Category Archives: envelopes

Drawing on envelopes – 6 weeks to go (and other travel drawings)

My artistic countdown to my London and Barcelona holiday continues. Here is this weeks drawing on an envelope, posted to my travelling companion who lives interstate. I am only drawing London themed buildings and icons as my fellow traveller is not going to Barcelona , but staying in England for those days.



St Paul’s Cathedral
This week I drew on a lovely heavy cream coloured envelope. I was also experimenting with a new brown ink in my Lamy Safari Joy ink pen. For years I have been using Noodlers Black Ink and the new one is Noodlers Polar Brown. Noodlers brand have a wide range of ink colours, but not many in the permanent range, that will not run when I use my watercolour pencils and waterbrush.
 
The ink is a glorious sepia brown colour that looks antique. However, I did not feel ‘at ease” using it. I had filled the ink cartridge with  my new colour  earlier in the week . But when I went to do quick sketches in my Moleskine, I hesitated because of the different ink colour. In the past I have often thought that the black ink was too harsh for some pages, especially when it came to writing commentary next to a delicate drawing. In this case, I did not think that St Paul’s Cathedral sketch would look good with watercolour pencil colour added. So instead of  blue sky and white buildings, I went for the antique look.
 
 I think that I have to be more flexible in what I think looks “right” (I could be using green ink all the time !) or alternatively, change the ink in my pen according to my needs.
 
I have bought some currency this week (be quick, as the exchange rate is dropping daily!)
The English pounds were crisp and unused. I then found these two old, crumpled, tired looking five pound notes at home, left over from a previous holiday. I think that they have great character. they were fun to draw with all their creases and little tears.

Drawing on envelopes – 7 weeks to go (and other travel drawings)

It is seven weeks until we leave for London on holidays. And here is this weeks envelope to my interstate travelling companion.
A historic London building. The Tower of London is our list as a “must see” sights. We have both been before but agree that there is so much history associated with this area that it is definitely worth spending more time here and appreciating its place in history.
Also, as I draw these buildings that I am going to visiting and exploring soon, I wonder how I will capture them in my sketchbook. It is one thing to draw from a photograph, but another to be looking straight at the building, with crowds of tourists around you.
I draw buildings and urban scenes in Sydney and I AM going to the Urban Sketching Symposium Barcelona while I am there. I regularly sketch the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge,  so it should not concern me . I think that it is the thought of drawing iconic London buildings specifically , as I am not concerned about sketching buildings  in Barcelona. I (ashamedly) have no real knowledge of Gaudi’s architecture or the older style of buildings. And as I have no preconceived ideas, I have no worries.
It will be interesting to see what my sketches are like the week in London before Symposium and the week after. 

This weeks travel drawing is of some recent books that I have borrowed from the library. 
I still have my general travel guides, but these books are about more specific . I have already started browsing through the and can tell they are going to have some ideas

  • The Stones of London a history in 12 buildings
  • Eccentric London
  • Open House London: an exclusive insight into 100 architecturally inspiring buildings in London

Drawing on envelopes – 8 weeks to go (and other travel drawing)

This weeks drawing on an envelope (in the countdown to our holiday to London) is a squirrel. The previous three weeks envelopes (on my blog) have had iconic scenes and buildings in London drawn on them.



This week is more “up close and personal” – a squirrel. It is drawn from a photograph I took in the UK in 1994! I know that they are pests in the UK and do terrible damage to the environment and other animals , but I still think they have so much character and look so cute . My travelling companion has been to London previously, but did not see a squirrel. I saw lots when I lived there, but I am still fascinated by them.

 I drew this on a heavier thickness of envelope, and one that is cream/yellow in colour. The watercolour pencils worked really well on this paper. I could have  sat and sketched on envelopes all day after I did this one. It worked out just how I wanted it to !That is a good feeling

AND
 

 my travel sketch this week is my NEW suitcase . It is actually secondhand. The suitcase has a few too many pockets for my needs, but that’s ok .

AND  
 

in it I found a  EURO coin .A good sign for my 5 days in Barcelona ! Today’s Everyday in May challenge was “draw something you got for free” , and my coin fits perfectly to that theme.


