Allan T Adams
LightNews LightNews
banner
allantadams.bsky.social
Allan T Adams
@allantadams.bsky.social
1.5K followers 430 following 1.7K posts
A semi-retired architectural illustrator, drawing buildings & old stuff to relieve stress. Illustration, art, archaeology, conservation, reading. FSA, Fellow Society of Architectural Illustrators (FSAI). No NFTs.
Posts Replies Media Videos
allantadams.bsky.social
The Teddy Bear Shop, 13 Stonegate, York. A 15th century core, 17th century extension, 18th/19th century changes including a fine Regency Period shop front. And teddy bears.

#ArchitecturalIllustration
#pencil #drawing
#ArtShare
A very large teddy bear stands by the doorway of a shop. Pencil drawing of a three-storey building with shops on the grind floor. Originally overhanging upper floors have been altered giving the building an unexpected external appearance. Pencil sketch of a carved figure in the form of a bare-breasted woman on a corner post supporting an overhanging upper floor of a timber framed building.
November 28, 2025 at 3:24 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
I got a few minutes tip off & managed to head to school in time to see the Puma make a high speed approach & landing. Several people, less well informed, dashed out of their houses thinking their roofs were being taken off. I sketched this later from a blurry snapshot.
Pencil drawing of a helicopter flying past a lamp post and tree as it landed.
November 28, 2025 at 11:14 AM
allantadams.bsky.social
Around this time of year in 2016 a former pupil at the school where my wife worked & I still volunteer asked if "he could drop in". A lovely surprise when an RAF Puma helicopter landed on the school field. I sketched it from a snapshot, coloured later to serve as a thank you card.

#drawing
Pencil and watercolour sketch of a helicopter on a school field with houses in the background. Pencil sketch of a helicopter on a school field with houses in the background.
November 28, 2025 at 11:01 AM
allantadams.bsky.social
Thank you. The arch on the left is formed of timber, not stone. It's a corner post of a timber framed building with overhanging, or jettied, upper floors.
Sketch of a corner post of a timber framed building carved into the shape of a bare-chested woman, supporting an overhanging upper floor. Drawing is a three-storey building with overhanging upper floors.
November 27, 2025 at 8:11 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
I expect most people only noticed the giant teddy bear or the carved corner post rather than the #ADoorableThursday window at The Teddy Bear Shop on Stonegate, York.

#ArchitecturalIllustration
#pencil #drawing
#ArtShare
Pencil drawing of a shop doorway. The glass of the window over the door includes the words Teddy Bear Shop Est 1990. A very large teddy bear stands to the right of the door, partly covered by a piece of paper.
November 27, 2025 at 6:08 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
As it's #ADoorableThursday here is the entrance to Garforth House, Micklegate, York with a fine set of lamp holders for the dark nights ahead.

#ArchitecturalIllustration
#pencil #drawing
#ArtYear
Pencil drawing of wrought iron lamp holders and railings outside a doorway with a pediment door case.
November 27, 2025 at 6:34 AM
allantadams.bsky.social
Thank you. I did a study of the lovely wrought iron lamp holders outside the large Georgian house in the centre too.
A pencil study of the wrought iron lamp holders and pediment door case of Garforth House, a brick building of the mid-18th century.
November 26, 2025 at 8:51 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
A view of Micklegate, York. Recently published in the book "Micklegate; York's Great Street" by the Clement Hall History Group.

#MicklegateYork
#ArchitecturalIllustration
#pencil #drawing
#ArtShare
Pencil drawing of an almost deserted street. The street has three storey buildings built on a hill.
November 26, 2025 at 8:05 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
Sometimes a change can be good. A while back I drew these RAF tankers, a Bedford QL (Imperial War Museum, Duxford) & AEC Matador (Yorkshire Air Museum).

#pencil
#drawing
Pencil drawing of a Second World War airfield refuelling tanker in front of some large wooden doors. Pencil drawing of a six-wheeled airfield tanker vehicle from the rear.
November 26, 2025 at 4:58 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
It was recently suggested I should do more figure drawing then these studies turn up when looking for something else. It's from the early 1980s when I was building a portfolio to be an illustrator, before I got the opportunity to become an architectural illustrator.
A sheet of pencil studies of young women in various poses.
November 25, 2025 at 8:35 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
Some of the steps along the way. I think I did the smudgy sky first, then worked my way down the towers...
A pencil and eraser resting on a drawing of a cathedral tower. Part of the roughly outlined and incomplete drawing are covered by a piece of paper. A pencil resting on an incomplete drawing of a cathedral. Two towers partly obscure a third tower. A pencil being used to finish a drawing of a cathedral with tall buildings in the foreground.
November 25, 2025 at 4:55 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
Something niggled me about the building in the foreground of this drawing. Turns out I had made the same mistake as the 19th century artist & not drawn in the joists holding up the projecting upper floor. Only All Saints Church, Pavement, York survives.
Pencil drawing of a group of people sitting on barrels in front of a timber framed building with a projecting upper floor. Open doors reveal it was used as a store for hay or straw. Another building is joined to it on the left. In the background is the lantern tower of a church. Pencil drawing of a timber framed building with people sitting on barrels in the foreground and a church tower in the background. A pencil being used to sketch an outline of ancient buildings, including a church tower.
November 25, 2025 at 6:23 AM
allantadams.bsky.social
As we headed into a 2nd wave of Covid in 2020, drawing York Minster seemed to offer a way of keeping steady, a little less worried. I added some pigeons (doves?) to show a bit of life.

