DesignThinkingDrawing

About Peter

Peter Richards is an architect and urban designer and a recent principal of Archipelago Architects, a South-East Queensland based multi-disciplinary design practice, following founding director his own practice in 1994. About Peter →

The Book

Ideas and techniques on how to design, think and draw urbanism and architecture.

About the book →

Workshops

DesignThinkingDrawing workshops are an excellent way to learn and improve design thinking and drawing skills. Workshops can be conducted over 1, 2 or 3 Days. Programs can be tailored to address specific interests and needs. Workshops have been successfully conducted in North and South-East Queensland, most states in Australia, and in London. Find out more →

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I felt the rain from last week gave me some unfinished business with SCOUT Cafe. As I drive past it every day, it is easy to revisit and I wanted to do a drawing that did it justice. This time I chose black and blue gel pens. I do not know why. For t

And one more. Just tones of one colour painted then drawn on. I added another wash forgetting that the ink was not waterproof. Blue Posca with yellow highlights to the rescue. | 2020 |

Not an urban sketch as I can’t go fast enough for the rapidly sinking sun. But this is the view to the left of my city panorama. It features the Willie quite prominently, so apologies for that. I tried a more traditional watercolour, but the sk

Unfinished business. I indicated that I wanted to finish this drawing from 2 posts ago. Since I get my lunch near here, I had no choice but to take my drawing stuff and folding chair. Tricky perspective looking up the street. | 2020 |

Better than Suduko. I am finding that drawing is now becoming the refuge for me from the pressures of work stuff. I went to Kangaroo Point hoping to do a sunset watercolour, but I found this view of the city quite compelling. So, inspired by my #inka

I do like a crane and a pink tree in the background. The redeveloping Jubilee Hotel and the new @lendlease building at the RNA using the warm colours again. I will draw the left half soon that includes the old pub. | 2020 |

Beaten by the weather. Today’s urban sketching outing was cut short by the weather for the first time in a long while. I like @scoutcafebrisbane for its food and the building, so I found a spot under what I thought was a sheltered tree canopy.

Thinking of the snow. I like the challenge of designing in unfamiliar places, trying to identify the appropriate character of the architecture and the landscape, and the context formed. So, I am going to the snow helping a team do just this. All we n

Another experiment of the city view from memory drawn over my practice water colour trying to remember which colour is which in my palette. The Posca pens helps give more clarity. I think the number of tall buildings is more correct here. This is goo

Here is some practice to get back into watercolour. This was painted from memory last night, no set-up just paint, and I added some sharpie lines this morning. This is the city view from Trammies’ corner again. I will keep practicing. | 2020 |

I realised a long time ago to respond positively to opportunities. It is not always possible, but this time I found myself presenting in a fascinating session on observing and analysing the city through drawing, at this year’s (now virtual) CN

I finally got back to the iPad. A sketch from a friend’s verandah. Can you spot 1 William? | 2020 |

I went looking for an angel to sketch, but found Charlotte Cowlishaw, who may turn out to be the grandmother or great grandmother of an old friend of mine. There are so many beautiful stone sculptures at Toowong Cemetery and this one was close to whe

Toowong Cemetery with some urban sketching friends, looking up towards the hill top. I was taken by the beautiful memorial to Willie aged 21 in the foreground on the left. Governor Blackall’s obelisk in the centre and the large obelisk of the p

Thanks to all for the response to my last post. I have been thinking about why this drawing may resonate more than others. I have made my own observations and overlaid some lines to show them. These will be incomprehensible without some explanation.

The first post C19 outing with Urban Sketchers Brisbane today to the fantastic Newstead House, where I have not been for many years. I wanted to show the location of the house on a small hill top overlooking the Brisbane River and Breakfast Creek. Tw

More iPad practice imagining a new housing project before any CAD models are made. I think the proportions are all wrong but they will be better next time. | 2020 |