Author Archives: alissa

books – work in progress

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This is about a drawing I am currently creating. (I don’t like to use the term “working on” because it is not work at all).

This week I have been drawing in my lunch breaks. I usually draw for about half an hour. This is the result at the end of the third day.

17Apr15 books wip closeup

I took my watercolour pencils and A4 size University paper (I believe it is produced by St Cuthberts Mill in the UK). I sat at a table next to these law reports and started drawing. These are at eye level and all the shelves are full of books. On the shelf there are books either side of these and they are neatly and tightly shelved.

DECISIONS TO MAKE

I did not really think before I started drawing and now I have some decisions to make. I thought I would share my options with you now and would love to hear any suggestions anyone has.

  • How many more books to draw?
    • 17Apr15 books wip1

    Current drawing on A4 page

    I only have a limited space on the paper to use. This is what is looks like on the A4 page.  I have photocopied the drawing and experimented with HB pencil for potential composition. I realised one of my first ideas would not work as I did not have room on the page to draw a few books lying down on the right side, stacked up.

    I have the options of adding more books of different heights and thicknesses and/or have some books leaning.

    ‘

    19Apr15 test

    I could try this


    ‘

    ‘

    19Apr15 test1

    Or this, or a combination

    ‘

    ‘

    • How to finish the sides – I have the choice of fading the colour and lines at the edges  to have an unfinished look  OR finishing each  book and having solid colour to the edge of each book.
    • How to finish top – The books are on shelves and the books disappear into darkness of the shelf. I don’t want this is dominate the page.
    • How to finish the bottom – The books are sitting on shelves. Do I finish at the base of the book or include the shelf line.

    I am looking forward to any suggestions and will share the completed drawing when I have finished it!

    ABOUT THE DRAWING

     

    19Apr15 colours

    These are the colours I am using. There are 120 watercolour pencils in the Faber Castell range. I carry and use 26 colours in my pencil wrap and they suit me perfectly. I can usually create the colours I need by blending. This is done on the page or off the tip of the two pencils on the waterbrush.

    The pigments can be completely dissolved, and will then behave similar to watercolour paints. The paint becomes permanent when dry, enabling other layers of colour to be built up without causing it to dissolve again. Or they can sharpened to a fine tip. Great for broad brushstrokes or finer detail.

    However I have to keep remembering to sharpen my pencil. They get blunt very easily when using the waterbrush to take the colour off the tip of the pencil.

    I build up the colour gradually. However, as you can see, I also draw in darker areas early as it gives me a sense of where I am going and what the drawing is going to look like when complete.

    Here is a previous work in progress library drawing https://www.flickr.com/photos/alissaduke/15429144837/in/set-72157648983342201
    and other book and library drawings
     https://www.flickr.com/photos/alissaduke/sets/72157648983342201/, some of which you can purchase on my Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/AlissaDuke

    Urban Sketchers Melbourne

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    Urban Sketchers Melbourne met on Saturday 11 April 2015 , with special guest visitors Paul Wang from Singapore and Liz Steel from Sydney.
    Sketching the urban Sketchers listening and watching Paul speak

    Sketching the urban Sketchers listening and watching Paul speak

    A group of 60 Melbourne Urban Sketchers (new and old members) met at North Melbourne Library to listen to a presentation and view a slide show by Paul. Paul Wang is an Urban Sketcher based in Singapore. His paintings are colourful and energetic have a look at .

    My good friend Liz from Sydney also contributed to the discussion, sharing her thoughts and enthusiasm.

    10406885_10202889915088852_1141247060692051869_n

    We then sketched in the beautiful weather for 2 1/2 hours met up for a group photo and discussion. See some of their sketches
    Some of us continued on til later. I had a prolific day, sketching from 9.30 am to 7pm, completing nine sketches. I love drawing !
    I also spent the day catching up with friends and meeting new sketchers.

