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fish in 6 ways and other food sketches
Evelyn’s Birthday lunch.
A table spread with fruits, cheeses, dips and breads and much more.
All the people gathered were sketchers, so the food was a focus for many reasons.
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| breads, dips, meats. cheeses |
Then Angela arrived with smoked trout.
I drew the trout once in ink, then again in colour, then again bigger and in colour, then in ink……I experimented with drawing some in a larger A4 Jasart 150gsm sketchbook, and with one of the new Tombow pens that I got for Christmas.
I really enjoyed doing these sketches today and felt very creative and inspired . I am sure it was not just the subject matter(the fish), but being surrounded by creative friends an in the right state of mind..
He did get eaten along the way …
then I moved onto dessert and the view
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| Sunnyboys – you have to be Australian growing up in the 1970/1980’s to know these |
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My 2014 art goals
2014 has been a very different year for me, full of challenges and changes which have brought about lots of exciting opportunities.
Note – this is a bit of a long post…….lots of words, not so many pictures…..
And as part of achieving this year goals I have also
Note – this is a bit of a long post…….lots of words, not so many pictures…..
In December 2013 my position at work was made redundant. It became clear in the current market, that I may have time on my hands for a while. I took this as an opportunity to focus and invest time into my art !
I have had in mind for a while that I wanted to “do something” with my art. I draw everyday in my Moleskine Watercolour sketchbooks with my watercolour pencils and/or my Safari Ink pen. I usually fill a sketchbook in 8 – 12 weeks. I felt like I wanted to see it go further and had some vague ideas.
To guide me along I started working with an arts business coach, Vihn Van Lam from ArtShine. I began in March 2014 and we began to look at what do I really want to do and what is important to me and to prioritise my goals.
The concept of Art Licensing appeared to suit my style art of drawing and one of my goals, which is to have my art produced on products. In broad terms Art Licensing is a process where an artist “rents” their artwork to a client to use on certain products. The goal of the art is to enhance the look of a product that they manufacture and sell it to retailers. Products may include everyday items such as dishtowels, stationery, textiles, apparel, dinnerware and more. The intent is that the art will make the product irresistible to consumers, who then buy the product, earning the retailer, manufacturer and me, the artist, an income.
Here is my art “mocked up” (using Photoshop) on trays, coasters
and a mug
I then used the ArtShine planner to set daily, weekly, monthly goals and met with Vihn regularly to remain focused along the way and get things done!
My Original 90 day art goals were set and completed .
Goal 1.Entered Pyrmont art prize – my two entries – see below
Goal 1.Entered Pyrmont art prize – my two entries – see below
Goal 2. Completed Jane Davenport’s Print and Scan Your Art Online workshop to learn about Photoshop. I now know a little bit about Photoshop and can do some very basic things with my art.I will probably do the course again to understand more and build my skills.
After the 90 day goals were completed a new goal was set
After the 90 day goals were completed a new goal was set
A portfolio of my artwork to be completed by 31st July.
This goal is nearing completion. This seemingly simple statement has involved many steps and has been a big learning curve. I have been working with a graphic artist to produce a Portfolio that is representative of myself and my art. I have been challenged technically and mentally as I moved outside my comfort zone to work towards my goal. My portfolio is tied into my goal of seeing my art on a product .
As part of the process I :
- Identified which of my drawings would be suitable on merchandising objects, which involved lots of research into products, companies, other artists.
- Chose images for the Portfolio from the thousands of drawings I have produced
- Identified what sort of products my art would suit
- Wrote artists statement
- Had professional photographs taken (thank you so much Maria ! – and Jodi for recommending her)
- Identified Art Licensing agents to send my Portfolio to.
And as part of achieving this year goals I have also
- Experimented with Photoshop to learn created mock art (see examples above)
- Created Facebook Page for Alissa Duke Art
- Commissioned high quality scan of three of my art images, ready for professional use.
Along the way life included a move from Sydney to Melbourne in September to start a new job.
And during the year I have had unexpectedly achieved one of my goals – to see my art on products
1. pillow & tea towels
The first set of products was created by me, ordering an online product through Zazzle with my drawings uploaded onto it. It was a learning experience as to the quality of scan to upload (I had enlarged my drawing and it lost clarity when printed on the cloth) .I did not like the quality of the material it was printed on. 
2. Sketch used on Globetrotter Postcards website and business cards .
I received an email from from Sam, an Australian blogger and traveller, living in London and asking to use one of my sketches on her website and business cards. Wow !
