An experimental video of sketching on location in a local park.

I usually stand up and sketch, but sat on the ground this time to use my MOFT iphone holder to leave my hands free to sketch. It was precariously balanced on my backpack on the grass. There was a picnic table nearby that I could have sat at, however it was too far away to see the detail of the tree.

I talk through the video explaining what I am doing. You can also hear the lorikeets, currawongs and magpies in the background.

The first video is 10 minutes in real time Further down the page is a 30 second time lapse video.

Below is a list of the Faber Castell watercolour pencils that I took out of my sketchkit to use. I am not sure if I used each in this sketch. I did not need to and could have used fewer, I could have also sketched it in blue or red!

• Dark Sepia – a lovely colour, between a dark brown and grey
• Burnt Ochre
• Warm Grey II
• Cool Grey IV
• Payne’s Grey
• Grass Green
• Burnt Umber

I am using my Kuratake (Zig) Medium watercolour brush in Moleskine watercolour sketchbook.

and here is the 30 second video.

If I sketched this another time I may have approached it differently. I make it up each time, within my own processes and methods.

I would like to video more outside sketches. Next time I will find a subject that lets me have more control over the angle, shadows, page etc.

Let me know if you have any questions about this.

classes

I have a few in person classes coming up if you are in Melbourne.

Nature Sketching with Watercolour pencil in Royal Botanic Gardens. Sat, 6 Sep 202510:00 AM – 12:00 PM Book HERE

The Johnston Collection, Georgian House Museum Summer Sketching with Alissa Duke Saturday 8 Nov 2025, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Book HERE

Happy sketching.

Pad Thai Noodles – leftovers – noodles and the lemon Sketched in watercolour pencils in 13 minutes.

Below are

• the finished sketch
• photograph of my plate
• the 13 minute video with voiceover, describing my process as I go
• the colours I used

The FaberCastell Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils I used, with a Kuretake (Zig) Medium waterbrush.

• Ivory
• Burnt Umber
• Cool Grey IV
• Payne’s Grey
• Brown Ochre
• Light Cadmium Yellow
• Cream
• Light Yellow Ochre
• Grass Green

Version One and Two. I filmed in time lapse with voiceover. I then found out that time lapse videos do not have an audio option,I ate my dinner and then resketched it from the sketch.

This took 13 minutes to sketch and hours figure out how to move it into my blog.

I have writtem down the step, and next time will be a lot smoother, with less tears.

Let me know if you have any questions, or any other sketching you would like me to try and film.

Happy sketching

55th Australian Antiquarian Book Fair

It was only a week ago that Melbourne Rare Book Week and then Melbourne Rare Book Fair finished.

The Melbourne Rare Book Fair returned once again to Wilson Hall, The University of Melbourne. It is the major annual book fair of ANZAAB and one of only a few rare book fairs held in the Southern hemisphere. Now in its 53rd edition, the Fair again featured rare and wonderful books, manuscripts, ephemera, prints (and much more) from the best rare book and antiquarian dealers across Australia and New Zealand and from overseas.

This is a gathering of buyers, sellers and lovers of books not to be missed. Whatever your tastes may be, you are sure to find a rare and interesting book, print or piece of ephemera to add to your collection.

Thursday 31 July 6:00-9:00pm
Friday 1 August 10:00am-5:00pm
Saturday 2 August 10:00am-4:00pm

Bookings are not required for the Rare Book Fair and Entry is Free.

I attended the Fair over the three days, sketching on location. My sketches are used by Melbourne Rare Book Fair in their promotional and advertising and social media. It is very different from my sketching at MRBW talk, where I sit at the back of the room and sketch for an hour. At the Fair, people are constantly moving as they browse chat and sometimes buy.

Here are some from the 18 pages of my sketchbook I completed. For the first year, I filled my first sketchbook and started into a second.

My sketches from previous years were the branding for the Fair and they were everywhere!

Two bookmarks double sided

Posters – A3 & A5

The stickers that sealed a bag after you made a purchase at the Fair.

and most amazingly on the wall in the entryway of the Fair, next to the cloak room. My sketch was used last year and it came as a total surprise when I arrived. I was sent a photo in advance but was still amazed to see MY art on a wall !

