Let's go North

A while ago I got a private commission to draw a panoramic view of the city of Durham in the north of England.

I had passed this historical place quite a few times by train en route between London and Edinburgh and have always been very impressed by the grand and magnificent cathedral which can be spotted from the train. So obviously I was very delighted to finally pay the city a proper visit, wander around and get familiar with the place.

And what a beautiful city this is: steeped in history, full of little, winding cobble stone streets and alleyways, overlooked by the fortress like castle and the medieval, marvellous Cathedral, one of the longest ones I've ever seen. It also has a very tall crossing tower, a fine cloister and a most impressive western façade towering high above the steep gorge of the River Wear.

The very unique setting within a loop of the river combined with the hilly topography with lots of up and down going on add a lot to Durham's unique character and are a lovely challenge for the artist ;-)

Drawing topography above the horizon is easy, indicating it seen from above is a lot more tricky.

But, as my partner tends to say: challenge is good!