I have lots of art plans and projects in place for 2026.
I will, of course, continue to sketch everyday. I have also booked in some exciting events.
Yesterday I set up a display of my sketchbooks in my local East Melbourne Library. The theme is travel sketching and the pages are open at some relevant sketches.
This is associated with my Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil classes that I will be running from the library rooms over the next few months. It had been a long time since I held this class and I have missed sharing my passion for travel sketching. It is a two hour class in person and is repeated in February & March. There is an option to BYO gear or purchase a sketchkit. No experience necessary, just curiosity and enthusiasm,
The Johnston Collection is an exhibition house of exquisite British and European fine and decorative arts in a historic East Melbourne townhouse. They have guided tours, amazing lectures, and events. I have presented a number Watercolour Pencil sketching classes in 2024 and continued in 2025.
This is a unique opportunity to learn to sketch ‘on location’ at The Johnston Collection. Become familiar with watercolour pencils and how to use them. Then test your new skills as you explore the ground floor rooms of The Johnston Collection’s exhibition house, Fairhall. Have a look at their Special Events to book and see what else is on offer. Anyone can book for my event, you don’t have to be a Member.
On Christmas Eve I received an email that I had been accepted as a stallholder at the Annual Clunes Booktown Festival. It was the best Christmas present !
Mark 21 & 22 March in your calendar and read more about the Festival here. I have shelves of books ready to be drawn in that I have been collecting from opshops throughout the year. These books were under $5 or about to be discarded. I will also bring also any that are currently on my ETSY site.
Australian Seashores: a guide for the beach-lover, the naturalist, the shore fisherman, and the student by William J Dakin published by Angus and Robertson (1953) 372p
Melbourne Rare Book Week
I will continue to be the official sketcher on location at Melbourne Rare Book Week and Rare Book Fair this year. I have been involved with this amazing event since 2015 and my involvement and friendships have grown each year. The date has not yet been announced. It is usually the last half of July.
Commission
I have been working on a private commission over the past few weekend and adding the final touches today, to be delivered next week.
There are many other exciting plans in the pipeline that I will share if they eventuate.
I write a blog post at this time each year looking back at what I have done during the previous year with my art. I have found this is a very useful way of realising how much I have accomplished in a year, as I usually forget about some events or do not realise how productive I have been. It is a good reality check for me.
Below are my art projects and commercial activities in 2025. This year once again was a little different.
Sketchbooks
Below is a photograph of my sketchbooks from this year. There are eight 13cm x 19 cm landscape format Moleskine watercolor pencil sketchbooks. I sketch everyday and carry my sketchkit which includes watercolour pencils, waterbrush, ink pen and sketchbook with me everywhere.
The numbers on the spine are the sketchbook numbers since I began my daily sketches in these Moleskine sketchbooks in December 2008. Can you tell that I am a librarian?
I put sketches daily on social media Instagram and on Facebook. Facebook at Alissa Duke Art. I post daily on Instagram alissaduke1
On Instagram I have 3566 posts and 2242 followers. It is interesting, but I am not really interested in numbers. I post to show everyone watercolour pencils, what they can do, and also that everything is sketchable and that an unfinished sketch is ok.
Weekly Art Blog
I have maintained this, my weekly art blog most weeks since 2018, published on a Sunday. Thank you to the 227 followers. I hope that you find it enjoyable and interesting to read and full of information. Some of you also follow me on social media and there are others, including friends and family who keep up to date with what I am doing by following these posts.
Sometimes I write about hints and tips when using watercolour pencils, other times the blog will be about art events I am involved in, and the rest are usually my sketches from the previous week. I hope that I share a bit of my passion for drawing and watercolour pencils.
I managed to film four videos of sketching – a technical miracle for me!
Please let me know if you have any questions or would like me to explain anything I do. If you would like to receive this weekly email you can Subscribe here.
Newsletter
I had to give up my newsletter as I had technical issues with Mailchimp not talking to WordPress.
in 2025
Melbourne Rare Book Week
I sketched at Melbourne Rare Book Week (MRBW) when I first moved to Melbourne in 2015 and since 2016 I have been the official sketcher on location for the week of talks, culminating in the Melbourne Rare Book Fair on the final weekend. I have met so many interesting people and made lots of friends through this event. It is a honour to be involved in this very special event.
This year, some of my sketches were used in promotional posters, bookmarks and bookbag tape for Melbourne Rare Book Fair.
You Can’t Draw in Books
I was invited by Melbourne Athenaeum Library to present my talk “You Can’t Draw in Books”. I have given this talk as part of Melbourne Rare Book Week and at Dromkeen homestead. In the talk, I provide an insight into the reason and process of drawing old books that were about to be discarded.
