Erin’s sketch class and travel journalling Part One

Today I was invited to Erin Hill Sketch Class to share my experiences from the Barcelona Urban Sketchers Symposium  and my travel journal sketchbooks from London (still scanning and uploading these) and Barcelona. I basically got to talk about what I love and enjoy to a group of people were really interested. Perfect. And I get to continue my “holiday high” even though I have been home three weeks now.

AND I am going back next Saturday to do it all again ! Fabulous . If you are in Sydney and would like to book into her class have a look at Erin’s website.
 
 
Using my new Moleskine watercolour accordion fold book.


I talked for half an hour (so much to say, so little time!) while the class had a look at my two travel sketchbooks. They asked questions about how I choose the workshops I did and what I learnt (which I hope I answered in the short time we had). I have a lot of full blog posts yet to come about these.

Although we officially then started Erin’s class (theme: floral) the discussion continued all morning and though lunch. We talked about formatting pages, where to start drawing, and writing on the page. Erin guided the students on colour, tone and formatting.

Erin had chosen a “floral” theme and we sketched two cacti arrangements that were on the tables (in 25 minutes) and then walked down the road to Rambling Rose:floral atelier to draw the inside or outside of the gorgeous shop. I was attracted to the black and white striped awning and the building, but also included some of my fellow sketchers on the page.

This little cacti had marks on it which made it look like a little Japanese figure. I found it hard to remember that it was a spiky plant!


I had also started my page and my day as if I was on holiday – the ferry ride, a map ,  scenes.

 
 

I also like to write comments on the page during the day. They can either be my reactions to places, sights, sounds or smells or just what I am thinking at the time. I think that it makes the whole page more personal and individual.

At lunch I got to show some of the class how I use my watercolour pencils and of course we  drew lunch.

.

travel sketchbook journalling

On Thursday, October 11, 2012 I wrote the following blogpost for KateJohnson’s wonderful Artist’s Journal Workshop blog. If you are not familiar with it and the book you should read it !

I am reposting this now as I have just returned from three weeks of travelling to London and Barcelona , where I have put all of my thoughts and ideas in practice. In the next few weeks I will let you (and Artist Journal Workshop) know what worked (most things ) and what didn’t (a few things) in reality.

I am also going to share my thoughts and travel journals with

Erin Hill’s Sketching Class this Saturday, so they may be interested in reading it too

Travel sketchbook thoughts : Alissa Duke

Thoughts on creating myTravel Sketchbook

I have had these thoughts going through my head for a while and I wanted to put them in an organised version on paper. The catalyst has been the Sketchbook Project that I am working on this year (more about that later) and wanting to share my learning experience anyone else who is interested.

Looking back, I always enjoyed reading books that were illustrated travel journals and sketchbooks. I enjoyed them for their illustrations as well as reading about other people’s travels, They are always more interesting if they are about a city or country I want to or have visited, especially the United Kingdom ( I am in Australia) .

This interest began many years ago with books such as David Gentleman’s Britain (and many others in the series) and Fabrice Moireau sketchbooks, to more recently Taking a Line for a Walk by Christopher Lambert, An Eye on the Hebrides by Mairi Hedderwick and Lorette E Roberts Singapore. Secrets of the Lion City. (and many many more books) . (I am looking forward to Danny Gregory’s upcoming book “An Illustrated Journey”).This is all pre-internet/self publishing era. But these are usually edited, formatted, composed, cleaned up, lovely small font with commentary, they are quite lengthy and published after the journey. Now I have many online favourites, .

 
I realised that I wanted to create my own sketchbooks in my drawing style when I travel.. They would be a narrative, day to day, capturing my travels, whether local, interstate or overseas.. As the sketchbooks would be created as I travel, I won’t have the luxury of all of the above editing factors. But I do have the luxury of being able to have an approach in my mind, a concept of how to approach a page composition and what works for me. That is the stage I am at now.

