Meet the correspondent: MANCHESTER, UK > Simone Ridyard

“Hi there,
some of you know me already, but for those who don’t, my name is Simone and I’m
an architect by profession and now full-time lecturer at Manchester School of
Art. I am also a member of the Society of Architectural Illustration, here in
the UK.

Urban
sketching has been on the periphery of what I do for a number of years, but it
was seeing the fabulous work of Urban Sketchers Singapore last summer, that
really inspired me to focus on this enthralling type of reportage drawing. Now a
year on…I am completely addicted! I draw mainly in pen, and am quite
obsessed with detail and pattern making, I then (usually, as sometimes leave
black and white), overlay with loose watercolour washes. I think it’s the combination
of the structured drawing (must be the architect in me!), and then the more
expressive use of colour, which I find quite thrilling. I also really like
panoramic drawings…the more complex, the better.

Last October I started the Manchester urban
sketching group with help from USK correspondent Caroline

Johnson who had recently returned to
England from France (now a good friend). We are a small but committed group of
sketchers and steadily increasing our numbers. I think there is great enthusiasm
for urban sketching as a way of communicating through drawing and I
particularly like the support that our group gives each other. 

I have
just started packing for Barcelona, my first USK symposium! I am looking
forward to challenging my usual ways of working in what will undoubtedly be an
exhilarating few days of nonstop sketching…and of course meeting so many of you
who I know through Flickr and your posts on the urban sketchers website. The
online urban sketching community is so vibrant, interesting and friendly –
however some days I don’t know how I get any work done as I can spend hours
just looking through Flickr sketches! 

I am
thrilled and feel immensely privileged to be invited to be an official USK
correspondent for Manchester and I look forward to sharing my sketches and
stories with you all.” 

Simone’s blog

Simone’s website