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Crisp morning, Piccadilly is an original oil painting by Nick Grove.
Capturing the city’s architecture—and the contrast between near and far elements—gives me the opportunity to challenge my drawing skills and explore more dynamic compositions. I almost always use the sight-size method when painting en plein air., as I did for this piece, created on a crisp January morning in Piccadilly. It’s a bit of a hassle getting the easel set up in exactly the right spot, but it’s well worth the effort. The method allows you to fly through the drawing stage with precision and check any measurement or angle at a glance throughout the process. I was greeted by this wonderfully fresh view of Piccadilly Circus the moment I stepped out of my hotel, just as the sun began to rise. I decided to paint it there and then. As the sun crept higher, I focused on blocking in the tonal structure while the Swan & Edgar building was still catching both light and shadow on its façade. By the time I finished, the scene had filled with people rushing to work—but I chose to stay true to that first impression: calm, still, and full of morning potential.
