Tag / blind drawing

by Leonie Andrews

Road Trip

Kay Greenlees writes (Creating Sketchbooks for Embroiderers and Textile Artists, Batsford 2005)  that sketching

“becomes a unique way of exploring and storing information, including whatever arouses curiosity and interest.”

Driving back from Newcastle I decided to try some sketching from the passenger seat of the car. Over a series of three pages I captured some of the vehicles, scenery and text, that I saw passing along the road.

Page 1, road sketches, 10 February 2014.

Page 1, road sketches, 10 February 2014.

As I drew I included observations about atmospheric and other environmental conditions …

Page 2, road sketches, 10 February 2014.

Page 2, road sketches, 10 February 2014.

… not to mention signs and other writing that caught my interest.

Page 3, road sketches, 10 February 2014.

Page 3, road sketches, 10 February 2014.

by Leonie Andrews

Blue and white

I’ve just taken delivery of the first fountain pen that I’ve owned in quite a while. The boxed set came with ink and  spare ink cartridges. Given the ink etc was black I was rather startled to discover that the cartridge in the pen was blue ink. So it’s blue drawings on white paper for the present.

Headphones, ink, 21 January 2014.

Headphones, ink, 21 January 2014.

At some time while I was wandering around the web yesterday I came across a video of the potter/artist/journal keeper/etc Paulus Behrensohn. Here was some Paulus-inspired doodling of imaginary pots.

Pots, inspired by Paulus Behrensohn, 21 January 2014.

Pots, inspired by Paulus Behrensohn, 21 January 2014.

by Leonie Andrews

In Flight

Two drawings involving the idea of flight. The first is a sculpture at the intersection of Summerland Circuit & Drakeford Drive in Kambah. It’s bright orange colour has been the focus of quite a bit of discussion.

Moth Ascending the Capital, Alexander Knox, painted steel 2012.

Moth Ascending the Capital, Alexander Knox, painted steel 2012.

The second was drawn in the nearby adventure playground, where I had the challenge of capturing people riding the ‘Flying Fox’.

19Jan2014blr

Riding the ‘Flying Fox’, 19 January 2014.

by Leonie Andrews

In the swim

While I was in Newcastle last week I took the opportunity to take my sketchbook to Merewether ocean baths. Built between 1934-35 these ocean baths have two pools, one for children and a deeper pool as well, both of which are the size of several Olympic swimming pools placed side by side. Filled with fresh seawater they are a very popular place for Novocastrians to swim.

To my dismay I realised I hadn’t packed my watercolours. I opted instead for pencil drawings. I did two drawings, one looking at one end of both pools and the second of the railings and path outside the nearby kiosk.

Blind drawing, Merewether ocean baths 18 December 2013.

Blind drawing, Merewether ocean baths 18 December 2013.

Apologies for the quality, but I decided to add the ‘missing’ colour later and only took a photo of the drawing before I added the paint. Here is the painted version.

Merewether baths 18 December 2013 with watercolour added.

Merewether baths 18 December 2013 with watercolour added.

I was not really happy with this outcome and to add insult to injury I realised too late that the very wet paint I used had seeped through to the drawing on the next page.

Railings and pathway, Merewether Beach, 18 December 2013.

Railings and pathway, Merewether Beach, 18 December 2013.

No doubt I have a few lessons to take away from this experience!