Tag / watercolour

by Leonie Andrews

Awash with JMW

There are few pleasures in an Australian summer to compare to hanging on the ocean side of the Merewether Baths, watching the waves rolling in over the rock platform, and for an extra frisson enjoying a wave washing up and over the edge of the pool.

Having enjoyed a holiday plungeor two I was reminded of that other aficionado of the seaside Mr JMW Turner. While my efforts are in no way comparable I couldn’t resist a Turneresque title for my simple sketch.

Coal ships off the port of Newcastle – waves breaking over Merewether Ocean Baths, water temperature 20°C, falling tide , 19 January 2018

by Leonie Andrews

Urban Sketchers at the Shine Dome

Our urban sketching group met today to sketch at the Shine Dome, home of the Australian Academy of Science and one of the modernist masterpieces of this country. Designed by Roy Grounds and completed in 1958, the building is often referred to by it’s nickname as the ‘Martian Embassy ‘.

Behind the Shine Dome is a more recent edition to the Canberra skyline. The Nishi Building, 2015, with it’s green wall, includes offices and commercial space and incorporates, on the right, Hotel Hotel. This complex was designed by Fender Katsiladis Architects and March Studio, and landscape architects Oculus.

Watercolour, pencil

by Leonie Andrews

Three things I sketched today

Today I drew three things at the National Gallery of Australia.

The cancellation proof of David Hockney’s Portrait of Rolf Nelson, 1968, lithograph with hand colouring. The cancellation proof has red eyes and bow lips with a peace sign on the sitters shirt.

You can see the original version of the print here.

People sitting in the Members lounge.

A Gandaran Bodisattva, carved from grey schist.

by Leonie Andrews

National Arboretum Canberra

Today we had a large group of sketchers meet at the National Arboretum, which has some of the best views over the city of Canberra. The shape of the central building on the site is leaf-shaped from above, and the curve of the roofline echoes the nearby hills.

I worked on capturing the curve of the most prominent part of the building along with the view across to the telecommunications tower on the nearby Black Mountain.

I prepared my page with splashes of paint before sketching.