Melbourne USK Sketchcrawl is on Sat, Oct 19

October 19 is WW Sketchcrawl day so we will be sketching on the same day as others around the world. Exciting, isn't it!!!

Meet at: Black Cat Cafe, 252 Brunswick St  Fitzroy VIC
When: 10 am. on October 19, 2013

If you are coming by public transport, Trams 11 and 112 will get you there.

There is so much to draw on Brunswick Street - buildings with loads of character, streetscape, people, etc. Oh, there is also St Patrick's Cathedral at end of the street.

If you are new, lookout for a group of people with sketchbooks or find me - I'll wear a red cap. Questions - email me (address on the image). See you then!

International Fleet Review in Sydney

The International Fleet Review began today in Sydney. Approximately 40 warships from the Royal Australian Navy and navies from around the world as well as up to 16 tall ships are expected to attend. They will be joined by over 60 military, civilian and heritage aircraft as well as more than 10 military bands. 8,000 Australian and foreign naval personnel will be in Sydney for the event.

Sydney has turned on the sunshine and there are people out and about everywhere. It is also school holidays, a long weekend, football grand finals and lots of other events to get people out and about.

I am fortunate to live near the National Maritime Museum, where the tall ships gathered before the events and two Navy ships are berthed.  So I have been presented with many opportunities to sketch, just on my way to and from work. All sketched with Lamy Safari Joy pen.

Thursday 3rd Oct . 5.30pm
I sketched the masts of some of the tall ships as I walked across Pyrmont Bridge. I am fascinated by the spiderweb-like images that the rigging reminds me of. I was not interested in drawing the rest of the ship. And this was only supposed to be a quick sketch.

 

 

 

Friday 4th October 8.155 am.

 I walked down through the docks where the tall ships are. There were quite a few people about and television crews too. I was drawing the black sails of Spirit Of New Zealand when a person appeared and sat on the end of the bow (?) and started presenting the weather for a tv station, so I added him in too.

 

 

Friday Lunch time - after lunch my work colleague & I stopped by to look at the Navy ship. While she took a few photos, I did a quick sketch, We both captured the moment in the way we wanted too.

 

8pm - the Navy is in town. Young girls (and their mothers) pose for photos  with the sailors, wearing the sailors' caps.

If I do not see anything else of the Fleet Review, I am happy with this

Kuala Lumpur sketches

In between catching up with family and friends while in Kuala Lumpur recently, I was able to sketch a little. I left Kuala Lumpur to move to Australia over a decade ago, and while I was living over there I was not drawing much. So being able to draw these two Kuala Lumpur icons was quite special (even somewhat emotional) to me.

The Petronas Twin Towers has 88 floors and was once the tallest in the world. It was built when I was living in Kuala Lumpur. In fact, my office was across the road and I saw the building whenever I was in the city. But I never realised the structure of the building until I began to draw it.

I also never realised how beautiful the towers are – even more beautiful in the rain. I was caught in a heavy downpour one night and cannot resist taking this photo of the towers glowing in the dark.

The Kuala Lumpur Tower is another structure built when I was in KL. It’s a communications tower, and a popular tourist destination. I must admit that I have not really been there except for a drive around the surrounding area. Isn’t strange that we don’t explore the places that are close to us? Well, maybe one day when I am in KL again, I will go up to the observation deck and take in the view of KL.