Occasionally I will come across the odd sketcher around Oxford – but not very often. So it was a pleasant surprise to come across a whole group of Urban Sketchers in the Oxford Covered market a couple of weeks ago. I decided to join them on their next outing – at the Oxford Christmas Market.

After initially meeting up I decided to try sketching from outside The History of Science Museum, with a view of the market’s fancy carousel and their big alpine style ‘chalet” from further alone the street.

Here’s my view and sketch in-situ, below.

Initially I sat further back, but from the photo above you might be able to see the problem i.e. a van deciding to park in the way – and a double-Decker bus and lorry… A solution in this case was to move a little closer. In the end it didn’t make that much difference- better than waiting for people to move. Here is another view of my sketch below…

… and a scan of my finished sketch.

I also tried another sketch of the carousel – but with less success. I basically ran out of time and was not geared up for the complexities of the carousel. Maybe it is the sort of thing you need to simplify?

It was time to meet up with the other Urban Sketchers -for a chat and perhaps a cup of hot chocolate at The Weston Library. They were a nice bunch, very tolerant -but then it was time for us to make our ways home through the gathering gloom and congestion of another Oxford rush-hour!