Urban Sketches of Brisbane

Since my big solo show is now well and truly over I have been getting back to en plein air sketching. I have joined a group of urban sketchers who meet on Tuesdays, but on other days I still get out there and draw from life in the urban landscape around Brisbane. There is a real difference in approach working from life. It is a good lesson to respond with immediacy to a subject.

 This is my first outdoor effort. It is from New Farm Park looking past the ferry terminal towards the river bank on the other side. I guess it would be East Brisbane over there. In this one I used every media from paint, pencil, ink, charcoal and white charcoal. About 1 hour's work.

This was my second hour out in the open. Drawn from just past the Powerhouse and looking toward the East Brisbane riverbank, past a large fig tree.

My third effort for that day again shows the river in the foreground and higher up the riverbank is Lourdes Hill School. This is just pencil, 6B and HB.

Having got back into the sketching mode I took my sketchbook along to the Northern Districts Horticultural Society Meeting and drew the participants behind a few hanging baskets. Pen and Ink, wash added later.

 This one is from GOMA looking past the elephant sculpture towards Brisbane City. The urban sketchers met here so we were a group of about 14.

 So far I have done a sketch daily. This one was yesterday just down the road in Given Terrace Paddington.

Today it is pouring rain so this is the view from my studio back deck towards Sacred Heart Rosalie Church and Toowong Village. As you can see I am limiting my media to just pen and ink and wash. Just like my painting technique I prefer the splatter and splodges of the accidental mark. Planning to loosen up a lot more than this though!


I am happy to do commissions of such views if required.