my sketchbooks 2006-2009 liz steel & borromini bear
beginnings I have always wanted to keep a regular sketchbook but never really got into it properly. In Dec 06, my Scottish friend Esther, who was also keen to sketch, introduced me to pan watercolours and I was immediately captivated! I went and bought myself a set with the intention of learning how to use them. However, the most important moment happened when we were travelling together and my camera broke. At the next lookout which had recently experienced a bushfire, I picked up a burnt stick and started to sketch a tree. This was SO MUCH MORE FUN than taking photos and I realised that one sketch means more than many photos! This was the start of an amazing journey.... After some instruction from Esther I started using watercolour to add colour to my ink sketches and soon I was hooked - I practiced at night from photos and we then tried to go out for a few sketching excursions.
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After a year of experimentation, including filling 2 sketchbooks during a 4 week trip in Europe, I joined a online art group called Everyday Matters. Using my travelling companion, a wee bear called Borromini, as my online identity, I soon became an active member and have been greatly encouraged and inspired by online interaction with other artists around the world.... the rest is history... 7
at home
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You don’t really need to go far to find something to sketch... there are endless possibilities right in your own backyard - or front driveway.....
Sometimes things happen when you sketch - on other occasions events occur afterwards that somehow become integrally linked to your sketch. I did this one on the day of the terrible bushfire disaster in Victoria - it was hot in Sydney but nothing like the conditions in Victoria that day! I can’t look at this sketch without remembering that great tragedy. 9
Sketching is a great way to record a winter family BBQ... prawns at Xmas time... a special birthday party... or just some iconic biscuits with a cup of tea!
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As much as I love drawing food (and I do it a lot), my all-time favourite subject has become a good cuppa. This cup is the most precious one that I own and although too special to use normally I did have one cup of tea in it for the purpose of this sketch. Another common subject to be found in my sketchbooks are handbags... I am not really sure why but they are a real delight to draw... and as for red bags.... 12
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Due to my love of quirky books, I bought a book on Wild Tea Cosies... drew some of the nice cosies and sent to the author. As a result, she not only encouraged me to start knitting but I am a guest contributor to a knitting tea cosy blog. Check it out wildforteacosies.blogspot.com Wonderful colours of pumpkins from our garden were too good - I just had to sketch them before they were chopped up and cooked. So many things are worth sketching!!! 15
a sydneysider
How can I fail to be inspired to get out and sketch when I live in such a beautiful city with such great weather? Being part of an international team of urban sketchers is also a good motivation to get out on the weekend. www.urbansketchers.com 16
Even if sometimes I can’t sketch on location - I like to record memorable events - such as a light show on the Opera House. Other times, my sketching takes me out to events that I have never experienced before - 26 Dec 2008 was the first time I have ever gone to see the spectacular start to the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. I recorded the moment in sketches when Scandia led the fleet out of the harbour. 17
The Harbour is a constant source of inspiration for me ... whether in its bizarre stillness on Christmas Day or sitting at Observatory Hill waiting for a cafe to open (listening to the commentary of a Sydney Cycling Tour at the same time). It is rather amazing how you can remember the sounds that were around you at the time when you look back at old sketches. 18
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My favourite parts of the Harbour are not the well known tourist vantage points but the relics of an industrial or defense history.
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Two of the best spots for me are Cockatoo Island and Middle Head, Mosman - I have been to both of these twice but plenty of sketchable subjects for many more visits!
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Although Sydney is a young city, we still have some nice historical buildings... and some that were an important part of my childhood no longer remain!
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Sketching is the best way for me to relax... My favourite place to chill out and sketch is the T2 Tearoom at my local shopping centre - a very eclectic interior with an amazing selection of tea and cakes - tea pot, saucer and cup never match and to date I have not had the same cup and saucer combination twice!
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During the week I often escape from the pressures of the office to my local park, which is a rest park, for some sketch therapy, and on weekends when I am relaxing I sketch - even if looking after children at our annual church picnic!
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I take my metal tin of watercolour paints with me everywhere - and have used it even during a classical performance. It was rather fun to show my sketches to the famous string quartet members at the end of the concert and get them to sign my sketchbook.
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eating out
Not quite sure how it came about... but I am totally hooked on drawing food and cuppas when I am out. I think it is because often it is the only time in a day when you get to sit and relax. When I am with friends, I like the challenge of successfully balancing talking, listening, sketching and eating my meal while it is still hot.
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A major reason for my obsession with sketching food is because in June 2008 I spent an entire month sketching everything I ate, as part of a diet. I have the advantage of being left handed with a brush and pen but use my fork in the right hand. So.... I normally draw a quick outline, and then if I need to cut up my food I do this next (I eat a lot of stir fries with bite size food so this helps), Then I start to eat from the back side of the plate so I can finish the outlines. Then, if there is no need for me to lead the conversation during the meal, I often start painting while I am still eating (using a waterbrush) - otherwise I do the colour from memory when I am finished my meal (but still sitting at the table), And then of course, I just love sketching my ‘weekly treat’ at T2 - including the teapot that functions as a table number, my cup, saucer, pot and my cake!
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nature sketching As well as being an urban sketcher, I am also part of an international team of nature sketchers. I don’t need to go far to sketch native trees that I love - the turpentine nuts from our backyard or my favourite trees that line our street. www.naturesketchers.blogspot.com 32
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A selection of Australian animals. Purple Swamphen - Laughing Kookaburra - Superb Parrot - Flying Fox These were sketched from specimens at the Australian Museum as part of an online watercolour pencil course I did with two friends.
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getting away I started sketching on a daily basis in order to develop my skills so that I could create visual records when I am away. So this is when I am really serious about my sketching! 36
A few days in the Blue Mountains at Easter 2009 filled many pages including sketches of tearooms, my beautiful B&B and of course wonderful scenery.
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A wonderful week in Tasmania in September 2008
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And when I am not travelling... I am dreaming of where I would next like to go in Europe and trying to develop my own visual method of analysing architecture... 40
So what will my next adventure be? Stay tuned.... 41