I recently learnt about the Drawing Studio at Melbourne Museum. A few times a years the Museum invites people to register to attend the Drawing Studio and you can request a specimen from the Museum’s collection to draw. I had no idea what to choose, so asked for a kangaroo or wallaby. I had no idea of the depths of the collection and what I could potentially draw.
There were twelve people in the room and two specimens on each desk. Most people stayed all day, drawing from the same specimen. In the afternoon, some us moved around drawing some of the other specimens. A Melbourne Museum staff member was in the room all day and if we wanted the specimens moved on the table to a different angle they donned their gloves and shifted these fragile object. Wet materials were not permitted, so I was not able to use my waterbrush in the room or my Lamy ink pen. It altered the way I worked and I had to plan my approach little differently, as I usually use my waterbrush quite frequently as I built layer or colour and detail. I got around this by adding lots of marks and colour with watercolour pencil on the page and then leaving the room and adding water to the page with my waterbrush just outside the door.
Parma Wallaby
I remembered to take photos along the way !
I took my usual sketchkit – watercolour pencils , waterbrush, Lamy Safari pen and 13 x 19 cm Moleskine watercolour sketchbook. At the last moment I add a A4 Moleskine watercolour sketchbook and so glad I did as I used this all day.
I spent most of the day on my Parma Wallaby, added laying and detail. In the afternoon I took a few short break by quickly sketching some of the other specimens (below) . I feel that these quick sketches have more ‘life’ then the slower studies sketch. On my next visit I may plan my day a little differently.
Cormorant
Lyre Bird
Peregrine Falcon
Toucan
Echidna
I had a wonderful day. I cannot begin to explain how special it was to have this opportunity. Thank you to Melbourne Museum and to Gemma for making me aware of this. So much of my daily drawing is quick sketching in my l 13 x 19 cm sketchbook. Even when I am working on a more detailed commission over weeks, I am still only working on it at night time for short bursts of time and usually doing other things as well. Currently. I am working on a series of five commission that have quite a bit of detail. But the pace and requirements for the finished result are completely different.
It was unusual and free-ing to know that I had the whole day to spend drawing one object. It was slightly overwhelming too, as I did not know how to plan my time. Next time I will have a better idea of what to expect, I also will think more about what specimens I want to draw and will order a skeleton as well.
I have been invited to run a series of classes at the beautiful and historic Dromkeen homestead, outside of Melbourne. On Sunday I spent the day at Dromkeen, exploring the house and grounds for places for the classes to sketch.
There are three classes planned, two hours each – all using watercolour Pencils. You can enroll for one or all three classes. All classes are about using watercolour pencils to capture your travels and experiences on paper. See details for times and dates and to book see Dromkeen’s Trybooking site
travel sketching
nature sketching
food & drink sketching – a High Tea, where you get to sketch your cake and eat it too
The classes are all about sketching with watercolour pencils. After taking time to understand and play with the pencils ( You can achieve SO many effects with them on paper) , we go and sketch in the grounds., learning hints and tips along the way.
I was inspired and slightly overwhelmed at the choice of potential subject matter to sketch at Dromkeen (and there are also wet weather alternatives indoors). My day involved walking around the house inside and out, making various maps and marking out potential places to sketch that would give lots of options and opportunities .
I completed a number of 15 minute sketches of the house, trees and scenes to provide examples of what you can capture in a short amount of time.
The sketching Food and Drink class will be held in the beautiful dining room. On my test run I sketched my coffee – although there were plenty of lovely sweets I could have sketched in the tea room. The High Tea will be wonderful. Sketching your food and drink is a great way of capturing and remembering an event, time, place or travels.
I also collected some objects from the grounds to sketch later, as we will on my nature sketching class. Two of the drawings below were completed on the train back to Melbourne and the others at home
About Dromkeen: Dromkeen (built in 1889, for Judge Arthur Chomley) is a historic homestead, featuring original Australian book illustration. The tearoom serves delicious home made food and quality coffee and tea. They provide educational programs for visiting schools, gallery tours for other groups and also provide facilities for business functions, weddings, birthday parties & other special occasions.
