Author Archives: alissa

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.
 

 
A big thank you to Evelyn Yee whose initiative and organisational skills made this a
reality.

 

 
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

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.
 


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
 
 
 
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.

Stage one



Stage two

Stage Three

 
Some lovely old books
 
 

New city – New pencil colours

After a few sketches in Melbourne, I realised that the Faber Castell watercolour pencils colours that I had used to draw Sydney buildings in my Moleskine watercolour sketchbook were not going to capture the buildings of my new city. 

It was only a subtle difference, but I could tell and was very aware of it. Often I feel that getting the colour just right can make or break a sketch for me. And sometimes colour makes an object or building recognisable, even if the actually drawing is way out of kilter!

SYDNEY




St Stephens Uniting Church


Sydney hospital and eye hospital

The sandstone of many of the historic buildings in Sydney gives the city some of its personality. It is called Yellow block  and is known for its warm, golden straw colour. The main public buildings in Sydney, completed from the 1850s until the 20th century were built in sandstone from Pyrmont where some 50 quarries operated.  Pyrmont yellowblock was hard, and had good texture, and colour, and it was also suitable for carving. By coincidence Pyrmont is the suburb I used to live in in Sydney . No quarries now, just streetnames, pub names the landscape continue the history

In Sydney I used to following watercolour colours to sketch buildings:
  • Ivory
       combined with either
  •  Burnt Yellow Ochre or
  • Light Yellow Ochre or
  • little Raw Umber (which is a Derwent colour)

 The other colour I used in Sydney was Magenta on the ironlace and rails of buildings.
  • Magenta



    MELBOURNE

    In Melbourne, the city buildings have more grey than yellow to the stone. There are also other building materials such as  the completely different bluestone.
    I made a quick trip to explore a new art store where I tested a few new Faber Castell watercolour pencils for their colour, with and without water, and I came away with a few potentials.

    My new watercolour pencils are:

    • Warm Grey !
    • Warm Grey II
     and for the red ironwork
    • Burnt Carmine
     
     

     

     

     I have only had the chance to try out my new colours a few times, but I already feel a lot more comfortable with the colours and I think they are going to work just fine.  I will still continue to use Ivory and just a touch of the other colours, but now have a new set of colours for my new city!

     

    Supreme Court
    Melbourne Town Hall


    and here are the tested watercolour pencils drawn on a page together

     

      Hello Mebourne

      I have been in Melbourne for two weeks, after moving from Sydney,  and have found it easy to continue my normal sketching patterns. I carry my Moleskine Watercolour sketchbook and watercolour pencils with me everywhere. I have the opportunity to quickly capture my new daily life.
       
       
      Corner of  Collins and Elizabeth Streets . commuters on their way to work
       
      At Flinders Street Station, looking at the timetables and platform notices

      

      Fitzroy Gardens

       
      I am also using my lunchtime to sketch the buildings around me. I have been very fortunate with the weather.
      Supreme Court Library dome

      Supreme Court Library window

       

       
       
      On the weekend
       
      I have sketched with Urban Sketchers Melbourne twice. At the moment they are focusing on sketching in the inner city Council District of Booroondara, which includes a number of suburbs including Hawthorn, Kew, Canterbury. It is in preparation for a urban Sketches exhibition at Town Hall Gallery Hawthorn in November. If you are visiting Melbourne, drop by and visit it. So I am getting to explore parts of Melbourne as well as meet new urban sketchers. I already knew Evelyn, Kym, Angela and Jodi from previous visits and am happy to be able to sketch and chat with them on a regular basis now.
       
      This Saturday’s visit was to Maling Road, Canterbury. A charming shopping village with beautiful shops, cafes and the weather was perfect too.
       
      Classic fruits store

       
      My lunch, of course

      Farewell Sydney

      After 10 years living in Sydney I have moved to Melbourne ( 1 hr 20min flight or 9 hours for those who drive).
       
      When I moved to Sydney I did not know anyone. Now I leave good friends in my local Pyrmont community and a wonderful sketching group.
       
      The sketches on this page were done on the last few days on Sydney when I had time to spare, taking the opportunity to capture the  scenes around me.
       
