View from Freshwater Bay, sitting on the sand beside the Mosman Bay Seascouts building, looking across towards Mosman Park, the Wellington Street water tower on the horizon. Ink wash
Ink
Quick sketches and slow sketches
The page on the left are very quick sketches of a seagull which was constantly moving…wary of me but kept approaching hoping for food. Mostly drawn directly with ink (De Atramentis document black) as a blind contour, then the grey wash is painted on with a Pentel Aquash (Water Brush) filled with water and a few drops of black ink to produce a grey tone (can build up in layers of grey if needed as the ink dries). Beak and legs drawn with a red watercolour pencil (Faber Castell) the colour softened and blended with a water brush in places…creates rather “wonky” but dynamic sketch…
Right side of page is a slow sketch…trying to get the shape of the boat on the water, shadows, reflections, drape of the sail cover and rigging…creates a more precise but static sketch…
Swanbourne Beach
Rain clouds clearing over Swanbourne Beach last Sunday…
Perth Royal Show 2019
7 and a half hours sketching the last day of the Perth Royal Show at the Royal Agricultural Society show grounds in Claremont, had a fantastic time and managed 11 sketches…a personal record! Started with a couple of pencil sketches in the cattle sheds to warm up then changed to fountain pen and watercolours…Soooo much to sketch…it’s not cheap to get into the show (adult ticket is $32 at the gate, $28 pre-purchase at IGA) but so long as you have time to stay and really look around it’s worth it to meet the farmers and crafts people and see all the exhibits.
I was chatting with smiths at the Blacksmiths’ Association of Western Australia who have invited the urban sketchers to go and sketch again at the forge works.
Kalbarri – Winter 2019
A winter break in Kalbarri (about 560 Km North of Perth)…wonderful warm and sunny weather…walked the Murchison Gorge Loop, along the Kalbarri cliffs and along the beaches. Saw emus, kangaroos, bobtailed skinks,an echidna on land plus whales (in the distance), dolphins close to shore and caught a couple of sand whiting in the estuary (one was returned to the sea, the other was delicious). Finally the Pelicans which are fed each day by a team of volunteers….
Beach sketches
Guildford, Western Australia
A sunny autumn day in the old part of Guildford – originally the first Swan River settlement before Perth became favoured as the capital city of Western Australia. There are many original Australian colonial era buildings that are still standing but often with different wares for sale in the 21st century. The “Apothecary Hall” is currently a dress shop with beautiful crimson and plum full length frocks in the window. “James of Guildford” is a second hand/antique and curios place (couldn’t find any history on this shop). The power poles and power lines make the town feel like stepping back in time (many metro areas now have underground power – less cluttered looking).
Secret sketcher again….
A profile sketch in the local cafe, inked on site, colour added later, mostly wet-in-wet watercolour technique.
Perth panorama
Last official sketch-meet of the year for the urban sketchers at Coode Street jetty, South Perth. Fabulous views across the Swan River, sailboats and lots of people enjoying a warm summers morning. The bottom sketch is drawn on a sheet of A4 catridge (ordinary printer) paper….cut lengthways into 3 even strips and taped together on the reverse to creaye a really long panorama.South Perth – Swan River
A lovely spring day for a cycle ride around the Swan River, lots of people out enjoying the Sunday sunshine. This is the view from the Riverside Cafe at Barrack Street, the Swan river has a tinge of brown in the water….all the recent rain must have washed some dirt down from the Darling Range….
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