The making of the Sheffield Winter Gardens Series in pen and ink


North View of the WInter Gardens

The North View

My latest piece is an A3 pen-and-ink drawing of the north view of the Sheffield Winter Gardens is finally complete. Each of these drawings takes around a month to finish, and this one has unfolded slowly through daily sessions, building up the lines and layers that bring the space to life. I took the reference photos myself on a clear morning, then converted them to greyscale so colour wouldn’t distract me from the shapes, shadows, and structure that make the Winter Gardens so recognisable.

All of the Winter Gardens pieces are drawn on Fabriano Artistico Extra White, a smooth, high-quality paper that holds crisp ink lines beautifully and gives just enough tooth for texture without catching or feathering.

Final winter gardens North view in pen and ink

Starting from the Front

With such a densely layered subject, the foreground shapes have to go in first. The front foliage is the easiest to define and anchors the whole composition, setting the rhythm for everything behind it. Working this way keeps the perspective clear and stops me from getting lost in the tangle of leaves, glass, and shadows before the drawing has structure.

Half completed winter gardens sheffield in pen and ink

Working top to botton and left to right

Pen and ink leave no room for impatient hands. To avoid smudging, I always work from the top of the page downwards, letting sections dry completely before moving on. The Winter Gardens is full of delicate overlaps, sweeping architectural lines, and deep pockets of shadow, so thinking carefully about where my hand rests is just as important as the marks I make.

Winter Gardens view South in progress in pen and ink

The South View - Work in Progress

While the north view has now been completed, the south view is still under construction. Like its pair, this piece is also A3, drawn in pen and ink on Fabriano Artistico Extra White. It will take around a month to finish, following the same steady, layered process, tarting with the front foliage, working top to bottom, and letting the Winter Gardens reveal itself gradually in ink.

Completing the pair will feel like closing a circle; two perspectives of the same space, each built through time, patience, and close observation.