I look forward to meeting you at the classes. Stay on after or arrive early and enjoy food and a cup of tea at the Tea Rooms, browse the Gallery, featuring Australia Children’s book illustrators.
I am also running Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil classes in Melbourne. See times and dates on my Trybooking site
On Saturday I held a morning and afternoon “Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil” class. Both were fun and filled with people interested in watercolour pencils and travel sketching. These are my great loves, and I am always happy to share my passion and knowledge.
They were two very different classes as we had pouring rain all morning and clearing weather in the afternoon. It was a perfect example of travel sketching, and how you have to be flexible in your plans and make the most of opportunities presented.
People can bring their own sketchkit or purchase one from me. My two hour class involves explaining watercolour pencils, watercolour sketchbooks, ink pen (waterproof) and waterbrush. Then playing with colour on the page getting an idea of what you can do with colour on the page. And then we go out and sketch !
morning class
Bureau of Meteorology ran map of Melbourne. Sat morning 9 Feb 2019
The rain started at 9.30 and lasted all morning, It was obvious that we were not going out on an “inspirational walk around East Melbourne”, and instead stayed in Library, where the class is based. The class of eight broke into two groups, sketching the views looking out front and back. They had 15 minutes in each spot before changing. 15 minutes is a good amount of time, as it is enough time to get some marks on the page. It is also the sort of time frame you may have when travelling.
We then went back into the class room and I asked them to spend the final 15 minutes drawing their shoes! It was an unexpected subject for everyone, after drawing a scene and vistas. Shoes are an example of how sketching the everyday can be included as part of the narrative in travel sketching AND there is never ‘nothing to draw’. When travelling your shoes are part of your travels and become much loved or despised objects.
afternoon class
The weather improved in the afternoon. although we were prepared to run back to the Library if it changed again. We were able to walk around a few blocks in East Melbourne, once again stopping for 15 minutes in each place. It is amazing how much you can get down on the page in 15 minutes, and also how quickly the time flies by.
a 10 minute sketch – emphasizing the sky
This is our final stop, next to Holy Trinity Church and opposite the Fitzroy Gardens. looking towards Melbourne CBD.
I think that I have quite a few inspired and motivated people, who know know more about watercolour pencils and are planning to go out and sketch!
If you would like to join in a class, I have a few coming up and am currently planning a new calendar of classes . There are a few places on Saturday 16 March class. Book on TRybooking
I am also excited to be holding a series of three watercolour pencil classes at the beautiful and historic Dromkeen homestead, just outside of Melbourne: Travel Sketching, Nature sketching and Food and Drink sketching. See details and book at Trybooking.
On Saturday, a group of my previous student & I met at
the local Kere Kere Café in Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne.
It was a casual, social catch up ‘just for fun’. For some it was the first time they had put pencil to paper since the class and they came along for motivation. Others had been sketching and wanted to know more. They had questions that they had in their use of watercolour pencils.
As we were in the gardens, we had a number of twigs, bunya pine branches and leaves collected and put in the middle of our table. There was also the option of sketching the food and drinks at the café or the surrounds.
The items I chose to sketch represent the morning. The bunya pine is from the gardens, the coffee is from Kere Kere Cafe and the playing card what you get when you order. As well as letting the staff know where to deliver food and drinks, you also use the card to vote on their Community projects, by dropping it in a box as you leave.
My friends/students asked questions and I explained how I use
watercolour pencils.
We had a discussion about how to add shadows to an object.
Sometimes a shadow can ‘ground’ the object and show that it is sitting on the table.
If you are going to add a shadow, look at it carefully and don’t just put a generic shape underneath the object. The shadow assists to create depth and even the shadow can have different shades. It will be darker when an object touches the table.
Other times, adding shadow can overwhelm the drawing of an object. This poor little feather (above) should have been left alone.
And some objects don’t need a shadow and work as a stand alone sketch.
Last weekend I had a flying visit to Brisbane (a 1 hour 45 minute plane journey from Melbourne) and did many sketches in the 48 hours of my time away.
Sketching on the bus to and from the airport, at the airport and on the plane are almost second nature to me now. I enjoy creating a record of events in my life, whether they are everyday happenings or more exciting times. Sketching fills in the time ( I usually arrive early) and it is very relaxing.
