This week’s blog is a complete experiment. I have added a sketching video. I am not sure if you will be able to open the link to the blog or play the video. Below is the final sketch and then the video.

It’s funny that I did not sketch as usual as I felt under pressure when doing this I also tried some new watercolour pencil colours, which was not a good idea, Too many new things at once.

If you can’t see the video, maybe next time. It is a lot harder than I thought. I have been meaning to film myself sketching on location for a long time. I would love to be able to share with everyone how a sketch comes together on the page, whether it is at home or on location. It would be good if you could “stand over my shoulder” as I sketch at a conference or in a park.

I don’t plan on getting too technical or investing too much money. The challenges and steps I worked on last night and today have included the following. (I will build upon or change these)

1. using iphone Camera on Time-Lapse

2. using a tripod. I bought a cheap Manfrotto [pro-master] tripod at a camera store at the end of last year. – problems – the shadows on the page, the tripod leg in the camera shot. I kept knocking the tripod legs

3. learning to use timelapse. I switched it on and off and ended up with three short videos. I searched to find out how to join them together . I downloaded the iMovie app to do this.

4. but it was all upside down, so more searching to learn how to rotate it (you use fingers on the screen on the video to change it)

5. how to transfer it from my iphone to my laptop . Use Dropbox, which I thankfully already had set up

6. how to put the video into my WordPress site for my blog. This is where it may all fall down as when I send out my blog not everyone may be able to open the link or run the video. Please let me know if you can or can’t. This is such a steep learning curve for me.

if you have any hints or tips on how I can do any of these please let me know.

One of the many online art challenges that you can participate in is Everyday in May (EDiM). There is a facebook and a Flickr group. You need to create a free account for either to join the group. Flickr is a photo-sharing site. Or you could just do the list for fun.

What is it? A list of prompts for everyday drawing challenges. There is no pressure, you put your sketch up online in the group and can comment on others, It is amazing the interpretation and different sketches of the one listed object. Here is the 2020 list. I couldn’t figure out how to add as a pdf document

1 a mug
2 a lamp, ceiling light or torch …
3 a favourite place – sofa, chair …
4 “Star Wars” – May the fourth be with you!
or
a brush; any brush – toothbrush, hairbrush …
5 a pc, printer etc.
6 a self-portrait – use a mirror or a reflective surface
7 a cooking pot, tea or coffee pot
8 a favourite drawing tool
9 a wall clock or your alarm clock
10 your pet or an animal of your choice if you haven’t one
11 illustrate a recipe
12 a game you love to play
13 toilet paper rolls – oh yes! 🙂
14 something with folds
15 a view from your window
16 a wire whisk or kitchen appliance
17 a tea bag or coffee beans
18 your breakfast
19 a pillow
20 shoes or some clothes
21 fruits
22 a book, a newspaper or a magazine
23 a water glass or a jug
24 where you would want to be now – using Google Street View
25 “Towel Day” – a tribute to Douglas Adams – www.towelday.org
or
cutlery
26 a pasta dish
27 keys
28 a water-tap
29 vegetables or whatever is in your fridge
30 a home plant
31 a phone – a new one, an old fashioned one, mobile or not

I think that the Everyday in May challenges began in 2005 by Karen Winters. Below are the links to my past EDiM. Here is a description I found on one of my 2009 posts. “This is part of the Everyday in May challenge – drawing something every day in May. A group of us thought it would be fun to do a Everyday Matters (EDM) challenge each day using EDM 1-31. The list is on Karen Winters website”

I started eagerly wanting to draw all the time. It was such an inspiration and opened my eyes to that fact that anything is sketchable and that everyone has a different style and approach. There is no right or wrong ! These are concepts that i strongly believe in today. Today, I have many art projects that am involved in and keeping me busy everyday (as well as a full-time non-art job) and I am doing EDiM out of nostalgia. Here are my previous EDiM challenges.

2016 2015 2013 2012 2010

I also do this because my mother does it too. She lives interstate and is not on Facebook, but has a Flickr page. This is a wonderful way for us to connect and we have chat about what we have drawn. This is one time of the year that she picks up a pencil and draws, and then realises she is quite good, especially when practicing everyday.

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follow mum’s EDiM drawings here and all of my drawings here

I “met” so many people through Everyday in May the early days of Flickr, as we all commented on each other’s drawings.

Has anyone else done it and how long ago. What online name do I know you as on Flickr and Facebook?

It has never been my aim to have the entire range of 120 Faber Castell Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils.

I have always been happy with the 26 or so that I have in my sketch kit, which I carry with me every day. I know them so very well, the colours they make on the page, and what happens to that colour when water is added to the page. It can sometimes change ! I wrote a blog post in 2018 about my pencils an the colours I used then.