Watercolour pencil classes in 2025
I have run a number of classes in 2025. I did not run my own private classes as in previous years, but through relationships with other organisations. I have been a member of these organisations and was approached by them to hold classes.
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
I have been teaching one class for each Season. Read my blog posts about one of my four classes at :
I held three classes at The Johnston Collection, which has a superb collection of English Georgian, Regency, and Louis XV fine and decorative arts, and objet d’art which was a gift from William Robert Johnston (1911-1986) to the people of Victoria. The Collection is displayed in a constantly changing domestic setting, in his former residence, Fairhall, This was a special event as you usually can book guided tours of this amazing collection, but you can’t stop and sketch along the way.
This event is supported by The Colin Holden Charitable Trust”
A Food sketching class with Melbourne Library Service at East Melbourne LIbrary as a Community Engagement Activity.
East Melbourne Community Seedbank
I continue to contribute to the establishment of a free seed library at East Melbourne Library by drawing images of the plant that will grow from the seeds in the packets. Read more about it here. https://alissaduke.com/2024/04/seed-bank-drawings.html
This year I was asked to draw Rainbow Silverbeet, Silverbeet, Cos Lettuce, Garlic Chives , Rocket, Capsicum, Chilli and Sage.
I was invited to display my sketchbooks in the East Melbourne Library display cabinets and hold a sketching class.
Clunes Booktown Festival
A highlight. I feel like this event was made for me. I have a stall with my “Drawn in Books” in Clunes for the Annual Booktown Festival. A whole weekend of books at Clunes Booktown Festival. Read about my time there https://alissaduke.com/2025/03/clunes-booktown-festival-4.html
Private commissions x 3
Greeting Cards
My printed greeting cards with my drawings of the Supreme Court and the Library books and shelves were on sale to the legal community in Melbourne. at Law Books at Law Institute of Victoria and Ludlows Legal Regalia.
ETSY online sales
I have a variety of greeting cards printed from my watercolour pencil drawings on my ETSY online store. I also have my “drawn-in books” available for purchase there.
Local Markets
I was happy to have a market stall with my cards and books at two local Christmas events. It was so lovely to catch up with local friends and meet some more!
East Melbourne Library Community BBQ
Bishopscourt East Melbourn Group Picnic
and a Christmas sketching esession at the local East Melbourne Library after the BBQ
Today.I am sharing my Christmas sketches with you. Mainly food.
Did you sketch over Christmas, or perhaps have a quiet time now to yourself and have plans to sketch?.
I bought myself a lobster to sketch and eat on Christmas Day. I have never observed a lobster so carefully before. Actually I have never observed a lobster at all. I have been wanting to sketch one each Christmas for the past few years, but they were SO expensive at the markets. This was from Coles and I am so glad I bought it. Beautiful and fascinating – a work of art in nature.
If it did not smell so fishy I would have studied and sketched it over many more days.
I have added the colours I used as I experimented.
Then turned it over.
This was the slow start to Christmas Day, with Festive socks and a colourful coffee cup.
Sparkling wine and chilled Advent tea. A Christmas tradition.
Little bear sits on top of my little tree.
My Christmas pudding and after eating a bit. It will stay in the fridge for a few days as I don’t think I will be eating much for a while. I am so full.
I met up with some UK sketching friends on Zoom and we chatted and sketched for about 1 1/2 hours. The theme was sketch your leftovers.
I hope that you have had a good Christmas break and managed a bit of sketching. Perhaps you have a new sketchbook !
If you have been inspired by this and are in Melbourne, join me in one of three in person classes. Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencils. No experience required – just enthusiasm and curiousity.
This post is to inspire and motivate everyone to think about what you can sketch at Christmas OR potentially what you could sketch if you have the opportunity.
There are the days and nights leading up to Christmas and the days after. Everyone has different lives, commitments, priorities and time.
HINTS and TIPS
Keep your sketchbook and pencils out so that they are all together and ready when you are. It doesn’t have to be watercolour pencils , just any coloured pencils or markers you have around the house or here you are visting or staying.
Give yourself a time limit 15 minutes is good. Keep it simple and easy. That’s part of the fun and encourages you not to be too perfect.
It can be a quiet, solitary time or a group event. It can be a time for silliness and people might want to join in and give it a go
REMEMBER
The sketch is just an impression, and capture of the moment on the page and not a still life
There is no right and wrong
It is your page and your impression and record
IDEAS
Here are a few simple ideas for things to sketch over Christmas.
Sketch yourdecorations Take a decoration off the tree and sketch it. Look at the shapes, marks, and imperfections. Decorations often have a history, so you could even write a few words alongside the drawing telling the story
Sketch your food
I sketch on Christmas Day but the leftovers are great and there may be quite a bit, Put them to good use!
