Its all Greek to me..,,

I have been having a break from posting but still trying to do a spread a day in my sketchbook to record the random events of the day. These two pages, from a few weeks ago start a little adventure I plan to have during my evening post dinner cup of tea. I am going to start exploring what I see as essential elements of architecture. Having a knowledge of these things help enormously when sketching architecture.

I am going to start with the classical orders (fancy name for different types of columns and the bits on the top) There are 3 of them: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian ... In fact they became five during the renaissance (tuscan and composite were added) My history of architecture is not to be totally trusted and will be ultra simplified but I will try not to be too incorrect. The 3 orders were codified by the Romans...but they got them from the Greeks. So I am starting with the Greek Doric.

Anyway... Here are my fun, too late at night, sketches of the Doric order. Including the mistakes I made along the way because I drew first and looked second!?!

When I posted the above page on flickr, Maarten pointed out that I was a little narrow in my definition of THE orders. Last night I could find any Chinese, Aztec or Mayan columns easily in my library BUT I found these....
So I hope I didn’t offend any one in this regard?!?! I am very grateful to Maarten for pointing my shortcomings... It is great to get such feedback and to then lead me down a little tangent...so thanks!!!

Sketching complicated roof forms

This was a very challenging roof to draw! But rather than stressing about getting the perspective perfect, I am starting to be confident that my loose linework and paint can sometimes hide the wonkiness. The question is how much wonkiness can you get away with?

I like to drive around suburban blocks looking for houses that catch my eye. Sketching from the comfort and security of my car!

Many hideously overscaled new houses...so this one stood out this afternoon and it also fits in with the USK AUS monthly theme of Roofscapes. Yes.... we have decided to have our own monthly theme...for more details visit our flickr or facebook.
www.facebook.com/pages/Urban-Sketchers-Australia/29145153...
www.flickr.com/groups/uskaustralia/

I think I will try some more complicated roofscapes in the next few weeks.

Finishing off my week with architecture sketching late at night!

Instead of my goal of posting once a week... I seem to be only averaging once a month. I will try to step it up again.
I haven’t really had any time lately to be out on the streets sketching buildings and it has been raining a lot, but I still seem to keep up my usual late Friday evening architecture sketching.
This was a sketch I did two weeks ago.... Instead of my often late night Baroque sketching... it was Indian Architecture sketching while watching an impressive performance by the Indian cricket team....
Although I MUCH prefer to sketch on location, sketching from photos is such a good way to practice...and it seems that I find Baroque sketching relaxing late at night.
Here are some other ones (some mid -week!)




If you missed it - I have explained why I like sketching baroque so much here