Sketching with Olivia by the Thames in Richmond

This morning I left the flat in the rain and cold - yes, the Summer Solstice is on Saturday - and caught the train to Richmond. A small group of us (current and former students of Putney School of Art and Design Children's Book Illustration class) get together to sketch the Out There now and again. Sometimes we head into the city, sometimes out.

Two of us couldn't come out to play today, so it was just me and Olivia. After walking upstream to that point where we might keep walking and not do any drawing, we decided to stop walking and sit.

The bench was quite wholesome, not too much moss, lichen, bird poop, ice cream or other unidentifiable unsavouriness. The view was reasonable - river, trees, buildings, boats, people. We sketched for a couple of hours and the sun came out. A pleasant way to spend a morning, drawing what's in front of you and talking of, well you know, those brassicas and monarchs again.

I'm still enjoying using my antique Derwent Studio coloured pencils. Olivia went for pen and watercolour.

Go to Olivia's blog to see her sketch.

Olivia's pen and watercolour sketch of Richmond Bridge

On the Thames at Richmond - click for bigness