16th March 2014 Sketching at Piccadilly Station, Manchester
On my first outing with Urban Sketchers I met up at Manchester Piccadilly station. After a brief chat we all dispersed for a couple of hours in different directions around the station and the immediate surrounding area to choose our subjects for sketching. I decided to sit on Platform 1 and sketch a view looking out from the station. What an impressive view - with the huge steel arch forming the entrance to the station and the gantries supporting the overhead electrification for the lines. The intercity Virgin train arrived in the station whilst sketching so I decided it would make a good addition to the sketch.
One of the most enjoyable things about plein air sketching, I always find, is the interaction you have with the general public, who are often surprised to see people sketching in public spaces.
On this occasion I ended up chatting to a couple of station porters and an on duty policeman, together with several people who sidled up to me to look over my shoulder inquisitive as to what I was drawing.
For the sketching I decided to use my Rotring engineering drawing pen that bought whilst at university over forty years ago.
