As usual… here is my sketchbook in a single image!…am very pleased with this sketchbook as in many ways it was a lot more experimental than normal.

And here is the sketchbook in full

I was certainly more focused on trying out a few new techniques than my typical approach which is to sketch as consistently as I can and create travel journal pages. I still managed to do the later (as I can’t help myself) but I had a lot less homework! I was using the A4 Moleskine watercolour book and just love have the larger page size to spread out, add lots of notes and add collage. I have also been addicted to various water soluble line making tools- pens and pencils and found that I was able to quickly sketch scenes while waiting for public transport and then add water once on board. I am also enjoying mixing techniques up even on the one page- alternating between using my ink pen and using pencil lines.

As for Melbourne…
I spend lots of great time with special friends and also managed to meet a number of sketchers in the city. We are working together to establish Urban Sketchers events in Melbourne in the near future …. very exciting!

I have done lots of architectural work in Melbourne over the last decade but rarely see anything of it other than what I can see in the taxi (most of my time in Melbourne is spent in meetings or walking around construction sites!) So it was just so wonderful to be able to spend a week sketching in this city that I really really love.

For me Melbourne is all about
-grand Victorian buildings,
-crazy contemporary architecture (stuff we could never get approval to do in Sydney)
-trams
-amazing food places and coffee.

I think that my sketchbook captures those elements.

I know that somewhere other than home always looks more interesting and sketchable but I do think that Melbourne excites me more as a city. The buildings are grander and more interesting. I love the trams and their presence means that the streets are wider, giving more space in front of buildings. Also there are great views from many of the tram stops… I just couldn’t stop sketching (hmm, not that unusual I know!) And did I mention the cafes were great???? Oh! and there are very cool lanes as well- something I left for sketching on my next visit.