       
      Sketching on the morning before my plane flight to Melbourne
       
       
       
      Cafe Morso. My favourite brunch cafe

      A very very quick ferry sketch

      a part of Pyrmont Bridge – walked over this to work for 10 years

      local Pyrmont buildings. The Community Centre is the heart of Pyrmont

       

      Sketching in Melbourne

      Last week I spent three days in Melbourne.
       
      I had many adventures and did many pages of sketches in my Moleskine watercolour Sketchbook with my watercolour pencils. These are a few.
       
      This is the view from my hotel. overlooking the old Melbourne GPO tower . It also gave the view of the tops of lots of  buildings and the back of The Royal Arcade Coat of Arms. So much sketching potential not enough time.
       
       
      When I first arrived in Melbourne, I sketched while waiting for the hotel shuttle to arrive at Southern Cross Station.
       
      Then I explored Melbourne. My first stop was the beautiful State Library and its dome.
       
      one hour later I had to give up
       
      While I was at State Library I saw the Dromkeen Children’s Literature Collection and sketched a grandmother telling a story to her grandson. The exhibition was of original children’s book illustrations. Some amazing illustrations.
       
      In the evening I had arranged a meeting with Melbourne Urban Sketchers at the wonderful Luna Night Markets at the Queen Victoria Markets. Lots of crafts, food, great live music  interesting people all under the cover of the  markets. It was a crisp night, but I did not notice it until leaving. I was fortunate to sketch with Jodi, Angela and meet Erik, Ilsa and  Alyeesh
       
      This is my main sketch of the night. A few of us sat against a wall and sketched what we saw in front of us. This brightly clad group stayed at the table for ages ! Great subjects.

      People warming themselves by the fire sites
       
       
       
      The next day  I explored more of Melbourne
       
       

      I walked by this laneway -It is called Melbourne Place . It is  not a typical trendy café laneway, or one with the famous graffiti, but one that was in use. I had to move aside for a few cars to drive in, I also was asked  directions by lost tourists.

       
      I think that this is my favourite sketch of my stay in Melbourne.  It is at the street end of Melbourne Place. I had to sketch it too. LOTS of peeling paint
       
      .
       

       and I could not leave Melbourne without a sketch of Flinders Street Station. This was about 4pm it was getting chilly, I was tired and then the drizzle set in. I took that as a sign to leave and find somewhere warm.

       
      A wonderful time. I still have some sketches to complete and hope to visit again soon.
       

      birds at the museum

      I  spent a few hours at the Australian Museum in Sydney on Saturday and today. I wish I visited more often. I have a membership so can get in for free, so I should make effort to visit. The problem is  – to many wonderful things to draw, to many projects !
       
      The Australian Museum
       
      Although there are many wonderful floors to explore and sketch, I seem to always head for the Search & Discover Room . It is an information and resource centre. You have a chance to  touch and feel real specimens, and take them to a desk to position and sketch. I had SUCH a good time. Sometimes lines just flow from the pencil. It happened here.
       
      I have sketched a few Australian birds before . As with any subject, the more you draw and really LOOK and SEE  it, the more understanding you have of it and the better you get.
       
       
       
       
      I usually draw in a 13 x 19 cm Moleskine Watercolour sketchbook.  The only times that I want to draw BIG are at the Museum and the Zoo. So I took an A3 sketchbook this time.
      I also took an old ledger that I had bought. I want to explore drawing on printed surfaces.
       
      Currawong

       
       
      He is almost all black in colour. but I decided to finish in this sketch stage and not “colour in”
       
      A3 Arches 300 GSM Smooth Watercolour Paper
       
      Pied Currawongs are found throughout eastern Australia. They prefer forests and woodlands, and has become well adapted to suburban areas. Throughout its range it is common and familiar. Average size: 48cm Source: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Strepera-graculina
      Their song  can be heard in Australian suburbs

      Currawong
       
      I sketched him again, but really  had to add all black otherwise he looked like a penguin with a white front.
       
