Inspirational- L.S Lowry

As odd as it may seem, one of the earliest forms of football art I came to love and be inspired by were some of L.S Lowry's paintings/drawings. I remember looking at some of his work in school during art and being fascinated by them. Below is 'Going to the match', I remember getting a postcard of this piece and having it propped up on my desk. It always reminds me of going to games myself, that pre-match excitement which I think he managed to convey in the piece and particularly with the general buzz of the crowds. The way in which their legs are drawn seems to show that they're moving quickly, excited to get inside and to see the game.

The painter had an interest in sports and seemed to have a passion for football with several others too. Something I like about his paintings or drawings is his focus on crowds and fans, as though that is as much what interested him as the game itself.

The painting below, for example, is showing fans buying from a ticket tout and is centred around the team he supported, Manchester City. His depiction of the game shows more than just actual play, focusing on the people not playing the game and in this case, one of the less attractive aspects of the sport. While I'm not going to be painting or drawing myself, it is interesting to see a different kind of approach to it and to see how another fan has taken on showing the game and getting across that passion.