This Saturday I held my last Travel Sketching with WatercolourPencil class for the year.

I do have a final “Christmas High Tea sketching with Watercolour Pencil” class in December at Dromkeen homestead, just outside of Melbourne. See their Facebook page for a link to booking in the next few days.

I thought I would give a little overview of my travel sketching class. My first sketch was at Southern Cross Station waiting for my VLine train. The journey takes about an hour and trains leave hourly.

I arrive early. Waiting time is Sketching time!

It is a two hour class. Participants can purchase a sketchkit from me or bring their own gear. Many people already have watercolour pencils and don’t know what to do with them. The waterbrush tends to create the most excitement. it is basically a tube filled with water and a brush at the end. It is used instead of paintbrushes and containers of water. It is perfect for travel sketching.

I introduced everyone to their equipment and we played and scribbled with the watercolour pencils before heading outside.

There are three 15-minute stops to sketch. Part of travel sketching is being able to choose your subject quickly and start getting colour and lines on the page. Travel sketching is all about seeing opportunities and making the most of them to document your travels. So, 15 minutes is a good amount of time.

I bring three of my own sketchbooks from my last UK holiday as well as half a dozen published books to look through. These sketchbooks show different people’s linework and colour – all very different. There is no right or wrong. I also have my current sketchbook and pencils.

Below are two of the more popular ones.

I was able to share a sketching hint which I had used that morning. Wearing sunglasses lets you look at people subtly and sketch them.

There are lots of art adventures leading up to Christmas and into the new year.

Happy sketching everyone.

Last weekend I spent just over 24 hours in Ballarat, an hour north west of Melbourne.

Friends and I went to explore this beautiful historic regional city.

These are the sketches I made during the visit. My friends are not sketchers, but are very happy with me sketching and disappointed if I don’t!

It is a different style for me as I added large titles to each page.

I woke up this morning to hear on the radio that it is National Wombat Day.

My non Australian friends may ask What is a wombat ?

I decided that I had wombat enough sketches to show you. All are sketched with watercolour pencil. I have noted which are from photos and which are in real life.

The sketches above were drawn as part of the Kate Johnson’s Watercolour Pencil Workshop in 2009. It was online and interactive with the wonderful Kate (Cathy) Johnson. This is when I really discovered watercolour pencils and have not used anything else since. I was very honoured when she asked to include this sketch (and a few more) in her book, “Artist’s Journal Workshop: creating your life in words and pictures” p 25. 2011 Noth Light Books

(above) Wombat burrows. On location at a friends property. I kept checking all through the night at intervlas, but did not see any wombats.

Happy Wombat Day everyone.

2023

I have submitted my entry in for the Blarney Books and Art Biblo Prize.

I enter each year, not to win, but to be involved and support Jo at Blarney Books in Art, which is in Port Fairy, a few hours from Melbourne, This is its 14th year, staying the same but changing slightly over the years. This year you pay the entry fee and receive a random book title of an Australian book published recently. You then creatively interpret the book in any format. People knot, make installation art, weave or paint,

Of course, I draw in my book.

This is my finished work. my assigned book and my Artist’s Statement .

The Sitter is the story of two women each narrating about themselves and the other. The Writer is writing about the life of Hortense Cezanne, the wife of Cezanne, and also reveals circumstances of  her own life. Hortense is with The Writer as she writes. Much of time, is in Covid-19 lockdown in a hotel in Paris. Hortense tells her own story and that of The Writer. They are each narrating, revealing secrets to us and keeping others.

My drawing in the book is of the two women looking out over Notre Dame in Paris. In my interpretation, Hortense is outside of the frame for once, and The Writer is the one framed.

So where did I begin?

I read the book three times. First, as a story, but being aware of what I might like to draw. The second read is very thorough and involves putting post-it notes on potential pages and writing lots of notes. The third time is spot reading, refining to just a few potential scenes.

When I have decided on my idea, I then start looking for images that will suit me.