For the past few years I have been drawing everyday in a Moleskine watercolour sketchbook, using watercolour pencils and/or ink. I draw at home, on buses, in queues, sitting on stairs, at cafes,. So I am comfortable with how and when where to draw.

I also know how I draw at the moment. I am at ease drawing objects, food, paper. I am not so good at buildings and vistas. But architecture is an important feature of a city or town and so I want to include it , the trees, roads, sky. I have been considering how it is best for me to capture a scene with these in it. And people – people are the life of the city, so I must include them too.

Sketchbook travel Journals

I currently draw my pre trip preparation – drawing my packed bag, or things in preparation – my sketch-kit, passport, currency. I also always draw at the airport, and on the airplane.( a good way to pass the time) So I am comfortable with the first few pages of my travel sketchbook.


I am entering the 2013 Sketchbook Project and have chosen the theme : Travelogue.Paris 2007. I am revisiting my 2007 holiday to Paris, as if I was there, drawing as much then as I do now ! ..My sketchbook is based on my diaries, photographs I took and where I thought I would have drawn at the time, as well as souvenirs I bought. Although this is created in retrospect, all the time I thought how would approach future travel sketchbooks. I still have a few pages to complete, as it is not due to be sent away until January 2013.

The journal can be viewed here Travelogue Paris 2007

My Travel Sketchbook :my thoughts
 
Over the 18 double pages of the Sketchbook Project I have experimented with composition, lettering, maps., It is different paper and size of my usual sketchbook and I have had to squeeze five days into a limited amount of pages. have come to the following conclusions 
 
  • it will be a combination of on the quick on the spot sketching and more detailed drawings

  • leave first page or two of each day blank – at end of day I could draw maps, streets walked that day, rail/metro routes caught.
 
  • draw objects such as tickets, souvenirs, food, headings also at the end of the day in my hotel room. There is time and space to draw. If there is a good view from the room, I can draw it everyday
 
  • MAPS. If I colour the roads or areas between the road on a map I can match them with other colours I have used on the page, bringing it all together. Below are examples of maps and date experiments
 
 
 
 

 

 


 
 
  • leave lots of white space – I can always fill it in later if it looks too sparse.
 
  •   write commentary about how I feel, think, react to things, smells, places but not too much. I will probably keep a separate diary. I have read a very good book by Dave Fox called “Globejotting : how to write extraordinary travel journals”. I am not a writer, but it had some great hints.

  • Re: buildings and vistas

-just try an draw a section

-leave the top, bottom or sides unfinished.- lines drifting off
  • only colour some parts  
  • don’t try and fill the page – only use part of the page
 
it is like a little vignette., with a little character and insight, but not too much
 
don’t try and get caught up in the detail and try and leave this to a ” close up ” drawing later if I get the chance
 
 
Reading over what I have written it seems a little pedantic in places but it has been a very valuable creative experiment.
 
 

Of course this is all very well in writing,

Urban Sketchers Sydney – National Maritime Museum

Urban Sketchers in Sydney met at the National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour on a glorious sunny morning. Liz was not able to attend, but ten of us sketched from 10am til 12.30, some continuing on after lunch. Anthony, Jennifer, Annie, Wendy, Chantal, Ethna, Phil, John and Peter are in the photo below. Phil showed great enthusiasm and had a very early start to the day, travelling from Lake Macquarie.
 
 
 
 
There is so much to sketch outside the Maritime Museum, without even entering its doors. Lots of old and new boats, the lighthouse, city skyline, tourists, to name a few. It was hard to know where to begin.

our sketchbooks.
 
 
 I am still on a holiday high, even though I returned from Barcelona and London two weeks ago. Scanning my drawings every night helps me continue this feeling, as does sharing my experiences with anyone who will listen ! I gave an overview of my Barcelona Urban Sketching Symposium experience and was happy to talk to anyone who had questions.
 
All of my London sketches are gradually being put in the SET on flickr 
All Barcelona sketches from the holiday have been uploaded and in the following SET  on flickr
 
.
 
