Sydney boats and ships

The day started with fine weather in Sydney. I did not plan to sketch boats (tea cosies were my focus today) but ended up sketching big and small ones.

 

It is cruise ship season and there always seems to be a large ship at Circular Quay.  It will most probably be a different ship everyday. They usually only stay 24 hours in Sydney, before sailing out. That is the time that the passengers get to leave the ship and explore our city. Circular Quay is a wonderful place to be as you can see so much of iconic Sydney by looking around you - Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Rocks, Botanic Gardens.......

 

 

 

 

 

The amount of foreshortening and the perspective involved in drawing the ship is amazing and great fun. Today, however my view was continually blocked by tourists taking photos. So, I included them as well. I am not sure why they stopped in front of me

 

 

 

 

 

Later in the day I walked past the ship again and the sense of excitement was building as passengers dropped their baggage off and were saying final farewells to family and friends. I started the sketch with the photographer and the family group . They moved on quickly and I added the background. You can't actually  tell that there is a ship there as it is SO BIG. This sketch lost its focus as I added more and more, so I tried to bring in the focus by adding most of the colour in the group of people

 

I actually started the day "small" by sketching on the ferry on the way into the city. and ended the day BIG with the ships.

Ferry at the terminal Sydney: Alissa Duke

Waiting at the King Street Wharf Ferry Terminal, Sydney

I drew this while the ferry was being boarded. I don't know why I decided to draw a ferry that was scheduled to leave in 10 minutes ! Especially when there were plenty of moored boats and buildings around the area.

I then added the colour later at home. It was another grey, chilly afternoon in Sydney, so I made the sky a bit bluer than it really was.

v

Sydney ferry terminal

Sydney. King Street Wharf Ferry Terminal. With time to spare til the next ferry I took the time to draw STEPS for this weeks Urban Sketchers theme. Straight lines are not my strongpoint, so this was sending me cross-eyed.