ANZAC Day 2025 Sketch

I have sketched at 3 previous ANZAC Day ceremonies held at the cenotaph on High St, Berwick (an outer suburb of Melbourne). This year, I was joined by 5 sketch friends. Going by previous years I knew a good place to stand with my sketchbook. The troops turned the corner at the Old Post Office and proceeded down the hill to the cenotaph. It was a small but nonetheless moving ceremony. The crowd seemed smaller than previous years even though the rain stayed away till it was over.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, Hahnemuehle Sketchbook A6.

A Staycation in Southbank

 Our short staycation in Southbank in the city last month was a nice milestone to reach after a challenging few months of health issues.

This first sketch was started along Southbank at the St Kilda Road end while having lunch at Sake. It's a great (but very expensive) Japanese restaurant which serves some unusual dishes. This was our second visit there and we will go again. 

This second sketch was done a bit further along the river near Evan Walker Bridge while having a cup of coffee from the Foodcourt (talk about a come-down!). What a glorious sunny afternoon and I thought our summer was over.

This next one is a view of the back of Flinders St Station from Southbank. 

Here I'm trialing a Hahnemuehle two sketchbook bundle. Lovely and smooth to draw on with my ink pen! I added a wash later. There was slight buckling on the back of the main page but it disappeared when fully dry. This bundle contained two softcover sketchbooks (pink and grey). Each 20 sheets, A6, $10.65 for the bundle from Senior Art Supplies. Lovely paper to draw on (very fine tooth, almost smooth), no see through. I’d have to make a hard cover sleeve to make it ideal. I like it as it would be so lightweight to carry.

Last dinner at the Waterfront Fish Restaurant along the river. We sure went big on fish this trip as we both had fish the night before when we met up with S and D for dinner to celebrate their recent wedding.

We will be back!!

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5” and Hahnemuehle Sketchbook Bundle A6.

Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne

Here we are at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, Victoria. This landscape design depicts the journey of water. A staff member passing explained that the lunettes (on right) represent rock or sand formations, the Spinifex rounds and red sand Central Australia and the line of Yellow Button bushes the north south direction some early European explorers took from the south to the unexplored north in search of the great Inland Sea. 

A very sunny day with 4 of the usual group of sketch friends. An appropriate day to enjoy this spot!

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

#RoyalBotanicGardensCranbourne

Gardenworld

Gardenworld, Braeside, Springvale Road, Victoria. What a place for garden lovers and sketchers! A HUGE garden centre with a grotto and waterfall, a big desert/cactus display like a movie set and a bonsai area. Plus regular plants, garden paraphernalia, a gift shop specializing in fossils and a separate lotus/waterworld area. Not to mention a bustling cafe with an unexpectedly large selection of good food. Today was busy with visitors including what looked like a tour group of geriatrics.

Here's the dim, cool and damp mossy area where the sound of a waterfall made for a relaxing sketching spot. Drops of water kept falling on my page and helped my wet-on-wet painting attempt. Next to the bridge was a popular photo taking spot. The lady was acting up trying to look coy! 

A great day out with a few sketch friends.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

#Gardenworld

Courtyard Cafe

Here I am back in a medical establishment yet again! This hospital had a cafe with an unexpectedly pleasant outdoor courtyard. One large wall was covered by huge tropical plants. An balmy, sunny 24 degrees, my sketchbook, a hot lemongrass drink and an apple muffin filled in the 3 hours very peacefully.  It felt like a real treat! 

Brought to an end by the phone call...time to pick up the patient. 

I've come to like drawing people. I wonder what their story was on that day, waiting in a hospital. 

#Tombow marker pens, #Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”. 

Caftans and Circuses

The past week has taken me (with my sketchbook) to a hospital cafe and a medical clinic, waiting while my spouse is seen to for a cataract procedure. What would I do without a sketching hobby! 

Here's a lady wearing a striking striped caftan with a headscarf in the rather small and quiet hospital cafe. 

It turned out a much more stimulating experience than expected when a mandarin-only speaking man asked to share my table. With my primary school mandarin and the translation app on his phone, we managed to strike up a long conversation and exchanged life stories! I was impressed he knew mine was a sketch and he taught me the mandarin term for it (su4 miao2). He was very happy to have me sketch him too! Urban Sketchers just keep on having good experiences. Art does bring people together!

Here's people in the waiting room of an eye clinic while my spouse had a checkup after his successful procedure a couple of days ago. 

Is that a circus I see in the distance out of the window!? Yes indeed! It is the Circus Royale Australia near the Fountain Gate Shopping Centre. As I learn, it is an Australian owned and operated circus that travels around Australia. Currently closed on a belated Christmas break they will soon be back performing!

Marker pens, #Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”, #HandbookJournal 5.5" x 5.5".

Christian's Meeting House

The former Christian’s Meeting House in the outer suburb of Berwick, Melbourne was built for the Church of Christ in 1886. It was sold to City of Casey in 1975 and is now privately owned. Unfortunately I found little else about it. 

I did this sketch of the heritage building after a sketchmeet with friends when my spouse stopped for coffee opposite it. An enjoyable sketch using just a marker.

Marker pen, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.