Norwich Urban Sketchers - Anglia Square

Norwich urban sketchers met at Anglia Square on Sunday 15^th March. Most people gathered outside a bakery with hot tea to sketch. I started my series of drawings that will be the start of an experimental animated film documenting the social and economic aspects of the square. Capture the derelict Brutalist architecture and character before its regeneration.

Here are A few of my sketches. Some of these sketches capture views of the modernist building famously known as Sovereign House part of brutalist movement of architecture of the 1960'c designed by Alan Cook. I have used a combination of graphite pencils, marker and brush pen and monochromatic colour as I feel it expresses the dereliction and bleak environment through the textured qualities of the different media. I will have to keep the same format and portrait seems best to represent the looming presence of these stark buildings. If you are Interested to know more about the place follow this link - Mustard Video: Inside one of Norwich’s most notorious eyesores – Sovereign House at Anglia Square

The perspective of the architecture was quite challenging for me and I don't really want to make it a major part of my work. I am more interested in people and place and capturing my experiences and all the sensory stimulation I encounter while I am there drawing in situ.There is so much to record that disappears so quickly that I just hope to some how capture its energy, rhythm and soul. 

I was approached and noticed by more people from different walks of life here than I have been in other parts of the city and who were genuinely interested in what I was doing. 

The square has a sheltered area with benches where people gather to take rest, reflect, meet friends, sort shopping or while away time. It is the hub of the place. I am going to record a series of drawings capturing the stories of people sitting on these benches over time.I will be regenerating theses drawing and layering more sketches over the top to suggest layered time and the threat of redevelopment.You can see more of my drawings on my flickr site.