Sketching on the river at the BRISBANE SAILING SQUADRON

What a wonderful Saturday morning it was.  It was hot and humid, but the breeze down on the river was fabulous.  We sat on the boundary of the Brisbane Sailing Squadron and Vic Lucas park and sketched.  Super morning out for the Brisbane Urban Sketchers.  They are such a great bunch! :-)

Where we were sitting you can see across the river to  the grand old houses of Hamilton clinging to the hillside, (including the landmark gothic stone mansion that was built as a Bishopsbourne in the late 19th century) and glimpses of the city’s oldest house, Newstead House

Looking over at Newstead Park
Holcroft A4 225gsm Sketchbook
Lamy pen and Watercolours

Sketching at South bank with the Brisbane Urban Sketchers

It was incredibly hot today, so after my warm-up sketch while waiting for the rest of the Brisbane USkers to arrive for our Tuesday Sketchout, I headed to the rain Forest Boardwalk, in the heart of South Bank near the Nepalese Peace Pagoda.

It was so cool in there and peaceful.  I could hear the water running over the rocks from the mini waterfall below where i was sketching.  I spent a wonderful two hours in there. 

Warm up sketch at the Nepalese Peace Pagoda.  Mont Marte Black paper A5 Sketchbook.  White Uni-ball Signo Gel Pen

Rain Forest Walk

A4 Holcroft 225 gsm Sketchbook.  Lamy pen and watercolours

Sketching on top of the Kangaroo Point Cliffs..................

....with the Brisbane Urban Sketchers.

It was hot, but there was a fabulous breeze up there.  We set up camp in The Cliffs Cafe and had a blast.  (Lovely staff up there)

I tried a new for me watercolour pad. A4  Daler Rowney 140lb cp  I am not sure if I like it ir not for watercolour.  It is very different from my beloved Holcroft sketchbook.  The paint lifts easily enough, but the washes are not that smooth.  I have two of these pads, so will continue using them,  Anyone got any suggestions?

Same Daler Rowney pad with a bamboo dip pen and w&n black ink.  I had a lot of fun doing this sketch.  This paper loves pen and ink.

Mont Marte Black Paper Sketch Pad A5.  White Signo Gel Pen.

Sketching the POWER of TOWER again..

This time, I was with the Brisbane Urban Sketchers at the Gallery of Modern Art -GOMA- I was sitting by the GOMA Cafe looking across the river..

Fabriano Venezia 9.5" x 6" sketchbook - Lamy pen, noodlers black ink, and watercolours.

The weekend continues at the Bulimba Festival Sunday was Art Hub day.....

We were invited to set up at the ART HUB at the Bulimba Festival, with a few artworks for sale, our sketchbooks and advertising to promote ourselves.  It was  a fabulous morning.

We sketched.

In between chatting to people we got to sketch.

This one is unfinished as it was starting to rain so we packed up.

Both are done in my Holcroft A4 225gsm sketchbook pen and ink and watercolour.

Sketching Bulimba....

.... between storms.. 

Sketching with the Brisbane USkers at Bulimba.  The Bulimba Festival has been on all week and today was the Art-Walk.  It was wonderful seeing open studios of some of the most amazing local artists.  Very inspiring, despite the rain storm we had.  

After the Art-walk, we went to the Bulimba Golf Club for lunch, then straight across the road to the Brisbane Sailing Squadron to sketch.  We just beat the second major rain storm..

A4 Holcroft 225gsm sketchbook - Dip pen and w&n indian ink - Watercolours.

Sketching Petrie Terrace with the Brisbane Urban Sketchers.

Looking down across Roma Street Station and at the "Tower of Power" (Unfinished)
Fabriano Venezia 9'5" x 6" sketchbook Lamy pen and Noodlers ink.

Sketching up Highgate Hill with the Brisbane Urban Sketchers

Glorious morning, very hot, around 32 at midday.  We were sketching at Highgate Hill Park.
This gracious pocket park on Highgate Hill’s highest ridge sits 62m above sea level, affording the most striking close-up views of Brisbane city.
Originally a wild reserve, it was taken over by the then South Brisbane Council in 1902 when a tram-line was run along nearby Gladstone Rd and subsequently the ornate white pavilion which still stands today was built for public shelter and entertainment.

 I sat in the lovely pavillion on a bench, and looked away from the city, to the houses behind me.  No 163  caught my eye.   Sketched in my Fabriano Venezia 9.5" sketchbook with my Lamy Safari pen and Noodlers black ink and  Watercolours.

Here is a view of the park

Sketching Dockside witht he Brisbane Urban Sketchers

 Before British settlement, Kangaroo Point was occupied by the Turrbal people.  It is one of the earliest suburbs settled in Brisbane and subsequently, is one of Brisbane's oldest suburbs, rich in history and character. It had a reputation for violent and rowdy street gangs around the 1900s, with a number of street riots, even a murder. (Read the Mayne Inheritance)

First stop was the Holman Street ferry to wait for the group to arrive.  It was a beautiful day.

The Holman Street Ferry Terminal was built prior to 1919 for the City of Brisbane, then responsible for the servicing of ferry routes across the Brisbane River.  

Sketched in my A5 Mont Marte black paper sketchpad, and Uniball Signo white gel pen.

During Brisbane's convict era stone was quarried at Kangaroo Point for building works in the town across the river. By 1837 parts of Kangaroo Point were being farmed.  
In 1844 the first of several public houses in Kangaroo Point, the Bush Inn, was licensed.

By the late 1850s it is estimated that Kangaroo Point had about 80 houses, a wharf, a ferry service to north Brisbane, a bone shed, the remains of a derelict boiling-down works dating from the 1840s, a sawmill, a brick-works, and a postal receiving box. The industrial potential of Kangaroo Point, particularly along its shoreline, was becoming evident, and all the land had been sold by 1854.

The group arrived and we walked down to the River Walk.  The Jacarandas are magnificent right now.  

Holcroft 225gsm Premium Sketch & Draw Diary - dip pen and w&n ink - watercolours

Fabriano Venezia 200gsm 9.5" x 5" sketchbook. Lamy pen - Noodlers ink - Watercolours

 

 Fabriano venezia 200gsm Sketchbook and lamy pen. Noodlers Black ink

 Main Street ran from the tip of Kangaroo Point southward to the Woolloongabba Five Ways. It was flanked by sawmills, tradespeople, cottages, a few larger houses, the Kangaroo Point and Pineapple Hotels, an immigration depot at Wharf Street, the primary school and St Mary's church. Slipways and engineering works were large employers.