My sketches from the day
 
 I began with a little 1903 built boat, moored amongst the tallships and warships.  I consciously tried to think about some of the lessons that I  learned at the Barcelona Urban Sketching Symposium. For this I recalled the discussions at Barry Jacksons wonderful “Hither Thither and Yon” workshop. I concentrated on the Thither space. I leant SO much at Barcelona, both in the Workshops and from other participants I spoke to.
 
I realised that in my drawings I am building on the generous knowledge and advice shared by many online artists. From Kate Johnson, one of the many techniques I use is the Derwent Blue Grey (not watercolour) to draw the background buildings It is a nice soft tone and colour.
 
 
 
 
 
I then sat down with Ethna and distracted her by chatting. After an hour I moved on.
 
 
The skyline of Sydney. It was 15 minutes til lunch. But I HAD to add the blue sky as it was such a lovely day

A very aggressive seagull at my feet ( I had no food, so I don’t know why he was picking on me )
 

return from holidays

I have returned home after three weeks holiday in London and Barcelona.

For those who have been following my blog, you will be aware the BIG lead up and trip prep that occurred – including the weekly “drawing on an envelope” to my mum, who was my travelling companion and lives interstate, here is the notice board at her house with all my envelopes pinned on it.
 
all of my weekly envelopes to Mum from the 10 week countdown
The holiday exceeded all of my expectations and was filled with amazing experiences, sights, people, events and sketching.

 

Here we are in London outside the National Gallery – permanent grins on our faces
 
 
 
me sketching the Royal Albert hall from the steps in front of the Albert Memorial
 
I had always planned it to be a sketching holiday and much of the lead up was about my sketchkit,  as well as being a tourist and going to the Urban Sketchers Symposium in Barcelona

I filled two Moleskine watercolour sketchbooks with sketches on my three week holiday.

34 pages in Barcelona and 86 in London.

I have scanned and uploaded the Barcelona sketches and photos to flickr and USK BCN facebook photo album .

I will put a few up here on the blog

from the wonderful Luis Ruiz Workshop “Actors and Stage“



and lunch after the workshop – Tapas



Santa Anna 13th Century church – sketching early one morning before a Workshop



About 250 of us gather at the Barcelona Arc de Triomphe for a group photo & sketch

Sketching doorways on my own
 

 
I have lots of other blog posts to come.
  • My sketchkit and travelling – lessons learnt

  • London sketches

I am not sure about how to go about releasing my London Sketches . I may do a few at a time chronologically through the trip. It is a lot to scan and add commentary and a lot for people to read.

UPDATE all London sketches are being put in the SET one or two a day
www.flickr.com/photos/alissaduke/sets/72157634899452853/

I hope you enjoy sharing my adventure  .It was truly amazing

Customised pencil wrap

 
I have a brand new customised pencil wrap that I am taking with me to London and Barcelona tomorrow!


This is what it looks like fully stocked with my pencils and pens – all packed and ready to go!



PROTOTYPE #3(the current version)

 

IN THE BEGINNING

This is the original Derwent pencil wrap as sold in shops. I used it from 2009 til 2012

Overtime I realised that the style of the wrap did not actually suit the way I draw and the way I use my pencils.

 

The issues were:

·        Drawing at a table – eg at a café.

 

On a table it would take up a large amount of space– It was awkward to have the wrap out and food on the table, as well as my sketchbook

         

On my lap – it was too long and would fall over the sides of lap– more difficult to pick up the pencils quickly.

·        Drawing standing up – once again it was awkward to hold the length of the wrap.

  • I am continuously taking it out of my bag AND the pencils in and out. I needed quick access and instant display

At the end of the day I always had loose pencils falling out of the wrap in my bag and there would be half a dozen pencils at the bottom of my bag.

I could have changed the way I work but I seems easier to change the sketchkit

I had many suggestions from friends and fellow sketchers. My original concept started as it being a part of my shoulder bag – and would fold down from the side. 


