October 4, 2015 by Leonie Andrews

Flower Power

Today the Canberra Sketcher’s Group braved the massed tulips, not to mention the crowds, for our October sketch outing. It took awhile for us to collect ourselves as the parking was problematic, but eight of us did manage to meet up and get to work.

Several of us chose to work from highest part of the display area. We had plenty of interaction with people coming to see what we were doing.

Working from the high ground

The view across the display beds to the Ferris wheel was popular.

Rob’s view to the Ferris wheel, watercolour and marker pen

But getting in all those people and plants was definitely a challenge.

I found it hard to fit ’em all in! watercolour and graphite

Other’s chose to focus on smaller scenes,

Elaine’s sensitive linework view of a picnic spot, pencil, fine pen and watercolour

and flowers

Tulip study by Deb, watercolour and pen

and traders stalls.

Mandy’s tulips and traders, watercolour and fine marker pen

Of course ther’es always room for that ice cream.

Ice cream vendor, watercolour and graphite

In the end we were grateful to sit down and enjoy our picnic lunch, while comparing notes and catching up on what people had been drawing in the previous month.

The day’s collective effort

I thought we might have had time to sketch some of the tasty treats that people brought along to share for lunch, but they all disappeared before anyone could even get their books out!

We will continue the floral theme with our November outing which will be held at 10.30am on Sunday 1 November, at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. We will meet on the lawns in front of the cafe. Hope to see you then!

October 3, 2015 by Leonie Andrews

Stromlo and surrounds

A week ago we took advantage of the fine weather to go out and get some sketching done. First we started at the new subdivisions of Wright and Coombs, currently being built below Mt Stromlo. The fires of 2003 burnt through pine plantations in this area paving the way for new subdivisions for our expanding city. I was attracted to capture the pattern of shadows cast by the pipes.

Sewerage pipes above the new subdivisions, watercolour, Mt Stromlo appears in the background, 25 September 2015

Later the same week we met up with friends and went up to Mt Stromlo, where the Australian National University has its Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics. Like the land surrounding it, Mt Stromlo sustained terrible damage in the firestorm of 2003 that swept into the city of Canberra killing 4 people and destroying some 500 houses. All the telescopes, workshops and library on the mountain were destroyed.

One of the major losses at Mt Stromlo was the 74 inch telescope. This building contains its remains.

The 74 inch telescope building, Mt Stromlo, 28 September 2015, watercolour

The building is sealed to contain remaining hazardous materials, but you can peer in through the windows to see what’s left of the telescope. I think my friend took a photo of me straining to draw what’s left of the telescope. You will be spared that sight, but the texture of the burnt and corroded telescope mount just begged to be drawn.

Remains of the 74″ telescope, sketched through the window, graphite, 28 September 2015

My final subject of the day was the remains of the Oddie telescope building, built in 1911, the first telescope on the mountain. Since our previous visit this building has been fenced off to save it from vandalism. At least I could see past the fence to paint the building.

Remains of the Oddie telescope building, watercolour, 28 September 2015

It was a great day and hopefully as the fine spring weather continues I’ll get a lot more outdoor sketching done.

October 3, 2015 by Leonie Andrews

Somethings …

Last night waiting for fish and chips. Yummo.

September 11, 2015 by Leonie Andrews

Out and about on a botanical Friday

Here are two drawings from different botanically-related outings today.

The first was drawn at the Yarralumla Gallery next to the Heritage Nursery where I’d been buying plants to help renovate our front garden. While there is nothing particularly different with this drawing, the notebook its drawn on is something fairly new, a Leuchtturm Whitelines Link® notebook. This notebook is designed to be used in conjunction with an app for your smartphone so that it can be digitised and shared easily on a variety of platforms. Enough of that for the moment as I plan to explain more and do a bit of a review in another post.

Yarralumla Gallery, pen and ink on a Leuchtturm Whitelines Notebook, 11 September 2015

Our second outing was to the Australian National Botanic Gardens, not as you may expect to see the plants, but rather to check out the newest farmer’s market in Canberra. This was only the second week of the Eat Local Friday market’s operation so we didn’t know what to expect. There were plenty of people there and they seemed quite keen to get among the produce. It is unusual to see a market in such a pleasant setting and I’m sure that the extra foot traffic will benefit the gardens. I set up at one end of the stalls and was pleased to have plenty of people to include in the scene. I struggled with capturing the light coming from behind the stalls, so it looks like that’s something else I’ll need to work on.

Stalls at the Eat Local Friday markets at the Australian National Botanic Gardens, brush pen, watercolour, pen and ink, 11 September 2015

I was quite intrigued at the number of people who walked several metres past the last stalls and then asked whether there was anything else there. No more stalls I’ll grant you, but only the whole of the gardens at the height of it’s springtime flowering!

September 6, 2015 by Leonie Andrews

Sketching at the War Memorial

It might have been overcast today but we had a good turn out to the monthly get together of the Canberra Sketchers Group at the Australian War Memorial (AWM) – including 5 people who came along for the first time. Having briefly met for a quick chat and orientation everyone dispersed to draw.

Group photo time, the AWM behind us.

The Memorial building itself is interesting and there are so many different perspectives that is can be hard to choose just one spot to draw from. On previous visits I had discovered, not that it is hard to spot, the bridge of the HMAS Brisbane – the whole top section of the battleship – which was removed and re-sited in the grounds of the memorial. Today’s cooler temperature meant that I could spend all the time I wanted to get the sketch done.

The bridge of the HMAS Brisbane with the Auatralian War Memorial in the background, watercolour and brush pen, 6 September 2015

Afterwards we got together in Poppies cafe for coffee, chat and comparison of our sketches. As always it was fascinating to see the various styles and subjects of everyone’s drawings.

Our collective efforts!

The next Canberra Sketchers Group sketchwalk will be on 4 October, 10.30 am, we will be meeting to sketch at Floriade, Canberra’s annual floral festival. If you will be in Canberra you would be welcome to come along. For more details please contact me through the link at the top of this page.

leonieandrews

Tag / urban sketch