I held a Christmas sketching session at the local East Melbourne Library (sponsored by Melbourne Library Service) after our Community BBQ on Saturday. The seven of us took over one of the tables in the LIbrary ,and had supplies of watercolour pencils to use and paper on the table. It was an informal class with the attendees trying out the pencils, ideas and asking questions along the way.
I brought in my entire FaberCastell Albrecht Duurer range of 126 Watercolour pencils as well as the 10 in the Student Red Range pack.
I have previously shared my watercolour pencil swatches. Here are the red and green ones to inspire you.
GREENS
REDS
Below are some examples from previous Christmas’ featuring red and green.
Are you feeling Christmassy yet? Inspired to get those pencils out?
I am excited to announce I have inperson classes open for next year.
Travel sketching with Watercolour Pencil.
Take an inspirational walk around East Melbourne, sketching with watercolour pencils to record your experience. Learn tips and techniques.Travel – it can be across the world, your state, your city or your suburb. Join me on this inspirational class, and learn about watercolour pencils. It includes a walk around East Melbourne, sketching to record your experience. Learn tips and techniques for travel sketching along the way
A sketchkit with all you need can be purchased separately and added to your order when you book. Or bring your own from the list provided. BOOK HERE
The Johnston Collection – watercolour pencil sketching class
The Johnston Collection is an exhibition house of exquisite British and European fine and decorative arts in a historic East Melbourne townhouse. They have guided tours, amazing lectures, and events. I have presented a number Watercolour Pencil sketching classes in 2024, 2025 and continue in 2026. This is a unique opportunity to learn to sketch ‘on location’ at The Johnston Collection. Become familiar with watercolour pencils and how to use them. Then test your new skills as you explore the ground floor rooms of The Johnston Collection’s exhibition house, Fairhall. Have a look at their Special Events to book and see what else is on offer. Anyone can book for my event, you don’t have to be a Member
I am looking forward to next Saturday’s local East Melbourne Library Community BBQ. This event has become a wondeful part of the local community calendar. I have a stall, where people can purchase my cards, including Christmas cards and ‘drawn in’ books.
It is great time to catchup with locals. and meet new ones. I have a group of regulars who purchase their cards from me here. All of my cards and ‘drawn in’ books at available on my ETSY store.
East Melbourne Community Group will have the barbecue sizzling! While that’s happening, you’ll listen to the lovely voices of the East Melbourne Community Choir, join in the Christmas Carols Singalong, enjoy festive treats, and visit a variety of pop-up stores and children’s Christmas activities (including a visit by a special someone in a red suit).
A few weeks ago I talked with Linda, the Librarian, about holding a sketching session in the Library. We have decided on a free one-hour session after the BBQ. It will be inside the library, sketching the Christmas decorations. Any locals can attend – no art experience required – just enthusiasm. Watercolour pencils, waterbrush and paper (Art Spectrum A5 210 Smooth) provided.
I spent three hours yesterday in the LIbrary sketching some of the decorations. The decorations are very impressive as they come from the City of Melbourne collection. I will have these sketches on the table to give people ideas of what they can sketch. I will also have some of my previous sketchbooks from my previous Christmas’ to show what I have sketched and provide more ideas.
It is pouring rain and cold at the moment in Melbourne, although tomorrow is the start of Summer. The weather has been inconsistent and we all have our fingers crossed for next Saturday. There is a Plan B for the stalls to be inside, with the BBQ under a marquee.
I have been travelling interstate over the past few weeks, catching up with friends, family and sketchers. I had not seen some of these people for a year or more. Some visits were two days and others five days. On the longer visits, I was able to be a tourist in Brisbane and Sydney. I have filled many pages of my sketchbook and am now slowly catching up with scanning them.
This blog post has a skyline sketch of Brisbane and Sydney, as well as sketches which I completed while travelling on their ferries.
Brisbane
Some sketches were completed on the City Cat ferry ride.
Others were while the ferry was moving or when it stopped to drop off and collect passengers.
This is a combination of both.
Sydney
A combination of sketches on the ferry and at the wharf.
Sketch from the Sydney ferry while it stopped to drop off and picked up passengers. It was probably about three minutes.
I have many more pages of sketches from these two visits. Some of these on location sketches are very quick, while others were a bit more relaxed and leisurely. I usually do not add any more colour or detail at home.
Travel sketching with Watercolour Pencil classes coming soon
I am very excited to be planning dates for Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil classes for early next year. They will be on a Saturday morning in East Melbourne. I am also planning a display of some of my sketchbooks at my local East Melbourne library in the new year to coincide with the classes. I have not run a travel sketching class in a long time. The basic concepts are the name for my Royal Botanic Garden Victoria and The Johnston Collection watercolour pencil classes, but the focus is all on travel!
I will add the dates and links to the Classes tab on my website when the dates are locked-in. see you then !