Thursday 31 July 2025

From Convict Printers to Book Arcades Australia’s contribution to global histories of the book

Melbourne Athenaeum Library, Rare Books Melbourne

Speakers: Wallace Kirsop, Judy Donnelly and Des Cowley

The recently published From Convict Printers to Book Arcades completes the three volume History of the Book in Australia, a project begun in the 1990s. It takes its place alongside other projects emanating from Britain, France, America, and Canada that have sought to document global histories of the book. Join the volume’s editors Wallace Kirsop and Judy Donnelly in conversation with Des Cowley as they discuss the genesis of the Australian project, how they succeeded in bringing this significant publishing project to fruition, and their thoughts on its contributions to international scholarship.

Presented by: Rare Books Melbourne in partnership with Melbourne Athenaeum Library
at The Melbourne Athenaeum Library, Level 1, 188 Collins Street, Melbourne

I may add colour to the books at a later date. This was the sketch completed on location in the 60 minutes of the talk.

Come into Moominland

Speakers: City of Melbourne Children’s Librarians

Bring your children along to experience the world of Moomintroll, the Snork Maiden and Snufkin as conceived by Tove Jansson, a multi–talented Finnish author, illustrator and sculptor. Since 1945 in Swedish and 1950 in English, the Moomins have captivated generations of children. They have featured in storybooks, picture books, comic strips, animated cartoons and iPad apps. Our children’s librarians will guide your children into the idyllic Moominvalley to share the adventures of the Moomin family and their friends.

Original editions and collector’s Moomintroll books on display.

Presented by: City of Melbourne Libraries

at North Melbourne Library, 66 Errol Street, North Melbourne

Wednesday 30 July 2025

Wednesday was a big day. It always has the most events on and this year Melbourne was the host of ILAB International League of Antiquarian Booksellers Symposium talks 0pen to the public.

Travelling to Art:Art and the travel diary

WriteHeart Books

Speaker: Ms EV Ratnam

Artist EV Ratnam began keeping travel diaries in 1995, and has since developed a keen interest in artists and writers whose travels have informed their work. As well as discussing some of these, she will also present her own travel diaries, and reflect on the ways in which, through memory and imagination, they are linked to the imagery in her prints, drawings, and artist books. At the end of the session, there will be an opportunity to view her diaries close – up, and engage in a dialogue on travel, writing and art.

Presented by: WriteHeart Books
at the Kathleen Syme Library and Community Centre, Multipurpose Room 2, 252 Faraday Street, Carlton

Rare Sports Books and Ephemera

Melbourne Cricket Club Library

Speakers: Tim Hogan and Trevor Ruddell

Tim Hogan spoke on sports history with MCC Library’s own Trevor Ruddell. Which collections were encountered and which collections wereused in the course of their work? Where are the hidden gems of sports history? What rare treasures have been uncovered since we last met and what projects are people working on this year?

Presented by: Melbourne Cricket Club
Level 3, Members Stand, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Jolimont

It is always a joy to arrive early and chat to the MCC Librarians and sketch some books !

ILAB Symposium: Old Books, New Perspectives

International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, The Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers (ANZAAB)

Rare Booksellers & Librarians in Dialogue

Wednesday 30 July 2025 from 1:00pm to 6:00pm at the Wheeler Centre, 176 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

 

Sue’s Books One lady’s approach to book collecting

City of Melbourne Libraries

Speakers: Sue Louis in conversation with Professor Emeritus Chris Browne

All of us who enjoy reading generally own at least a few books. For most, public libraries also offer an invaluable source of reading pleasure. But how does one go about collecting a library of one’s own? Join us in a conversation with Sue Louis to share in her love and enthusiasm for books, and to see how one lady from East Melbourne put together a remarkable collection of fine books with her late husband, Professor Emeritus Bill Louis. Sue will share with us some notable examples and personal favourites from her impressive library.

Presented by: City of Melbourne Libraries at East Melbourne Library
Meeting room, Level 1,122 George Street, East Melbourne

Tuesday 29 July 2025

Melbourne Rare Book Week July 2025

Le Mort or la Mort

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

The origins and cultural context of the Danse Macabré

Speaker: Elizabeth Milford, RACS Archivist

The Dance of Death flourished in fifteenth century Europe but what were its antecedents and why was the theme so pervasive? The first Dance of Death mural was painted on a wall in the cemetery of Les Innocents in Paris, and was a catalyst for other Dances of Death, most importantly the series of woodcuts by Hans Holbein, printed in 1524 – 1525. Three centuries later, his work was still being copied, and the theme was embraced by composers such as Franz Liszt and Camille Saint – Saëns. This talk will discuss its origins, and specifically the fascination with death and decay that became ubiquitous in the late Middle Ages.

