Another memorable column from the 12th century slowly taking shape in my Moleskine sketchbook. I used the 0.3mm pencil for the incised decoration as the 0.5mm lead wasn't fine enough to show the incisions clearly. It would have been an afront to the masons of the 1160s to draw their work sloppily.

My Top Nine of 2025 on Instagram. A few surprises here. For example, two of them are "work in progress" snapshots. One is a figure study for a commissioned cutaway drawing and all of them are pencil or pen drawings, most of them in a #sketchbook. #ArchitecturalIllustration #drawing #ArtYear

Repost with something watery. A receding tide at Crimdon Dene, Hartlepool, County Durham.

A labyrinth with many echoes of the past. A row of piers from the 1160s-80s undercroft of the York Minster of Archbishop Roger of Pont L'Eveque left in place to support the arcades the later choir of 1394-1420. #YorkMinster #ArchitecturalIllustration #drawing #ArtShare

York has its own Wealden hall house, in Powell's Yard, 51 Goodramgate. It's rare to find these 15th century buildings so far from the Weald of Kent and Sussex. #ArchitecturalIllustration #drawing #watercolour #ArtYear

Watermill House, Benenden, Kent. A large Wealden hall house in the Weald of Kent, built between 1470 and 1510. A rare watercolour of my time in Kent studying medieval houses. #ArchitecturalIllustration #drawing #ArtYear

Christmas is a time for digging things out of the loft, like decorations and left over wrapping paper from last year. That's when I came across some snapshots of the undercroft of York Minster. I'm not sure whether to leave this as a pencil drawing or add some colour to it. #pencil #drawing

A chance to draw some posed figures as we made our Boxing Day visit to my sister-in-law's house. The figures are on the jambs of a fireplace in the sitting room so they can be comfortably drawn from the sofa. #FigureDrawing #sketchbook #ArtShare

A wagon in Kent. A bit worse for wear, perhaps it had too much holiday spirit. #watercolour #drawing #ArtShare

A house on wheels for a shepherd to watch o'er his flocks on Romney Marsh, a long way from home at Copton Manor, Sheldwich, North Kent. An age-old practice still in use, though with more modern amenities I would hope. #drawing #ArtYear

Oasthouse at Dunbury Farm, Chart Sutton, Kent. Close to a medieval farmhouse these large 19th century oast kilns and barn were used to dry hops. This one, like many others, was converted into houses soon after I got the photograph at the end of a day recording the farmhouse. #pencil #drawing

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. The shopping is done, the presents are packed. Travel plans for the next few days made. We can relax a bit and hopefully all who read this can too. #MerryChristmas #drawing

I gather it is #TraceryTuesday a bit of York Minster, focusing on the south transept, begun in the 1230s, topped by the rose window. #ArchitecturalIllustration #pencil #drawing #ArtShare

Barbican Gate, Sandwich, Kent. Also known as Davis Gate, this 14th century structure stands on the former city quay of the medieval Cinque Port. The round towers flanking the gateway have early keyhole gun ports. #ArchitecturalIllustration #pencil #drawing #ArtYear

A quick sketch of High Street, Charing, Kent with 27, 29 High Street (Sherborne House) drawn a bit more fully than the rest. This 16th building incorporated a shop with its own doorway at the left hand end. The main house was to the right. @varchgroup.bsky.social #pencil #drawing #ArtShare

As Christmas approaches a spot of quiet reflection. My go-to place in York Minster, St Nicholas chapel in the north transept, monument to archbishop William de Greenfield who died in 1315. #YorkMinster #ArchitecturalIllustration #pencil #drawing #ArtYear

27, 29 High Street (Sherborne House), Charing, Kent. This 16th building incorporated a shop with its own doorway at the left hand end. The main house was to the right. @varchgroup.bsky.social #ArchitecturalIllustration #pen #drawing #ArtShare

Headcorn Manor, Headcorn, Kent. Recorded as part of the Royal Commission Kent project. The building is a 15th century Wealden hall house, the hall open to the roof and heated by a fire on a hearth set in the floor. Spot the cat on the threshold. #ArchitecturalIllustration #pen #drawing #ArtShare

"There are two ways of spreading light : to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." -Edith Wharton #sundayvibes

Hurst Farm, Chilham, Kent. On the right an open hall with an extraordinary roof, built between 1300 and 1335. In the mid 16th century a 2 storey cross wing was added. The porch added in the 17th century but incorporates some early material. #ArchitecturalIllustration #PenAndInk #drawing

#ArtDD2025 American avocet... ...looking very wary! For #ArtAdventCalendar Day 20 🦉 @saocousins.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @andykaitken.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social

Vane Court, Biddenden, Kent. A 'Wealden' hall house built in two main phases. The upper end, left, & 2-bay hall erected in the late 14th century. The right hand end added in the early 16th century. I did some of my 1st exploded timber joint drawings when RCHME recorded it.

GB memories reminded me I finished this view of King's Manor in York 20th December 2017 despite a bad cold. The mainly 17th century range was restored c1900 by architect Temple Moor. #ArchitecturalIllustration #pen #drawing #ArtYear

The Christmas period display at Bradley Jewellers has red flowers, ribbons & silver baubles. Number 67 Low Petergate of 3 storeys, is probably of late 14th-century date. It represents a surviving middle bay of a house of three or more bays roofed parallel to the street. #ArchitecturalIllustration

One of my all time favourite drawings by one of my favourite artists.