    USK-ers gathering

    USK-ers gathering

     

    North Melbourne Town hall

     

    a bit of splattering

    a bit of splattering

    11 Apr 15me staring at wall (

    me staring at the brickwork, drawing the wall (photo: Evelyn Yee)

     

    detail of a brick wall at Auction Rooms cafe

    detail of a brick wall at Auction Rooms cafe

     

    11Apr15 USK North Melbourne7
    11Apr15 USK North Melbourne8

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    A BIG thank you to Paul, Liz, Evelyn and everyone else who was involved in organising this wonderful event !

    Easter greetings

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    Happy Easter everyone.

    1Apr15 bunny3

    Each year I draw something for Easter. (see past years drawings )  In the last year I have been fortunate enough to move to Melbourne and into an apartment block where one of my neighbours  owns a chocolate shop called The Chocolate Box (based in Melbourne, but  wonderful online store too !)  She kindly invited me to draw anything from her store. It was a visual treat to wander around and look through the array of eggs, bunnies, chocolates and treats, all beautifully packaged.

    30mar15 bunny

    I decided on a little soft and fluffy toy bunny, some traditional chocolate eggs in foil and a chocolate nest of eggs. I find that foil is really difficult to draw, with all the shininess, so I did not choose too many of those.

    29mar15 bashful bunny and eggs
    30mar15 eggs up close

     

     

     

     

     

    I  loved the Mini Half Egg with Hazelnut Praline Birds Eggs. Many of you will know how much I love drawing birds nests, feathers and eggs, so this seemed the perfect choice. 

    1apr15 bunny2

    I really enjoyed drawing the texture of the soft bunny and the colour of the chocolate. The foil was as difficult as I remembered!
    What have you been drawing this Easter?

    My Etsy shop is Open !

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    I have opened my Etsy Fine Art Shop.

    The product?
    Blank Fine Art Note or Greeting Cards featuring eight of my drawings of books and libraries.
    Today I’m here to share a little more about this.

    Where did the idea come from?
    I have been longing to get my drawings printed as cards and prints for quite a while (as my friends know). I have spent time looking for a printing company that would produce a product with a quality of colour and finish that I was happy to put my name to. When I arrived in Melbourne I found (through recommendations) the company Print Together who were just right !

    Why did I create cards?
    I love paper products and the enjoyment of the written word. I love stationery, books, hand written notes and receiving something in the mail, and I know that many other people do too, even in this digital age. I write a letter once a week and love to post cards and think about the enjoyment and surprise on the recipients face when they open it .
    I have been drawing the books and shelves in my new workplace and realised they would make a perfect set of cards.

    What to expect?
    Each card features a single image on the front and a blank interior, and a description on the back. They are printed on 300gsm card with a smooth finish that has an easy to write on surface. Each individual card comes packaged in a protective plastic sleeve with an envelope.

    spine with pen

    So where can you find them?
    You can find my Etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/alissaduke where you have a look at and order these cards.
    *Keep an eye for new images on cards coming soon. Have a look at my website at the DRAWINGS tab to see just a few of my other type of drawings. Or ALL of my art everyday on flickr.

    marble

    drawing feathers

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    Today I had a day free with no plans. I have not sat down to spend a large amount of time drawing for ages, so decided to indulge. I cleared the table, sharpened my watercolour pencils and cut some paper to A4 size.

    21mar15 rainbow lorikeet feathers1

    Everyday I draw in a Moleskine watercolour Sketchbook 13 x 19 cm. But today was different.

    I have been drawing feathers (and also recently books) on larger sheets of equivalent textured paper which I discovered through trial and error. See my blog from last year.  I found the perfect paper. It is called University paper. I believe it is produced by St Cuthberts Mill in the UK . It is available  in sheets of  210 gsm for me at Deans Art in Melbourne.

    rainbow-lorikeet

    photo of a Rainbow Lorikeet

    I have decided to draw my feathers, nests and books on larger sheets because I eventually may have an exhibition. I would also like to use them for print on cards. The larger size paper allows me to draw a few feathers on the page and think about composition. feathers and pencils Today I wanted to break away from the black, greys, browns, creams of the magpie, ibis and duck feathers that I have been drawing. The feathers of the rainbow lorikeet seemed a good choice. All feathers were picked up in a local park in Melbourne or a Waterbird habitat in Queensland. I found these simple colourful feathers difficult to draw. They are not soft and fluffy (which I enjoy). I draw a lot of feathers – see more on my flickr site or my blogpost on drawing a feather step by step.