3. Drawing used on Christmas cards for the Law Library of Victoria. The Director of my new workplace had seen my lunchtime drawings of the Supreme Court Library and asked to use them for the Christmas cards to go out to other courts, libraries and some judges. It was very exciting to see them arrive from the printers!
Looking back, I have achieved a lot and am very proud of my year, my accomplishments and the challenges met along the way.
2015 ???
I will be sending my Portfolio to Art Licensing Agents and I have some ideas ….. a website, exhibition, markets, Etsy ….
Drawing in books
Last Christmas a good friend gave me a book to draw in.
But it is not a book of blank pages, but a printed book.
In fact it is not a book, it is The Acts of the Parliament of Victoria” 1894, Index 1890-1894. It is A4 size, only 24 pages but bound in hard cover and leather. It was bought at a second hand book store.
But it is not a book of blank pages, but a printed book.
In fact it is not a book, it is The Acts of the Parliament of Victoria” 1894, Index 1890-1894. It is A4 size, only 24 pages but bound in hard cover and leather. It was bought at a second hand book store.
This gift was both apt and prophetic. Apt, because I have been a law librarian for many years, using the laws in research. But little did any of us know last December that I would move from Sydney (New South Wales) to Melbourne (Victoria) to work in the Supreme Court Library, where Victorian (and Commonwealth Laws) are enforced.
Last December when I received this I immediately knew that I wanted to draw grand and beautiful Parliament of Victoria building in the “Acts of Parliament” legislation.
I sketched some then and have continued this last few weeks. I have sketched on seven pages so far (see below)
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| Inside the front doors -The Vestibule |
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| Floor tiles have beautiful colours and patterns |
As a librarian it has taken many years to be able to draw in books. I was ok drawing on scrap paper, flyers, tickets. Then I drew on maps. I have recently bought old published cheap books especially for drawing in.. still working on those projects.
I am still not sure if the of concept drawing in this legislation is good or not. Is it legal ? disrespectful and irreverent ? It probably would have been thrown away otherwise. This is all online now and shelf space in libraries is at a premium. Sometimes it is impossible to giveaway old law reports and legislation. So it is a good thing that I am giving it a new and continuing life…
This pondering deserves another blogpost oneday.
Books on shelves in the Library
Another drawing of the library I work in. I have not included any of the library ladders that I have drawn previously. This time, I wanted to focus on the ‘bookishness’ of the library. This particular area with the book shelves above the doorway, leading into another room of books seems to exemplify this. These are the Commonwealth Law Reports above the door and on the surrounding shelves.
This drawing was done over a week of lunch breaks and probably took about 2 1/2 hours. It is drawn in a Moleskine watercolour sketchbook 13 x 19 cm. I stood up, leaning on a bookshelf with my pencil wrap open next to me .(See more about my pencil wrap at http://www.alissaduke.com/2013/07/customised-pencil-wrap.html)
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| Step 1 |
I knew from the first sketch that it was going to work and have the look and feel I wanted. I first marked out the lines in 2H Pencil . Then I started drawing with the watercolour pencils. Watercolour pencils allow me to draw and then add water with a brush to the page to blend the colour. I can then add more colour with the pencil. Detail works best if I have remembered to sharpen the pencil !
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| Step 2 |
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| Step 3 |
I used a lot of brown shades in this drawing, I might try a colourful object next !
The main Faber Castell watercolour pencils used were:
Walnut Brown
Burnt Umber
Burnt Ochre
Light Yellow Ochre
Orange Glaze
Ivory
Payne’s Grey
Burnt Carmine
Read a bit more about me, my watercolour pencils and drawing in one of my first blogposts
Pacific Black Duck – Australia
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| Fitzroy Gardens , Melbourne |
I am fortunate that the first part of my walk to work in Melbourne city is through the beautiful Fitzroy Gardens, with its traditional English plantings and ponds. I have discovered here are a few families of birds that live there : two Australian wood duck families, one with ducklings that are just past their fluffy stage, peewees (mudlark), a kookaburra and magpies, crows and my favourite duck…
the Pacific Black Duck.
I liked the descriptions online that call it a sociable and a dabbling duck.
The Pacific Black Duck is found in all but the most arid regions of Australia. Outside Australia, its range extends throughout the Pacific region. The Pacific Black Duck is one of the most versatile of the Australian ducks. It frequents all types of water, from isolated forest pools to tidal mudflats. The Pacific Black Duck is closely related to the Mallard (Source http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Anas-superciliosa)
I know where to find them by the pond and how close I can get to them on land before they dive into the water. The more I draw them the more familiar I become with the shape of their body and head – the curves and subtleties that give them their form and character.
