One Point Urban Perspectives
AKA some High Street scenes
The love for the High Street
I love high streets, preferably those in market towns rather than cities. I heard that the high street is becoming a place where people go to ‘do’ things rather than ‘buy’ things - that’s a shame, but it’s OK. It’s a shame that curated shops of things to buy have been replaced by warehouses on industrial estates, full of any old things that get delivered. But there are some things that can’t be replaced. That’s why the high streets have become the place for abundant cafes and hairdressers and the occasional tattoo artist. And I still love them.
The people and their stories
It’s not about corporate stories of turnover, profits and returns for shareholders. It’s about the people that ask about Mrs. Jones cat, the people that know Mrs. Jones even has a cat and that it’s been off it’s food (fact is the neighbours have been feeding the cat, but only the cat knows this).
The history
And the history of the buildings, the bricks and stone and mortar, where it came from and who used it to build the high street. Not the block and crinkly tin that has a life expectancy of 25 years, the buildings that will last several lifetimes, and then some more.
The clay that was dug, and moulded and fired and transported and laid as bricks, one after the other by craftspeople.
Not out of town sanitisation
Draw the buildings that are at the heart of the town, the soul of the town - the buildings that took a lot of planning and an awful lot of skilled construction. The buildings that make the town look like what they look like - it’s all part of the feel of the town that everyone takes for granted.
They are not in a faceless, out of town, retail development that could be anywhere, with buildings virtually the same wherever they are built.
That’s what drawing the high street means.
What’s coming?
This Substack is intended to expand upon the ideas of urban and landscape sketching with minimal materials, to provide examples and inspiration.
It’s all about getting your thoughts and feelings out onto paper without too many rules to follow - this is sketching - not drawing.
Thanks for reading this and coming on the journey with me. Enjoy the journey and the destination can just look after itself.
All the best,
Peter