I had many ideas but I did not have the technical ability to take them any further 

 

 
PROTOTYPE #1 (by me)
 I cut in the pencil wrap in half and crudely tacked them together, one half on top of the other

 

Eight months later I was using my temporary prototype and it was looking a little worse for wear.

 

PROTOTYPE #2 (by Kaz)

 

A sketching friend, Kaz, took pity on me and offered to create a new pencil wrap based on this. She also loves a project and challenge. I bought another new one from the shop, Kaz took measurements and asked me about what I needed. Not long later she gave me a new version. It was foldable and had pockets .
 
New feature Two little pockets at top each side to put eraser and pencil sharpener

After one week of trialling it, I discovered some things worked brilliantly (the pockets- and extra flap at the top)

Others I did not use (the extra fold up option, as I always used it in “full display” mode)

I also found out that the bottom needs to be closed so pencils don’t fall out.

These were quickly incorporate into PROTOTYPE #3 which you see at the top of the page.

 

–          NEXT VERSION

–         We are both already thinking of PROTOTYPE #4 .  My upcoming three week holiday to London and  Barcelona should test it as I will be sketching everywhere everyday ,

 

–         Pockets need clips to close so that sharpener and eraser do not fall out in bag pocket (put in upside down

–         Maybe a triple decker version ??

–         Make from scratch with a light canvas ………

 
 

 

Drawing on envelopes – one week to go (and other travel drawings)

This is my final drawing on an envelope to my travelling companion.  It is my mum. She lives interstate and will be in Sydney next week, to fly out with me to London. A drawing of an airplane seemed a fitting theme for the last envelope in the trip preparation build up. She has told me that all of my envelopes are currently pinned on a notice board at her home. I hope that she will take a photo of them like that so I can add it to this blog.This “drawing on envelopes” began ten weeks ago and I have written about each one each week.
 
Up Up and Away
 
 
 
This week, I also drew my squirrel envelopes again to post to some English friends we are visiting and also some other English friends in Australia. I am not sure if any of them will appreciate the squirrels, since they are pests in the UK. This was my favourite envelope as  love the way the squirrel is looking up from the page.
 
squirrel envelopes are multiplying !
 
 
AND  my travel drawing this week is my new watch .
 
Why ? It is a special watch that has vibrating alarms set during the day to remind me to take my tablets. This is the first overseas travel I have done since my serious brain surgery and hospital stay two years ago which I sketched and journalled.
 
I am well and life had returned to normal, but I now take lots of tablets (packing my carry on bag has been an adventure). Using my mobile phone alarm was becoming impractical. I wanted an alarm that had no sound, just vibrates . I finally found one online and received it in the mail this week (with much less packaging then my pen!) 

 

So this holiday is very special for many reasons, one of which is that it is a major step to having a normal life  – not that I travel overseas very often! It is the fact that I can if I want to and I am alive and well enough to do so.

Barcelona Urban Sketchers Sympoisum preparation

With less than two weeks til we fly from Australia to the UK, trip preparation is down to specifics. I am spending two weeks in London and also a week in Barcelona to attend the Urban Sketchers Symposium


We had a Barcelona meeting Tuesday night in Sydney – Liz, Chris, Shantele (who especially travelled from Lismore)  and I are all going. We talked travel, paints, and asked Liz questions about previous USK Symposiums that she had been to, and what we can expect.
 
me, Chris, Liz and Shantele

 

Over the three days of Symposium we have to opportunity to enrol in five workshops from a long and exciting list. The workshops take place in emblematic Barcelona squares, streets and other public spaces and each workshop takes 3 hours.  From the descriptions supplied , I enrolled in workshops that seemed to offer me the most to learn and grow in what I already do.  Although I am also looking forward to being pushed outside of my comfort zone. And I fully expect it!

