The Pagoda in Victoria Park

This is the new Pagoda in Victoria Park (see also A new Chinese Pagoda for Victoria Park and Victoria Park: The Chinese Pagoda and the new Island)

This is also the final sketch I did for A Postcard from my Walk - except it started as a sketch and ended up more like a 'proper drawing'.  It's now with my friend Robyn in Tuscany who wrote What a Finale!

The Pagoda in Victoria Park
pen and ink and coloured pencils on Arches HP
copyright Katherine Tyrrell - all rights reserved

The Thames at Kew - in March sunshine

We visited Kew Gardens on Monday because the weather forecast was good.  I sat and sketched by the Thames in the sunshine with my arms bare in short sleeves.

The Thames at Kew - looking towards Richmond 12 and 15 March 2012
pen and inck and coloured pencils in Moleskine sketchbook, 11" x 16"
© Katherine Tyrrell - all rights reserved

On Thursday, we decided to go back because the weather was still very sunny and so I was able to finish the sketch I'd started on Monday.

Both days had started foggy and the haze was still present round the river albeit the sun was shining - and consequently there was lots of atmospheric perspective to play with.

The Thames is still tidal at this point of the river and was all the way out which gave me a lot more interest - and colour - in the riverbanks to sketch.

A rower kept coming up and down while we there.  The rowing causes some nice ripples on the still water. I was trying to work out how to get her in the sketch.  In the end I decided that if I worked it up into a formal drawing I'd use a photo to get her more towards the foreground but that she was moving too fast to sketch effectively while sat there.

You can view the Thames from two places.

• Either sit on the benches located at Syon Overlook - at the River Thames end of Syon Vista - across the river from Syon House and Syon Park - but these have the Kew Haha, a fence and a towpath between the Gardens and the Thames (panorama sign in column F below)
• Or sit on the bench on the towpath (Column E)  - which is beyond the Haha and can be reached via the Brentford Gate (column M below) and a nice quiet walk along the towpath.  This option gives the best view of the water.

extract from Kew Gardens map

The particular view in my sketch is of the view to the left of Syon House and Park.  It captures:

• the western edge of Kew Gardens which borders the Thames and 
• the trees of the Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club to the left - which occupies part of the Old Deer Park and 
• the wilderness bordering the Thames south east of Syon park

I'll also be posting this sketch on the new Urban Sketchers London blog.

Willows on the Regents Canal

Willows on the Regents Canal
pen and sepia ink and coloured pencils on Arches HP, 28.5cm x 19cm,
copyright Katherine Tyrrell - all rights reserved

My postcards for A Postcard from My Walk have got bigger and bigger!

This January postcard - which now lives in France with Ronelle van Wyk (Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen).  I loved what she says about it in Willow Reflections.

I especially love the darkness of the reflections breaking up into softer tones and hues and more highlights and finally disappear into the lefthand corner, adding such lovely diagonal movement. I feel as if I'm slowly passing in a canoe, dragging my hand through the ripples and reflections.

These willows are in an area where the canal boats turn round and hence there's a bit more water than usual.  The colours in January in the sun are also very interesting - if you look hard!