Sketching the new Government Building-in progress....

....with the Brisbane USkers

I have wanted to sketch this building for ages  Thought I had better hurry up before they finish it.  It is affectionately known as the Tower of Power.  It is the new government building.  The building on the left of my sketch is Parliament House.

After I had finished sketching, I was heading back to the ferry terminal, when I noticed that the gates to parliament were open.  So I went in.  Parliament is sitting.  I go to go up to the Gallery and watch the session for awhile.  I had asked if I was allowed to sketch up there and was told yes.  I was 15 minutes into my sketch, when security came and told me they had made a mistake and no, I couldn't sketch.  I memorised what i was looking at, and will finish it this week.

This building is affectionately known as the Tower of Power. 

Fabriano sketchbook 9.5 x 6 inches lamy fountain pen and watercolours

Scandinavian Festival Sketchout

It was a lovely morning, sketching with the Brisbane Urban SKers.  Fascinating to see the viking displays at the festival, taste the foods and see the sights..  I tried to sketch some of it.  It was touch and go :-) loads of people milling around. 

Fabriano Sketchbook 9.5" x 6" Lamy fountain pen and watercolours

 

 

Sketching in my Street.

I have wanted to get out an sketch all day, but admin stuff kept me at my computer until 4.00pm.  I said to heck with it, grabbed my gear and went next door to sit on my neighbours garden wall and sketch the house opposite.  The wind had come up, and was blowing coolly from the bay, so I only stayed for just over 30 minutes.

Fabriano  9.5" x 6" Venezia sketchbook, Lamy Safari fountain pen and watercolours..

Park Road - Milton:- REFLECTIONS

I was sitting at the coffee Club on Park Road, with the Brisbane USkers, looking directly across the street at the reflections in the high rise. It was challenging, because before I got to finish the cranes they started moving.  I actually couldn't believe my eyes, I was so engrossed in the drawing process, when I looked up again, I thought, Huh?  That is not right..
I looked, blinked and looked again.  Sure enough, the workmen had finally arrived to operate those cranes.  It was still a load of fun, I just had to wait until they moved the machine back to where it was when I started drawing, draw quickly before it turned around again.

 

Fabriano Venezia Sketchbook - Lamy Safari fountain pen and watercolours

 

Fathers Day Sunday the 6th in Australia. Fathers and all that Jazz

Literally. :)  The Wynnum Manly Fathers day Jazz festival.  It was wonderful.  While my daughter and her father were bonding, I got to do some sketching.  It was a little difficult with some jostling and me having to stand and sketch, but the ambiance and the music were so worth it.

I did the sketching onsite, but wasn't able to get my watercolours out of my bag, so I painted the colour at my daughters, while she was cooking dinner. (I used photos I had taken for reference.)

 

  Sketched in my Fabriano 9.6" x 6"  sketchbook with my Lamy Safari fountain pen, and watercolours.

BOUNDARY ROAD MARKETS

What a fabulous spring day it was.  Out with the Brisbane Urban Sketchers sketching the markets.  I love going out sketching with the group, we always have such a lot of fun, and I am always learning something new.

Fabriano 200gsm 9.5" x 6" sketchbook - Uni Pin pen - Lamy fountain Pen - watercolours

Sketching in Park Road - Milton Qld

It was a gorgeous morning, the first day of spring, sketching with the  Brisbane Urban Sketchers.
Park road has such a lot to offer for sketchers, and there are wonderful historical properties in nearby streets.
I chose to stay and sketch the cafe scene this morning.

First up it was the statues in the cafe La Dolce Vita.

Second sketch is of the pretend Eiffel Tower

Last sketch was back at the La Dolce Vita.

All sketches are in my Fabriano Venezia sketchbook.  I used a fountain pen and Noodlers Blue-Black ink.

Temple of the Holy Triad - Higgs Street - Albion - Brisbane. Qld

This is the oldest Buddhist temple in Brisbane. It was more formally known as the Temple of the Holy Triad because three religions were practised here - Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Nowadays it is listed as Quan Am Temple.
It was made by Chinese craftsman with materials imported for the purpose, and it was opened in 1884.

