I've been so busy with Sketching Classes and the Studio lately that I felt it time to get back on Urban Sketchers.
Thanks Jennifer for reminding me.

Cockatoo Island is definitely urban. Several of us stayed 2 nights and 3 days and absolutely adored it. We had a great little routine going. Down to the cafe by 10am, a warm up sketch, then somewhere till lunchtime and another sketch till time for afternoon tea on the lawns of our house.

This place is so full of history and yet you look across to the city which is buzzing, and we are sitting in a place so quiet and serene, birds singing, the sun warming you. AAaaaaaahhh. In a way, we couldn't be further from all that over there, yet you can almost touch it.

The first sketch was a warm up while having morning coffee. The other is a mix of wee sketches as I tracked the others, obviously deeply absorbed in their work.

We are popping over in a week or so for the Biennale and it will be a very different but fabulous place to be back to again.

Our next Mini Sketch Trip will be Ettalong on the Central Coast, so I will definitely post some of those.
XXErin

Qld Museum Mummy Secrets of the Tomb Exhibit

Today, I went to the Qld Museum to see the above exhibit.  It was absolutely amazing.  I loved the 3D movie at the beginning of the exhibit, something not to be missed.  http://www.mummy.qm.qld.gov.au/The+Exhibition

My sketches.

Qld Art Gallery Exhibit; Modern Woman: Daughters and Lovers 1850 — 1918 | Drawings from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris

This afternoon, I went along to the Qld Art Gallery to see the above exhibit.  It was amazing.  I spent 4 hours wandering through the exhibit, exaniming the artworks.  One of my all favourite of Degas' work,  Dancer sitting, leaning forward, she massages her left foot) 1881–83  was there, so I sketched it!  Oh joy.

The exhibition is well worth seeing, and I hope it comes to your town.. It celebrates the changing roles of women during the Belle Époque as depicted by leading artists of the time such as Edgar Degas, Pierre—Auguste Renoir, Edouard Vuillard, Edouard Manet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre Bonnard, Auguste Rodin, Berthe Morisot and Jean François Millet. These artists increasingly abandoned idealised representations of the female figure, and turned to women from a diverse range of socioeconomic backgrounds, depicting them in their family lives and domestic activities, as well as in the public realm as spectators, performers and workers. Through these fascinating drawings, we see French society undergoing radical transformation.

While I was waiting for my ride to come and pick me up at 5.00pm, I sat in the Qld State Library Cafe and listened to a delightful band playing.

Urban colours

Have a few scenes to share that I've drawn over the last couple of months. Now that daylight savings has ended it's not as enticing to sit out on a busy road on a cold night.

Lunch in Chinatown

No 93 at Broadway Foodcourt

Enmore Road

Corner of Enmore and Victoria Rd, Enmore

If you would like to see more please visit my blog. Cheers!

TreeHouse Cafe Ulladulla

TreeHouse Cafe Ulladulla ... click to enlarge
This place is excellent for coffee and chill factor. Oh did I mention the Double Choc Muffins?
I have been meaning to do a Payne's Grey wash and today found the time. Initially the sketch was done with a Waterman Demonstrator fountain pen with non waterproof ink (so it would wash also later). The coffee was so good I took my time.

a visit to Sydney Opera House : Alissa Duke

Today I realised I had been doing a lot of drawing recently, but not so much sketching. I knew I was going into the city yesterday evening, so I browsed through The Art of Urban Sketching to get me in the mood for sketching around the Opera House. I had planned to draw the lights of VIVID , where lights are projected on some iconic buildings around the Harbour. But is was so very wet that I decided that as I had seen the light display a few nights ago, I would not make my self uncomfortable in the wet and cold,. So I went towards the Opera House and sketched around there in the shelter and warmth.

I walked past a busker who had gathered a large crowd, He was up on a platform,  juggling fire.

Then I tried to capture the greyness of the day. This is when I realised how damp the day was. None of my pencils would take to the Moleskine watercolour page – it was not wet, but sodden with atmosphere.

I walked up to the Opera House forecourt, which was deserted due to the weather. Everyone was in the undercover cafes and bars. I did one or two quick sketches before going inside to see ChorusOz perform Carmen. Some of my friends were in the chorus

I had thought about sketching during the concert. The lights were still on, so I could see my sketchbook and I had figured out what I what sketch. However the seats are so close that I did not feel comfortable taking out my sketchbook. So I I waited until the performace was over and quickly sketched a small section of what I could see as people started to leave

Music From Sydney

Hi, Friends, how have you been? 
This time, I'd send you music from Sydney. Hopefully, you can hear these musicians' beautiful sounds. Any music touches our hearts. It's a universal language like drawing and painting.

First, the quena player. What a dramatic moment! I've been waiting for his glimpse and caught it. He was in a folklore band. 

Second, the keyboard player and the singer in a gospel choir. Their passion moved me.  

Now, a guitarist. As I once played a guitar, I often look at a guitarist closely. 
This guy puts a "bottle neck" on the finger that "slides" sounds for bluse. Well, closely look at the guitar. Hey, it's a can! 
Can a can make a guitar?! Yes, it can. Ah, thank goodness for technology. You can plug in any instrument to a speaker that can make big sounds. 

Music is lovely and very interesting. Do you know? It's hard to tell music from language and vice versa. In my ears, both are so beautiful. Apart from a linguistic topic, let us enjoy playing instruments and sing together! 
Friends, Happy Painting and Joyful Singing!
(* If you'd enjoy my sketches, come over "Sadami's Graffiti.")

Garden Thoughts

There is this vision in my head that I had to get out onto paper ... but this wasn't the vision. I have a pre fix on Terracotta. It will go ... and come again. I am looking forward to my new palette of paints arriving. These paints here are a collection I got of cheap run outs ages ago. The lid would hardly come off a few.

Garden Thoughts

Then yesterday I found myself in a neighbours garden doing a sketch across the full Moleskin spread. Not confident with colours. Need some basic tuition here. Can anyone suggest a DVD series or YouTube link ????
HELP !!

From 'The Mook'

Saturday's winter

Was cold yesterday afternoon .... warmer inside though. Harder than I thought this depth thing.

Warmer Inside

Sydney Inkorporated

That's such a terrible heading... Anyway, apologies for not having contributed in awhile I have been holding off until I got my own blog sorted out.

After my success at Cockatoo Island I was keen to test it out some more - making sure it wasn't a fluke. I had  a quiet week so decided to head out around Sydney. Unfortunately the weather wasn't great - I think I had one or two days free of rain, but it was quite satisfying and am dying to get outdoors again.

St Stephens Cemetery, Newtown

National Maritime Museum

Macquarie Street

Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens

Dixon Street, Chinatown

If anyone would like to see more of my colour inks please visit my blog scratchyas.com  Cheers!

Urban Back Yard

South Coast Style urban backyard ... this is my friend's back yard ... part of it anyway. Greg gets a lot of firewood in to and from his property. For winter. For burning to keep warm.
Its a nice corner of the world to sit and get lost in time sketching.

Barcelona

This is a sketch from La Casa Batllo in El Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona. I went back to Spain in April and May, my first time back in 4 years! That's a lot of time! I love the organic lines in all Antoni Gaudi's Building.