Sketchcrawl in Alexandra Gardens, Melbourne

It was a cold and rainy day, but urban sketching went on with over 20 sketchers gathering in a rotunda in the gardens looking out or sketching each other. A few went to sit outside under umbrellas!

It was another fun session with awesome results.

I found it a challenge sketching in the gardens – plants are not really my thing – but I had fun anyway. Here is my piece, below, sketched with a stick dipped in ink, and watercolour.

 I too was at the Sydney 38th Worldwide Sketchcrawl in the Botanic Gardens. I'm sketching in a handmade book of toned grounds. I had to choose whether to work consecutively as I usually do, or whether to choose the ground for the subject. 

It had been 46.4C degrees the previous day (that's 115) and the Gardens were looking a little more ochre than green as they usually are, so I chose those colours for the background. Luckily it was much cooler and cloudy, so we went first to the succulent garden where it usually gets very hot, very early. I felt like drawing something hard edged after that, so we went to the statue. And finally we went to a stand of bamboo where we could sit in the shade (sun out by then).

The other two sketches are from another visit to the Botanic Gardens the previous week. I was still finishing my previous sketchbook then, and playing with selective colour.  We got eaten alive by mozzies while sketching the spiral ginger, then we moved on to a spot near Twin Ponds to draw this little woodland area with paperbark trees.

A bit of colour in Sydney

Yesterday at our Sydney Sketchclub Meetup at the Australian National Maritime Museum we had such beautiful weather it was too nice a day to spend in a darkly lit museum drawing things in glass cabinets so I decided to sit outside and draw on the wharf.

Then afterwards I headed over to the Chinese Garden of Friendship. I needed some photo reference of the architecture and motifs for a project I’m working on, but I managed to do a few ink drawings while I was there too. 

Waterfall Cottage, Bayview

Had a great day on Saturday, with fellow sketcher Chris, at a wonderful house and garden at Bayview - Waterfall Cottage (only opened two weekends a year)

Very loose and quick (ratty) sketching as it was impossible to find a comfortable place to sit to sketch. Colour later (in a similar style!)

Although I have a seat for this sketch, the constant demand for seats on the verandah meant that I was rushing this one too. I coloured this one at the time.



Nothing like a time of chill after being out in the sun sketching...of course at my favourite hang-out T2 teahouse.

Sydney inner city gardens

Today I tackled drawing two local gardens. In inner city Sydney the gardens are either planted by the local council or by property developers

This area of plants is trying to disguise an electrical box, poles and a pump.This is near Pirrama Park at Pyrmont. There were people exercising in the park, walking their dogs and walking home from work.




These large planter boxes in the square near Town Hall. They are meant to been viewed from a height to see a pattern in the planting.

Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney

Sketching in the Royal Botanic Gardens on Saturday, we all gathered along the Spring Walk. Just beautiful - pink blossom on the trees, white May blossom, a huge variety of spring flowers and then at the front wonderful border plants like these polyanthus. I was daunted by the panorama so this is what I drew.

At lunch, hopeful ibis came around and were being chased away by some people, but I drew them very quickly. They weren't getting anything to eat, so they moved off quite fast.

After lunch I couldn't decide what to draw so I just settled down near some friends. Just for fun I drew blind contour tulips - the paint wasn't 'blind' but the drawing pretty much was. I didn't like them sitting on the page on their own, so I backed them with the lyrics of "Tiptoe though the Tulips."

Urban Sketchers Weekly theme 12-19 Sept : Urban Gardens

Some of you might not be aware that Urban Sketchers has a weekly theme over in the flickr group. Whilst it is not a requirement that the sketch is done on the specified week I think it is more fun if it is used as a push to get out, find and sketch the chosen theme.

This weeks theme is Urban Gardens... And here are two inspirational sketches to inspire us...

From Lynne Chapman – Urban Sketchers Correspondent Sheffield UK (I have had the wonderful privilege of meeting her on two occasions – at her home in Sheffield and in Lisbon!)

From Virginia Hein - USk Correspondent LA

I know that a number of us we actually out in the Botanic Garden Sydney on Saturday sketching the spring flowers... But with spring upon us and a very nice weather forecast for the rest of the week... What great incentive to get out again!

I am personally thinking about people’s front gardens and how they interact with the street.... Happy sketching!

Chinese Friendship Garden

Yesterday was a dull day - not quite raining. We went into the city and then had lunch in the Chinese Friendship Garden. It is a such a beautiful place, and so peaceful and calm, despite being smack bang in the city centre and near a major road.

I drew the same little pavilion that I have drawn before. The previous time I also used watercolour and pen, but I finished off with coloured pencils. Back then, I was working on Stonehenge paper that I had previously toned with a wash of acrylic.

I finished this sketch on-site, except for adding extra blue to the shadows to enhance the orange colour of the pagoda with its complementary colour.

Must go back again soon and take my portable chair to get some exceptional vantage points of this beautiful garden.

First Garden Sketchabout - Liz's sketches

Well today was the first of six Garden Sketchabout at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney as part of the Sydney Morning Herald Autumn of the Arts festival...and can I just say up front that it was WONDERFUL!!!!!


Alissa and I got to the gardens before 11.30 and shortly after arriving we found a sketcher already in action! She joined us in a 'warmup' sketch at the lotus pond.

In true Liz-style I managed to sneak in a second warm up sketch before we went to meet up with all the sketchers at 1pm. What a great turn up - over 40 sketchers I think! This page also contains a quick sketch of a chinese lantern that I did while talking to a sketcher from England! I also love drawing maps of where I go each week and a business card of the restaurant from the afternoon tea which didn't fit on the upcoming page (too many cakes- but more of that later!)

After an initial welcome the sketchers scattered all over the garden. I was doing too much talking (so out of character?!? NOT!) and found it hard to concentrate on sketching. It is occasions like these that training your hand to 'reflex sketch' comes in handy.

Another sketch from the same spot - funny I am always drawn to the built structures visible in the garden!


We then had a wonderful session at the band lawn - meeting more sketchers, swapping sketchbooks and a group photo.

9 of us from the Sydney Sketch Club finished the afternoon with a special Sketchabout afternoon tea at the Restaurant. Do I need to say that we had a great time in many ways!

Finally, for me, I walked back across the Harbour Bridge and sketched the gardens in context. this shows how important the garden is to the city of Sydney!

What a wonderful wonderful day - I am one hyped up but somewhat exhausted little sketcher now! And we do it all again next Saturday!