I photocopy the page I am going to draw on a few times and then move ideas around.see below.

Below is how I built up the scene

I have submitted my entry and now wait. All entries go online and 100 or so get chosen to be in the exhibition at Blarney Books and Art in Port Fairy from December to February.

My blog posts usually show my sketching at an event that has happened.

This week I am planning for my Nature Sketching with Watercolour Pencil class next Saturday 14 October at Dromkeen homestead, just outside of Melbourne. As I write, there are still places left if you are nearby and would like to attend.

I last taught this class there in 2019 so I am reviewing my notes. The class will begin the same as my Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil classes. I explain the gear and then we scribble with the colours and see what happens to the colour on the page when the waterbrush is used on it.

My classes are all about looking and observing the world around you. And making/taking opportunities to make marks on the page.

If the weather permits we will go outside and look at some big picture sketching and then up closer. If the weather changes again in Melbourne, I will bring the outdoors inside, with collections of nature objects from around the grounds of Dromkeen. I will decide on the day. When I arrive I will take a walk around the property and see what os happening with the trees and plants. It is officially Spring here, but the weather has been strange, so the plants don;t know what to think.

Built in 1889, Dromkeen was once the country estate of Judge Arthur Chomley and later became home to the world-famous Dromkeen Picture Book Art Collection.
Now a privtae home it is nestled in the Macedon Ranges at Riddell’s Creek. Dromkeen is a National Trust home with gardens with a range of Australian native and European plants, a gazebo and sometimes two resident peacocks. Guests to Dromkeen are able to visit the Tea Room and browse in the galleries.

Here are some sketches from my previous visits.

Below are some of the Nature sketching books from my bookshelves.

The frst photo is some books that are for practical instruciton and inspiration.

Some more books from my bookshelves. Diaries and narture journalling. More inspiration.

And my newest addition received a few days ago as a birthday gift, along with some magnificent feathers from Woody the Rooster.

I am putting together my sketchkits that can be purchased by peopple attending my class. It will include a “Nature Sketching Hints and Tips” pGE.

We had a long weekend in Victoria (for the Footy Finals (!!?) and it was my birthday. I decided to take myself away on a long weekend to Port Fairy. It is 5 hours by train/bus and is a comfortable long weekend trip.

Below are just a few of the 11 double pages of sketches that I did.

Below is Port Fairy lighthouse sketched on a map from the Tourist Centre.

I started the day by sketching while waiting for the tram, then the train.

Then onthe train then at the bus stop. There is lot of waiting time.

I can’t seem to make this image smaller. so here is my giant licorice ice cream.

I took the opportunity to catchup with Port Fairy Sketch Club, which I had sketched with on their first meeting in February this year.

another giant image.

and that is only half of my sketches. The others still need to be completed and words written on the page.

On Saturday I held my ‘Travel sketching with watercolour pencil class’ in Melbourne.

We had wonderful weather. After an initial start in the East Melbourne Library room, we were able to go for a walk around a few blocks, stopping to sketch along the way.

I was very fortunate that Penny from the group took photos along the way.

The time in the Library room involves introductions – to me, each other, and the sketchkit. We play with the watercolour pencils to see what they do and then head out.

We go for a short walk and stop for 15 minutes to sketch. 15 minutes may not seem a lot of time, but you can accomplish a lot in that time and it makes you make decisions very quickly. The class is all about travel sketching, where you may not have much time to sketch. it is all about capturing the moment.

We then walk to the next corner block and stop again. If time permits we walk a third block.

Everyone seems to have a lot of fun and be inspired and motivated to continue!

I am excited to have another three classes scheduled for the rest of the year at East Melbourne Library – Travel sketching with Watercolour Pencils

and some planned at

Dromkeen homestead, Riddells Creek – just outside of Melbourne – Nature Sketching with watercolour Pencils

keep a watch on the Dromkeen Facebook page for other events including a High Tea in December!

Happy sketching everyone!