Most of the workshop I am going do not require me to buy any special equipment – except Marc Taro Holmes Drawing People in Action  I have most on the list apart from paints(which are being kindly lent to me) and the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. I could not find in Sydney, ordered it online from the USA and mailed FedEx Express International, so that I would receive it in a few days. I wanted to actually test it out it before I arrived ! I am glad I did as it will require getting used to and be fun too.
Pentel Pocket Brush pen

 

It has cartridges of ink that flow through the brush tip, which is harder than a paintbrush, but still has give in it to be able to make the variety of thick and fine lines.  These are my first test marks at the side of the page. My trip preparation included drawing my pen – lots of black !

 
When the pen arrived, it was highly over packaged  (for a pen) –  and all the packaging was not for protection  as the pen was placed on top of all the padding ! I then found where to buy them in Sydney city. At least I will know where to get refills!
 
an overpackaged pen

 
This week in the mail I also received my business cards and postcards that I had ordered through www.moo.com.
The Symposium organisers (and Liz) advised us to bring some to the Barcelona to be able to exchange with all those many many sketchers we meet.They suggested business cards with our work on it, postcards, bookmarks (with our contact details) . Some bring their self published Blurb books, zines and stickers and buttons were also suggested as a popular giveaway to all our new friends
 
 I choose to have some of my gumleaf drawings printed on postcards and a few of the Sydney Harbour Bridge too – very Australian ! And I have many business cards which have my pencils drawn on them .I am so pleased with how these look – so professional !

 

 

 

Drawing on Envelopes 2 weeks to go

In two weeks we fly from Australia to London for a holiday. I am also going to Barcelona for a few days for the Urban Sketchers Symposium, where I have signed up for five Urban Sketching Workshops on the streets of Barcelona – learning about perspective, putting people and context in my sketches.
 
However the last 10 weeks of travel envelopes and travel journaling postings on my blog have all had a specifically LONDON theme This is because my travelling companion , who lives interstate, is staying to holiday in the UK while I am in Barcelona. All of our time together is in London. Hence, the London themes and scenes that I have been drawing in this set of blog posts . Our excitement levels are VERY high
 
This week I am getting really specific and very coordinated. (I just realised this as I wrote this). I have drawn a London Underground sign and an London Underground Travel card. We will see these quite often as we are staying in South Kensington for the first week.  We will be travelling on the Tube when we are not walking around.
 
 
Oyster card for use on the Tube – tap on tap off
 
 
 
and here it is as a Work in Progress. I wish I has scanned it from when it first started the sketch. This is just to give you an idea of how my watercolour pencil drawings progress


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Erin’s Sketch class and a days travel journaling


My first blog post, on 27 March this year was prompted by going to Erin Hill sketching classes to show her students how I use my watercolour pencils. I talked about it to the class and then I realised I really needed to put it in writing, as so much of it happens in my head. So that became my first blog.  Read about the steps I go through here

Yesterday, I had the honor of being invited back by Erin to show her current Sketch class how I use my pencils. I decided to also use it as travel journal day, as I knew it would be a full day out and I may have the opportunity to capture moments on my day. This is all in planning for my very upcoming holiday to the UK.

I filled 8 pages of my Moleskine watercolour sketchbook. You will notice that there are a few different styles. Each is suited to where I am and the time I have, and how I feel.

I started my day on the bus into Sydney city and was not planning to draw, but the man in front had a hair “style” worth drawing. I knew I had 20 to 30 minutes to draw him, until the bus reached the city. When I got home at the end of the day I realised I had not  left a page for a map for my travel journal day , so I squished it in on the page around him.


On the ferry from Sydney city to Manly I had 30 minutes to draw something. No one else was outside where I was sitting, so I drew the scenery and me.  There is never nothing to draw! When I got to Erin’s class, one of the other students had also drawn her crossed legs on her journey in
 


At Erin’s class this week the theme was glass bottles and jars and she had them set up on the tables. I choose these old pottery bottles. I drew them once and then a second time to show the class of 10 how I use watercolour pencils. As you can see from the second drawing, there is not a lot of marks on the paper, bit there was a lot of discussion and questions. I hope that I opened the students eyes as to the different ways watercolour pencils can be used to make marks on paper and how I use them. It was inspirational to talk with them.