       

      magpie
       
      The Australian Magpie is black and white. It is slightly smaller than the currawong  Its nape, upper tail and shoulder are white in males, grey in females. Across most of Australia, the remainder of the body is black. They are common and conspicuous birds.Australian Magpies are found wherever there is a combination of trees and adjacent open areas, including parks and playing fields. Australian Magpies can be very aggressive during breeding season and attacks on humans and pets can occur.
      They have a beautiful song which I love to hear. It is a loud musical flute-like song, often performed as a duet or by groups
       
       

      I always draw in watercolour pencil. On this page I was showing another sketcher, Jane how I use watercolour pencils to draw and blend. I have been using them everyday for over five years and love what can be done with them.
       
       
      I draw lots of things and they all go on flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/alissaduke/

      testing watercolour papers

      I draw daily using watercolour pencils in a Moleskine watercolour (13 x 19 cm) sketchbook, which I love and will continue to use.
      But sometimes I want to do a more “finished” drawing  on a single A4 or A3 sheet.  I have been trying to find the equivalent of my Moleskine textured paper in this format, as Moleskine do not make their own paper and cannot be bought in sheets.
      Recently I have been also using a pad of Arches Smooth 300gsm , was getting increasingly frustrated with the interaction of my watercolour pencil, water and the paper . I was finding that the pencil pigment on the  Arches gets “furry” or “fuzzy” as I pull the colour across the paper with water. This is the only way I can describe it.
      In reality the difference is so subtle it is probably something that no one else would notice. So this is a very subjective review, as I am looking for something that suits me. But I thought I would share my experience.
      I asked advice on Facebook groups and also looked online.  I received a number of number of suggestions which I took to my local art shop Parkers in Sydney .  After half an hour with a very patient assistant, I walked away with six sheets of paper (they did not have some of suggested brands : Aquabee, Holbein  Rhodia & Levenger) . Even when I was in the shop I could see and feel the difference between the papers, although after a while they all started to look the same and I was a little overwhelmed, so I made my purchases and went home.
      Of course when I got home I sketched my newly purchased papers
      there are subtle differences in the colour of the papers

      UPDATE 2015 – I found the perfect paper – .It is called University paper. I believe it is produced by St Cuthberts Mill in the UK . Available at Deans Art in Melbourne ! In sheets.  210 gsm

      I have never tested papers before, so it was all experimental.   I cut the paper into 13 x 19 cm rectangles (size of the Moleskine) .  I had only recently discovered that papers have a front and back side to them, so I have one for each.
      I decided to test the colours and shapes that I have been drawing recently . Ivory Black – a colour I use in feathers and Magenta for macarons. I did a scribble of colour and then spread it out with a paintbrush. I wrote my thoughts down immediately on the paper before moving onto the next one.  Some were quite similar, but there was a difference.
      Unfortunately the scans of the completed tests shows no difference between them. It looks like the same test fourteen times. so I won’t put them up online, but I will describe my immediate reactions and thoughts.

      I have listed them from the best match to the least

      The winner  is ….

               Lana 300 gsm Hot Press
      FRONT – has more texture than back
      BACK  – smoother than front. Not furry at all spreads well
      I then drew a whole egg, feather and macaron, just to double check. It feels good!
                         Here are the other papers I tested and my thoughts.

       

      Fabriano Soft Press 300 gsm

      BACK not furry & spreads well, but settles furry. Paper has a bit of texture , not good for fine lines of pencil only
      FRONT Paper fells thick not furry

      Canson Montval 300 gsm

      FRONT Textured paper
      BACK not furry at all. Too much texture on paper

      Arches Smooth 300 gsm

      BACK furry
      FRONT  furry

      Bristol Board
      Whoosh – glides off the page too smooth. Can’t get really dark lines
      Fabriano Hot Press 300 gsm
      FRONT Pigment does not spread well , stops and starts shows edges. A little more furry
      BACK a little furry pigment does not spread well. stops and starts shows edges spread across spreads too much pigment
      Saunders Waterford 300 gsm HotPress
      FRONT furry . takes pencil well on its own. Not so good with dark colours. Front more furry than Back
      BACK a little furry

      if anyone has any other thoughts or suggestions please let me know. I now just have to learn how to cut sheets into even papers….