On the bus to the airport . a captive scene for the 45 min ride.
There is SO much to sketch at the airport – but planes come and go
ink sketch of my Snack
on the plane
At Brisbane Airport I sketched this while waiting to be collected. The people were coming and going and moving quickly. However the buildings stayed, so I could use them to give context and a measure for the height of people as they moved towards and away from me.
Relaxing with a view, looking out to Mount Cootha …. this was completed in two sittings
At the Brisbane Gallery of Modern Art to view the Asia Pacific Triennial . An excellent exhibition with many interesting installations and art. I did two very quick sketches there. I usually don’t sketch the art at art galleries, instead focusing on the people . Art galleries and museums often have very strict rules about what mediums can be used when visiting and it it worth looking at the policies on their website. Sometimes it is dry material only, or graphite only.
Customs House Brisbane
I had contacted Brisbane Urban Sketchers and they had kindly arranged an event at Riverside for the Sunday morning. About 30 people turned up ! I sketched with a few different people and met others at the 11.30 throw down/pass around of sketchbooks. Wow – what an amazing variety of styles and medium. “Urban Sketchers is an international nonprofit dedicated to fostering a global community of artists who practice on-location drawing… We maintain a network of blogs and online groups where urban sketchers can share their drawings and stories and interact with each other.”
Urban Sketchers is also an excellent way of connecting with local sketchers and meeting local people when you travel. I sketched with London. Bristol and Edinburgh Urban sketchers when on holiday last September in the UK, and have plans for Sydney this year. Often you get to sketch places that are only known to locals. These moments have often been a highlight of a holiday. Most of the sharing and posting of events is on facebook regional groups, as well as website for lots of other information.
A composite sketch at the airport. My plane ready for boarding. And then on the plane – the passengers opposite me. Sometimes I sketch with my Lamy Sarafi ink pen and leave the page uncoloured, othertimes I add watercolour pencil to areas on the page. This time I decided to only use my watercolour pencils. It often just depends on how I feel on the day !
I arrived home very pleased with my record of events.
I spent a few evening drawing a birthday card to give to a friend. It is drawn in watercolour pencil on watercolour paper (called University paper). I remembered to take photos along the way to show how I built up the colour.
the finished card,
Below are some (very bad) photos from the initial pencil sketch on a loose sheet of paper. I knew what I wanted it to look like and searched online for images to bring it together. There were a lot of scribbles and ideas put down on paper before coming to this. This is a combination of about ten different images .
The first week of 2019 is over and life is almost back to normal routine, I started back at work, and returned to sketching my usual topics.
Treasury Gardens
I am fortunate to walk through two parks on my walk to work in Melbourne city. I choose to regularly sketch these topics on the way to work because:
I enjoy drawing them. I never tire of drawing the ducks in the gardens or the trunk and roots of Moreton Bag figs.
they are quick and easy sketches. I start the day in a good state of mind, having accomplished something already. They are quick and easy because I am so familiar with them.
I spend 10 or 15 minutes in the peace and calm and green of the gardens. I breathe in the fresh air. By looking at nature closely I am always amazed by it.
Supreme Court of Victoria
I work in the Library under the Dome. Sometimes I arrive early and sit and sketch the Dome. I draw this semi- regularly (not as often as the ducks and the trees) and have become familiar with how to measure the curve of the dome, the height of the columns etc. I measure using comparative distances . Your brain tells you this is a huge dome on top of the building, but when you look from most angles, it isn’t. I look at it and see that, in centre, two of the “green part” of the dome fits into the height of the columns. This measuring is automatic and practice on this dome has assisted when I have sketched domes in other cites and countries. I hope it help when I visit Brisbane next weekend and sketch Customs House with Brisbane Urban Sketchers at Riverside. If you are in Brisbane – lets sketch together see details.
I have also drawn this building and its architectural features on Greeting cards that are available for purchase on my ETSY store online.
Food
The first drawing was completed at home after afternoon tea, as I took some of the food home. The drawing was completed that evening. The second drawing is a Birthday card that I drew for a friend. It is a compilation of about 10 different images I located online and also my own idea that I had in mind when I began.
