Sketching Architecture Classes: The Rocks Sydney

I was planning on posting this before I went down to Melbourne for my workshops… but anyway… now I can say ….

Following on from the great fun we all had at my Sketching Architecture workshop at Melbourne University, I am very excited to announced that I will be running a 

Sketching Architecture 4 week course - on location sketching in the Rocks area  Sydney. 
Thursday or Friday mornings   06 - 29 Nov. 10.00am - 1.30pm.
Cost: $150.00 for the 4 weeks.
and also a one day workshop
Saturday30 November 9.30am- 4.30pm (covering the smae content in the one day!)
Cost; $100.00

You don’t need perfect perspective to draw buildings but you do need to understand what you are looking at. This 4 week Friday course will help you grasp the fundamentals of drawing architecture and have fun doing it! I will share with you my system for drawing architecture which involves seeing forms and structure and detail, describing edges and using simple strategies for perspective.

Working with ink and watercolour wash, we will also explore ways to sketch architecture with lively lines and loose and colourful watercolour washes. A series of exercises has been developed to help all levels of participants progress from simple buildings to more elaborate architecture.. and I will also be doing demonstrations each week to show how it all fits together.



The Rocks area has a wealth of varied architecture from which to find our subjects…and I am really excited to be running this class.



Please email me if you are interested as spaces will be limited.

And although not in the Rocks ... I can't resist adding a SOH sketch to this post - it is seen from the Rocks area though!

The Forum in Melbourne

Casing the joint at Fed Square this afternoon for a future workshop!?! I am not sure it needs to be said that I love sketching Flinders St Station ...so you can imagine how much I  would love to spend a whole day sketching it with others next time I am in Melbourne. Sadly there is no shelter to sketch it in the rain.

As this afternoon was wet, very wet, I thought I would explore Federation Square to see if I could find some undercover areas with sketchable views... and I did find some.

The light was fading fast so I approached this sketch in my most slap-dash fashion but still using my basic system of starting with the main forms first and adding details loosely afterwards.

A very wet and cool evening meant that my paint was remaining very wet resulting in a very loose version of this very highly decorative building- I think I need to come back and sketch it again!

Sketching Architecture Workshop at Melbourne University

A very quick collage of photos from my Sketching Architecture workshop in Melbourne today.

I had a great time and had a wonderful group of sketchers who did amazing work today....tackling building forms, structure, complicated buildings and perspective. I hope it inspired them to just go for it and not stress about getting everything exact.

Had a good Melbourne day- hot, sunny, overcast, cool, cold, wet....but it all worked out well and we had plenty of subject matter at Melbourne University. Thanks to everyone that turned up...

more later!

Flinders Street Station, Melbourne

In Melbourne preparing for my Sketching Architecture workshop at Melbourne University which is on tomorrow!

I spent the day casing the joint and preparing sunny and wet weather options – I have a number of specific exercises that are best if I plan a good subject for each. That is done and I can start getting excited now! On the way back to my Melbourne ‘home’ I just had to stop and sketch my favourite building. Oh! I was having so so much fun doing this... This was just for me.


Here is a extra photo showing how I was staging my paint. I normally work more or less from light to dark but this time as the building is mainly yellow I wanted to do all the non yellow bits so that I could splash away with the yellow. Also I found today that my paint wasn’t drying (freezing here today!) so I painted the dark green mullions and window frames early giving them more time to dry.

Hoping that the isolated showers forecast doesn’t make it to the uni tomorrow ...but regardless I have a plan and we will have fun!

Demo of corner cafe at Balmoral

Here is a step by step of a quick demo that I did at my weekly sketching class at Balmoral today. I didn't use any perspective setup but did start drawing the main shapes first as I saw them.
 
 Looking forward to my first Sketching Architecture workshop in Melbourne this Saturday - I cant wait!
Also will be running more sketching classes based at Balmoral on Friday mornings in October if you are interested.

Barcelona Sketches

Here is my entire sketchbook (well actually it is 2.5 A4 moleskine watercolour sketches putt together as one book) from my recent 2 weeks in Barcelona including the 4th international Urban Sketchers Symposium.

If that link doesn't work for you click on the front cover and it will take you to the document in Issuu directly

There is a lot of architecture sketches contained in this book and a lot of future material for this blog.... so stay tuned!

Sub_urban Sketching: More on Roofs

Here is a sketch that I did (once again from my car) on Monday morning while waiting for an appointment.

 

I took a photo of my starting point and have made some notes of the things that I look for.
 A few comments
- I always look at the ridge (the flat top to the roof) and see what angle it is and whether it changes level.
- I also look at the bottom of the roof and make sure I follow it around. Often this is at the same level... but it also can jump around as well.
- I never draw every brick but when the mood takes me will indicate brick coursing (the horizontal banding) in a fine ink line or as I did here a watercolour pencil
- My watercolour is doing strange separating things on the roof... Love these accidents
- I did a bit of finger painting on the trees (so beads of water/paint were not drying in time so I smudged!
-... I love how I can see the hint of a teapot and cosy sketch on the previous page - not sure if you can see it but I can!

I intend to do some diagrams of basic roofs in the next little while.



And here is another quick sketch I did yesterday (filling in time again before another appointment - have a few of those this week!) There are a few curious things about this house which is why I drew it....I wasn't particularly following any system (except I started from the top again) What is curious is how they have split this house into two and a very weird entrance to the left side close to the bay window. I am rather pleased with the lovely watercolour effects that is happening in some of the washes on this page . and particular the glow in the shadow under the gable. More on this later!

A note on sketching locations:
Sketching in the car has its limitations. It IS very hard to be able to find a spot to stop outside a good view so often I have to compromise on the house/ view that I want to sketch. Then the steering wheel does get in the way and there is not quite as much space or comfort as you think there is. I am starting to get a system for it.
Far better is to get out of the car! Like I did yesterday and walk a few houses and sit on the gutter (between two cars) and sketch. But of course when it is raining and freezing cold the car is better than no sketch.

Once again please let me know if you have any questions that I will add to my list and get around to answering sometime....