In a bid to speed up my drawing (and get better at it), I tripped in to Manchester city centre today to attend my first urban sketching event.

Mass confusion ensued at Victoria train station as there was also a walking group meeting at the same place and time.  I’m not entirely sure that some bemused walkers didn’t end up sketching all day and some urban sketchers wondered why not many people in their group were sketching…

A fellow Woodend Mill artist Hugh Winterbottom also agreed to come – we spent about half an hour trying to find a good spot to sketch from but eventually agreed on this view looking towards the Cathedral and Harvey Nichols down Fennel Street.

Depressingly, this is as far as I got in an hour.  So much for trying to be quicker and have a freer style.

Ho hum, I’ll keep trying.  I’m going to redraw this viewpoint again sitting in the relative comfort of the studio, which is against the philosophy of the ‘urban sketcher’ (drawing on location and not from photographs –  I suspect this will be easier in the warmer weather!).

I left early (cos I’m soft) so didn’t get a look at everyone’s sketches (you all get together at the end to compare drawings) but I’m sure some pictures will be available on the Manchester Urban Sketchers’ Facebook page soon, which is here.

Another quick sketch I did whilst waiting for train…