 Fabriano Sketchbook Uni Pin 0.5 and watercolour

 

 Thank you for looking.

Roma Street Station. Platform 3

I had to go to the city today, Platform 3 in fact Roma Street Station for the Official launch of OPEN HOUSE 2015... I took my sketchbook with me...

 Fabriano Venezia 9.5" x 6" sketchbook
Uni Pin 0.05 black pen
Watercolours
The carriage in the background is from Queensland Rail's heritage steam train BB18 1/4 1079 fondly known as Bety

Roma Street Station was officially opened on 14 June 1875.
the building on Platform 3 was erected in 1874 and has been used as a railway station for over 120 years.
It is in the process of a major restoration, and a good portion of the interior is already looking awesome.

It will be open 10th and 11th October for Brisbane Open House

Sketching at Boundary Street Markets

Boundary Street Markets,  in West End, Brisbane,  is a weekly market that support a collective group of local artisans, designers, growers and producers.  It is colourful, busy, has a variety of stalls, and is high energy.  A great place to sketch.

Fabriano Venezia. 9.5" x 6"

Uni Pin 0.8 and 0.3 black pens and watercolours

SKETCHING THE CITY TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH

The first Baptist church was formed in Brisbane in 1855. The first Church building was opened in Wharf Street in 1859. The church then moved to the present site on Wickham Terrace. This impressive building stands on one of the highest parts of the city.
The current Baptist City Tabernacle  was designed by Richard Gailey and built from to 1889 to 1890. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992

 Fabriano Venezia 9.5" x 6" 220gsm sketchbook  - 0.8 UniPin pen and watercolours

My warm up sketch was done from the Wicked Corner Cafe on the corner of  Edward St and Wickham Terrace.  Where I was sitting, I could look up Wickham Terrace and see the Historic Windmill Observation Tower.

A5 black Mont Mart 220 gsm sketchpad - White Signo Gel pen

The Old Windmill was built in 1828 during colonial times by convicts for grinding grains, such as wheat and maize. It is the first and oldest convict built structure in Brisbane and is on the heritage list.

It  originally had wind-powered sails, but they never worked very well, so a  treadmill  called a "rat-wheel" was introduced.  It is said that one convict slipped to his death while working the treadmill.  The fellow convicts were ordered not to stop "treading"   The treadmill was dismantled in 1842 when the convict settlement was closed.

From 1922 to 1926 the tower served the Institute of Radio Engineers for meetings and experiments, Gympie Radio Pioneer A. E. Dillon 4CH, was the first experimenter to conduct MW tests and transmissions from this tower in late 1921 or early 1922. The Tower was ideally suited for this purpose as it commanded a panoramic view from Moreton Bay in the east, to Darling Downs on the western horizon. Nearby he erected a 150 feet (45m) mast and strung an 80 feet (24m) antenna between it and the Tower - the most impressive configuration of its kind in Queensland at the time.
During the 1930s and 1940s the tower was the venue for pioneer television broadcasting.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Sketching at the Korean Cultural and Food Festival at King George Square today.

It was a gorgeous winters day today, sun was shining and there was a light fresh breeze. Perfect for sketching. The Brisbane Urban Sketchers came out to sketch this wonderful cultural extravaganza.  The sounds, the smells, the colours, the food, and the dancing, were just magic.

 

 Warm-up sketch on an A5 black sketch pad using a Signo white gel pen

 Following sketches are all sketched in my Fabriano Venezia A4 sketchbook using 0.8 Uni Pin pen and watercolour

Thank you for looking.

Road trip to Burpengary and horses.

Friends of mine has a property in Burpengary, nestled amongst the trees in suburbia.  He has four horses, a sheep, Goat, and two dogs.  It was a gorgeous day, and while the children were riding, I was sketching, of course :-)

 Fabriano Venezia - sketchbook - 6" x 9.5" - Uni Pin 0.8 pen and watercolour.

Fabriano Venezia - sketchbook - 6" x 9.5" -Watersoluble graphite and brush pen

Thank you for looking.

If you want to see the images larger, just click on them.