On Saturday, I held a Watercolour Pencil sketching class at The Johnston Collection, a Melbourne Georgian house museum. A lovely group of eight joined me to learn all about watercolour pencils and then put them to use.
We explored the ground floor rooms of The Johnston Collection’s historic exhibition house, Fairhall (1860), a double-fronted Georgian-style townhouse. Everyone selected objects and interior features to record in their sketchbook, and record their impressions with guidance from me. The class is all about capturing the moment and we spend 15 minutes in three rooms.
We were fortunate to be inside this lovely space while the temperature dropped and rain fell down on this Spring day.
The example below shows exploring one Faber Castell Watercolour Pencil. Indanthrene Blue. I showed the quick marks and shapes that could be made on the page and how the colour is enhanced when water is added to the page with a waterbrush. The long patch of blue on the right shows the range of colour you can get from the one pencil.
The house is currently presented with the theme Home Comforts. Each room of Fairhall has been re-imagined, revealing new stories about the meaning of ‘home’ in the 1700s and 1800s.
The exhibition focusses on how families lived in the long eighteenth century: a merchant’s dining room; a nursery with dolls house and cradle; a breakfast room to enjoy exotic luxuries such as tea, coffee, chocolate and spices; the commercial world of a gentlemen’s study; an elegant drawing room for a musical soiree; and the work of staff in the kitchen.
Home Comforts features historical quilts, which are integrated into the Collection objects on display. The beautifully preserved quilts have been generously loaned from the private collection of Melbourne-based textile researcher and historian, Janet O’Dell.
If you are interested in joining a class in the future, keep an eye on The Johnston Collection Events page. We are planning our 2026 dates.
The ticket includes a welcome tea or coffee, watercolour pencil class, an on-location sketching experience in Fairhall, and a sketch kit to take home (comprising: sketchbook, 12 Faber-Castell watercolour pencils, and a waterbrush).
No equipment or previous experience is required – just bring your enthusiasm.
A five-day holiday in Brisbane, Queensland, spending time with friends, visiting libraries and sketching all the time. I completed about 20 pages in my Moleskine watercolour sketchbook. I also went to a Monster Life Drawing session. That will be another blog post!
I have a regular set of sketches that I start with when I go on a holiday. I feel like I am on holidays when I sketch these AND I get into the sketching mode. Because I sketch these regularly, I don’t have to think as hard about shapes and sizes and lines.
The first sketch is usually on the Skybus, the bus to Melbourne Airport from the city. I usually sit on the upper level and sketch the backs of heads of people in front of me. This time, I was downstairs opposite the luggage rack. It was colourful.
on the way there
There is always time for a plane sketch at the airport. It is usually not the plane I am going on, as it will not have arrived yet.
Planes are unusual shapes. I still cut the long wings off the side of the page, as they are so long. There is lots of relative measuring ie what is the size of plane tail compared to the length of the plane.
And then we had a delay and waited… for an hour, so I sketched… People moved around a bit, but in general, I could get down on the page the impression of a group of people standing around, I just added a hint of context with the Gate Number.
on the way home
Brisbane airport. A different plane view…
On the plane home…
These sketches are mainly in ink pen. Sometimes I sketch with watercolour pencil. It can depend how I feel on the day and whether the situation suits bringing out pencils.
Join a talk by artist and librarian Alissa Duke who draws in books that are about to be discarded. Alissa draws an image with watercolour pencils, inspired by words on the page, and the books are given a new life, to be appreciated by a new audience.
This talk questions preconceptions about writing and drawing in books, and discusses giving value to otherwise valueless books. Alissa will talk about her creative process and the event will include a display of some of her books.
There were a few familiar faces of friends and Library members in the audience of about 25 yesterday at the Melbourne Athenaeum Library. They were curious, with questions after the event. I had some books on display and available for purchase (and they were some), and I had lots of lovely conversations.
Some of the questions were about my watercolour pencils. I promised that I would share my hints and tips from my previous blog posts. Welcome if you are new to my blogpost . I have been writing this weekly (almost) blogpost for many years now.
The heritage-listed Melbourne Athenaeum Library has operated from its Collins Street headquarters since 1839, making it Victoria’s oldest subscription-based library. The library holds a 30,000-strong collection, including new releases and classics, and hosts regular music performances, talks, and book and screen clubs. Members enjoy the historic atmosphere and quiet haven in a bustling city.
I have drawn in a Melbourne Athenaeum Library book!!! It was on their For Sale $2 trolley, It has windeful library stamps all over it !
I have been a member since I moved to Melbourne in 2014. The Librarians are friends and I am a regular at their events and have recently been their Artist in Residence and of course I borrow from their library.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
I have a few classes coming up in Melbourne. See the tab on my website.
Happy Sketching!
Photos by James Baker of Melbourne Athenaeum Library
