design and illustration courses, this is something I am keen to feedback to my fellow tutors at Manchester School of Art. Because of the long journey north I had to leave them to this session, but was delighted to have made the trip and I am sure the students will remember this day for a long time. I for one was very inspired, came away more enthused about my teaching practice and involvement in architectural illustration...and hopefully have made some new friends! Big well done to all involved.

Here are a couple of photos from the afternoon:

One of the student groups working in the afternoon

Another group working with Keith Hornblower

Manchester School of Art Urban Sketching Group Event No2

Poster for next week's urban sketching event