Random ramblings

Work has been frantic lately and I realised I have all these one off sketches I have done over the last month and not uploaded them to anything. They are all disconnected from each other but worth sharing.

Still thinking about my architectural struggles, I took my sketchbook with me on a grocery run and stopped at a local park to draw the aquatic centre. I spent a few minutes studying the scene before launching into it, reading the patterns, etc. It worked out okay but it is very clinical and lacks a lot of character.

Catching a bus all the way from town in peak hour on a rainy day can be a very long journey. Initially I was going to draw whatever I could see out my window whenever the bus stopped, but as the bus filled up that became more interesting.

Met up with a few other Urban Sketchers on the nastiest last night in winter, what a performance Mother Nature put on. We found some refuge on the ferry pier, and I found the rain splattered windows looking out across to the Opera House really exciting. It was like an Impressionist's painting because it was softening the definition of the scene.

The first Sunday in Spring was too good to stay indoors, so I headed out for a few quick sketches. I had thought some more about my architectural studies and wanted to practice another approach. I hate putting in pencil lines but obviously the benefit of that is everything is in proportion and it all fits on the page. To avoid that I decided to paint very faint gestural strokes enough to give me some guidance. It seemed to work quite well, and by doing that it also took the pressure off "will it fit? have I left enough room?" and can now enjoy the sketch more thoroughly.

I did a two stage breakdown of another building (from a photo) on my blog if anyone would like to see it.

Cheers,
Meegan

Bus Stops in April

I managed to get out this last week and stretch my legs. I haven't drawn outdoors for a while so it was hard to get back into it again. Luckily it's like riding a bike. My work took me out to Belmore (Sydney's west) but I only managed one sketch near the train station.

A few days ago I took a walk in my area, and found a nice sunny spot overlooking this building. It belongs to the Salvation Army and is or was their office site (?). I always used to think it was a castle.

 On the same walk I walked past a bus stop with a corner shop next to it.

On another day's walk I decided to  draw from a bus stop I always pass. When I went to write down the bus stop number there was no bus stop sign - they don't use this stop anymore. So this is my first "ghost" bus stop. I wondered why that car was parked in a bus zone...

 Last weekend, heading out to a baby shower in Darlinghurst, I had time to do some drawing. I dont get to come to this part of Sydney as much as I used to so it was nice to take it all in. This is an old fire station which is still in use - and its the first time I've ever noticed it. How terrible is that! Unfortunately it is obscured by the trees, but that was my view.

Then, full of scones and chocolate tarts, I made my way home by catching a bus back in the city centre.

More Bus Stops

This first sketch was at Enmore park, the sandstone structure to the right is a bus stop shelter. I found the roof or ceiling to be really odd and it was hard to get the right perspective.
This is along Marrickville Rd at a bus stop opposite the Fire Station and Town Hall. They've always been there but looking at my drawing, it looks more like something I might see in America?? As I was drawing this a young high school student was waiting for her bus, and we started chatting. She did a bit of drawing herself and goes to the same high school I attended. Another lady stopped by to have a chat with us as well.

I completed this sketch on the same walk as the above drawing. My brain was a little fried from all the architectural detail from the town hall, so I found some trees. However, I think that will be next major challenge - to spend more time looking at and deciphering architecture and the best way to present it on paper. In the distance are some tennis courts.

2012 Sketchbook

As mentioned in a previous entry I completed my first Urban Sketches book end of 2011. Well, I am happy to say I have made a good start on my new sketchbook. My theme is Scenes From A Bus Stop. Most will still be of Marrickville and the surrounding inner-city suburbs, but as I catch public transport quite regularly, there will be the odd other location in Sydney as well. I'm still sticking with the artline pen and waterbrush pen combination, as I quite like it. I've also decided to "square off" the scenes too. It keeps each page scene and looks neater.

I had to draw this Newtown scene over two days. The first day my bus came quite promptly, which is unusual for this route (370 - I'm always waiting forever). So I came back the second time as part of my exercise/walk. However, the second time was so much busier with so many cars and people it made me a little frenetic in my actions trying to finish the drawing at the same pace.
This was the return trip on the 370, and is what I'm use to, I had plenty of time to finish this sketch. I think these are fire hydrants.

Family time

Had dinner with my family at the beginning of the week to celebrate Chinese New Year. Instinctively I left the drawing till after dinner - nothing would have been left for me to eat if I sketched first. It's every man, woman and child for themselves!! So warm and loving...

