Saturday was perfect, with weather at 26 degrees in Melbourne. Although it was a weekend, school holidays had just finished and I hoped the crowds would not be there. It all worked out wonderfully. If there were busy areas, I just moved on.

Each time I visit the zoo I am drawing in an old ledger. It is larger than my daily sketchbook but not too heavy.

I sketched with my usual watercolour pencils. The ledger paper isn’t made for watercolour. I do not add the water at the time as I just don’t have the time. The priority of my visit is capturing gestures. Maybe next time I will add water to the page on the spot. Adding water to the pencil on the page or off the pencil works best on smaller areas. I would have to think about what parts of the sketch I would add it to.

African Wild Dogs. Their enclosure is often the first place I stop and I rarely see them. So when they were near the viewing section I made the most of it. There were two (of the four) and they moved around this area a lot. They have such an interesting body structure – really long legs. Often one sketch is the result of many walk bys by the Wild Dogs. The face on close-up is an example. Each time he stopped at looked in my direction I tried to add more detail. In the end, they moved to an area and we could not see them. Time to move on.

In the same section are the lions – there are two and they are usually sitting upon the platforms. They stay still and move their head a bit. This time I had a few sketches in progress where their faces were at a different angle. I could then add to a different sketch as they changed the direction they were looking.

Sumatran Tiger

Not all sketches can be completed to the degree I had hoped. This Sumantran Tiger was lying down under a tree and did not move. Most of his body was in the shade and it was in the distance. You get the idea.

Eastern Black and White Colobus. There were two. This is a medium-sized primate. These African natives are known for their shiny black coats and long flowing white mane that drapes over their back and tail. Oh So glamourous looking!

Northern white cheeked gibbon

There were two, in middle distance swinging around the ropes. Then they disappeared from view, only to appear on the glass window in front of us. You could see the details of his paws. amazing.

I took my pencil wrap with me with its 26 or so watercolour pencil colours. However, there were probably just two colours I used all day: Black and Burnt Ochre.

Oh and Violet for the Pygmy Hippopotamus. They are actually a greenish brown/black. I just chose violet. Pygmy hippos share the same general form as hippopotamus but is only half as tall as the hippopotamus. Adult pygmy hippos stand about 75–100 cm (2.46–3.28 ft) high at the shoulder, are 150–175 cm (4.92–5.74 ft) in length and weigh 180–275 kg (397–606 lb).

I am hoping to use my Zoo Member often. Yesterday I was there from 9.00 -2.30. Probably too much sunshine and standing ( I don’t use a chair). It is so easy to keep going as there is always something more around the corner.