Over the last few months I have got involved with a group called Exeter Illustrators. As the name suggests they are a bunch of illustrators who live around the Exeter area who have got together to collaborate on projects, socialise and share information. They are a fantastic lot, with many well-known names amongst them. As they say themselves, between them, there isn’t much they haven’t scribbled! Being still very much in my journeyman years of the illustration profession I do at times feel slightly overawed but everyone has been very welcoming and generous.
Last week one project some of us collaborated on was delivered to the Lord Mayor of Exeter in person by two of the team. They even had their picture in the local press! Exeter Illustrators produced a poster of distinctive Exeter buildings, each drawn by a different illustrator from the group and the City Council asked if a special edition of the poster could be used as a civic gift for visiting dignitaries. I got the historic guildhall. It’s not an easy building to draw, I can tell you. It’s got all sorts of decorative carving on it and is so well known in Exeter that I knew I couldn’t miss out a single twist of ornate masonry or it would be noted! Here is my final illustration. As I drew, I kept reminding myself, at least I hadn’t got the cathedral!!!
You’ve certainly captured it – the character & life that is in that building. I keep coming back to the image & looking at all the detail & shadows you captured.