Then the next night I had dinner with an old friend at Azuma's in town. We order a yummy array of skewers and a plate of very tender duck confit. At least my friend was gracious enough to let me draw them in before he ate them.

Later that night we headed off to the Metro and saw UK outfit Kitty, Daisy & Lewis. The music is influenced by pretty much all the sounds of the 50's - rockabilly, hawaii'in, country etc. I knew that the three were all brother and sisters, but not until the end of the show I found out that dad was on rhythm guitar and mum was playing string bass. How cool is that? And guest starring Eddie Tan Tan Thornton on trumpet - maybe he's their godfather?? uncle?? As always I forget how hard it is to draw in the dark. This time I could barely see my linework, and then when I attempted to paint - all my halfpans looked the same colour - black! Luckily I had a fair idea the positoning of the colours in the palette box.

The last pages of 2011

In a very serendipitous (I never thought I'd ever get to use that word!) way, I finished my first Urban Sketches book on the last day of 2011. I must confess I could not use half the pages in the book as the waterbrushed ink soaked through to the other side. But I have a brand new sketchbook ready and waiting to be used for the new year, and it is definitely of a thicker stock.

However, I am in two minds of whether to keep on with the Marrickville/Inner West theme, as I also have other ideas – sketching from bus stops OR drawing all the discarded junk people leave out on the streets. I've seen some crazy stuff left on the kerbs. Any suggestions/opinions are welcomed...

Have a great 2012 people!!

Fighting and Festivals

Had some fun sketching my friend's Medieval appreciation group, the SCA, who meet every week, donn custom-made armour and fight to the death, well not to death, but they full on whack each other to bits with swords (made of blunt wood). It was so challenging trying to capture not just their moves, but the techniques they employ.

Then later in the week I attended Marrickville Festival. It was damn hot and so many people shuffling around, that I tried to find something to draw under plenty of shade. One was of a local dance skool putting on a performance, and the other a mobile circus that entetrtained the kids while parents put their feet up for a bit.

Marrickville & Tempe

After a hard morning's exercise I went and had some fish and chips at my local fish shop – the oldest F'n'C in Marrickville, so I'm told. They wanted me to come back at a better time when their window is full of fish. So I may return with watercolours next time.

I went for a walk down to Tempe, as I knew the circus was in town. Wasn't sure what to expect, the circus site was pretty small and the weather was a little crappy. But it is a nice spot and plenty to draw. Well worth another visit, but with better weather conditions.

To see and read my full Urban Sketches of Marrickville you can visit my blog site.

more of the inner west

With work and every day in May taking up the bulk of my time – my urban sketchers contributions have been very thin of late. Plus the weather wasn't very kind, especially to water soluble mediums.

Below are only two I managed. The first is of a show at the Enmore Theatre – an old art deco style theatre, which is one of my favourite live venues for various reasons. And the other is a small section of Cooks River, down along Steele Park in Marrickville. Popular with cyclists, walkers and joggers, it is amazingly still very serene.

Earlwood, Enmore & Marrickville

I had planned to draw around Steele Park and Cooks River this day, but the weather was bad for plein-air sketching. I headed up to Earlwood and stopped in a for a hot coffee and cannoli at Salvatore's Bakehouse. There's nothing like going for a long walk to justify eating pastries!

The next day was the complete opposite - sunny, warm and dry. So I busted outside and headed down to Enmore Park. When I was at school we use to play here after going to swimming classes at Enmore Pool. The only thing that remains is the Rocket Ship. However, they have since blocked off the two higher levels of the rocket in case kids get stuck up there - as adults can't fit inside to rescue them!

Back in Marrickville, Agar St has some second-hand stores that only open on weekends. Plus one of many bicycle stores that have popped in the area over the last couple of years.

Marrickville, Addison Road Community Centre

This is a hot spot for creatives and environmentally-conscious DIY shoppers. The centre also has an art gallery and small theatre, but some of it's biggest drawcards are the three below...

MARRICKVILLE ORGANIC MARKET

THE BOWER

Collecting and reselling salvaged building, plumbing and gardening supplies or preloved, worn and authentic goods.

REVERSE GARBAGE

This is a not-for-profit co-operative that sells industrial discards, off-cuts and over-runs to the public for creative and practical uses, reducing the amount of waste going to landfill. They also have a small gallery/shop outside with things made from recycled stuff, including these wonderful sculptures made from discarded car mufflers, exhaust pipes and window wipers.

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)

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.

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!