    I am pleased with the result and have put the drawing aside for a while. I need to add a bit more colour intensity in some areas. I am also thinking of adding a fifth feather on the far end (the same size as the first one). What do you think ? It has also been suggested to arrange them horizontally on the page not vertically. Your thoughts?

    I finished the day by started another feather….DSCF0762 DSCF0763
    (one is real and the other start of a drawing !)

    Lost Trades Fair sketching part 2

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    This is part 2 of my sketches from the  Lost Trades Fair, last Saturday 7 March 2015. If you missed it Read Part 1 here. There was so much to see and sketch on the day so  I decided to do two blog posts

    Just in case you missed out, the Lost Trades Fair is held at Kyneton, one hour train ride from Melbourne. (Their facebook page has lots of interviews and features). The Lost Trades Fair supports “rare, forgotten and traditional trades and crafts and those that practise them”. The fair had over 60 stall of traditional trades, rare crafts and forgotten arts. We got to meet these talented makers that practise these trades.

    On this page are some of my quick sketches from the day. Even though they are quick sketches, I spent time looking at the object or person as they moved around an object they were crafting or worked with their hands. Often their movements were repetitive, so I could watch the angles of the body, arms and wrists. Other times they moved a lot and I could only get an impression of how they work. As I stood sketching,  I also had the opportunity to listen to the conversations between the artisan/tradesperson and people passing by. These people have so much knowledge and passion for their area of interest.

    wooden sword maker

    wooden sword maker

     

    armourer

    armourer

     

     

    7mar15 pennyfarthing

    1mar15 cobber

    1mar15 Lost Trades Fair 1

     

    1mar15 fletcher
    1mar15 corrn dollies

    I am really looking forward to next year and perhaps visiting some of these Lost Trades during the year at other events or their shops.

    Lost Trades Fair sketching part 1

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    On Saturday I spent a day at the Lost Trades Fair, with a friend. The Lost Trades Fair is held at Kyneton, one hour train ride from Melbourne. (Their facebook page has lots of interviews and features). The Lost Trades Fair supports “rare, forgotten and traditional trades and crafts and those that practise them”. We watched a  Blacksmith, Chairmaker ,Cobber ,Cooper, Fletcher, Foundryman,  Penny Farthing Maker, Plane Maker, PInstriper, Plasterer,  Rocking Horse Maker,   Wood Worker to name few . 

    I have split this into two blogposts as there is so much to tell!

    7mar15 Lost Trades Fair
    I did 12 sketches – most quick, a few with colour added, either on the spot or on the train on the way home. The big event of the day turned out to be Cooper, where we (and a large crowd) watched as George the Cooper handcrafted a wooden bucket for my friend. It took over an a hour as he explained the process.

    The Cooper working an a large barrel (left) and making the bucket (right)

    The Cooper working an a large barrel (left) and making the bucket (right)

    the Cooper was great to sketch – often returning to the same position to work on the wooden bucket. The bucket is made from kauri and looks like it will last forever!
    He was also a very entertaining character!

     

    Coopers tools

     

    the crowd watching the Cooper

     

    The fair had over  60 stall of traditional trades, rare crafts and forgotten arts. We got to meet these talented makers that practise these trades. Read my next blog to see more ….

     

     

     

     

    sketching a Melbourne laneway

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    Melbourne’s laneways with their street art and coffee shops are on the tourist ‘list of things to do’. They are great ! But I like these other older working laneways.
    Cnr Little Collins Street and Baptist Place, Melbourne

    Cnr Litte Colins Street and Baptist Place, Melbourne

    I did some sketching when I had time to fill in before an appointment. I stayed around the area where I had to be and looked up, down, left and right for inspiration. And then I had to find a scene AND  with somewhere to sit and draw ! I sat on the  stairs of a doorway of a company that was closed on weekends. It was directly opposite the laneway I had been inspired by.

