Sunday 17 November 2019

Urban Sketchers' Trip to Barnsley


I've never been to Barnsley before. When the Yorkshire Urban Sketchers advertised a group sketch visit there I bought my trains to join them.


I'd been so overactive drawing in October, mind, that I had forbidden myself from carrying sketchpads around with me.


My Inktober comic is still to be worked out (edited, printed) and I'd let some other commitments slide, purely cos of too much drawing: too much urban sketching.


But my trains were already bought so I was gonna turn up anyway. Plus this wouldn't be solo sketching but with actual people, which is good for me. I tend to isolation so countering that is healthy.


Anyhow, this means I took, instead of a proper sketchpad, one of these £1.20 mini pads which I'd got with the intention of making Christmas present booklets out of.


The mini and flimsy format encouraged me to draw fast without too much care. The Aim = to fill all the pages, onesided that is.


I squatted, leaned in corners, ate the best chips I've had in years, and endured the Brexit lobbyists collaring the ex Labour vote as it walked past, encouraging submission to the super rich tax exiles as they dismantle what those who fought the second world war created afterward (depressing days we live in).


Bit cold so a few warmup coffees now and then. Didn't actually socialise much.


A bit envious of fellow sketchers doing proper drawings with more care, and colouring. But I saw my aim through.


A couple of pics were not official 'urban sketches' according to the rules, but most were.


I quite enjoyed the more ambitious/slapdash like this one. Perspective overload!


And in the Cooper Gallery I kept up my 'drawing in art museums' thing.


This one above (the Cooper Gallery) is my favourite from the day.


And an old school friend will have the booklet foisted on him as an odd Christmas present, because he's the only person I associate aith Barnsley.

Which means I've not broken my no sketchpad-filling rule: instead I have been industriously involved in legitimate Christmas preparations! 

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