Spring officially began on 1 September but it remained cold and chilly in Melbourne until the last few days. I usually love winter, the fashion of coats and wintery stockings. However this year I am ready for it to end. I do not enjoy the heat of Summer, but was happy to see Spring arrive. On Saturday I was able to get out and enjoy blue skies, sunshine, and a slight breeze. I thought of the Spring sketches I have done in the past and decided to post them today. All watercolour pencil.

What is Spring to you ?

Enjoy the change of season wherever you are.

Happy sketching.

On Saturday I held a High Tea Watercolour Pencil Watercolour Pencil class at the historic Dromkeen homestead, about 1 hour outside of Melbourne. We held one about four years ago and were so happy to have this back on the calendar. Another one is planned for December. Keep a lookout on the Dromkeen website !

There were eight in the group and lots of chatting. A few were there as a gift. The table was set up beautifully when we arrived.

The two hour class involves learning about watercolour pencil, paper and waterbrushes and having a play with them. Attendees can bring their own sketch gear (often people have watercolour pencils and don’t know what to do with them) or purchase a kit on the day. It is quite social.

They ate the savouries and choose a few sweets to draw . Who wants to draw sandwiches when there are colourful and decadent sweet treats and beautiful tea cups and plates to sketch!

I wish I had to to eat and sketch as well as teach !

Last weekend I was invited to be the official sketcher on location at Prarahn Mechanics Institute (PMI) Victorian History Showcase in Melbourne.

This came about through my connection over the years with PMI Library and Melbourne Rare Book Week.

It was a bit different from my usual sketching on location. I usually sketch at talks. They go for a set time, usually one hour. I sit myself at the back of the room and sketch the people and the room (if it is interesting). I add watercolour pencil on the spot or sometimes at home.

This was an all day event. I arrived when the groups were setting up and left as they closed down.

All sketches were sketched on location, with a hint of colour added. I took photos and the final colour and details added at home over the following weeknights.

I decided to try on experiment on this occasion. My sketches are in a Moleskine watercolour sketchbook 13cm x 19 cm. They are usually portrait or landscape format. depending on what books I purchased. I usually purchase 10 at a time, depending on what is in stock.

I usually draw on the backs of pages. Turning the page is a narrative that tells a story. I don’t take pages out.

This time I decided to experiment with drawing over a double page spread that could be removed from the book if I wanted to give/sell the sketch. Because of the way books are put together, these pages only occur a few times in the book.

I took a landscape and portrait format book, alternating between the two, depending on the scene in front of me. Lots of juggling of books!

It took me a little while to settle in. I had a look around to see how the tables were setup and where I could sit or stand to sketch. I had figure out what to include and leave out in each sketch. It was a bit challenging.

I also was using a biro which I had borrowed. My own lovely Lamy Safarari Joy ink pen was having ink issues ! It was a bit unsettling not have the same linework that I usually would, but it worked!

I was happy to see the colourful tableclothes. These provided a bit of interest and contrast in the main room.

I still have not found a way write white on backgrounds.

I chatted to a few of the exhibitors about their group and collections. State LIbrary Victoria was there, Royal Historical Society of Victoria and Michael O’Brien from Library of the Royal United Services.

There were a lot of visitors on the day. Some moved around a bit ,others stayed and chatted to the exhibitors. I took advantage of this to sketch their positions and scribble a colour before they left.

My sketches are meant to capture the impression of the day. They are not portraits and I do not aim for any facial likeness !

As I mentioned I added final detail and colour at home. At some stage I decided to stop and not add anymore. Some figures. objects are left blank. I think it keeps the sketchy feel.

I was going to draw in loose sheets, but decided this was outside my comfort zone for this sitution. I think I would next time.

These sketches will all be scanned and sent to the organisers at PMI and they will distribute them to the groups involoved on the day.

Oh – did I mention they had a book sale. I bought 8 books for $1 or $2 each for drawing in purposes.