Looking back over 2025 & finding I did lots of sketches, including these of Seaton Carew on the edge of Hartlepool. Visited in poor weather in July. Despite that a lovely walk on the beach & excellent fish & chips. #Hartlepool #SeatonCarew #ArchitecturalIllustration #drawing #sketchbook #ArtYear

The tomb of William Etty RA. William Etty is York's most famous artist he was born on 10th March 1787 and died on 13th November 1849. He is buried in the churchyard of St Olave's Church in Marygate & can be seen from Museum Gardens. #ArchitecturalIllustration #drawing #sketchbook #ArtYear

Barn in Charing, Kent. An aisled barn dating from the late 15th or early 16th century. The crown posts of the roof have not been shaped to a square section. Drawn in about 1988 when I lived in Kent. It was later converted into a house. #ArchitecturalIllustration #pencil #drawing #ArtShare

Facebook has reminded me that on 17th December 2022 I passed the milestone of 10 million views on Flickr. This year the number is over 12 million. Thanks all for showing an interest in drawings mostly of old stuff. Here's some of the "most interesting" examples. #ArchirecturalIllustration #drawing

St Mary's Abbey and William Etty's Tomb, York. William Etty is York's most famous artist, born 10th March 1787, died 13th November 1849. He is buried in the churchyard of St Olave's Church, Marygate. His tomb can be seen through the wall of St Mary's Abbey church in Museum Gardens. #drawing

Red sky in the morning. The edge of York welcomed the new day with a dash of red, orange and yellow.

Even more fascinating in the mist than in the summer sunshine.

William Etty RA is York's most famous artist, born on 10th March 1787 & died on 13th November 1849. His statue, outside the city art gallery, is placed so he can gaze at the city walls that he helped to save from demolition in the 1839s and 1840s. #ArchitecturalIllustration #drawing #ArtShare

17. Never used a waterbed or AOL.

Figure drawing, woman reclining, color pencil on paper #art #draw #pose #sketch #colorpencil #figuredrawing

Linescape of Glenridding Dodd from across Ullswater. If you would treasure a signed print for £24 (postage included) email: [email protected]

For #MotteMonday here is the Old Bailey, York's other Norman motte. Built 1067, damaged by Vikings in 1068 then rebuilt again. The bailey rampart was later used to carry the Bar Walls from Bichdaughter Tower to a postern gate by the River Ouse. #OldBaileYork #illustration #ColourPencil #drawing

Fountains Abbey near Ripon, in the snow with a tree. I enjoyed drawing the tree. #FountainsAbbey #ArchitecturalIllustration #Pencil #drawing #ArtYear

Some night time sketching at railway stations, at Doncaster & Heckington in Lincolnshire. Sketched on site, colour added later. Particularly pleased with the Doncaster one with street lighting up clouds etc. #UrbanSketching #drawing #sketchbook

The Langdale Pikes from Elterwater.

According to FB I finished this drawing of Low Petergate, York OTD 2017. I was once asked for directions to York Minster from near this spot. "Err, see that big spiky tower up there..." #YorkMinster #ArchitecturalIllustration #pencil #drawing #ArtShare

The De Grey Rooms, Exhibition Square, York. Designed by architect G T Andrews and built in 1841-2, the main block was to provide a supper room to be used for the annual gathering of the Yorkshire Hussars, a yeomanry cavalry regiment. Now the offices of York Conservation Trust. #Illustration

After fieldwork at St Andrews church, Heckington I did my usual studies around the subject. For this project it included figure studies of 14th century costumes. A sketch of the nave + figures on the church sedilia. #MedievalDress #drawing #ArtYear

Field work sketches OTD, 2016 at St Andrews Church, Heckington, Lincs. The church is famous for its elaborate sedillia & Easter sepulchre. An arguing couple + the man who is either suffering from toothache or eating flowers on the sedillia. #ArchitecturalIllustration #pencil #drawing

On 12th December 2019 I voted in the general election & distracted myself drawing some bricks in Shambles, York. Like you do. Or rather did. #ArchitecturalIllustration #pencil #drawing #ArtShare

From the archive. The Pre-Raphaelite artist Gabriel Rossetti and his memorable drawing of Jane Morris. At the time I was attempting to draw a comic book, part of my drive to improve my portfolio after leaving art college. My working method has remained roughly the same. #Drawing #ArtYear

The algorithms are making it a lot harder to spread the word about these online talks. Although numbers are still reasonable, it would be a great help if folk were able to give the 30 December event a quick share 🙂 Booking available here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/buildings-...

"Whiling away the moments that make up a dull day..." A few words from Pink Floyd's song 'Time' sum up part of my weekend. My wife was away at our daughter's, the weather was rather dreich so out came my sketchbook along with these characters. #ArchitecturalIllustration #drawing

For #ADoorableThursday a view of the stairs through the narrow doorway to the old masons' rooms above the corridor of the Chapter House & the north transept of York Minster. The roof of the chapter house has been dated to 1288. #ArchitecturalIllustration

For #WindowsOnWednesday here is Shodfriars Hall, Boston, Lincolnshire. Built in the 15th century, it was remodelled and restored in 1874 by J Oldrid Scott, son of Sir George Gilbert Scott. #ArchitecturalIllustration #pencil #drawing #sketchbook #ArtShare