I also know immediately which colour of watercolour pencils (Walnut Brown. Burnt Umber and Ivory mixed with a little Yellow) to use to draw them. I can pick the colours out of my pencil wrap and start straight away !
It has a dark body, and a paler head with a dark crown and facial stripes. There is an iridescent green patch on the wing. This is when the Derwent Inktense Teal Green comes out of the box !
ANOTHER Library ladder
Another beautiful library ladder and bookshelves in my workplace (see my previous library ladder sketch HERE)
This time I wanted to include a bit more context, with some of the surroundings.
I drew this in my lunch breaks. Five days, of half an hour each for drawing time.
As a work in progress….
You might be able to see a second ladder in the foreground in the drawings below. While I was drawing the first one I decided I could not draw another – too much perspective and counting. I was a little tired of library ladders by then.
I drew light lines and marks in pencil first to get the perspective right.
The following watercolour pencils colours were used to draw this . All are Faber Castell except where noted.
and a waterbrush
Madder Carmine(Derwent)
Burnt Carmine
Payne’s Grey
Schwarz Black
Ivory
Light Yelow Ochre
Burnt Ochre
Walnut Brown
Burnt Umber
Raw Umber (Derwent)
I will give ladders a break for a while and go back to drawing books
Urban Sketching in Boroondara – Exhibition
There was a wonderful turn-out at the Melbourne Urban Sketchers group exhibition launch on Saturday at the Hawthorn Arts Centre. It was amazing to see all our works, framed and professionally arranged on the wall. I am very proud to have the opportunity to be part of the event.
I’ve only been in Melbourne for 2 months and in that time I’ve been sketching with Urban Sketchers Melbourne on Saturdays. We have been capturing the local scenes around the Boroondara area of Melbourne (i.e. Camberwell, Hawthorn, Kew etc). Now we get a chance to share our work with our family, friends and the community. I have had a great introduction to various Melbourne suburbs and sketch the people, architecture and scenes with my watercolour pencils. Because I knew that some of the sketches were going to be for the Exhibition I have been challenged to draw on larger (A4) sheets of paper instead of my usual 13 x 19 cm Moleskine Watercolour sketchbook.
The exhibition runs 4 November to 6 December 2014.
Here are my three entries up close.
Melbourne Urban Sketchers is a diverse group of people united by a passion for sketching.
Urban Sketchers is a global community of artists that draw on location in cities, towns and villages they live in or travel to and then share with the world ! Our motto is Seeing the world one drawing at a time
Urban Sketchers is a global community of artists that draw on location in cities, towns and villages they live in or travel to and then share with the world ! Our motto is Seeing the world one drawing at a time
Linden Postcard show
Last Friday 24th October was the opening night of The Linden Postcard Show at St Kilda, Melbourne. This is an open entry exhibition that welcomes entries from all artists but all entries must measure 8” (20cm) x 10” (25.5cm) .
I entered three drawings and so did some of my Melbourne sketching friends Evelyn and Jodi. This is a very exiting event for me as I have not entered many art exhibitions before. Opening night was great fun, meeting with other friends to see all the artwork.
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| Evelyn Yee and me in front of my Orange Cream biscuits drawing. |
There are over 900 small format artworks adorning the gallery walls at Linden Centre for Contemporary Arts . Why is it called Postcard show ? One of the prizes is that artwork reproduced on a Postcard for Linden to sell during the year.
If you are in Melbourne, please visit. It is open until Saturday 6 December 2014. Here are my three entries. All are for sale !
and then we all went to dinner and I sketched my food
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| me in action drawing ! casual photo taken by the amazing art photographer http://www.mariacolaidis.com/ who also had entries in Linden (and sales on the night !!) |
a library ladder – a work in progress
I work in a law library. As well as up-to-date legal databases in our beautiful old 1884 building there are shelves of old books and tall library ladders to reach them. Yes, I have had to climb the ladders to get books down!
I have been drawing this scene at work in my lunch hour, over four days (a half an hour each time). Here is the final (most probably) version.
These are sketched in my Moleskine Watercolour Sketchbook with my lovely watercolour pencil.
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| Stage one |
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| Stage two |
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| Stage Three |
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| Some lovely old books |