More Thursdays and my final two workshops.

Robyn Bauer Workshop 

Some of the results

Working hard

Heads down

Deep concentration

Progress

More progress

In the succulent garden

The November workshop explored the use of opaque pens over paint. "Paint first, draw later". 

I thought the succulent area the most promising for varied subject matter, plus it had the covered area for shade. This approach is such a different one for many of the participants and a few commented that they were way out of their comfort zone. 

Using a new medium and approach can be really challenging. 

The results were quite remarkable.

The final workshop of the year was a professional development session for the Education staff. We explored the use of Posca pens on a coloured ground and spent the morning observing the waterlilies.

One of my favourite spots in the Australian Rainforest area

I have still been spending every Thursday drawing on location, sometimes joined by fellow artist friends or Urban Sketchers.

Fellow sketcher

Fellow sketcher

Robyn Bauer Ink Drawing

Robyn Bauer Ink Drawing

Sitting Ducks at 8am

Robyn Bauer Ink Drawings

Robyn Bauer Ink Drawings

Tools of the trade, on location

October Workshops, Nature Journaling with a Difference.

My October workshop in the Botanic Gardens was entitled "Nature Journaling with a Difference". 

After discussing the nature of journaling and an approach incorporating close observation and sensitive mark-making, each participant was given a concertina sketchbook and various ink pens to record their observations and sense responses. 

We discussed different possible approaches and the use of contour or descriptive lines. We allowed for the use of colour and word descriptions and the honing of all the senses to enhance the experience. 

Each participant was given a handout with some word prompts.

Here are a few photos from the morning.

Robyn Bauer Workshop

Thursdays in the Gardens

As part of my Artist in Residency at the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, I am drawing or painting somewhere in the gardens on most days. On Thursdays I have been posting my location on social media so that other artists or sketchers can join me. This week I was working in the Japanese Garden on Thursday and was joined by eight other sketchers.

Robyn Bauer sketching in the Japanese garden

I was tempted by the winter sunshine but after starting my drawing I soon realised I was getting far too hot, plus the glare from the paper made it very difficult to continue and I had to move to the shade. I still continued on the same drawing from a different angle. I should know better being a Queenslander. I won't make that mistake again.

Pinus Thunbergii, Robyn Bauer

The twisted forms of this Japanese Black Pine were the main focus with the pond in the middle distance.

Sketchers in the Japanese garden

There were dozens of school children who were intrigued to see artists at work and they stopped to watch for several minutes.

Sketchers in the Japanese Garden

As you see we had a lovely group out enjoying the perfect winter weather.

Hard at work

This shelter provides a great resource for artists to see and work, rain or shine.

Robyn Bauer sketching

August workshop - Botanical Collage

Using the outlines of flowers, leaves, seedpods and branches, this workshop focused on the use of collage.

I prepared nine collages to illustrate different techniques that could be employed.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Collage

Paper was prepared first with a swish of acrylic ink.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Collage

Various papers were sourced, including napkins and tissue paper. This provided the first layers.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Collage

There is some stenciling done here with paper doilies. Posca pens on the top layer.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Collage

I realised fairly early in this process that using large pieces of coloured tissue provided a transparent layer of colour that linked disparate elements.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Collage

There are bits of wrapping paper on this one and the black ink was added with a twig. Purple flowers painted with acrylic.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Collage

The one above probably has the most collaged areas of all of them. The four flowers have multiple layers of petals. I have ripped up some of my own paintings into petal shaped pieces. The coloured lines are Posca pens and an ink drawing in the middle.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Collage 

Sometimes if an area becomes too complex you can always collage some white paper over the top such as this white flower on the left.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Collage

This one started with some acrylic ink splashes, then tissue paper then ink and Posca pen.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Collage

This one is based on a painting I had already done of a lotus flower from the pond near the library. Lots of tissue paper to indicate the leaves.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Workshop

Lots of information about the different approaches on the white board behind.

Botanical Collage Workshop

As an extra source of inspiration I bought along my collection of fabric flowers.

Half way through

We worked the surfaces from broad backgrounds to details last.

Botanical Workshop

In the photo above you can see some of my framed collages on the back table.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Workshop

I had such a variety of papers we considered tonal values as we went.

Robyn Bauer Workshop

So many approaches covered meant there were many different outcomes from the group.

Fun with the flowers

As you can see above there was some wearable art experimented with.

Student works

Finally the results. Some outstanding responses. Some of the students continued these at home and I've seen the results on Instagram. They really came alive with some final touches.