Garden Sketchabout#3

On a patchy rainy day, we went to the Government House. But I already sketched it last week. So, I sketched my new friends. See how we work hard...and chat more?!! (*Tiny dots on her shirt are rain drops, not salt.) Sadami: "Don't say, 'It's the end of our friendship!!' "
Friend just had a big laugh and we really had a great fun. Hahaha!!Friend: "Oh, that's nice. I like it." She'd like to use it for online.Sadami: "From next time, I have to charge ye (hopefully "millions"?!)." I will sketch other members as many as possibleʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ.
Another statue is a Scottish poet, Robert Burns.
I'd really appreciate Jennifer's great kindess, who took photos all of us.

We really look forward to next Saturday! What a friendly club! Come and join us!
In addition, more graffiti are in my blog, "Sadami's Graffiti."

more of Marrickville

The first two sketches are of my old primary school, which is also used as a voting venue. And the last is one of the bus stops I use. I drew it as I was on my way to the Botanic Gardens Sketchabout. Again, if anyone is interested in seeing the full double pages just click on my name in the Contributors list. See you! (Next post will hopefully be Addison Road Community Centre)

Chinese Garden - Peace Boat Pavilion

I went to the Chinese garden again this week, as I was shopping in the city again. The ornate Chinese architecture is a challenge. I sat in the small pavilion I drew last week (the Lenient Jade Pavilion) and drew the Peace Boat Pavilion. There was a stiff breeze (autumn is here) and I had to paint the water at home rather than have my page whipping about & my painting rag slapping across the wet paint. Not working on watercolour paper (Como paper- very heavy cartridge - maybe 280gsm), so reasonably happy with the reflections.

More Sketch Club at Botanical Gardens

This is the 'after' afternoon tea we so looked forward to at the Garden Sketchabout recently. We were very restrained and drew before chowing down.

Tuesday walk

Went for a walk yesterday. First walk in over a week, man I struggled...

A typical construction site in Marrickville, probably for more apartments. I've always liked these propped up building facades, so I wanted to capture it before they built over it.

This is St Brigid's Church. It spooked me out when I visited it with my primary school, with all the mournful looking statues hidden in the dark corners of the church. But since then I've developed a deep love for European art, hence religious art, so it was nice to visit it again with a much more mature mind.

Garden Sketchabout Week 2

Another great day - despite the rain!!! If there is a desire to sketch, the weather might be a challenge but where there is a will there is a way!

Warmup sketch before the start of the sketchabout - this is the wonderful brand new sculpture and very fun to draw. What was not so fun was the rain and the wind. I did manage to get the linework done sitting on my stool holding onto my umbrella - but the painting side was a bit too hard...so I added it later.


Great turnout for a very wet day - 23 approx sketchers. We were given access to Rathbourne lodge and were able to sit under the verandah and sketch the courtyard.



Not quite the options that we had last week but it was really nice to have most of the group together.

Look forward to seeing everyone next week ....Even if it is raining - there is so much to see and sketch in this wonderful garden!!!!

Sketching around Marrickville

When Liz asked me to contribute to Urban Sketchers Sydney I decided to narrow my subject matter down to where I live. It's always been a colourful suburb with a huge cross-section of nationalities, sub-cultures etc. It is ALWAYS evolving. Plus it makes it easier to fit a couple of drawings into my daily routine of buying groceries and going for walks. If you would like to see all the double pages in full [only the text entries are missing here] click on my name in the contributors list. Cheers!

Garden SketchAbout#2

Hi, Friends, thank you for wonderful cheers for my adventure, "SketchAbout" in the Garden. The Garden has precious historical, cultural and natural heritages of Australia for the future.

Government House

Despite rain, we enjoyed sketching. I also made some sketches Friday before rain (lucky!). But eventually, I finished them up in rain. A bit tough work was Government House.

OK, you and me, let's have a walk together in this huge Garden. Have a look of the map. Enlarge it, please. Get it? How big it is! Opening: 7am to 6:30pm.A strategy, "How to Conquer the Garden" is essential. Otherwise, waste of time and you cannot go home?! (*no worries, in fact, so many rangers always patrol.) Let's walk around the left side of the map.

