Today I am sharing a “work in progress”. I am currently sketching for my upcoming local exhibition in East Melbourne. The exhibition will feature my travel sketchbooks and is going to have sketchbooks open at travel pages (in display cases) and also display a few (reprinted by Blurb) completed sketchbooks for people to browse through.

It will also display this sketchbook, which features my impressions of East Melbourne.

So that it can be viewed on display, I chose to use an accordion (Japanese) fold sketchbook, I have had this particular one in my cupboard since it as given out in a sponsors bag at 2013 Urban Sketching Symposium. It is a Sennelier watercolour sketchbook.

In keeping with urban sketching guidelines, each sketch is done on location. I made a decision that sketches would take 5 to 35 minutes. In that way I would not spend ages on a drawing , when it is supposed to be all about impressions and sketching to capture a moment.

I am using my FaberCastell Watercolour pencils and Lamy Safari ink pen.

It is not purely spontaneous, like my everyday sketchbook. I have planned my pages in advance, creating a mock-up. I am balancing close up and distant views over the pages.

I will be writing more about this closer to the event in June.