I’m spending more time with my double pencil drawings, I’ve even done some further cafe sketches because the lines seem fresh once more.
glass and cup, pencil and ballpoint pen, held together, 22 January 2015
With these drawing I drew focusing on working from the centre out, as the project method asks.
Plate and spoon, ball point pen and pencil, held together, 22 January 2015
It’s spring and the umbrellas are out again!, pen and ink and acrylic paint maker, 16 September 2014
In the final weeks before my show I’ve been drawing, but haven’t had time to post. In the main I’ve been taking my cafe breaks (and even fitting in the gym!) so I don’t injure myself with all the repetitive stitching that goes into my exhibition work. So here they are, several more weeks of cafe drawings.
The curbside at Biginelli’s Cafe, pen and ink, 17 September 2014
Back at Biginelli’s and drawing faster, just like Jo suggested!
At Biginelli’s again, a week later, pen and ink, 24 September 2014
A not so quick drawing, mixing blind drawing and a more ‘observational’ approach.
The Italian Bakery, pen and ink, 20 September 2014
I’m still working on drawing people. Strangely, to me at least, getting a rough idea of the hairstyle seems to help with the drawing.
Group sitting at the Italian Bakery, pen and ink and acrylic marker, 27 September 2014
Finished at last, a celebratory coffee with a passionfruit and polenta cake!
My Cafe at Manuka with umbrella and a man on the phone, pen and ink and acrylic marker, 1 October 2014
As I’ve been trying out my new sketchbook over the past few weeks, I’d forgotten I also had several cafe drawings in the book I always carry in my bag. Here they are.
A bulldog waiting for its owner, ballpoint pen, 23 August 2014
The construction site opposite the cafe offered an unusual subject by way of a cement mixer.
Cement mixer, pen, ink and acrylic paint marker, 30 August 2014
The Loading Dock Cafe, is exactly that, a cafe in the rear lane of West Row, in the centre of Canberra. Thankfully some very solid concrete bollards separate the cafe-goers from reversing vehicles.
View onto the lane from the Loading Dock Cafe, pen, ink and watercolour, 10 September 2013
Continuing on with the catch-up, there were opportunities to draw at two of our regular coffee shops last week.
Queuing for coffee, pen and ink, 1 July 2014
The next day I attempted to draw this dog waiting for it’s owner.
The same dog, several times, pen and ink, 2 July 2014
While I’m OK with the position of the body, getting the dog’s head the way I wanted really eluded me. I suspect that I’ve not looked closely enough at the relationship between the position of the animal’s eyes and ears. No doubt there will be plenty more dogs I can draw in future.
Later in the week we once again took to our bikes to ride around the lake. This time I was ready with all my gear to sketch the swan and or any other nearby waterbirds. But nature isn’t always obliging and we saw nary a swan. The wind was blowing a howling gale so finding a spot to sit without being blown into the water was hard enough. I did manage to draw two Masked Lapwings that briefly landed near where we were having lunch. As I was simultaneously trying to complete a painting of part of the nearby pontoon I decided to dampen my paper to see how it would work. I like the quality of the resulting line quite a bit.
Masked Lapwings, pen and ink on damp paper, 4 July 2014
I ended up having to abandon trying to paint as the wind shifted and we couldn’t bear to be sitting still any longer.
This week I’ve managed one cafe drawing, at a new locale, which I’m sure will offer more drawing possibilities. Unfortunately I was distracted by sitting on an icy metal cafe chair, outside, because the cafe was full, waiting for the fog to lift. Cold winter mornings are not conducive to making detailed drawings! I added the colour after I got home.
Play area and shade sails (definitely not needed this day), pen and ink and acrylic marker pen, 8 July 2014
Three cafes in three days, a bit more than my usual quota of coffee for the week. I started off with drawing a grandmother and granddaughter, having a break together. The girl developed a somewhat ‘cubist’ head as she kept moving quite quickly. A few of my strokes ended up in unintended places (well that’s my excuse).
Grandmother and granddaughter at the coffee shop, 3 June 2014.
The next day found us having lunch at the National Museum of Australia, after having seen the Old Masters: Australia’s Great Bark Artists (more of that in a future post).
Umbrella and a view back towards the city from the National Museum of Australia, 4 June 2014.
Lastly back to our regular place for a coffee today. The sun encouraged us to go for a walk before more clouds blew in. I particularly liked the way the fluting on the glass reminded me of colonnades and arches.
A glass architecture, pen and ink, 5 June 2014.
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