Happy 10th Anniversary Urban sketchers London!

Combine three days of glorious sunshine, over a hundred sketchers, some from around the world, and iconic landmarks and you have the perfect way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Urban Sketchers London.

Arrived in London at 9.30 and headed for Regents Canal and Coal Drops Yard for some warm up sketches before heading to our first meet up at Gabriel’s Wharf. Lots of catching up with friends I haven’t seen for the last couple of years. Drew Len Grant, his Royal Sketchiness on his ‘throne’. Time for more chatting and another sketch before our first throw down. Quite a scrum. Then a drink and dinner with friends at Giraffe. Like me they didn’t have tickets for the evening opening event and book launch.

Saturday morning and my first sketchcrawl proper with Garfung and Nuno in Chinatown. A statue of Buddha caught my eye, but just as I was about to add watercolour out came a guy with a pressure washer. Still, plenty more subjects to sketch.

The roof top cafe at the Royal Opera House provided a unique view of Covent Garden in the afternoon and my sketch of the hard working staff at Buns & Buns made their week. Honest. That’s what they said when they saw the sketch.

A chance to relax and catch up with more friends back at the South Bank after the sketch crawl followed by dinner. Giraffe again. Conveniently located, reasonably priced and Barbara could take her Brompton.

Sunday morning and ‘the skirl of the pipes’ drew me to the Palace of Westminster. After fighting my way through the heaving masses I wedged myself against a lamp post and got to work. Halfway through the first piper left and I waited patiently for his replacement to start playing so I could finish. Result ‘Frankenpiper’! 

Then it was over a very windy Westminster bridge. Hold onto your hats. After checking in with Helen Hayhoe, who was leading the Houses of Parliament sketch crawl, I spotted three doctors taking a break in the gardens of St. Thomas Hospital, Big Ben in the background. Out came the sketchbook.

After a delicious Nepalese curry from a food stall on the South Bank it was over to St. Paul’s for our final sketch crawl and the traditional group photo on the steps of the Cathedral. Everybody say ‘Happy Anniversary Urban Sketchers London!’.

A huge round of applause to all the team for all their hard work in making the weekend such a success. 

Great fun, though exhausting too. Needed a couple of days to recover.