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.

Capital time in Canberra

Took a couple of days visit to our country's capital to do a bit of sketching. Canberra has so much space and so perfectly planned it is so different from Sydney. It's also a lot greener too which was nice. And incredibly quiet. Today I've uploaded my bus stops of Canberra and a few other pieces. Tomorrow I will add some more.

These bus stops are out of some 70s science fiction movie, and may have reached iconic status as part of the Canberra urban landscape.


We took the train down, and I found a lovely combination of three inktense pencils (mustard, leaf green and iron grey) that I used in these window thumbnails.
This is the Carillion, a long-time landmark in Canberra. It is a free standing bell tower situated on Lake Burley Griffin. I remember the last time I was there I saw an outdoor performance of a Midsummer Night's Dream.
This is a large scale sculpture group of pears outside the National Gallery. It doesn't have the granduer of the glass pyramid at the Louvre, but it is synonymous with the gallery for so many generations.

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.

A busy week

I found myself travelling all over Sydney these last couple of weeks, so I made some time to sketch.

I was on the North Shore heading to Mosman and had to wait for a connecting bus at Neutral Bay.

Then later that week I had to make a trip to Burwood. I wasn't catching a bus but waiting for a pest inspector to check out my uncle's house. We waited outside in the car as it rained, and the house happens to have a bus stop right outside it. The bugger didnt show up, but at least I got something out of it.

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.

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)