Thursday, April 16, 2009

Praha


I spent the long weekend of Easter exploring Prague with Kris & Dave-two colleagues from Aardman. It's one beautiful city, the architecture is stunning. I didn't get too much sketching done but managed to squeeze in what follows between meals, cabarets, sight-seeing & surreal encounters with the 'night-folk'. It happened to be my 33rd birthday too so we celebrated every night with many exotic drinks and I would draw through the hang-over the following morning . . .

The Old Town Square was heaven to draw in-I got down the astronomical clock & a quick sketch of the gothic Tyn Church.







On my birthday we headed 40 km out of Prague to find the famous Ossuary of Kutna Hora. It's packed with thousands of skulls & bones, many of which have been used to create macabre decor. The centre-piece is an enormous bone chandelier-tackling all the detail in a drawing was daunting but I had to try.




That evening we ate in a medieval banquet hall where we were entertained by fire-breathers, duelling brigands, belly-dancers with snakes and a dwarf pirate who put Kris in thumbscrews.



The next day we visited the Alphonse Mucha museum. There were dozens of his exquisite art-nouveau poster designs on show, alongside preparatory drawings, lithographs, oil paintings & sketchbooks.




The Cathedral & Prague Castle


The western end of Charles Bridge




It was an enlightening trip & a fine way to celebrate my 33rd birthday. Only an hour & a half flight from Bristol it's very tempting to return soon to capture more of this charming town in my sketchbook.

15 comments:

JP said...

happy birthday!
I turned 33 this week too. It's going well so far...

Matthew Cruickshank said...

Did you see a man urinating in his own mouth?

Unknown said...

Bon Anniversaire mon Lapin! en retard, mais bon.
I always wanted to go to Prague, now that i'm so far away from it, I regret I never went there, an hour and a half it's what it takes me to go buy my bread in L.A.
Je t'embrasse!

YNHeller said...

Your sketches are to die for. keep it up!

Unknown said...

Beautiful drawings!!

Uli Meyer said...

Happy Birthday Matt, you kept that quiet. Nice sketches. Did you go and see the midget strip show? Saxton and ginger Dave missed it last time we were there, they would be very envious.

Vhrsti said...

I live 90 km from Prague and I always wonder why tourists love the town. There is answer in your sketches!

Craig Mackay said...

Fantastic work! Beautiful building facades.

Jeroen said...

which pencil did you use in your previous post 'back in life drawing'?
The line looks very chunky, yet soft and smooth.

Matt Jones said...

No pencils my good man, simply an array of dried out brush pens & cheap calligraphy pens.

Olha Pryymak said...

Fabulous stuff! Happy belated 33rd :) Hope to follow your footsteps - I plan to go to Prague myself this week

Bryst said...

great stuff here! =)

where u're working actualy?

Matt Jones said...

I'm in Bristol, England now.

jackie4u said...

Hi. Iam from Prague ... very nice pictures - I love to see another point of view to "my town". I have just wondered about that restaurant "medieval banquet hall". Do you remember name or location of it? Because it seems to be very interesting restaurant. Was it "U sedmi Svabu" ( http://www.pragueexperience.com/places.asp?PlaceID=366 - only one similirar i know) or someone different?
BTW: Happy Birthday

Matt Jones said...

Hi Jackie-thanks for your comment & birthday wishes! I seem to remember the'medieval restaurant' was called 'U Pavouka'