And finally – catching up with friends. A wonderful way to start the year was to sit up on a rooftop bar in Melbourne and toast the New Years with a glass of bubbly. I know I wanted to draw the skyline, so my non-sketching friend kindly agreed to sit at a table with a view, even though it was a bit cooler. It was 21 degrees in Melbourne and a bit grey and damp (compared to 42 the day before).
I write a blogpost at this time each year looking back at what I have done during the year. This is quite a long blog with a few photos. As I wrote it I realised that I had a very busy year ! ( I have done this in 2017 as well as 20142015 & 2016 )
In this blog I look at the ‘professional’ art events that I have been involved with over the year on my weekends and in the evenings. ( I also work full time as a librarian)
I sketch everyday and I have tried to capture that in my Weekly Art blogposts. All have come about due my Moleskine Watercolour Sketchbook, Faber Castell Pencils, Lamy Safari Ink Pen and my love of drawing and sketching.
Daily sketching. I filled nine Moleskine watercolour sketchbooks 13 x19 cm of everyday sketching. I scan every page of my sketchbook and put them all on Flickr (an image sharing website) Some go onto Facebook at Alissa Duke Art , some on Instagram alissaduke1. I have fewer daily sketchbooks than previous years as I have spent more of my “everyday sketching time” on private commissions.
I have maintained my weekly art blog. Thank you to everyone who follows my weekly art blog. I hope that you find it enjoyable and interesting to read and full of information. I hope that I am able to share a bit of my passion for drawing and watercolour pencils. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like me to explain anything I do. I still hope to be able to produce a video one day, (but that is in the too hard basket again) You can subscribe to my blog to receive it via email.
Etsy Sales – I have an Etsy online store selling my Greeting cards. This year I had fewer online orders, with single and multiple card orders coming from United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Canada and within Australia and also many directly from friends and family and organisations. I need to learn more about marketing in the new year, and making people and organisations aware of my art.
Newsletter. I sent four newsletters this year to the 94 people who subscribe to my newsletter . In March, June, July and November. The newsletter is for people who are interested in my art and would like to know when major events happen – new card designs, markets, exhibitions and classes. They may not necessarily be interested in my Weekly Art Blog, but still want to be updated.
Instagram. I now have over 1000 followers on Instagram alissaduke1. I post an image daily to instagram.
I held the first of three Travel Sketching walks in conjunction with Melbourne Library Service at my local library.
March – commission to draw house
On A3 paper with watercolour pencil. Much bigger than I am used to drawing. But that allowed me to focus in on some details of this wonderful house.
April – Arts on Burgundy
I held the second of my full day travel Workshops at Arts on Burgundy in Heidelberg , Melbourne. Thanks to Sarah for contacting me and initiating this event.
June – Melbourne Rare Book Week (MRBW)
Once again I was the official Urban Sketcher at MRBW and sketched at many of the events over the one week. I hope to capture the essence of the people, the place and the events on the page. The talks go for 45 minutes to 2 hours. An exhilarating week ! The sketches were used in the AANZAB report and distributed internationally . This first link explains my approach and the lead up to the event.
June – I also drew posters for the Melbourne Library Service MRBW events, which had a Gothic theme
August – local arts festival
I was asked to be involved in the local Melbourne East Arts Festival, organised through the local Holy Trinity Church. Someone had heard of my travel sketching classes and I was invited to include a class in the weekend of events. After the class I organised for the Melbourne Urban Sketchers to sketch ‘inside and out’ the church. The day was a little cooler, so many of us sketched inside. The sketches were photocopied and put up on the church walls for the parishioners to see and enjoy. It was a successful event, and I have been asked to come back next year.
August – Commission
I was commissioned to draw two buildings by a previous client. Once again I was pushed outside my comfort zone in terms of drawing on A2 paper, the style of the buildings and also the format of the page. Once again – I enjoyed it and was so pleased when I was sent a photo of them framed when they were presented as gifts. They look so professional !
