Sub-urban sketching

pardon the pun... but I am just starting a new series on my  Architecture blog that involves sketching 'boring' suburban buildings and explaining some fundamental approaches to sketching architecture. More here

Also, I am going to be running a 1 day workshop of Sketching Architecture in Melbourne on Saturday 14 Sept - there are only a few places still available. More details here

Early morning sketch and walk

Good morning everyone and happy new year!... I started my morning with a brisk walk before breakfast at 6.30am and a quick sketch of a grand house on my return home. Just come back from an amazing trip to Singapore (met up with lots of the USKers there)  I was experimenting when in SG with working wetter with my watercolour so this morning I continued my experimentation with using my squirrel brush which holds a lot of water.

It is a large house with a lot of details... but for me my focus this morning was the entrance and the gables.

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.

Monthly Theme for March: Roofscapes

We have decided to start having a monthly theme for all Australian sketchers. So to start with this month is Roofscapes or tops of buildings (sorry I am a little late in announcing this!)
Here is one that I did a week or so back or a crazy roof extension.

Please add your roofscape sketches here on or on our flickr group
http://www.flickr.com/groups/uskaustralia/discuss/72157629337804677/

Also, I would love to get some suggestions for themes for the coming months!

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.

A busy May

I am not sure where the month of May went...but it is gone by without me feeling like I have been out sketching much. In compariosn with March and April I certainly haven't done much urban sketching.
At the beginning of the month I join a group of over 100 sketchers in a Every Day in May challenge. I was unable to continue with it for the last two weeks but had fun earlier in the month. Here are two of the 'more' urban sketches.

On the day when we were to draw salt and pepper shakers we went around various cafes in Crows Nest to find the most interesting to draw. Cafe Ticino (which also happens to have the best Earl Grey tea in Crows Nest) had a choice of three varieties.

Draw a fence - the backyard where I grew up is unusual as until recently there were no fence between our house and the neighbors. We often used to share the lawn with our neighbours growing up - especially useful for backyard cricket when either of us had visitors and we often played hide and seek type games across the two properties. We never thought that there was a need for privacy from them. The only reason for the fence was because the current neighbours bought a dog but even then both they and my parents didn't want to lose the openness.

I also made it back to the Botanic Gardens a few weeks ago - it is amazing how much the season has changed in the 2 weeks of absence.

And finally, starting this week I am using sketching for a most important purpose.... that is to lose a few kilos so that I can have a nice 'cake allowance' during my trip to Lisbon in July. Sketching my food is the best way for keeping my on the straight and narrow! It is also good training for fast travel sketching. (more of my trip preparation soon)