Liverpool Central Library recently underwent a substantial refurbishment, during which it acquired a roof terrace boasting impressive views of the city. The vista takes in landmarks from St George’s Hall to the tops of the Liver Buildings. I visited the terrace for the first time yesterday, accompanied by my trusty A5 sketchbook and fine line…
Author: simonbirtall
I am an artist and art tutor based in Merseyside, UK. I paint in an Impressionist-influenced technique in oils or acrylics on canvas and make drawings in pencil, pen, pastels and more.
A Crisp Winter’s Day in Port Sunlight
It can be tiring and frustrating being tied to the computer, picking up emails, replying to emails, picking up more emails, replying to more emails… Last Friday I decided to ‘bunk off’ for a few hours and flex the drawing muscles in Port Sunlight. I’d been waiting for a decent weather forecast for a few…
My Tomato Struggle
I thought it about time that I painted something from life again today – it seems like months since I’ve had the time. However, I struggled most of this morning with this little tomato. Though I am a little out of practice it caused more problems than I’d expect. The original idea was to produce…
Up the Liver Building, Quick
Today’s sketch is the third in a series of small sketches made relatively rapidly this week depicting Liverpool landmarks (previous two: Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, Liddypool’s Metropolitan Cathedral). This drawing depicts the Royal Liver Building on Liverpool’s Pier Head. As with the previous two sketches, I worked from fairly old photographs, one of which this time…
Liddypool Metropolitan Cathedral
Today’s pen and ink-type sketch was made to the same ends as yesterday’s artwork depicting Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, for the forthcoming Winter Arts Market at St George’s Hall in Liverpool. The sketch above was made this morning and depicts Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. I made today’s sketch on Daler Rowney watercolour paper. The approximate size of…
Drawing Upon Life 