This document lists the author's top ten places to sketch during the winter months. These include libraries, cafes, museums, art galleries, shops, ice rinks, theaters, foyer areas, train stations, and through windows. For each place, a brief description is given of why it makes a good location and an example sketch from that location is referenced. The author encourages braving the cold to capture interesting scenes and people at these varied indoor venues.

1. My Top Ten places to sketch
during the cold winter

2. 1. Libraries
Usually interesting buildings with the added advantage of people keeping
quite still, libraries can be good places to do some sketching. This drawing
was made a the French Institute in South Kensington, London.

3. 2. Cafes and restaurants
Always good to sketch at but particularly good in the cold weather!

4. 3. Museums
Full of interesting exhibits and people, museums can be fruitful places for
drawing. This sketch was made at the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill,
London.

5. 4. Art Galleries
As interesting for the people as for the artwork on display. This sketchbook
drawing was made at the Tate Modern, London.

6. 5. Shops and shopping centres
Both great for people watching and sketching, this drawing was made
from the café area of one of the Tesco Superstores.

7. 6. Ice rinks
If you can brave the cold then the many ice rinks that spring up at this time of
year are great places to capture some sketches. Thermals recommended.

8. 7. Theatres
If you have the opportunity, theatres can be lovely places to draw. I made this
sketch during the interval at a performance at the Royal Opera House, Covent
Garden, London.

9. 8. Foyers and hallways
Even if you can’t get tickets for the theatre, many venues have cafes
and places to sit in the foyers that can be interesting to sketch. This is
the foyer of the Fairfield Halls in Croydon.

10. 9. Train stations
They can be a bit draughty but at least it is dry and there will always be lots of
people to sketch. I recommend somewhere near the departure board as
often travellers will stay there for a short while, so you can add them to your
picture. This one was made at London’s Victoria Station.

11. 10. Through windows
Life from a window can always make a good composition but when it is nippy
outside doing some drawing by the warmth of a radiator will always go down
well. It was a particularly chilly day when I drew this scene from our back
window.

12. All images copyright Lis Watkins 2013
To see more examples of Lis’s work, visit
www.lineandwash.blogspot.co.uk