Lunch hour sketchbook – Sydney, Australia

My 2012 resolution was to do one drawing a day. The first step was to purchase the right sketchbook (this A5 Japanese one seemed perfect) and to fill it up by the end of the year.

You might note it is now 2014. The book is still half empty. Months seems to go by when I don’t have any time, and then I have a big burst inspiration (and a job where I can take a full hour at lunchtime).

Here is an assortment of some recent drawings, plus my homemade tips for “lunchtime sketching”.

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• Scan the area quickly and find the best spot to sketch from, where you will have minimal interruptions from human (stray soccer balls) and non-human sources (ants, aggressive wildlife etc).
• Work with a pen and make no corrections. Don’t worry if you make a mistake! You’ll learn something from the drawing. And if it is a real disaster, no one needs to know. Just rip it out. It’s your sketch book. You make the rules.
• Adapt to the weather.

The day I drew this cherub statue was so hot, I almost melted. I was also being menaced by a particularly aggressive colony of ants.

The next day was pouring with rain. This sketch of the back of Sydney Hospital was made while sitting on a step under a colonnade, while rain swirled around outside.

• Look for little things.

Okay, I find tree shapes pretty fascinating. This is the trunk of a Morton Bay fig tree in the Botanic Gardens.

• Sketching is yoga for the mind. This was a perfect day and I am pretty pleased with how this tree turned out.

Have a great week everyone!