    I knew that  I had 25 minutes to sketch and that I had to get the proportions and perspective correct quickly. Usually I start a drawing and measure  (holding pencil out in front of me) as I draw on the page directly with my watercolour pencils. However when sketching buildings I know I need to do a bit of mark making in HB pencil on the paper to note where important points are. Sometimes I end up with A LOT  of little marks on the paper. I often forget why I  have put them there.

    Here is a rough overview of my thought process of sketching this laneway. (I wish I had taken an earlier photo, after about 10 minutes, instead, this is after 25 minutes.) It makes sense to me.

    measuring relative proportions

    I started with the parked van as the focus of my measuring . This was because I noticed that there were many similar measurements which I could use to mark out the paper. I have noted with arrows the measurements I used . After I made the marks I drew some horizontal and vertical lines, where tops/bottoms of some doors and windows were on the same line on the page.

    Then the van drove away, so it was just as well I had got those lines down! These are the joys of urban sketching.

    I started drawing the the vanishing point lines  for the angle of the windows and driveways.

    I then finished with the HB pencil and used my watercolour pencils to build up the lines and colour. The main colour used is Faber Castell Light Yellow Ochre. The other colours used were Paynes Grey, Earth Green, Cool Grey IV and Schwarz Black.

    I added water to the page with my Kuratake waterbrush, spreading out the colour.

    My 25 minutes had flown by and I had to leave. I could have taken a photo and added more details and competed the sketch at home. However I really enjoy drawing on location and wanted to go back to my place on the stairs. Also, as an Urban Sketcher I follow these guidelines (when I want to post the sketch on the Urban Sketches online pages)

    We draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation.• Our drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel.• Our drawings are a record of time and place.• We are truthful to the scenes we witness.• We use any kind of media and cherish our individual styles.• We support each other and draw together.• We share our drawings online.• We show the world, one drawing at a time.

    After my appointment I returned to the same place on the starirs and in the final 20 minutes  I  built up the page with more colour and added fine lines, without adding water. I reached a stage, where I was pleased with the result, colour, amount of detail and final scene.

    online drawing challenges

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    There are many, many online art challenges available for anyone to participate in on websites, blogs and facebook. They are fantastic sources to inspire and motivate. Most of them  you can dip in and out of,  but can also use them as a way of committing to drawing. They are also a wonderful way of connecting with other artists online as you each have the same daily, weekly or monthly goal and can you comment on each others pieces. Looking at the various interpretations on a theme can create lots of fun discussion.

    I decided to write this blog when I saw that this weeks challenge on the  Illustration Friday website is SLEEP. Here is my interpretation and then below are the other challenges I have participated in over the last few years:

    Illustration Friday

    19Feb15 Sleep for Illustration Friday http://illustrationfriday.com provides one word to interpret and draw and post online by the end of the next week, when a new challenge is offered. This was an easy  choice when I saw the challenge. This old bear will surely provide a good night’s SLEEP. Here are all of my drawings for the Illustration Friday challenges

    Everyday Matters EDM Weekly Challenges scan0022

    Everyday Matters EDM Weekly Challenges .Everyday Matters is a group that grew out of Danny Gregory’s blog and books – Everyday Matters, The Creative License and An Illustrated Life –There  is a list of 328 challenges. They were posted weekly on a Sunday from 2009 and the participants added their drawing to a flickr group. I would eagerly await the new challenge each week.  Sometimes I knew exactly what I was going to draw as soon as I saw the challenge . Other times it would take a bit of thinking The list is still available here (to inspire you) Here are all of my drawings for the EDM Challenges.

