Brisbane Sketchfest 2019 and more.

Brisbane Sketchfest 2019 in October, was Australia's first mini Urban Sketchers (USk) symposium. Three days of workshops and sketch walks was a fabulous experience. There were 180 participants mainly from Australia with a few from Asia and the Pacific (13 of us were from Melbourne).

I chose an A5 Stillman and Birn Alpha soft cover as my "official" sketchbook for the event. Just the right size and light in weight. The paper is not watercolour paper but takes water medium reasonably well, not too precious. As I had not used that brand of sketchbook for some years I drew the tools I was taking with me as a way of "breaking it in". 

During the flight to Brisbane I used my A6 Moleskine Sketch. This is the only size I can comfortably manage while sharing space with an inflight meal! Here's the ubiquitous sketch of our aircraft. 

Here's the small Astro Boy string top bag which J had bought in Japan. The bag conveniently held my 3 marker pens (brown, turquoise and pink was my chosen palette for travelling). Hanging the bag from the knob of the tray table meant no more searching for lost pens at the bottom of the seat pocket!  

Testing out my gear on the first evening in Brisbane with a sketch of the spire of City Hall which was going to be the hub for the Sketchfest. A man sitting next to me asked if I would sketch him so I obliged. He was a tourist from Perth!

Jacaranda trees were in full bloom at this time of the year. I sneaked in a sketch while waiting to be picked up by some relatives. 

The first morning of the Sketchfest started with an inspiring introduction by each of the 12 instructors about their work. 
What a line up! Paul Wang (Singapore), Ch'ng Kiah Kiean (aka KK , Malaysia), K.C Lee (Malaysia), Rob Sketcherman (Hong Kong), Liz Steel (Australia), Richard Briggs (Australia), Peter Rush (Australia), Alex Snellgrove (Australia), Robyn Bauer (Australia), Deb Mostert (Australia), Michael Pope (Australia), Tony Walker (Australia). 

This was followed by a presentation by each participating USk chapter about the activities of their group with sketches from participants. 

Oh and we were given our Goody Bags of art materials! 

My first of three workshops was with KK on painting with twigs and ink. We learnt how to sharpen the end of a twig and KK showed us his no-spill ink container! Producing variable "dancing lines" as he called them was harder than I thought!

Here's KK's sketch of the skyline above City Hall.

My main difficulty has been making another good twig. KK tells me that the secret is a medium hard twig...and trial and error. 

On the morning of Day Two I attended a workshop with Alex Snellgrove. Alex has an unusual technique using Posca Pens and produces works with exciting pops of background colour. While I really like the appearance of the artwork she does, I don't like the process. Hers is a technique I may adapt in the future to my own way of working. 

Here's the scene and the group's efforts (mine is middle of bottom row).

Walking back to the hub in the Brisbane City Hall, my niece (also my Sketchfest buddy) and I found our usual entry way closed! Entry was now restricted to one door at the front of the building. Climate protestors were congregating in the vicinity and we suddenly found ourselves followed by a few police on horseback! These horses were intimidating! As large as Clydesdales but without the hairy hooves.  I'm just sorry I didn't have an opportunity to sketch the protesters.

The delay left little time to down some lunch and then it was off again on the afternoon's sketch crawl. I chose to follow Paul Wang whose work I much admire. The sketch route included The Treasury Hotel grounds where Paul gave a demo. 

Unfortunately heavy rain arrived and the sketch crawl was cut short. 

What else to  do while waiting under cover for the rain to stop.

On Day Three it was a trudge up the hill for a workshop with Robyn Bauer on Trees with Texture and Tone. We managed several useful exercises but the final hour was a washout with heavy rain, wind and a temperature of 13C. This was Brisbane in October!?

Taking refuge in a hotel across the road, Robyn talked the group through some techniques on how she draws trees and showed us an impressively long concertina sketchbook filled with some wonderful sketches! Note the pouring rain outside. 

More rain was predicted and I was too tired to go on the second sketch crawl after lunch so instead I joined my spouse at the outdoor Queens Street Mall. Sketching there in the shade of giant trees on a lovely afternoon reminded me why I do so love urban sketching.  Entertainment by buskers (a male female duo) singing Italian opera made it an afternoon I will long remember. Of course that rain never arrived.

Over the two days, I chose to draw a combination of vignettes in my sketchbook – unfinished and splattered by rain.

Here's the final throw down (of sketchbooks) and group photo in King George Square at the end of the 3 days. A great finale!

The day after the Sketchfest, 60 sketchers attended the Brisbane USk meet at Station Pier on the Brisbane River. I think everyone drew the iconic Story Bridge (including me).

Here's the throwdown that day. I was thrilled that it included sketchbooks of my 2 grandchildren (who had come from Sydney for the weekend) and a grand nephew and niece (all aged between 4 and 11).

What a gloriously sunny day which ended for me with one last sketch of St. Stephens Chapel close by. This is the oldest functioning church in Brisbane. 

It certainly was a very full 3 (and a half) days – putting a face to people whose names I had only known online on USk sites, making new sketcher friends, learning new techniques from inspiring instructors...and I didn't even get to the evening Eat, Drink and Draw activities! 

Thanks to the organizers, Brisbane Sketchfest 2019 was definitely a success.  I'm now eagerly waiting to hear when and where the next Australian meet will be! 

Of course, one last sketch on the flight home.