However, I was recently given a voucher at an art shop and decide to spend it on purchasing the entire set. In the last few weeks, I have received some exciting packages in the mail from Deans Art. They are my local Melbourne art supply store, where I bulk buy all of sketchbooks, watercolour pencils, waterbrushes for my watercolor pencil classes. Not every art store sells individual pencils. Deans had sold out, so I completed my set from Larry Post in Sydney.

And now they are all here on my desk. It is slightly overwhelming. One day, I will do a swatch for each to discover what they do. There appear to be a lot in the orange/red range.

I was able to test some of them in an online art catchup last night with Anna at Shiny Happy Art. She usually runs classes, but at the moment she has a Drink and Draw social session on Saturday night. She had a reference photo of a bunch of colourful poppies, and presented a number of art materials and techniques. I in the session. I Just used my watercolour pencils and drew them all in red with my new pencils. This seemed appropriate on Anzac Day.

I have found one new pencil that will go into my sketchkit, replacing another that wasn”t quite red enough for me .

Stay safe, happy and creative !

There are so many ways at the moment to be social online and so many groups to become involved with. On Saturday I “met” with three sketching friends: Angela, Helen, and Jodi. We have been working on a project together and had originally planned a weekend of on-location sketching in Port Fairy, ( 4 hours from Melbourne) that would culminate later in the year in an exhibition at Blarney Books & Art. These plans are on hold til next year.

Today decided to “meet” with a Zoom meeting (on one screen) and all “sit” in the same place using Google street map (on another screen) and sketch. Below is my desk set up. The only change is that I did not use the long sheet of paper, but single pieces instead.

We were online for about two hours. There was a fair bit of catching up to do and chatting, but we are all very good at talking while we sketch. Below is our first sketching stop. It is in the middle of the crossroads of James and Bank Street, Port Fairy. We each choose a slightly different viewpoint, but we all sketched in our usual style and with our usual sketch gear. Of course, mine is watercolour pencils, and Jodi, Helen and Angela all use watercolour paints, but each of them will have a different range of brands and colour that make up their paint palette,

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We sketched for about 45 minutes before “moving on” to our next stop.

We then “visited” our favourite shop in Port Fairy, Blarney Books & Art. As Google maps do not go inside buildings, we chose some Instagram images. We have a wonderful relationship with Jo at Blarney. We have each (except Helen) had exhibitions there and been involved with the annual BiblioArt Prize. AND it is the best secondhand and new bookshop AND is so involved with the community of Port Fairy, hosting amazing literary, music and arts events.

Here are my blogposts about my exhibition “You Can’t Draw in Books” in 2017 , and my BiblioArt entries in 2018 and 2019

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Sketching from photos and Google maps is a very different experience from sketching on location. When on location there is a sense of immediacy, being in and interacting with your surroundings. This includes the weather, where you sit /stand/squat or lean. The people you meet. Sketching becomes part of your life experience. Looking back at the page, months or years later brings back memories of that particular time and place.

Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
give them to your sons.
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns

This is a traditional English rhyme from the eighteenth century. Its origin is not really known. I grew up with it in Australia and now it is part of my tradition to draw my hot cross bun every Easter. This is perfect for me as I don’t really like chocolate (but I am happy to draw it), but love hot cross buns, I bought a pack of six, which will last me for days and I get to sketch them too.

So here it is as a work in progress.

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I actually planned this. I usually dive straight in and start sketching. I do have a format that I use, usually placing the sketch to the side so that I can write on the other side of the page and in the white spaces on the page.

I usually put the rhyme in and this time I wanted to out the words in first and design the page around it. I put the writing down first, deciding where I wanted on the page and how big I wanted it to be. I then decided how I wanted to place the hot cross bun. Open or closed, buttered or not.

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I looked on the internet and found a font that suited the look and feel of what I wanted. One day I will learn calligraphy, but it is not one of my projects for this lockdown. I kept using my watercolour pencils, even though I have some interesting calligraphy ink pens that may have worked, but I thought that they may have been too intense and overpower the drawing. I can honestly say that I spent more time on the writing than I did on the drawing. (Burnt Ochre, Nougat watercolour pencil, and black coloured pencil).

You can see that I still had not decided on where to place those last three words “Hot Cross Buns” I wanted to balance the page. I am very happy with it, although the writing is probably a little big.

See more of my Easter drawings in my Flickr album.

Have a safe, happy and creative Easter long weekend and the coming time in staying home.

I have missed posting my weekly blog for a few weeks I now hope to return to routine. I have been drawing everyday and posting them all on Flickr and daily on Instagram at alissaduke1

I am now working from home. I live in Melbourne, where we are only allowed out for four reasons: essential shopping, medical visits/caregiving , going to work/education or exercise.

My exercise is a walk in my lunch hour. In a strange twist I am actually taking the full hour. I would usually have a quick break to eat or eat lunch at my desk.

in that hour of lunch, I walk to a local park. I am very fortunate to live near Fitzroy Gardens and Treasury Gardens, two beautiful spaces.

