February 22, 2015 by Leonie Andrews

From arts to ants

It was an unusual combination of activities that we went to this Sunday afternoon. Firstly there was ‘Drawn In’, the monthly drawing activity held at the National Portrait Gallery. Today Leila and Michael from The Night Cafe performed a range of latin, gypsy and jazz music on guitar, flute and voice.

Michael and Leila at Drawn In, pen and ink, ball point pen, 22 February 2015

It’s great to be able to draw people in action. Michael’s guitar playing provided an interesting pose.

Michael on guitar, pen and ink and ball point pen, 22 February 2015

Leila proved to be more of a challenge to draw as she moved between her flute and vocals. I found her hand positions on the flute fun to try and capture.

Leila on flute, pen and ink and ball point pen, 22 February 2015

Thanks to both musicians for allowing themselves to be scrutinised by so many interested pairs of eyes.

If an afternoon of drawing wasn’t enough we had a second outing to attend. Over on the slopes of Black Mountain we joined the Friends of Black Mountain and Ajay Narendra to look at the local ant fauna. There are over 120 species of ants on the mountain so before long we were examining ants, subterranean and arboreal, biting and non-biting. Ajay shared all sorts of interesting information about ant behaviour and identification. I was most impressed by his ability to gently hold an ant by its legs, between his fingers, before releasing her gently back to where she was picked up (most ants you see are sterile females).

Ajay and interested onlookers at the Black Mountain ant walk, ball point pen, 22 February 2015

Of course it was slow progress as there were so many different types of ants just in the short part of the path we walked along, so I had time for a sketch in between ant species.

February 21, 2015 by Leonie Andrews

Go figure

Drawing people continues to be the steepest learning curve for me. I like Hallie Batemen‘s comment that people on mobile phones are good subjects to draw as they are generally oblivious to you when they are talking on the phone. Last week I discovered another good category of people to sketch – smokers! I know this sounds odd but since the introduction of smoke free environment laws in the ACT smokers are exiled to congregate in small clusters, outside, away from offices and shops. I discovered such a sad cluster across the road from where I was having a cup of coffee early this week. It was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Two Smokers, Tuggeranong, pen and ink, ball point pen, 16 February 2015

And it doesn’t stop at smokers either. I know its not exactly life drawing, but I’m also happy to take advantage when passing by suitable figurative sculptures. I spotted this small sculpture by Degas in the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) a few days ago and made a drawing of her as well.

Grand Arabesque 3rd Position, Edgar Degas, bronze with patina, 1880’s, pencil, 20 February 2015

I must say that Degas gave her arms a more albatross-like extension than they would have had in real life, (I want you to know it isn’t my wonky drawing). I also managed to capture a page of cafe-goers in the NGA cafe on the same day.

At the National Gallery of Australia cafe, 20 February 2015, ball point pen

Practice, practice, practice!

February 18, 2015February 18, 2015 by Leonie Andrews

Littoral translations

If our last beach outing was overcast and damp then yesterday’s visit was the complete opposite. Clear sunny skies with a stiff breeze and plenty more people on the beach. We put the Sand Palace up and sitting in its shade, used our lunch break to do some sketching (myself, my partner and another friend) – that is of course after we scoffed our fish and chips.

My partner spotted this entertaining sight further up the beach. This man was getting shade from an umbrella that he clearly had given up trying to keep the the right way out.

C’est la vie! enjoying the beach anyway, double pen drawing, ink and Copic marker, 17 February 2015

Things closer to hand were a pair of thongs

Blue thongs, double pen drawing, 17 February 2015, Surf Beach

and some seagulls (Silver Gulls if I’m being correct).

Silver gulls, double pen drawing ink and Copic marker, 17 February 2015

Last but not least I just squeeked out two quick watercolour sketches of people standing on the water’s edge, just before we headed back into the water for another swim.

Watching, Surf Beach, 17 February 2015, watercolour and graphite

February 16, 2015 by Leonie Andrews

Picking blackberries

A favourite pastime in February is picking blackberries that grow rampantly around the ACT (Australian Capital Territory).

In amongst the blackberries, 15 February 2015, pen and ink

This was a very quick sketch that I did while taking a break. I subsequently decided to re-draw the figures of my friends, as I liked the shapes their bodies made.

Picking blackberries, 15 February 2015, pen and ink, various colours and Copic Multiliner

I’m hoping they’ll forgive me their bulky outlines. I was drawing using two pens at the same time which inevitably seems to expand the girth of any subject. (In my defence they were also wearing overshirts to protect themselves from the thorns).

Earlier today my friend sent me another photo taken a week beforehand, also picking blackberries. So I thought another re-drawing was warranted.

Picking blackberries, pen and ink and Copic Multiliner, held together while drawing, 16 February 2015

I’m really enjoying the drawing with two pens/pencils at a time approach. I think what is appealing to me is how the technique generates volume, as opposed to outline. I’m reminded of Henry Moore’s drawings, even though I haven’t seen any that indicate that he used such an approach (if you have seen this technique in his work I would be interested to know). I found this introduction to an exhibition of Moore’s drawings held in 2010 in Zurich (ah the joys of the internet) which I thought made some interesting points. Putting to one side that this post contains several re-drawn images and one based on a photograph I liked Moore’s comment that “Drawing from life keeps one visually fit – perhaps acts like water to a plant – and it lessens the danger of repeating oneself and getting into a formula”.

February 13, 2015 by Leonie Andrews

Out and About

If there is one piece of advice that I think we can all benefit from it is to take up our sketchbooks and draw! While I carry a very small Moleskine drawing book in my bag I’m also trying to take my larger format book with me whenever I go out.

This week I went to a floortalk at the Australia Wide 4 exhibition from the OzQuilt Network. I decided to draw the speaker, using blind drawing technique. I had two goes at it and thought the second was more successful than the first.

Blind drawing at the exhibition floortalk, 12 February 2015, pen and ink

Today I was able to spend some more time working on this street scape and figures on the restaurant strip in Tuggeranong. And yes, in case you were wondering I used all my three fountain pens in this sketch, just because I can.

Anketell St Tuggeranong, 13 February 2015, pen and ink

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Tag / pen and ink