by Leonie Andrews

Last sketch of 2025

This is my last sketch of 2025 made on New Year’s eve while going for our ‘long’ walk around a nearby mountain.

I was using my regular tiny book I carry when walking and trying out an exercise from an artist I recently discovered called Orla Stevens *. The idea is to sketch for no more than 10 minutes changing the direction of your marks for each item you draw.

Tree with rocks

Now I know I haven’t nailed this yet, but I was really excited by her very loose approach to sketching. As this is one of our ‘regular’ walks I have drawn from this spot quite a few times already this year.

A broader view from the same location from July 2025, watercolour

I felt quite free to just go for it with this sketch. I certainly plan to do more in the future.

Super loose mark making
Sketching the tree

* You can find Orla on YouTube at https://youtube.com/@orlastevens?si=L2oCkPtSiFWU_1Ly

by Leonie Andrews

Random collage

Last night we had another session with our friends online and I made one of my random collages. There’s no rhyme or reason to how I put these things together.

A magazine collaging itself! A composite image from a series of pages where I have already cut things out.

I’m working from scraps of magazines that have already been cutting up and that are literally lying around on my desk. So nothing particularly planned.  Just trying to work with what I have, and trying to make it succeed.

My one hour collage.

Whether that’s happened on not I don’t know. I think just even doing this on a regular basis is the sort of thing that’s exercising those artistic muscles,  playing, which is what we all need to do to make our art better.

by Leonie Andrews

Non-dominant hand

I was about to start a drawing session with friends when I accidently got in the way of some steam from the kettle – burning my hand in the process (thankfully not a major burn). It was enough to drive me to use my other hand to draw with while my dominant hand stayed wrapped in a cool damp cloth

I just picked from a variety of markers and pencils already on my table and one of my fountain pens. 

Markers, coloured pencil and fountain pen with collage

I really like the result! Nothing too fussy. My inspiration was this replica of a Roman Owl brooch that was found in the city of Bath in the UK. I didn’t resist adding a touch of collage when I found this tiny scrap on my table as well.

A copy of a sacrifice to the goddess Sulis-Minerva
by Leonie Andrews

One Small Step

Today we met up with friends to explore the site of the former Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station where the first pictures of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walking on the Moon were transmitted to the rest of the world. (Yeah-nah, not ‘the Dish’ at Parkes).

The infrastructure is largely gone, but there is now a set of information panels and a series of sculptural elements by Canberra sculptor Michael Harding.

The site of the former Honeysuckle Creek tracking station.
Other locals out enjoying the day!

Our intention had been to sketch on site, but it didn’t happen. We went prepared to BBQ our lunch only to discover that the gas in the BBQs had run out.

In the end we drove back to the Ranger Station and cooked our meal there. While not quite the view I was planning I did complete a sketch of the nearby rural landscape.  

Tharwa Landscape

This is the first sketch in my new sketchbook. So you could say “one small sketch” (sorry that’s so lame).