Hello, I’m David and I’ve always loved art, even though it’s only taken forty-five years to finally pick up a pen and brush and start painting again. This return was sparked a few years ago when I saw an instagram video, that popped into my usual feed of beagles stealing food, by Bob Gurney painting an airplane in gouache and, I liked it. I liked it so much I later got two of Bob’s’ books. The algorithms then did their thing and creatives started taking over my feed; I never saw again a beagle stealing food. I started to acquire paints and brushes with the good intentions of doing something similar to Bob when I next went to an airport. I never did paint an airplane at an airport and probably never will though I did continue to buy art materials without doing hardly any art! That changed in 2026 when I effectively retired and decided to take drawing seriously.
I started with sketching, particularly architecture, and quickly became fascinated by ink, fountain pens and watercolour washes. Since then I’ve been experimenting, taking workshops and online courses, and — most importantly — drawing regularly.
The Loose Nib is a record of that journey.
Architecture remains a big part of what I enjoy drawing, but I’m increasingly interested in anything that catches my eye — an interesting building, an architectural detail, a statue, an old object, an apple, or simply something that looks as though it might make an interesting drawing. There will be experiments with different pens, inks and techniques, drawings that work, drawings that don’t, and probably more pens than any reasonable person needs. Most of my sketching is done from photographs, often at home with an iPad, a cup of coffee and occasionally a piece of cake.
I’m not trying to become an expert or tell anyone else how to draw. I’m simply trying to get better at seeing things and making interesting marks on paper.
I’m simply trying to get better at seeing things and making interesting marks on paper.