I spend most of the time walking but stop for a quick sketch with my watercolour pencils along the way. I have also collected some natural objects and sketched them at home in the evening. These are moments of pure joy and relaxation for me.

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My local cafe is doing takeaway and I am exploring their menu. I usually only go there on weekends for coffee or brunch. I have sketched the George Street Cafe while waiting.

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Stay safe and happy sketching

In solidarity with Urban Sketchers Milano, where the city is in lockdown from COVID19, Urban Sketchers around the world have been invited to sketch what we see from our window on March 14.

Urban Sketchers is an international nonprofit dedicated to fostering a global community of artists who practice on-location drawing. Urban Sketching is usually outside in groups, but times are changing, All organised Meetups have been cancelled and the Melbourne USK Workshops (including one that I was running) have also been cancelled

This is the view from my window in a modern apartment with one big window, I live in a suburb with lots of lovely beautiful old buildings, but this is not one of them, Yes, that is a pool, but the temperature is 17 degrees, feels like 13 . Brrr #UsKAtHome

On Saturday I spent some of the day with three sketching friends, planning a future event (watch this space) and sketching in Melbourne city.

We were looking at what we could sketch in different time frames. The first sketch was 30 minutes. We spent an initial time, choosing what to sketch, We sat near each other (on the footpath and in the gutter) in a funky laneway in inner city Melbourne. Have a look at this blog about it So instead of choosing an iconic grand building, we ended up in the backstreets.

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Once I decided what to focus on – the brick wall and older sections, I put some basic lines down. I then focussed on the bricks – the wash of colour and then the details of some bricks. And the graffiti. I started to get distracted by the old wooden boards on the side of the building until I realised we only had 5 minutes left, so I went back into adding more to the bricks. I am very pleased with this.

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Our next stop was Pellegrinis, the iconic Melbourne Cafe for a delicious and filling lunch. I did not sketch my lunch, which will be a surprise to some people, but we stayed on to sketch the scene from Sisto’s footpath table. This was my first time eating at Pellegrinis. Wonderful.

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I started with the architectural feature and worked to the left. I realised I wanted to include the whole of the Pellegrinis Bar sign and worked backwards to the left.

Sketching with friends is such fun, We talked a bit more in this second sketch, which took an hour,

In March I have two watercolour pencil classes. They are so very different from each other and I am excited about both.

Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencils

The first on Saturday 14 March is my Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil class held in East Melbourne. I have been running this class for a few years and am always excited to see the results. It is all about capturing the essence of your experience on the page. It is about quick sketching. I love to share my knowledge of watercolour pencils and the joy of sketching quickly on location. If you are planning a holiday or always wanted to sketch when you travel, join me in this inspirational class. It includes a walk around East Melbourne, sketching with watercolour pencils to record your experience. Learn tips and techniques for travel sketching along the way. Bookings are through my Trybooking website.

Memories and Nostalgia with Watercolour Pencil

My second class is the opposite, It is the first time I have held the class and is at the beautiful Dromkeen homestead at Riddells Creek, which is outside of Melbourne. It is called Memories and Nostalgia with Watercolour Pencil and is all about slower drawing and observation. Each student will bring along three objects that are special to them to sketch and journal about. The most ordinary household shed or garden object can have special memories and stories, For example, a teddy bear, garden tools, a cup or a piece of clothing. I often draw an object that I am discarding or does not belong to me, so that I have a memory of it. I write my own thoughts and sometimes ask family members to recall their memories to create a story on the page,

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This class stems from my love of drawing objects that I feel I have a special connection with. It is not a still life class, but a collection of images and words that create a story on a page. See more of my sketches of family history drawing at my Flickr website

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Bookings are through the Dromkeen Trybooking website but please contact me if you have any questions you have about the class.

Last weeks art blog was about preparing for this week’s Nature Sketching with Watercolour Pencil class. I was glad that I did all of the preparation, even though the actual examples were not used on the day. Melbourne has had unusual weather patterns. I woke up to a grey day and the weather moved between clear, drizzle and light rain.

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I had a small but enthusiastic class and we had good fun. We started inside the wonderful Kere Kere Green Cafe in Fitzroy Gardens, learning about watercolour pencils. Below are some of my scribbles and explanations.

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We then walked out into the Gardens (but not too far from the Cafe). We discussed deciding what to choose to draw, how and where to put those first marks on the page.

… and then it got cool and damp, so we headed back into the Cafe. I had a small selection of “nature objects” that I brought from home, just in case we got rained in. There were feathers, seashells, snails, and butterflies. We decided to end the class by drawing feathers that had a fluffy area at the end near the shaft. I discovered that it is called the ‘afterfeather’ and I love that!

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It was a great day !