London Bridges

I've had a problem with the 30x30 challenge this week. Just not been feeling it, I suppose. And this, mind you, despite having just bought myself a new set of my favourite Winsor and Newton watercolour paints. I flatter myself that you can see the difference in the couple of pictures I've made since (10 and 11). These are numbers 9, 10 and 11 (which by my reckoning puts me five pictures behind. By no means out of the reckoning, but falling dangerously behind.)

9) Goldfinch

10) Street Music

11) Old Coach

I'll be honest, it's only these last two that I've done so far this year that I tend to like at all. Still, soldier on. 

I've had an idea for a follow up to my Monopoly series of sketches. It works like this. I love London, right? I love bridges, right? So why not do all the bridges in London that cross the River Thames? I've already sketched a few in the past, but I really want to do the rest. So, not working in any particular order I start with the oldest surviving bridge across the Thames in London, namely Richmond Bridge.

This rather gorgeous stone bridge to me looks like the quintessence of Georgian elegance. It was built in 1777 to replace a ferry service. In order to repay the investment tolls were charged, which actually lasted until 1859. Talk about long-term pay offs. It was the 8th bridge to be built across the Thames in what is now the Greater London area, but the seven earlier bridges were all demolished, making it the oldest. I used to go ice skating regularly in the old Richmond Ice Rink. I'd take the 65 bus from Ealing Broadway on Sunday afternoon, and walk across the bridge then along the towpath. I think that the ice rink has gone now, but at least the bridge, which is grade 1 listed, remains.