National Maritime Museum

This wonderfully elaborate sailing ship is a replica of the Duyfken, an East Indiaman. The original ship sailed from Banten (Bantam in English) in Java in 1606 to Australia where it mapped Cape York. Strangely I was already thinking seriously about a holiday in Banten. I've been to Java but not further west than Yogyakarta.

The Sydney Sketch Club went to the National Maritime Museum on Saturday. The winter has been pretty wet and cold so far, and there's great drawing both inside and out. Lucky for us it was a perfect day. Sunny and 20 degrees. Beanie and gloves not required.

My second drawing was done looking down on this little rubber boat - they tell me it's called a rubber ducky, From the sublime to the ridiculous really, isn't it!

Parramatta Ice Skating Rink : Falling Kids

Hi, Friends, how is it going with you? We're in the middle of winter! Council has set an ice skating rink in front of Parramatta Town Hall. At the opening ceremony, this happy young man showed off a big kiss mark, awaiting his girl friend performing an ice dance. What a hot man in this dreadful winter!OK, I'd like to chat over "skating," particularly, slipping kids on a skate rink. Most children seem to be not so familiar with skating. Children enjoys "slip, sliding away ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ ° ·. •*• ♫° • ♫."
Great fun and luxury for me to sketch slipping kids. Very exciting to catch the critical moments of "unbalancing," "falling" and following movements.

Some children--most are boys-- bravely challenge an ice rink. Oh, physics experiments, objects cannot stand well on a surface without friction?! But children soon learn how to skate and begin to enjoy a smooth run, even though a bit different from "elegant."







Very young kids and girls are awkward. They walk with Penguins. Not bad. Wobbling is very cute and even pretty like ducklings. Parents are happy to take photos.Soon, children realize my sketching. Some hang on the wall and won't go away from me. A sketcher becomes popular at once anywhere.
"Can you draw me?"
"Well, Sweetie, I'm sketching slipping kids. If there's any drama, I may draw you..."
The girl, actually, quite a good skater, dares to perform a big stumble.
"No, Sweetie, I want to sketch natural movements!" We have a laugh.

In the observation, when children wobble, their hands' positions are very interesting. A head's angle and position is so fascinating, too. I look and draw from varied angles, as many as possible.

I draw children with simple lines. The lesser, the better. Simple lines are clearer than too many lines. For me, catching the pattern or the connection of each movement is the key. Fresh and lively work is my favorite.

So, I always sketch and have fun! If you have interest in sketching figures, come over my blog, Sadami's Graffiti.

Happy sketching, Friends!!

The Salon des Refuses

A couple of weeks ago I went with a non-sketching friend to the last day of the Salon des Refuses at the S. H Ervin Gallery. This gallery is on Observatory Hill and belongs to the National Trust. I took the opportunity to do a very quick drawing of the gallery while my friend was listening to the artist's talk.
The Salon des Refuses is the 'refused' for the Archibald Prize, which is the major portrait prize in Australia. The ones in the main exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW can be seen here. Some of the 'refused' are here.