Coventry Town hall

Back in Coventry again. This is a picture of the Town Hall (you can see the clock on the top left of the central tower) On the left you can see some of the road works which I drew in December - yes, still there!
The pub on the right is Drapers, the -under-new-ownership Brown's. It was briefly notorious in 2012 for being that pub which didn't serve pallbearers in military uniform.

Coventry roadworks

I had a hard time liking Coventry when I started working here, which is partly why I started sketching there over the summer. I can't help but like something if I spend time drawing it. I've learnt some interesting local history on the way too, but so far I've concentrated on the more scenic parts.  Which is a bit misleading. Here's a more typical street scene, about 100 m from where I work. Note scenic road works and 1950s concrete buildings. The building at the centre back is the courthouse.

Bike sketches for illustration of monkey riding bike

Some prep work for a circus illustration. These bikes are a bit old but I'm guessing a monkey wouldn't get to ride the new models. Top one is a 1889 Hume/ Edlin/Sinclair model, the first ever bike with pneumatic tyres.

Bad sketch/drawing- and waffle about Chris Oatley

I was listening to Chris Oatley's podcast back catalogue recently and there was a episode which talked about the importance of bad drawings- how you shouldn't be put off by doing awful drawings because (oversimplification alert) you need them in order to improve. So here's one of my shitty drawings recently: eating lunch on the stairwell at work . I usually vet them before posting.
I highly recommend these podcasts . Chris talks about the practical aspects of working as an artist and has lots of nuts-and-bolts tips to improve.

Illustration: Whitefriars monastery in Coventry

More sketching in Coventry at Whitefriars Monastery. The website says that it's a museum but it looks abandoned. The shapes in the background are Coventry ringroad.

Coventry University Square with Coventry Cathedral sketch

A sketch of  University Square in Coventry. You can see the St. Michael statue (last week's sketch) on the right.

Sketch of St Michael and the Devil from Coventry Cathedral

More sketching in Coventry Cathedral. These are random sketches of visitors (not very good, it was hot) and an illustration of the large statue of St Michael and the Devil outside the main entrance. I like the detailed feet of the sculptures and the way that the statues are placed so that the angel is almost, but not quite, stepping on the head of the Devil.

Coventry Priory

Another lunchtime sketch in Coventry, this time of the Priory ruins

There are some really nice places round the back streets which are good for drawing and a bit out of the way.

I thought I would have to take some students down to London today, so took my sketching stuff into work. Turned out that I wasn't needed, so I did some drawing in my lunch break.
I work in Coventry and this is the famously bombed out old cathedral. The spire's not that wonky in real life.  Coventry was flattened  by the Luftwaffe in 1940, and then by the town planners shortly after, but the old buildings are lovely pinky sandstone and some gorgeous old buildings are surrounded by ringroad and one of the ugliest shopping streets in the UK
The statue in the foreground is called Reconciliation.

One of the other best things about Coventry is The Noodle Bar.