Seven Bridges walk - Sydney - with sketchbook

On Sunday I joined thousands of other people and took part in the Annual Seven Bridges walk around Sydne to raise money for the Cancer Council. There is a set route, taking the walkers over seven Bridges in Sydney, but no fixed starting or finishing point. I walked half of it , and took my sketchbook, Lamy Safari Joy ink pen and watercolour pencils with me.
I am not sure what I had in mind, but you never know when opportunities with present themselves.

At each bridge crossing I got my sketchbook stamped with the official stamp of the day. I have included the map that I drew afterwards to give you an idea of the course. You will notice I have not drawn the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge. This was because, in the end I walked 15 km (out of the whole 26km) .
I sketched seven pages

Drawing while walking is difficult. But the people were all walking at the same pace and the wharf a broad and flat.
The later drawing on the page of people walking was drawn while walking along the thin footpath in the suburbs- have to watch your feet

Brisbane Australia

Calling all Urban Sketchers in Sydney....

We are pleased to announce the first official Urban Sketchers event in Sydney. We plan to hold monthly events from now on and our goal is to show Sydney to the world one drawing at a time.


View Larger Map

WHERE: Paddington Reservoir Gardens
Cnr Oxford Street and Oatley Road Paddington
See here for more details
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/development/cityimprovements/completedprojects/PaddingtonReservoirGardens.asp

WHEN: Saturday 01 December
9.30am  (for 10.00 start) - 12.30pm
(lunch and afternoon sketching are optional and wil be determined on the day)

Everyone welcome. No need to RSVP… just turn up!
For transportation options visit Transport Info
Wet weather - there is some shelter but there will always some sketchers out sketching regardless of weather!

Leave a message below or contact me on email above for more details (or if you want my mobile number)

Don't forget to check out and join our Urban Sketchers Australia flickr group and/or Urban Sketchers Australia facebook group to stay in touch and share your sketches.

A quick sketch whilst having coffee at Wynnum Plaza Brisbane

May Gibb's Nutcote, Neutral Bay, Sydney

May Gibbs' Nutcote, Neutral Bay, Sydney, a photo by david.jack on Flickr.

May Gibb's was an Australian Artist, Illustrator and Cartoonist. The house were she lived most of her life is in Neutral Bay, now it's a beautiful Museum, where anyone can feel the inspiration of one of the Australian greatest icons.

La Gala, Doltone House, Darling Island Wharf, Sydney

Enrique Viguera, Ambassador of Spain in Australia, a photo by david.jack on Flickr.


La Gala, Doltone House, Darling Island Wharf, Sydney, a photo by david.jack on Flickr.

Last Saturday I attended a "Gala" organized by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Australia. It was interesting to meet personally the Ambassador of Spain and some NSW Ministers. I discussed Australian Art with them, which is a fancy thing to do when you're dressing in Black Tie. I was happy to find a notepad on some complementary bags to be able to capture the atmosphere. 

37th International Sketchcrawl, Sydney - 13th October 2012

View from Darling Harbour, Sydney, a photo by david.jack on Flickr.



Darling Harbour, Sydney, a photo by david.jack on Flickr.

37th International Sketchcrawl in Sydney.

To see Australian results: http://www.sketchcrawl.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=9866&p=45277#p45277

To see other cities results: http://www.sketchcrawl.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=63

No group photo this year!

To see other years in this blog:

36th International Sketchcrawl Sydney

34th International SketchCrawl Sydney

33th International SketchCrawl Sydney

32nd Internatonal SketchCrawl Sydney

31st International SketchCrawl Sydney

30th International SketchCrawl Sydney

29th International SketchCrawl Sydney

23rd International SketchCrawl Sydney

Sydney ": the joys of urban living : Alissa Duke

I live within a short walk to Sydney CBD and there are many joys in urban living. There is always something to entertain. It is a wealth of visual stimulation for the sketcher .

The sketch below is one day of sketching. I see the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the distance as I walk down near the water. If the weather is pleasant there is a seat or wharf I can sit at to draw. I also walk through major tourist areas, which are full of families and people enjoying themselves on holiday. It is also near major business buildings, so there are lots of workers too.  Last week when I walked past Wild Life Sydney Zoo (used to be called Wildlife World) there was a koala in a tree in a  display area in the foyer. It was in the area before you purchase ticket and was close enough for me to stand and to draw. He was asleep and only moved once to yawn.

Sometimes there is so much to look at it is hard to know where to start drawing! This is at the Maritime Museum for the Classic & Wooden Boat Show this weekend. All the flags are up for the show, but the rest of the scene is always there - a warship at the Museum and  the city skyline. I started this by just wanting to draw the flags, and the it grew and grew....

and the not so great part of city living....

There is a new tower being built on the building across the street from my apartment. They have been working on it for two years. and most happens while I am at work. This weekend the very large crane on top of the building is coming down and being dismantled on my street. Like a giant mechano set! It began EARLY yesterday morning and this morning again. The crane body was taken away yesterday by late afternoon. At the moment there is a pneumatic drill undoing the bolts on the bulding base, which is why I am typing this blog, instead of catching up on sleep !

But overwhelmingly, the joys of urban living far outweigh the annoying bits !

37th Worldwide SketchCrawl Brisbane Australia

This is the group at the Coffee Club

Moreton Bay fig in Brisbane Botanic Gardens

The Moreton Bay Fig is a rainforest tree, and in that habitat it can be a 'strangler fig' - with it's seed setting high in the canopy and it's roots reaching right down to the ground, eventually growing to a stage that strangle it's host and stands alone. It can grow to 50m with wide buttressed roots.

Smellie and Co Edward Street 1895 AD

One of Brisbane's oldest buildings is the Smellie & Co building at the bottom of Edward St.  It dates back to the 1860s, when the RR Smellie & Co foundry was established in Alice St. A burgeoning Brisbane ensured that the firm grew, and by 1882, it had become Smellie & Co, a hardware and machinery retailer..

The Chapel, St Stephens Cathedral 1864.

St Stephens Cathedral is the oldest Catholic Church in Queensland.  It was built between 1864 and 1922

Streets Beach South Bank

Australia's only beach in the middle of a city.  Construction commenced in February 1991 and was complete by June 1992

A solo effort for the sketchcrawl

International Sketchcrawl day....Needing a quiet day rather than the buzz of being out with the Sydney gang (expecting over 25 sketchers at Darling Harbour) so I had a lovely day (so far- it is 3pm) at home with a little visit to T2 teahouse!



And here is my quick (out and about) sketch last night after work. first friday of our summer time (even though snowy up in the blue mountains) but I made the most of the extra our of sun light...
yes ho hum, I am sketching the same old view yet again!


Hope everyone had a good day today- looking forward to seeing what you did!

Quick Sketch....... Qld

Whilst waiting for my lunch to be served at the Perks Deli & Cafe Garden City...

Mollymook, NSW

Mollymook, NSW, a photo by david.jack on Flickr.

Sketch of the Tasman Sea from a Café in Moollymook's Surf Club. People having brunch in a beautiful spring day. The dots in the Sea, are in fact dolphins.

Kiama, NSW

Kiama, NSW, a photo by david.jack on Flickr.

I did this sketch in the beautiful coastal town of Kiama, NSW

Manly Dam, NSW

Manly Dam, NSW, a photo by david.jack on Flickr.

On Saturday we went for a bush walk to the Manly Dam. Beautiful views. A good chance to do some ink work.

Woollongong, NSW

Woollongong, NSW, a photo by david.jack on Flickr.

I did this sketch with a Pentel Brush pen and some watercolor. I went down South during the long weekend and was very enjoyable to sketch the coast.