studio1482.com/veronica
My husband, Neil, had to go to conference in Amsterdam a and I went with him, hoping to find some inspiration for my illustrations. I’d wake up in the morning and head out into the city to see what I could find. One thing I like to do when I draw a particular environment is to find a subject that seems especially characteristic of that place. I’d heard that Amsterdam was bicycle-friendly, but it was only when I got there that I realised bicycles are a way of life. When I drew this, sitting in a café at peak time for the morning commute, the bikes were seven deep and there was a wonderful sense of energy. I love the subtle things you can discover when you observe a scene in order to sketch it, instead of just snapping a photo. I saw that, despite rush hour, cyclists seemed polite and gracious to one another. A real atmosphere of congeniality pervades this lovely city.