October – BiblioArt exhibition
I entered and was accepted in the Blarney Books and Art annual BiblioArt exhibition. I worked on the Art all August and was pleased with the final result. I was even more pleased that it SOLD when the exhibition toured to Tacit Galleries in Melbourne. see all the 49 drawings on pages of a book at https://www.flickr.com/photos/alissaduke/albums/72157700102383675
October – Travel Sketching classes begin for Spring and Summer
After returning from a months Holiday in the UK I organised a schedule of nine Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil classes from October to March . I have three different classes on offer: the original class, a further class and Food & Drink sketching class. See more details and book on my Trybooking website.
October – commission – East Melbourne Historical Society Christmas invitation
I was invited back to draw this years East Melbourne Historical Society Christmas party invitations. There is a story why this fireplace was chosen by the committee for me to draw and locals recognise the significance.
November – Linden New Art Postcard Show exhibition
Linden New Art at St Kilda, Melbourne, holds an annual open-entry small artwork prize exhibition . All artworks in the Linden Postcard Show measure a 8 x 10 inches. There is no set theme. I have drawn on pages of an old London A-Z Street Index. These are available for purchase through Linden until April.
December – commission
A local resident and friend commisioned me to draw a in special sketchbook for her family for Christmas. I visited her house a few times and took many photos of objects, views and at a family picnic. We decided on the format of the final piece, I drew 16 objects and scenes on a page each in a 13 x19 cm Moleskine Watercolour Sketchbook. I left about half of the page blank for the family to write their memories about the object. The blank pages in the rest of the sketchbook will be drawn in by the family or me at a later date. I had a wonderful time on the project and hope to do another similar one in the future. I will be drawing objects from my own childhood home next time I visit.
2019 – plans and ideas
January, February & March – Travel Sketching with watercolour pencil classes
See more details and book on my Trybooking website.
More classes planned
Plans are in the making for my Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil classes to be held out of Melbourne . Watch this space. It will be fun and a great opportunity.
Melbourne Rare Book Week
Melbourne Rare Book Week dates have been announced for 2019 . Friday 5 July to Sunday 14 July , My annual leave is booked and I am looking forward it,
Prints
I had planned to expand into selling prints of my drawings on my Etsy online store last year. This did not go ahead. I will have to have a think about which images would look best at a bigger size, what size to print them and prices.
Thank you for your support and see you next year
This year has once again been full of wonderful and interesting people – sketching with new friends and old. It was very special to sketch with my UK friends in London, Bristol and Edinburgh. Drawing and sketching could be seen to be very solitary things to do. But for me they are interactive , social times where I talk with other sketchers or non-sketchers. Although I am documenting my objects and events in my world around me, I am also part of it. And after I draw, I share my drawings with my online friends, as I view and comment on their artistic adventures.
Thank you for your continued interest in my art and I am looking forward to what 2019 will bring.
On Saturday I went to the National Gallery of Victoria to the Escher x Nendo exhibition. There were many well known Escher drawings and various sorts of prints of lithographs. mezzotints, woodcuts etc of this extraordinary artist . They were complemented by designs by nendo studio. It was a great exhibition and made even more interesting by going on a guided tour, which explained a lot that we would have missed out on.
Drawing Hands is a lithograph by the Dutch artist M. C. Escher first printed in January 1948.
I sketched the tour group and guide. The rooms were darkened and so I used the first pencils that I took from my pencil wrap. At art galleries and exhibitions I tend to draw the visitors or the frames of art on the walls, rather than attempt to reproduce any art on the walls.
Many people stopped to take photographs of the Nendo tunnel, which was a cross between an optical illusion and the tunnel actually getting smaller. They were taking photo of the empty tunnel, which was strange, because it is when people are in it that you really see the illusion.
It was a lovely way to spend a Saturday and I must visit the art gallery more often.
On Saturday I held my “Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil: Food & Drink” class in Melbourne. Sketching the food and drink that you encounter when travelling is a unique way to capture some of your experiences. This is a class for people who are interested in or curious about using watercolour pencils for travel sketching.
The class begins with an introduction to watercolour pencils and the watercolour brush, sketchbook and ink pen. It is followed by sketching, drinking tea and eating the food.
Sjhowing the wide range of colour that a watercolour pencil can give you. From an intense colour through to a delicate and subtle colour. When you understand what the pencils can do, you can achieve amazing results on the page.
I have been sketching my food all week to show examples of the variety of styles and approaches that are available when using watercolour pencils and ink pen.