#ArchitecturalIllustration
#Pencil #drawing
#ArtShare
A cathedral looms over three and four storey buildings and their backyards. A detail of a drawing of a cathedral tower and a dense group of city centre buildings. Some pigeons on a roof add a sign of life. Close up of a pencil drawing of a cathedral with a central tower peeping between two closer towers.
November 24, 2025 at 6:33 AM
allantadams.bsky.social
Some of my Covid lockdown sketches. A view from the bedroom window; some clematis flowers; the sitting room window & some washing drying in the breeze. I had time to draw & study my surroundings.
Neighbourhood houses and trees seen from an upstairs window. Pale blue clematis flowers. An open window behind a sofa, a lamp and bookshelves to one side. Towels hanging on a wash line with trees in the background.
November 23, 2025 at 4:48 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
Early on 29th April 1942 York suffered an air raid. The railway station was damaged, the 15th Guildhall & St Martins Church were destroyed. Many were made homeless. A replica Hurricane was used to commemorate Lt Mahe, Free French air force, who tried to stop the raid. From my archive.

#drawing
Pencil drawing of a Hawker Hurricane aeroplane in a city square which is surrounded by leafless trees and three-storey buildings. A church tower can be seen in the background.
November 23, 2025 at 1:54 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
Carved details from York Minster Chapter House. Completed in the 1280s, the chapter house has a collection of sometimes life-like characters. I drew a few over lunch breaks from snapshots taken when working on a book about the place.

#StoneworkSunday
#ArchitecturalIllustration #drawing
#ArtYear
Pencil and watercolour sketch of a medieval carving depicting a piglet and child's head nestled between the arches of a cathedral chapter house. Pencil and watercolour sketch of a carved detail of a woman wearing a wimple, a medieval form of head dress. Pencil and watercolour sketch of a beast over a crowned head.
November 23, 2025 at 9:51 AM
allantadams.bsky.social
"At the sign of the York Ghost Merchants". A view of Shambles & the end of Little Shambles before the crowds of the Christmas market arrived.

#ShamblesYork #ArchitecturalIllustration
#pencil #drawing
#ArtShare
Pencil drawing of a narrow street with timber framed buildings projecting over shops and pavements.
November 22, 2025 at 4:29 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
Could that be an observation platform behind the house on Northumberland Street in Alnmouth? I would give views over the River Aln, upstream of the harbour area.

#ArchitecturalIllustration
#sketchbook
#drawing
#ArtShare
Pen and watercolour sketch of a building used as an inn, with colour washed yellow walls. The sign reads the Sun Inn at Alnmouth. Behind it a square shaped open fronted structure with a hipped roof is maybe an observation platform on the roof of a house. On the right a stone-built house has an arch over a ground floor window, a doorway and two upper door windows.
November 22, 2025 at 1:27 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
A bit of colour for a Saturday. The Roman column in Minster Yard, York. Part of the headquarters building found under the Minster 1969-71.

#ArchitecturalIllustration
#RomanYork
#pencil #drawing
#ArtShare
Colour pencil drawing of a group of people standing to look at a tall column of brick and stone. In the background is a stone building and three-storey brick house.
November 22, 2025 at 8:39 AM
allantadams.bsky.social
The Second World War left its mark on Bamburgh in the form of beach defences, including anti-tank cubes and pillboxes. There are also a number of aeroplane items in the castle museum.

#Sketchbook #drawing #ArtShare
Watercolour sketch of concrete blocks on the edge of a sandy beach, partially blocking a curving pathway climbing through sand dunes. In the background is a row or houses with a church tower just visible between the buildings. Pencil and watercolour sketch of a Second World War pillbox among grass covered sand dunes with a large castle in the background. Pen sketch of a Second World War aircraft gunsight.
November 21, 2025 at 2:00 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
Happy 6th birthday to this drawing, 34-41 Shambles, York. The white gable, 35, 36 Shambles, is the Margaret Clitherow, a shrine to a Roman Catholic martyr of the 16th century.

#ArchitecturalIllustration
#pencil #drawing
#ArtYear
Pencil drawing of a , narrow, quiet street with small groups of people looking at shops in mostly medieval timber framed buildings.
November 21, 2025 at 11:10 AM
allantadams.bsky.social
As it's #ThrowbackThursday I dug this drawing out of my 'archive'. As a student I experimented with different media. This drawing was done with Quink writing ink. Diluted it gave lovely blue & brown colours. We were encouraged to draw 'everything' & use sketchbooks daily.

#Drawing #art #sketchbook
Pen and ink wash drawing of a young woman's face in profile.
November 20, 2025 at 9:31 PM
allantadams.bsky.social
This drawing had to be in colour from the get go as the hues help separate the forms. The anti-tank cubes were in danger of merging with the tussocks of dune grass.
Watercolour sketch of a person walking away from a beach. The ramp is protected by Second World War concrete anti tank cubes. There are houses in the background and a church tower can be glimpsed behind the sand dunes and buildings.
November 20, 2025 at 11:52 AM
allantadams.bsky.social
Bits of Bamburgh, Northumberland. The parish church, farm with horse engine house; The Copper Kettle Tea Rooms: a medieval dovecote. Seen from the castle & where we had lunch.

#ArchitecturalIllustration #pen #drawing #watercolour #Sketchbook #ArtYear
Pen and watercolour sketch of a church and other buildings as seen from an upstairs window in Bamburgh Castle. Pen sketch of a pair of single-storey cottages with neo-Tudor window and doorways. Pen sketch of a stone-built, dome-shaped medieval dovecote.
November 20, 2025 at 11:46 AM
allantadams.bsky.social
The view of the castle on the rocks similarly called out for colour. The black and white was ok but, you know, the colour works I think. Fortunately there were no cars to get in the way.
Pen sketch of a castle and the rocky outcrop it is built upon.
November 19, 2025 at 6:19 PM