Saturday, November 22, 2008

Sketching on-site










I discovered the Urban Sketchers blog online and was instantly in awe of the talent and dedication of the contributors. Their sketches and observations inspired me to begin carrying a small sketchbook everywhere, along with various pens and coloured pencils. I have already made a few sketches on-site, seizing the precious windows of time when they come. As a mother of two who runs a fledgeling business from home with my husband time is a severely limited luxury.
Returning home from walking the kids to school there is a narrow street with a couple of enormous overhanging jacarandas, they drop their beautiful blossoms in abundance, carpeting the pavement with their soft purpleness. I stopped, crouching down and made a quick sketch. When I got home I flicked some watercolour over the top to finish.
On a recent trip to the city I had a moment to myself, waiting in the car with the heat pouring in, while my husband and brother loaded a bundle of furniture into the boot, onto the roof and all around me. Outside the car was a gorgeous tree with these stunning upside-down bellflowers in soft apricot colours and curly-wurly upturned tendrils at the base of each large bloom.
On Thursday I had the pleasure of meeting my Mum and a friend in the city for afternoon tea and a visit to an art exhibit. I felt very brave and very nervous as I seized the moment and sketched the people on the train into town. The man at the very back of the sketch was fined $200 by guards for having an invalid concession pass.
I look forward to capturing more moments when out and about.

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