The Wall - start of a journey

I love it that lots of people in Dublin Sketchers come up with suggestions for sketching locations. This time it was Chris who came up with the idea of sketching along the defense walls of Dublin. These walls were first erected by the Vikings, then extended and re-inforced by the Anglo-Normans. There's actually very little left of the wall that's still visible, but it makes for a fascinating journey all the same.

We started at the Record Tower in Dublin Castle. One of the elements that's still very much visible. It was built around 1220, and the top of it was rebuilt in the 1800s. It's imposing and big and medieval! One of the security guards, who casually dropped by to check what I was up to, told me that they're going to build a glass elevator beside it, so tourists will be able to access it, and see the views from the top. That should be interesting. 

For my first sketch, I sat in the shelter of the Printworks building. Well, I hadn't checked which way the wind was blowing, because, when the rain came (more of a heavy drizzle, the worst kind), it covered my page in droplets. I deployed my umbrella, but it was pretty uncomfortable sketching conditions. I had not intended to sketch the tower here. I prefer to look at the place as it is now, in front of my eyes, and I'm often more interested in what's behind the main subject. And the rain helped me to keep the background buildings very loose!! I added a collage of Chris's map and contained the page with a border. I was frozen at that stage, and went to the Silk Road Café to warm up and chat with the others.

 

After warming up, I decided to head out again. The weather was improving, the skies turning to blue and the sun coming out. You never know what you're going to get in January (or any other month) in Dublin. I wanted to find an interesting angle, and I headed to the bridge that connects the Dubh Linn garden to the State Apartments. I wonder if this is the same location where a bridge went over the moat? Possibly not. Still, a perfect spot. I could even rest my sketchbook on the railing, so it wasn't too tiring.  I just did a line drawing on location (including the many pigeons that call this place home) and added watercolour when I got home.

And here are my on-location shots, though I have no idea why one of them is a screenshot!!