A client recently commissioned me to paint a beautiful pub in south-west London, so I headed out for the day to capture some reference sketches.

The area has a wonderfully picturesque feel. In fact, if you were standing by the bridge, you could easily be forgiven for thinking you were somewhere in the English countryside rather than in London. But this is very much London. There’s even the odd classic London bus to remind you where you are.

The area also has a fascinating history. The composer Gustav Holst once lived here, and nearby is the site where the Football Association was founded. And no—it’s football, not soccer.

Painting the Coach & Horses pub

The subject of today’s painting was the Coach & Horses pub. It’s a lovely building, and, as it happens, I’ve eaten there several times over the years, so it was especially enjoyable to spend the day painting it. For this visit, my aim wasn’t to produce the finished painting but to create a loose sketch that I could develop later back in the studio.

I began with a simple pencil drawing, constantly looking back at the subject to make sure the proportions and perspective stayed accurate.

Once the drawing was complete, I started by blocking in the tonal values, establishing the shadows and the overall structure of the painting. Once I was happy with those, it was time to introduce some colour. Working directly in front of the subject with a sketchbook keeps everything fresh and lively.

Although these on-site studies are loose and impressionistic, they capture the atmosphere in a way that photographs often can’t.

With the sketch finished, I headed back into central London by train to begin another commission in the City—a completely different environment, but still London.

The Final Painting

Back in the studio, I used the location sketches and reference material to complete the final painting. I’m very pleased with how it turned out, and, more importantly, so is the client. Thanks very much for watching. If you enjoyed this video, please like and subscribe—it really helps the channel.