It's easy to be immersed in history when visiting Sorrento (a seaside township south east of Melbourne city). From left the Sorrento Post Office built in 1903 and Stringers Store established in 1888.
Sorrento, settled in 1803 is the first European settlement in the Australian state of Victoria. It sits at the eastern entrance to Port Phillip Bay on which the city of Melbourne is located. Sketched and painted on location. Touch up done later.
#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #MoleskineWatercolourAlbum, 5x8”.
Cows and bulls at the Berwick (Agricultural) Show, Victoria, Australia. Sketching people and animals in motion was an interesting challenge.
During judging, the handlers led their animals past the judges. When standing still, they continually scratched the bellies of the animals with a prod. This prod looked something like a golf club and the scratching keeps them quiet. The prod has a pointy tip to prod the feet of the animals to make them stand "correctly" for judging. The scratchy bit is a curved prong and some prods have a brush as well!
Paint to one sketch was added soon after the judging finished when I found a chair to sit on in the food truck area.
Marker pens, watercolour, #MoleskineWatercolourAlbum, 5x8” .
The Gladysdale Bakehouse – good food and picturesque views (loved their faux distressed table tops) before a visit to the Blue Lotus Water Gardens in Yarra Junction, north east of Melbourne, Australia.
The lotus and waterlily ponds at the Water Gardens were impressive, as was their garden shop but not the tacky Chinese pavilions and "Balinese" setting of one area (complete with concrete crocodiles).
I was interested in sketcher Liz Steel’s blog post of 13 Feb “Should I add colour to my sketch” and the discussion that ensued. (See: www.lizsteel.com). I ran out of time with this sketch done at the Blue Lotus Water Gardens and added colour at home. I prefer my unpainted version. As always for me (with brown ink at least) some of the more interesting line work has been obliterated by my watercolour. Perhaps I should stick to black ink when I use watercolour?
Marker pens, watercolour, #MoleskineWatercolourAlbum, 5x8”.
Sketching at the corner of Collins and Russell Streets, Melbourne, Australia before an afternoon show at the Regent Theatre.
#FaberCastellPittPen and #TombowMarker, #HandbookJournal 5.5"x5.5"
Out and about getting chores done before the next day's expected 43C degree heat. A muffin and cup of tea was a nice addition to the morning at the Touch of Dutch cafe in Berwick (an outer suburb of Melbourne).
The group at the table up and left just as I was going to sketch them.
#FaberCastellPittPen, #HandbookJournal 5.5"x5.5"
Sketching while supposedly helping to mind the grandkids at the playground (errant grandmother!).
This is watercolour followed by my 40 degree Sailor Fude Pen again. I don't like the way the lines are always a bit too thick on the painted part even when it is dry but I might as well continue.
This is the Primary@Pioneer Cafe in the suburb of Berwick. It's next to Pioneer Park and is housed in the former Old Berwick Primary School. The oldest parts of the building date back to 1876. It is also the headquarters of the Casey Cardinia branch of the National Heritage Trust.
#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #MoleskineWatercolourAlbum, 5x8”
First sketch for the year 2019!
Afternoon shadows on the iconic Old Post Office, Berwick, Victoria. Built in 1885, it is considered architecturally significant as a superior example of a dual function building (combined post office and court house) with a secondary function (Postmaster's residence at the rear).
This was done from the little park that divides the High Street that runs through the shopping strip. A sunny afternoon but not too hot.
Loose watercolour was done first followed by a 40 degree Sailor Fude pen.
I was at first disappointed with the roughness and wonkiness of the drawing but am happy that it ended up looking a confident sketch.
#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Strathmore400 series Watercolour Journal 7.75”x9.75”