Erin has Thursday Friday and Saturday classes and the students glass bottles and jars drawings from those days  are here. A wonderful variety of styles, line work and colours !

We then walked a short way to a local Art gallery “Raglan Gallery” to sketch. They had some lovely glass and ceramic bowls and jars, but I chose a small alabaster classical statue.

 LUNCH
 

 

 

 

 
 After about  30 minutes we went next door for lunch and more sketching . Although we were eating in, I noticed that their takeaway cups were blank – a ready made canvas.   I have only recently “discovered” this,  and have drawn on coffee cups at Cockatoo Island and  RPA . People have been doing this for ages and there a entire blog using them as the canvas for New York City.
At lunch I sketched y lunch, some of our group. Some of them also sketched on a cup  
 
 
After a few lovely hours with fellow sketchers, I made my way back to the ferry terminal, to discover the next ferry was not leaving for another 30 minutes. Time for another sketch! I drew the view across the water to the beautiful buildings . Then I saw the ferry pulling in, so quickly went through the ticket gate to join the queue. I was at the back of the queue, which didn’t move, as we had to wait for all the passengers to come off –  so I sketched the people !
 

 
 
 And then finally – a VERY big swell saw the ferry moving up and down in the waves as we left Manly Harbour. I could see how much we were moving as the horizon moved from the top of my line of vision to the bottom. A man stood on the side deck enjoying it all.
I think sketching the scene may have stopped me from getting seasick
 
A very big, long day, but I was immensely pleased with what I captured in my sketchbook and the opportunity to sketch with other motivated people
 

St Andrews College, RPA

Drawing on envelopes 3 weeks to go and INK

 
It is three weeks until we leave for London on holidays. And here is this weeks envelope to my interstate travelling companion.. Only two more envelopes to go !!! 
 
 
Trafalgar Square



Travelling with ink – the adventure so far….For the past two years I have used a Lamy Joy Safari ink pen. And I love it ! It suits my current drawing style so well. Previously I used PITT , Microns, and other ink pens, in the Fine range. I would be happy with them for a while and then they would get scratchy and my drawing would be uncomfortable and they just wouldn’t feel right. I think (my interpretation) was because of the hard flat edge of the ink pen as opposed to the flexible smooth nib of Lamy Safari Joy pen (introduced to me by Liz Steel – thank you Liz !) 

I use Noodlers Bullet Proof ink – it is waterproof, so once I draw the pen lines on, I can go over them with my watercolour pencils and then the waterbrush (after giving it a little time to dry). Noodlers have a huge range of ink colours, but not in the Bullet Proof range. I  have the Black. and have a Polar Brown as well.
 
MY DILEMMA  – I will be away for three weeks of constant drawing . I will need to refill my ink cartridge . So I will take ink. So far, (touch wood) I have never spilt my ink when refilling. This was a major concern, as I can see it happening and ink going all over the cream carpet in my (rented) apartment ! I can also envisage my ink leaking through my luggage. So after much discussion and advice , I have plan.
 
Instead of the glass ink bottle I have a small used plastic bottle from a hotel bathroom. (from Milan!!)  I am going to bubble wrap it,  put in another plastic jar  – all well sealed. and put it in my luggage in the hold of the plane.
 
BUT … along the way… I rinsed the bottle and then as a final wash, I poured boiling water into it. It immediately crumpled and twisted. At first I was dismayed, but then realised how very Gaudi -like it was. If you are not familiar with Gaudi have a look at this link and you will see why . Since I will be visiting Barcelona for the Urban Sketchers Symposium , the city of Gaudi architecture and design it then seemed inspired, and the lid still seals , So I am still going to use it ! 
and so I drew it !
Gaudi inspired travelling ink bottle
 

my Lamy Safari in action – always in my hand ! Eat and sketch