Welcome to the website of Peter Jarvis artist and illustrator.
Drawing is about looking and observation, but it’s also about enquiry and investigation. I have always drawn. As a schoolboy this was limited to technical drawing but soon developed into sketching in my later teens. In retrospect I suppose it began as a way of interpreting the world around me and soon became a habit. I draw for pleasure which in turn improves my professional practice and personal work. My main interests lie in architecture but this extends to interiors, landscape and people. In his book The Elements of Drawing John Ruskin talks about the importance of the process of drawing in education and William Morris said “everyone ought to be taught to draw...”. My interests are concerned with the continuance and promotion of this ideal through my own work and my teaching.
Peter is a lecturer, consultant and freelance artist and illustrator specialising in architectural representation for use in the publishing, advertising and building sectors. He has been creating fine art watercolours and commissioned architectural illustrations for over 25 years. Since completing a Diploma in technical illustration at Ravensbourne College of Art in the early 70s he has practiced as an illustrator in advertising and publishing alongside teaching posts at Bournemouth, Ipswich and Southampton. He gained an MPhil from the Royal College of Art in Information Illustration in 1997 and has been practicing as a freelance architectural illustrator since 1984.
Peter runs workshops in architectural drawing and rendering in both the corporate environment as well as for the Campaign for Drawing’s Big Draw events. He currently teaches on the BA(Hons) Interior Design course at Southampton Solent University and is a Fellow and the Education Officer for the Society of Architectural Illustration (SAI) for which he served two years as President. His watercolours have been exhibited at venues throughout the UK including the Mall Galleries and Bankside Gallery in London as well as in Liverpool, Birmingham, Cambridge and Southampton. He also has work in private collections in the UK and abroad.
Peter can often be found with sketchbook in hand drawing from decaying and weathered architectural subjects in and around Southampton and is currently working on a series of watercolours of East Anglian round tower churches.
Fellow of the Society of Architectural Illustration
Just found some old 6" x 4" prints of these I did about 15 years ago. I was asked by the architect Stephen Mattick to illustrate a new house he was designing for Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. As you can see it is in a very traditional vernacular style using hand-made materials including red cedar shingles for part of the roof and knapped flint walling, Stephen asked for three views to show the project "in the round" and to represent the building with atmosphere. I have taken the liberty of posting a photograph from Stephen's website of the finished building so you can compare with the artworks. An interesting project although disappointing not to meet Mark Knopfler himself!
A pair of cottages built in the mid 1860s and moved from Ashtead Kent. The interiors beautifully reconstruct a farm worker's home in mid Victorian times.
It's been a while, once again, so here are a few quick sketches I did with my students at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum at Singleton. A cold but bright day and with gloves and intermittent coffee only my feet suffered from standing on the frosty grass! I've spent previous days at Singleton and always a joy with so much to draw. The weatherboarded cottage I coloured later in the warm! All done in an A5 sketchbook on cartridge paper.
Although named Tudor House this Grade II listed building is early 17th century and built in local limestone near Peterborough. Due to be renovated with a new-build to the left in a vacant plot this was a pleasant commission just completed. Most new houses in this region have to be stone-built and often with Collyweston slate roofs in order to blend with the local vernacular. You'll notice that the roof slates are graded with the smallest at the top and largest at the gutter. Drawn traditionally in one-point perspective from architect's plans this took around 16 hours to complete.
Here is the finished watercolour and detail. I've tried to recreate a "medieval" atmosphere to this view by showing a stormy sky and sober tones to the mass of stonework in the building. I've also omitted some street furniture and used the existing trees and foliage to frame the picture either side.
This is the finished watercolour. I've darkened the sky to the right with an additional wash of Alizarin Crimson/Cerulean Blue mix (as per Colin's comment) and touched up one or two small areas of the building - trying not to be too fussy! Hope you like it and watch this space for my next demonstration of St Michael's Church Southampton.
