these cafe days

Tampopo, Manchester

I saw a friend recently, who said "what have you been up to? Just going from café to café?" And, you know, from my drawings, it could look like that is all I do.

I do enjoy drawings in cafes though. They seem to combine all my favourite things; people, food and stuff, whilst being (mostly) warm and dry.

It's particularly useful, too, should you have forgotten to take your sketchbook out with you, if the café has paper place mats. I commend Tampopo for this. I managed to dig out an orange felt tip pen from the bottom of my bag for this one. I believe all cafés should use paper placemats. When I'm Prime Minister I will make it law.

The Plaza, Stockport

 One of my all time favourite cafes is the Plaza in Stockport. This place is an absolute hidden gem in a grey concrete city.

 It was built in 1932 and the café has pretty much stayed unchanged since then. It's like being on set of a Poirot film. Really very beautiful.

Plus, whoever was in charge of casting, has done a great job with the staff. Perfectly drawable café in every way.

Village Green , Eyam

 Then, the other day, we found a new café. I love it when that happens - when you find a new good café. Because, yes, I like a drawable café but the food is just as important.

And this one in Eyam 'plague village' ticked both boxes. I'll be returning. Next time, I'll sit in a different place, for a different view to draw.

Oil Can Café, Hepworth

 And so to today. The last café before Christmas.

But just to prove that I'm not always just sat around a table eating and drawing here's a something I did at work...

Oh.

Merry Christmas folks.

the perfect (drawing) equation

You know when you find one of those places that is just perfect to draw? Perfect for you.

I found one a little while ago.

Actually a drawing buddy found it for me. Illustrator Matthew Midgley found this place, the Carding Shed and Oil Can Café, and he said the first thing he thought, on walking in was "Andrea would love this". And I did.

Why so perfect? Well, it had all the elements of a perfect place for me. And it got me thinking about what was the perfect place to draw (for me) and I came up with this equation;

 perfect drawing place = stuff x vintage (old stuff) + people - cold/rain (nice venue + good coffee + food)

Anyone who has ever urban sketched in the UK, specifically in the North of the UK, will know how important that last bit of the equation is. There always needs to be a Plan B. With a roof and hot drinks. Warning for all the Urban Sketchers descending on Manchester next year.

Anyway the Carding Shed had it all.

It even had bikes. Hanging from the ceiling. Perfect.

What's your perfect equation?

we're in for more rain

Well, another couple of weeks have passed and I am still finding it difficult to pick up a pen and draw. I made this little one some time back, in my mini Moleskine sketchbook, at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Tomorrow my sketch crawl group return to the park, for lots of sketching goodness, but I'll be working the day job so I won't even have a sketchcrawl to kick start some drawing. It's okay though. As frustrating as these periods are, I know it will pass. It will, it will, it WILL pass.

Huge thanks for all your kind and supportive messages in response to my last couple of posts. I'll have some drawings to share soon.

let us not talk falsely now, the hour's getting late

 The chances are, if you have been to the beautiful Yorkshire Sculpture Park then you will have seen Henry Moore's Draped Seated Woman. From the main entrance, just as the park opens up to you, she can be found looking out over the lake. She sits on the hill watching over the park. Keeping her eye on things. Surrounded by her flock.

 If you sit for a while, maybe to draw or something, you'll hear the same old comments, over and over again, from those who come to look at her; stuff about 'her head being too small' and her 'being all out of proportion'. I want to tell them to take a look at themselves, they ain't exactly in proportion either. But I don't. I keep my head down. Keep drawing.

 And, besides, she doesn't need me to stick up for her. She doesn't care what they have to say. She's heard it all before. Over and over again. No, she's not interested. Why would she be when she has this view to look at?