Images

The Bishy Road is ready – Vive Le Tour!

Bishopthorpe Road Clementhorpe York
The Bishy Road – decked out to greet Le Tour de Yorkshire!

This has to be the most dynamic and colourful street I have drawn so far!

The intention to draw the Bishy Road began on a spring day in 2013, over elevenses at the Pig & Pastry. It has come to fruition amidst a summer frenzy ahead of Le Tour de Yorkshire. The Bishy Road is ready! Vive Le Tour!

Now my husband is a Tour fan and having joined him to see several stages in France over the years, it is tremendous fun. For those of you who have never been – get over to York – it will be wild! The colour, music and carnival floats followed by these superhuman bikers isĀ  unmissable.

Paris Tour de france Bradley Wiggins british supporters
Waiting for Wiggo, Paris 2010

I understand (sort of) that for allsorts of reasons, Sir Bradley won’t be riding in this year’s Tour, which to me is a loss given how much he contributed to getting the Tour over here for us. However, I hope he will be watching as the Tour passes along the Bishy Road – York is aflame! This link to the York Press gives you a flavour.

I am running off a limited edition set of 199 prints of the Bishy Road drawing – which marks the 198 cyclists in this year’s Tour – plus one. The first print off is heading for Sir Brad of the Bish – just as a small thank you to him on behalf of this great street.

I have had tremendous fun interacting with some of the Bishy Roaders and hope to meet a few at the street party on 6th July. I only wish I had started sooner to include the opposite side and Cycle Heaven (which is next on the drawing board) but I have been burning the midnight oil to get this one finished.

Painting blue sky on watercolour paper
Painting sky over the Bishie road

Please do click over to the website www.drawingthestreet.co.uk and have a look at the street as a whole. Prints, cards post cards etc all on their way….meanwhile, please use any screen grabs for your community use, but I would be delighted if you would acknowledge Drawing the Street.Ā  I have shared some good quality images on my website (you miss out on the detail if I scale it down), but I am a self-employed working artist and if you do wish to use the images commercially – please get in touch and I am sure we can work out rates which work well for us all. This may be my drawing, but it is also your street.

Shop fronts on the Bishy road
Colourful shop fronts: Frankie and Johnny’s, Rice Style, Lal Quila, Pextons, Puddin & Pie

Last of all: thank you Bishy Roaders! You really are something pretty special.

Any questions/comments – please get in touch on the form below orĀ https://www.facebook.com/ronnie.cruwys

https://www.facebook.com/CruwysDrawingtheStreet

Finally, for a great full street length photographic view, please visit York360 over on www.york360.co.uk/panoramas-of-york/bishopthorpe-road

 

 

Audlem Street Drawing Limited Edition Prints

Audlem drawing at the printers
Simon at Smith York Printers in Ironbridge and me, Ronnie, with the Audlem street drawing

Whenever I finish a drawing, I scan it as soon as possible as the original often represents over a hundred hours work. Given the size of the drawingsĀ  (the Audlem drawing is 2 metres long), the scanned file sizes are huge as I scan with a high resolution for the best quality prints and so that enlargements on to canvas can be made for festival banners.

The street drawings are non-standard sizes so there are not many printing firms that can handle this combination. That said, Smith York in Ironbridge is a place where Simon not only can scan, but he also makes adjustments to the scanned image in order to reproduce the best quality giclee prints on heavy watercolour paper.

Andy and Jane at the Old Priest House, Audlem
Jane and Andy with the large size framed print of the Audlem street scene – soon to go up on the wall of the cafe.

The first few limited edition prints are now ready and for sale. I took the first framed large colour print along to Jane and Andy who have been running the Old Priest House in Audlem for almost twenty years. As Jane herself has been included on the drawing, it’s a great keepsake for friends and family of the part they have played in Audlem life. Thanks to you both for providing us with a top destination for many a sturdy breakfast!

When I set out to draw a street, I make thumbnail sketches and take photos. Inevitably, IĀ  photograph a few passers-by and I like to draw them too as they are an important part of the streetscape. It crossed my mind that people may wonder if they have been included on a drawing so here are a few photographed faces and the corresponding sketches.

Williams of Audlem
Williams of Audlem

Set within the lovely group of buildings known as ‘The Square’, there is a shop which has been in the same family since 1862 – it’s Williams of Audlem. I particularly like the sign-writing on the awnings and doorway – and the attractive flower baskets and flags all add up to it looking very elegant indeed.

Williams of Audlem
Williams of Audlem

Audlem is a cycling hub! Cyclists are hard to catch on the move but I managed to snatch a few taking off. The slow start can only be the result of a big breakfast…

Bikes audlem
Audlem Cyclists
Audlem Cyclist 2013
Audlem Cyclist 2013
phone man Audlem
Walk and talk – Audlem
Stafford Street
Stafford Street Audlem

Williams of Audlem and the Old Priest House are stocking limited edition (100 total) prints. If you would like to buy an unframed colour print, prices are as follows: small (800mm long) £95, medium (1200mm) £135  and large (1500mm) £175.

The prices reflect the quality of the print, the work involved in the drawing and include a commission to the trader. So, if you buy a print, you also support your local high street! There are also a selection of postcards from the drawing avaiable for sale. Please dont hesitate to contact me if you would like to reserve a print.

Stafford Street Audlem
Summer people in Stafford Street
Audlem people
Summer People in Audlem
summer people in Audlem
Mum and youngsters Audlem Summer 2013

Thanks for reading!

English Kitchen, Brunswick Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme

No 7 Brunswick Street, The English Kitchen

English Kitchen
No 7 Brunswick Street

I’m back from a wonderful family gathering and one of the first jobs on my list was to MOT my car. I popped the car into the garage but this time, packed my pens and sketchbook as there is a building close by that I have wanted to draw for quite some time.

No 7 Brunswick street stands out as a reminder of what was once a street of elegant town houses. The building next door is shrouded in scaffolding at present but the English Kitchen was just the right size for me to complete in one hit, standing with my back to Jubilee Pool.

First and second floor of 7 Brunswick Street
Look up!

Thanks to my friends who have encouraged me to get out there and draw – I completed the line drawing on the street and applied the colour at home. Here is the final sketch. Thanks for reading!

Pen and ink sketch of 7 Brunswick St
No 7 Brunswick Street in full technicolour!

 

 

Ironmarket in Summer

Ironmarket in Summer

This is a section from my ‘Ironmarket in Summer’ drawing. The geraniums in the planters and begonias in the hanging baskets all looked so vibrant that I decided to do a 60% reduced size summer version of my original 2.8m long winter drawing to submit to the Borough Museum and Art Gallery’s open exhibition. This time, I applied all the tips picked up in Dave Brammeld’s drawing classes and used a heavier 300gsm watercolour paper. Most of the composition is in black and white, technical drawing pens Rotring .25 and .18 nibs, with Sumi ink wash. Colour highlights on flowers, windows and sky in egg tempera.
The drawing has been selected and will be shown in this years exhibition.