Marble Hill House with a few of the Dodgers.  I've hoped they would return for some time so was glad the heavy rain held off and I could draw the view I wanted from the left of the front, close to which gives a striking perspective and gutsy roof line angles.  Difficult to get accurately and initially I was off line.  Even a small margin shows.  I had to use a technique I learnt from a friend and go a bit sketchy and strengthen the watercolour colour and its application which resolved most of the errors.

I also have used some strong Prussian Blue and Permanent Rose highlights - a technique I saw in a couple of shows last year and have wanted to use.
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Colleagues thought it worked.

London Urban Sketchers met today at Sloane Square - lots of sketchers and a fabulous location - too much for one day.  To the east there are side streets with fine Georgian Houses, Bourne Street with views to Battersea Power Station - currently a major building site, the cranes and scaffolding a nice contrast.  And planes on final approach to Heathrow too. 

In the afternoon the threatened rain took many of us to the top floor restaurant of Peter Jones with views over Kensington, Knightsbridge and round to the city tower blocks.  And an astonishing quantity of tree tops too.

An utterly absorbing day.  Huge variety of styles and as ever I gathered a few more hints and tips.

Realising the Edwardo Paolozzi exhibition at The Whitechapel Gallery was ending I hurried up there and got the bonus of serendipity.

Having taken the wrong exit from Aldgate East I glanced Christ Church Spittlefields through the archwayed entry to Gunthorpe Street and felt the sketcher’s urge.  Originally George Yard the street was one of many alleys along Whitechapel High Street itself a revealing mix of signs, symbols shops and solicitor's offices.  Knowing nothing of its history I dug about to find in 1822 it was described as a "notorious rendezvous of thieves" and went on to be the scene of every conceivable crime including inevitably a bit of Jack the Ripper’s work.

George Yard was renamed Gunthorpe Street in 1912 after John Gunthorpe who was rector of St Mary's Whitechapel in 1471.

​As rain was pending a hurried sketch on one knee to get the spire in, as otherwise I’d have had to stand in the middle of the thronged pavement.