Drawing on Envelopes- 9 weeks to go (and other travel drawings)

 Only nine weeks to go until we leave for London (and Barcelona) . I am drawing on envelopes and posting my travelling companion a letter each week. They live interstate.  This will keep the enthusiasm building (as if we needed that !!)

On this weeks envelope I drew some iconic images of London. We are definitely doing a London bus tour. I have been to London a few times and lived there for a while, and never done one. I still have not been on one at home in Sydney!
 
 
And this weeks major purchase was my shoulder bag for travel. This is a very important item for me, as it also carries my Moleskine Watercolour Sketchbook and watercolour pencils. So I had to find one that would suit the way I use my pencils and sketchbook.
 
 
Thank goodness for Hedgren brand. The style is  InnerCity – Fanzine. It has two pockets on the front that fit my sketch tools perfectly. I can access them easily and work with the pencil pocket open and access my pencils. A sketching friend who also sews (and who loves a good project to work on) is reworking my pencil wrap prototype, with a few added extras.
 
Everyone seems to have their own methods and equipment , or looking for the perfect bag!
 
This bag also has a large inner pocket that hopefully will fit everything else I will use on a daily basis. ! bottle of water, purse, sunglasses, other glasses …….

drawing on envelopes – ten weeks to go (and other travel things)

 
My page from last week on Drawing on Envelopes described a upcoming holiday to London (and Barcelona). I also showed some of my previous drawings on envelopes.
Today’s page is update. It is 10 weeks to go ’til we go on holidays. Each week I am posting my travelling companion (who lives interstate) a letter and drawing on the envelope with London theme. They will know to expect some mail, but always be surprised by what is on the front.
 
I will put each week here and on my flickr site. This week I wanted something bright and strong. I thought of this straight away!
 
 
 
 
 
What will next week be ????
 
After my last page on drawing on envelopes, I have had wonderful comments from people about the concept of drawing on envelopes and the art of writing letters. Maybe the postal system has received an increase in  mail art this week ! A friend also commented on the joy it may bring to a mail workers day .
 
 
By co-incidence I found my Australia to UK travel adaptor in the cupboard last night .So I drew it . That counts as trip prep too !
 


Watercolour pencil in Moleskine watercolour sketchbook. This took about half and hour, while the television was on in the background.

Fabercastell Cool Grey VI
Fabercastell Cool Grey III
FaberCastell Light Yellow Ochre
Faber Castell Light Cadmium Yellow
Derwet – Ivory Black

drawing on envelopes

There are many sorts of “mail art” projects out there in the artworld.
Mine are my drawings that I do on the front of envelopes.  Most of them are for posting letters to my mother who lives interstate.
We are going to London and Barcelona in  11 weeks time. Here is the first of the “countdown envelopes” , posted this week. I am lucky to have few more weeks to go to will do this to keep up the excitement (as if that is needed!) .Maybe I will draw a red telephone box next week (do they still have them in London??)

I draw directly onto the envelope , using watercolour pencil or ink or both, the same as I use everyday in my sketchbook. The “heavier paper ” of the more expensive envelopes takes the watercolour better. When I use the everyday cheaper envelopes, I just make sure that I don’t add too much water so the envelope paper doesn’t buckle. And amazingly enough , they have all  survived the journey though the Australia Post system without the colour running .
They are a joy for me to draw, mostly because of the surprise that the person who receives them will get when they take it from their mailbox!
Of course, drawing on an envelope means that I will have also had the joy of writing a letter. I have a lovely fountain pen that I use. Unfortunately, my handwriting does not live up to the beauty of the pen.  However, it is the intention behind the letter that is important.
Before I post them in the mail, I scan them and put then on flickr (with the address blanked out) but have to wait until after the person has received it, otherwise the surprise is ruined.
Sometimes my drawings have a theme  . For example
In the lead up to a fun run that we were going on
To friends visiting Sydney
And sometimes the drawing has no reason at all..
gumleaves

beans from the markets

a magpie
to my nephew  – he had only just discovered how the postal system worked and was fascinated to get a letter just for him. He then posted me a letter (with Nana’s help)

And finally my special project  – SNAIL MAIL– to be printed and sold one day.

see all of my drawings on flickr