Big Draw National Launch 2003

Other launch events: South West, South East, East, East Midlands, West Midlands, North West, Yorkshire, North East, Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland

Tooth & Claw logo by Quentin Blake, Campaign patron

Tooth & Claw

4 October 2003

Persil Get Creative logo

Natural History Museum logo

Generously sponsored by Persil (sketchpads and pencils),
ServiceGraphics (banners), Coates, Crayola, Cretacolor, GF Smith and Sennelier (wide variety of art materials)

Photos by John Carey and Brian Aldrich

A truly memorable London launch of the Big Draw 2003, with almost all the 14,000 visitors to the Natural History Museum being drawn into the varied activities. 'Stop and Draw' stations all around the museum allowed everyone to pick up a free sketchpad and pencil and start drawing in the galleries. There was a very full programme of workshops, lectures, demonstrations and a tour of the museum library artworks to further immerse participants.

Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM

The main focus of the morning was the friendly competition between 5 national newspapers and magazines, competing to draw the day's theme 'Tooth & Claw' on long banners which were then suspended from the first floor gallery.
Private Eye cartoonists

In the main hall, under the tail of Diplodocus, The Guardian, Observer, Private Eye, Telegraph & Sunday Telegraph, Times & Sunday Times all fielded teams of illustrious cartoonists.
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM

After 2 hours of feverish drawing, an actor dressed as Hans Sloane, the founder of the museum, adjudicated the public vote for the winner.
Peter Brookes, Times cartoonist

The Times & Sunday Times cartoonists were declared the victors, but all 5 banners were superb and provided a wonderful backdrop for the rest of the day.
David Simmonds, Observer cartoonist
Telegraph banner
Steve Bell, Posy Simmonds, David Austin, Guardian cartoonists
Times banner
Sir Hans Sloane (actor), founder of the NHM

The glass case around 'Dippie' was then taken over as a display area and, inspired by the cartoonists, some excellent drawings were showcased.

More photos of the cartoonists and banners

Sir Roger Penrose, patron, Campaign for Drawing

There were three fascinating lectures during the afternoon in the Darwin Centre.

Tim Hunkin, engineer artist

Sir Roger Penrose, patron of the Campaign, lectured on 'Perceived and Unperceived Symmetries in Nature'.

Julian Spalding, Master of the Guild of St George which initiated the Campaign for Drawing in 2000, talked on 'Nature, Ruskin and Art'.

Tim Hunkin, well-known engineer, catroonist and artist demonstrated how he approaches his work and uses drawing to work it all out.
     
Feather workshop with Rebecca Jewell, NHM

And then all day there were workshops galore - you could work with feathers or wire, become immersed in botanical illustration, explore nature printing or try to capture the amazing architecture of the building.
Architectural workshop with Jeanette Barnes, NHM
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM
Close up workshop with Ruth Dupre

Mammals, marine life and insects fascinated many, from the model of the huge blue whale, delicate shells and corals to the tiniest irridescent green beetle and beautiful butterflies.
Minerals workshop with Tom Grimsey, NHM

Visitors could handle and draw specimens from the natural history collection or explore and admire the beauty of minerals and crystals.
Mia Fernandes, NHM
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM

But it was, understandably, the dinosaurs that were the subject of many a drawing. And exploring and drawing every tooth and claw was what the day was all about.
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM
Big Draw 2003 London Launch, NHM
Peter Randall Page, NHM

Many more photos - do take a look.