Today was our first time back at the Red Point Artists Art & Craft on the Grass event since April this year. The May event was cancelled due to bad weather and we couldn’t get to the June event as we both had Covid (for the first-time after dodging for 4 1/2 years).
Today was also the 4th time I have had a stall there.
Once again it was a fun time, a little cool and windy for the first few hours, then the Sun came out and warmed things up a little.
Today also represented ‘5 years, 168 Days’ since I started my ‘Daily Art Practice.’ The image below is today’s effort.
I have already booked my spot for the August event, and there are a number of things I need to do in the next month to ‘upgrade’ my presentation at the stall.
It was also great to see a few other Artists brave the Winter day and come to display their creative efforts. It’s always a joy to see their latest creations.
Recently, as I was recovering from Covid (for the first time), I flicked on YouTube and came across a video on Faber Castell Water Soluble Graphite Pencils. I had heard of Watercolour and Inktense pencils before (and have some of each), but had never heard of the former.
I watched the video, then some other videos on the subject and became quite interested in them so I jumped onto Amazon and saw that a Faber Castell set of 5 pencils, HB, 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B and a Brush in a lockable tin was 32.00 AUD. Without the tin it cost $15.43 AUD. Once bought, I knew they would probably never go back in the tin so I purchased the set without it.
Below are my first two attempts with them.
I’m happy with the first two attempts though obviously have plenty to learn in terms of e.g., what are suitable subjects for these medium; how should I best use the pencils, and increasing my skill level. Looking forward to practicing with them to see what I can come up with. 🙂
Yesterday, myself and approx. 50-60 other Urban Sketchers attended the September Sketch-meet. Our destination was the Sydney Opera House, which in a month’s time will have been open for 50 years.
I remember watching the opening in October 1973 on a Black & White TV set from our home approx. 13km/8 miles from the Sydney CBD. I still remember running up to the bridge over the railway line half-way between my suburb and the next so we could see a whole mass of balloons being sent into the sky from the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Of course we could not see the bridge itself, but we did see the the a mass of balloons rise in the distance.
The Sydney Opera House is one of the most uniquely designed structures in the world.
I must say I was very pleased to attend this Sketch-meet as this the first standalone Sydney Sketch-meet I have been able to attend this year.
Rather than try to sketch the whole building, I chose to do a section of it and am very happy with the result.
As you can see from the first photo, it was perfect weather and it was quite a relaxing experience. I find the whole experience of sketching/painting, meditative, particularly when I do minute details, like the tiles in the ‘Sails.’
One of the things that I really look forward to at the the Sketch-meets is the ‘Throwdown’ as seen in the photos below. It’s wonderful seeing all the different styles and mediums that people use to create their Art. So inspirational.
All-in-all it was a great morning of sketching. It is so great to get together with a group of creators.
The ‘Urban Sketchers’ are a world-wide movement which is in over 60 countries, 394 cities with over 120,000 members. For more information, check out their website https://urbansketchers.org/ so you can find a chapter near you.
Yesterday, my Wife, Susan and I attended an Urban Sketch-meet that was organised by Urban Sketchers Blue Mountains. They were invited to sketch in the Gardens of the Norman Lindsay Gallery.
Norman Lindsay was a famous, prolific, controversial and award-winning Australian Watercolour and Oil Painter, Etcher, award-winning Novelist and a Sculptor. His creativity is on display at the abovementioned gallery which is situated at his former home on 49 acres in Faulconbridge, in the Blue Mountains West of Sydney Australia.
The Urban Sketchers Blue Mountains invited members of Urban Sketchers Sydney up for the morning for approximately 2 hours of sketching.
There were about 30 in attendance and it was a delightful Winter’s day. We were bathed in sunshine and blue skies and it was about 19C/66F. Quite warm for Winter in the Blue Mountains.
It was a wonderful morning of sketching and relaxing. I even took a poetry book with me and spent a short time after sketching just sitting in the Sun reading. It was such a peaceful location.
After the sketch-meet was over, we decided to go on the property tour and were blessed to see the actual studios where Norman Lindsay painted and etched. We then viewed the gallery, which also featured art by Norman’s Brother, Lionel who was also quite talented as well.
On the way home we stopped at The Bunker (cafe/restaurant/bar) in Springwood and also visited the ColourArt Australia Art & Craft store across the road. One cannot pass up an opportunity to venture to an Art store that you haven’t been into before… 🙂 Picked up a couple of things there.
All-in-all it was a beautiful relaxing day in picturesque surroundings.
I have just found out today that the next Urban Sketcher Sydney sketch-meet is early in September at the Sydney Opera House, which is celbrating it’s 50th anniversary this year.
Recently, a great friend and business owner I know (who is an Artist, Art Teacher and Art Therapist), Sharon Veness, set up a Facebook group called ‘Art Journaling Australia.’
I’ve been doing sketches for a few years now and have read about Art Journaling before, however I’ve not really had a consistent practice for it. This past week, I’ve joined Sharon’s new Facebook group and am enjoying the process.
Some of my Art Journaling will never see the light of day as it is quite personal however, some is less personal and I have been happy to share it in the group.
Here a couple of examples:
Arterial lifelines hold our lives together. They are our Lifeblood, connecting the various parts of our lives, bleeding into each other… Watercolour was a great way to communicate this, I felt.
I’m really enjoying this process. It’s another way for me to communicate/express how I feel about things in my life and as I view the world on a daily basis.
If you are interested in checking out the Facebook link, here it is:
Last weekend on our anniversary celebration, I picked a book at a store in Berrima, N.S.W. called, ‘Six Impossible Things. Last year, I purchased a double-glass inkwell at the store and was delighted to see that they had moved to bigger premises.
Erica owns the store and is very helpful. I picked up a Postal dip pen nib and the book below.
The book seemed way too interesting to leave on the shelf. A few weeks back I was talking to a gallery director in Camden and he gave me a reed and showed me how to cut it so it could be used as a dip pen. Looking at my attempt I think I have more practice ahead of me. Oh well, something is worth doing badly until one becomes better at it.
In my limited look at the book since it appears to go a lot deeper into the technical details of creating such tools. I’m looking forward to exploring it more and having some more Arty fun!
Last Saturday, I went on my second Meet of the Urban Sketchers Sydney group. This time, the Meet was held in the grounds between the Sydney Town Hall and St Andrews Cathedral.
The main object of the day was to attempt a sketch of a moving subject, the newly built ‘Sydney Light Rail’, a red and deep grey, modern-style tram.
There were 40 or so Urban Sketchers in attendance and most started with the Light Rail as the subject. Quite a few of us went in the other direction and chose stationary subjects i.e. buildings or parts of buildings. I chose the side entrance/steps to the Sydney Town Hall.
Sydney Town Hall
To be honest, I found this subject challenging enough and when it started to rain a little it was even more challenging. After I finished this sketch, I did wander over to the Light Rail and started to sketch it. It was kind of weird how the subject kept disappearing… I didn’t get to finish the sketch at the time but it certainly was an interesting challenge and experience.
We then had the ‘Throw Down’ and once again it was marvellous to see all the different interpretations and styles of those present.
Throw Down
I am so glad that I came across this group on Facebook. Urban Sketchers Sydney is full of friendly and inspirational people and I am looking forward to attending my third Meet in November. I wonder where it will be? 🙂
Communicating Creatively 