Presented by: Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Council Room, 250 – 290 Spring St, East Melbourne

I was invited to arrive early and sketch in the Historical Collection.

In Hiding

The Johnson Society of Australia

Tracing Samuel Johnson’s anonymous authorship

Speaker: John Byrne

Literature lovers know Samuel Johnson as the dictionary maker and subject of James Boswell’s biography. Most know him as a poet, an essayist, and the founder of English criticism. Much of this work is still in print, but the addicted collector seeks out Johnson’s hidden, often anonymous dedications, prefaces and editorial work, the titbits that are hard to find. John Byrne has been collecting Johnsonian material for 60 years. He will show rare material from his library and share stories about where and how he found it.

Presented by: The Johnson Society of Australia
at Kathleen Syme Library and Community Centre, Multipurpose Room 1, 251 Faraday Street Carlton

How Fashion Gave Birth to Art Deco: Fashion illustration evolves into a new style of art

City of Melbourne Libraries

Speaker: Professor Emeritus Chris Browne

The Art Deco style first emerged among a group of young artists in Paris who wished to rejuvenate the depiction of French fashion. This development evolved into Art Deco in the years around the First World War. It came to a peak at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 1925. Professor Browne has assembled a collection of original French fashion magazines and images from the first half of the 20th century. He will share some of these with you, and show how the developments in fashion illustration led to the full flowering of the Art Deco style.

Presented by: City of Melbourne Libraries at East Melbourne Library

Monday 28 July 2025

I arrived early at State Library of Victoria for the first event and did a few sketches outside.

Judging a Book by its Cover:Fine bindings from State Library Victoria’s Rare Books collection

Speaker: Daniel Wee

We’ve all heard the saying “never judge a book by its cover”– but when it comes to the world of fine bindings, aesthetics are everything. From luxurious leathers to bespoke intricate gold tooling, fine bindings invite us to engage with books on another level. Judging a book by its cover, in this case, is not shallow–it is a way of honouring craftsmanship, context, and the enduring power of beauty in bookmaking. Join Daniel Wee, Senior Collection Curator, History of the Book as he shares a selection of
beautiful fine bindings from the Library’s Rare Books collection.

Presented by: State Library Victoria
at State Library Victoria, Digital Laboratory, 328 Swanston Street
Meet at the Swanston Street Welcome Zone

Picturing the World of Jane Austen: An examination of the illustrations of Austen’s novels

City of Melbourne Libraries

Speaker: Professor Emeritus Chris Browne

Jane Austen has painted in our imaginations a vision of the English world that she inhabited over 200 years ago. The original editions of her six novels had no illustrations, but from the late 19th century, many artists have attempted to enhance her words with pictures drawn from their own imaginations. Professor Browne will discuss a selection of these images, mainly drawn from his extensive collection of illustrated editions of Austen. He will ask the audience to judge whether a picture is worth a thousand words of her writing in this, the 250th anniversary year of her birth.

Presented by: City of Melbourne Libraries and Jane Austen Society of Melbourne
at East Melbourne Library, Meeting room, Level 1,122 George Street, East Melbourne

Meet Mrs Beeton

Books for Cooks

An intimate conversation about the iconic cookbook
author Isabella Beeton

Speaker: Tim White

Isabella Beeton’s Book of Household Management was one of the most significant and commercially successful British cookery books of the nineteenth century. Its appearance marked a significant change in the way in which British cookery books were published, marketed and embraced. We will be exploring Mrs Beeton’s personal history and her contributions to cookery book publishing in Victorian Britain and the British Empire, before considering the convoluted publishing history of one of the English language’s most famous cookery books and all its descendants.

Presented by: Books for Cooks at Books for Cooks Bookshop
115 – 121 Victoria Street, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne

Tastes from several of the ‘Beeton Books’ will be served, and various editions and versions of her books will be on display and for sale. Please join us as we discuss Isabella Beeton’s contribution to modern cookery and to rare books.