Head to Government House and the end of the path to see Sydney Opera House.
From the Herb Garden to the Government House, there are beautiful greeny open fields full of biiiiiiig trees. How big? Good question! Trees are "monstrous" big and gigantic. Can you see a person under a tree? How small it is!

Sculptures are here and there along path ways or on lawns--some are extraordinarily big and contemporary art. The below depicts "waves," according to Toni from the Garden Trust. Ooohhh! Waves!! The left side, a white one is another huge sculpture of natural rocks and an inside is hollow where bats's sweet home. *Please respect a bat. Toni says, "One bad eats thousands of mesquites,"!! Salute bats!

Sculpture "Waves"

Still, we keep walking ahead. Now, left hand side, see "Government House" (*please see the first image and the map.) Although a bit miserable to sketch it under a tiny umbrella in rain, it has paid off. Wow, how gorgeous and elegant!! One more surprise is a freebie to see an inside. So, next time, I'll definitely try it and report you.

Finally, we get to the end of the path. Yey, "Opera House"! This egg-shells-like building is our cultural icon! Many people take a rest here and sit on lawn sunny days.

Sydney Opera House

From now on, I'll boast, "Hahahaha! Sydneysiders, we're living in the GORGEOUS castle and the Opera House is in my backyard!" Yes, our legends are in the Garden.


Did you enjoy a walk with me? More photos are in my blog, "Sadami's Graffiti."
Next time, I'll try the middle section or the right section.
So, come and join us, the event, "Sketchabout" ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ.

Chinese Friendship Garden

Yesterday was a dull day - not quite raining. We went into the city and then had lunch in the Chinese Friendship Garden. It is a such a beautiful place, and so peaceful and calm, despite being smack bang in the city centre and near a major road.

I drew the same little pavilion that I have drawn before. The previous time I also used watercolour and pen, but I finished off with coloured pencils. Back then, I was working on Stonehenge paper that I had previously toned with a wash of acrylic.

I finished this sketch on-site, except for adding extra blue to the shadows to enhance the orange colour of the pagoda with its complementary colour.

Must go back again soon and take my portable chair to get some exceptional vantage points of this beautiful garden.

Sketching at the Botanical Gardens

It was just around a year back that I came across Liz Steel's most delightful blog with her gorgeous sketches. Feeling inspired, I couldn't wait to start sketching too. Through Liz I came in contact with the Sydney Sketch Club. From then on, I've been meeting so many wonderful people who loves to sketch too and I'm loving every minute of it!

Here are a few sketches from the Botanical Gardens Sketchabout last weekend. What a wonderful afternoon. The passion and enthusiasm from the organising ladies, Liz, Alissa, Wendy and Annie were certainly infectious. Having lived in Sydney for 11 years, this was my first time walking through the gates into the Botanical Gardens! So much to explore, so much to sketch..... I will certainly be back.

First Garden "SketchAbout" & Sydney Sketch Club

Hi, Friends, thank you for a warm welcome me, Sadami, a new participant. The experience is wonderful! I sketched "figures" in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney.

Alissa & Liz

Organizers, Liz, Alissa and Jennifer are so caring for all members. They welcome us and talk to each member with respect and rapport. It makes anyone comfortable and feels at home. Also, each member is totally autonomous and free, regarding subjects and media. Particularly, the volunteer Jeniffer helps us so much and took photos of members.

A friendly atmospher, no criticism but encouragements are wonderful. Get the image of Sydney sketch club? Isn't it nice?

The fountain is near at the entrance and so attractive. The Garden has many statues, too.

Of course, mischief Sadami always seeks interesting subjects. Here we go! A very cute scare craw, I'm afraid it easily makes friends with birds?! This little girl is in a section for pioneers' "first farm." Kerry from the Garden Trust explains the purpose of the event, "SketchAbout" (from March 12 to April 16) that has a competition and an exhibition at the end. The ultimate goals are public awareness of environmentalism and the maintenance of the Garden.