    Everyday in May

    3517710918_7c11039eab_z Originally began by “French Toast Girl” with an idea to commit to create something every day in May – a painting, a drawing, a photo, a collage. Then share it. I  participated in 2009,when I chose my own theme of drawing my holiday souvenirs. You can see the whole months drawings here . I had such a great time drawing these and reliving my memories each day. In 2010, 2012 and 2013 I participated in the Everyday Matters in May (EDiM) challenge on flickr, (then a facebook group started as well)  using 31of the Everyday Matter Challenges , as daily challenges In the Month of May. Everyone used the same list. edm27 copy 2013 EDiM – see the rest of the month HERE scan0018 2012 EDiM- see the rest of the month HERE scan0007 2010 EDiM- see the rest of the month HERE I draw everyday, sometimes more than one drawing, It was exciting but tiring to draw  purposefully to the list for the whole month.

    Virtual Paintout

    scan0011 http://virtualpaintout.blogspot.com.au/ The goal of the project has always been the same; to give artists an opportunity to gather together virtually, and paint or draw in the same area. A city or country is announced by organisor and creator Bill Guffey . The artist must use a view found through Google Street View as the reference for the painting or drawing. So – go ahead join in !

    drawing books

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    I recently started working in a beautiful historic library. I have been drawing a lot of books and library scenes since then and you can see them on my flickr site  here .

    This page is all about my latest drawing.

    books5

    The works of Plato : a new and literal version, chiefly from the text of Stallbaum. London : Bohn, 1854-1861. 6 v. ; 19 cm.

    I draw at work in my lunch breaks  for about  1/2 hour. My previous drawings have all been in my Moleskine watercolour sketchbooks (13 x 19 cm). I have discovered that I really enjoy drawing books and do them well and so I  have started doing them on loose sheets of paper. I wrote a blog post last year on my search and experiments in locating loose sheets of paper that were equivalent to my sketchbook.   Since then I have discovered the perfect paper for me and my watercolour pencils . It is called University paper and I think that it is made by St Cuthbert’s Mill in UK. It is 210 gsm and this page was cut to A4. It was suggested to me by Deans Art in Melbourne.

    I decided to draw two of the five volumes in a 1854 publication of The Works of Plato.  These books are only slightly worn, and have beautiful marbling on the sides of the pages and the end pages. (The books I really love to draw are those that are not in the best condition, however they are not a good representation of what is held in the library.)

     Progression from a sketch to a finished drawing

    books1

    initial sketch. HB pencil on loose sheet A4 scrap paper

    I started with a sketch on a scrap paper to try to get the angles right. This is not my usual approach, as I usually start straight in with the watercolour pencil on the page. However, I know that I find books difficult to draw – getting the proportions right and making them look like they are sitting flat and piled on top of each other. I have almost achieved it with this drawing. (It is hard to tell as these are photos taken at an angle)

    The colour variation was not as contrasting as these photos suggest (that is the photography!) . However, I did attempt to match the colour of the book binding and used a mixture of the following three colours : Burnt Carmine, Pale Geranium (both Faber Castell) and Madder Carmine (Derwent), building the colour strength  and shadows over the days. The drawing reached a stage where the colour started to get ‘muddy’, so I stopped and worked on the detail.
    book4

    I still have to find a method of representing lettering in drawings, both on the outside on the spine and front cover, as well as the print inside a book. This drawing was a bit of an experiment. Instead of leaving the white space of the letters on the page and trying to fill them in with colour (not enough space), I coloured all of the book and then tried to add the words by writing over the colour with both yellow pencil and gold highlighter. I also added white gel pen and then colouring over that with the yellow. None of these were spectacularly successful. I welcome any suggestions and links to examples of words on books.

    However, I am pleased that it does give the impression of the gold crest stating that this book belongs to The Library of the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria. This shows the age of the book from the collection.

    books6

    In 1770 Captain James Cook landed in Australia. In 1835 Melbourne was established. In 1850 the new “Colony of Victoria” (after Queen Victoria) was founded  with separation from New South Wales. At the beginning of 1901, Victoria ceased to be an independent colony and became a state in the Commonwealth of Australia.

    This  drawing is almost complete. I will put it aside for a while and then make some minor changes to details. I would like to see it as a print or on a card one day . In the meantime I will begin another book (to draw, not to read)