Today 9 Sydney sketchers met up for a low key sketchcrawl. I wanted to go back to Surry Hills since the other time we went there I wasn’t able to stay for the full period. I did intend to sketch down Bourke St but instead ended up spending the morning sitting on a comfy bench opposite the legendary Bourke St Bakery and sampling their wares. YUM!

Was good just to sketch and chat… very casual – people came and went as it suited them.We didn’t have a group photo as everyone left at different times.

The spread as a whole.

In a row!

Today was the first chance that I have had to test an addition to my kit. A sheet of plastic signboard the full size of my sketchbook that I clipped to keep the spine rigid and hold my paint tin(with another clip). Tried to take a few photos to explain.

Thanks to Chantal Vincent for these photos which describe it better!
This idea is inspired by Marc Taro Holmes and his amazing sketch kit. I love working in the A4 moleskine (watercolour) book but it is cumbersome. I am finding that I either use the other side of the spread as a table for my paint tin or sit on the ground with paint and pens/pencils on the ground.

My first sketch in Brazil was with Marc standing up – I found this position almost unbearably uncomfortable with my right hand is supporting the fold of the book and I was balancing my paint tin. Marc’s system was impressively ingenious. He has a board the full width of the open book plus more for his paint tin. I prefer to have something the same dimensions of my sketchbook so hence the slimline model – the length of the board is just long enough to secure the paint tin and the width adequate to stiffen the spine.

What I had today worked great – I had the luxury of a bench to sit on but it still made a big difference!

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