Kerry

Same minded people get together -- is absolutely fun. It is exciting to look at different techniques and unfamiliar media. The lady wtih green hair sketching me uses pastels. Great opportunity for exchanging info on techniques and materials.
The event will be run till 12 April. The Sydney Sketch Club will always have a meeting in the Garden every Saturday, shine or rain.
So, come and join us! All welcome.

More sketches and stories are in my blog, "Sadami's Graffiti." You'll find lots of feedback and comments on the post from all over the world:).

Happy painting! See you next time.

Saturday's Sketch Club at Botanical Gardens

It is a great honour to be invited to join Urban Sketchers Sydney. Thank you Ms Liz.
I have even posted the only completed sketch I have from our gorgeous day on Saturday.
It was just so tricky to settle on one location to begin the day. There is something with possibilities at every turn in the Royal Botanical Gardens.
However, as I seem to, I go for the biggest subject I can find. I am going to try small views next time. Really I will try.
More sketch days ahead and I can't wait.

First Garden Sketchabout - Liz's sketches

Well today was the first of six Garden Sketchabout at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney as part of the Sydney Morning Herald Autumn of the Arts festival...and can I just say up front that it was WONDERFUL!!!!!


Alissa and I got to the gardens before 11.30 and shortly after arriving we found a sketcher already in action! She joined us in a 'warmup' sketch at the lotus pond.

In true Liz-style I managed to sneak in a second warm up sketch before we went to meet up with all the sketchers at 1pm. What a great turn up - over 40 sketchers I think! This page also contains a quick sketch of a chinese lantern that I did while talking to a sketcher from England! I also love drawing maps of where I go each week and a business card of the restaurant from the afternoon tea which didn't fit on the upcoming page (too many cakes- but more of that later!)

After an initial welcome the sketchers scattered all over the garden. I was doing too much talking (so out of character?!? NOT!) and found it hard to concentrate on sketching. It is occasions like these that training your hand to 'reflex sketch' comes in handy.

Another sketch from the same spot - funny I am always drawn to the built structures visible in the garden!


We then had a wonderful session at the band lawn - meeting more sketchers, swapping sketchbooks and a group photo.

9 of us from the Sydney Sketch Club finished the afternoon with a special Sketchabout afternoon tea at the Restaurant. Do I need to say that we had a great time in many ways!

Finally, for me, I walked back across the Harbour Bridge and sketched the gardens in context. this shows how important the garden is to the city of Sydney!

What a wonderful wonderful day - I am one hyped up but somewhat exhausted little sketcher now! And we do it all again next Saturday!

Three great tearooms/cafes in 24 hours

I am not going to dump this blog with all the tearoom/café sketches that I do (you can go to my blog for that!) but here are the three excellent establishments that I visited within 24 hours last weekend!
Sydney has such a GREAT range of cafes!



Friday night 5.45pm SPARROW Crows Nest
Got a chance to go back to this place- which is very nice. They have two varieties of Earl Grey. Due to no one being around when I left the cafe on my first visit I didn't get a chance to leave a card...however the owners had found my blog anyway so were rather excited when they saw me sketching and asked if I was the sketcher? Almost like being famous!?!



Saturday 10.00am - TARA TEA ROOM The Rocks
Morning with Alissa, Wendy and Annie - my sketching buddies who are also involved in the Garden Sketchabout which starts TOMORROW.
LOVE this place!!!! The scones are amazing and the owner is SO nice- thanks Ash for another special visit. LOVE LOVE the cosies!!!



Saturday 3.15pm T2 Tea House Macquarie Centre, North Ryde
Meeting up with a friend at T2 at 4pm..didn't feel like shopping so went an hour early to sketch and chill. To do a 'serious' sketch I have to tearooms in solo mode.


Lovely to have someone to share T2 with - my friend ordered a coffee and it looked spectacular with a T2 saucer!! Very stylish.