Newstead House

Sketching Tuesday, with the Brisbane USkers..

Newstead House is Brisbanes oldest surviving residence.  It sports huge grounds, which are now called Newstead Park.  It was designed  by Harry Moore, the early 20th century parks superintendent responsible for much of Brisbane’s distinctive style of vegetation, who lived in Newstead House during his tenure. Sketching there today was a treat.

I chose a lovely quite spot, looking at a magnificent Teak Crown Ash tree.  In front of the tree is an old piscatorium.  As far as I know it is still operational, but the caretakers have turned the water off to stop people using it.  There used to be information about the structure, but I couldn't find it today.

There are some amazing trees in the park, one, is a rare specimen of a crepe myrtle which was planted at the time the house was built. There is a beautiful 200 year old Cunningham Fig, in the circular driveway.  It is a "Talking Tree"  Voice activated with historical facts.  In the 1920s the Brisbane City Council constructed an electrical substation for its tramway system in the grounds of the House. Since the closure of the tram system in 1969 the substation was purchased by the Newstead House Board of Trustees and has been used as a Resource Centre and offices for management staff.  You can just see the corner of the substation on the right in my drawing.

Thank you for stopping by.

The Brisbane Urban Sketchers hit South Bank!

Damp day but that didn't stop us.  It was deliciously cool, a welcome change after the last weeks heatwave.  We headed to South bank.  Kurt and I found a great spot for our first sketch at Aquataine's bar, not far from the Maritime Museum  They didn't open until 11.00am but they let us sit at the tables and sketch. 

I sketched No 1 Williams Street - "The Tower of Power" Second sketch of the day was after coffee, and three of us went back to the promenade to do another sketch.  I chose to sketch the treasury Hotel this time.

 No 1 Williams Street (The Tower of Power)
Bockingford 140lb cp 11" x 15"

 

Treasury Hotel
Arches p 140lb cp
11" x 15" 

 

 

It was a super day.  There was nine of us sketching, and we always have fun, and great art conversations.. Brisbane Urban Sketchers

 

Sketching at the Qld State library 02/02/16

We are having a heatwave.  37 deg Celsius today and the humidity over 50%  Where do we sketch?  Qld State Library in their "Red Box"

The library opens at 10.00am and we, the Brisbane USkers start at 9.00am so we chose to sketch in the Study Room beside the main library for the first hour, then head on up to the Red Box on level 2.  The red Box extends over the Brisbane river.  It is glassed on three sides and is an amazing place to quietly sit and sketch.

Sitting in the airconditioned study room 

Paper Bockingford I think 11"x15" Charcoal and watercolour 

 

 

                                                  Sitting in the RED BOX on Level 2
Paper Daler Rowney 11.7" x 8.3" Pen Artline 0.4 watersoluble Water brush to blend the ink.

 

Bishopbourne House - (St Francis Theological College Milton)

10" x 11" piece of Bockingford 140lb watercolour paper - Mechanical pencil 2B - Lamy pen - Watercolour.

I sitting on the veranda of Bishopbourne House - (St Francis Theological College Milton) looking at the Old Bishopsbourne Chapel.  

Old Bishopsbourne is a heritage-listed house at 233 Milton Road, Milton, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Benjamin Backhouse and built from 1865 to 1959. It is also known as St Francis Theological College and Bishopsbourne. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992
 

Saturday Sketchout with the Brisbane USkers at Dockside

Saturday, six of us braved the overcast skies and occasional spit of rain and went sketching at Dockside. Urban Sketchers Brisbane

My first quick sketch while I was waiting for a friend at the Holman Street ferry.  In between sketching I was talking to visitors to the area about our wonderful city.

Sitting at the Medley Cafe Dockside with the group looking out over the river.

I used my watersoluble Derwent graphite for these three sketches

Sketching the group while they were sketching.

All these sketches were made in my Holcroft A5 225gsm sketchbook

Still sitting in the Medley cafe sketching the Story bridge behind me.

 

Sitting on Dockside walkway sketching the apartment buildings.

 These two sketchers were made in my A4 Holcroft 225gsm Sketchbook Lamy pen Noodlers black ink, and Artline 210 0.6 marker

 

Sketchout Saturday with the Brisbane USkers

We went to South bank today.  It was wonderful on the Promenade.  Nice breezes, and a good view where I was sitting of the New Government building.  1 Williams Street (The Tower of Power)  I am really enjoying the stages of development of this building.  It does fascinate me, watching it take shape.

We had loads of Chinese tourists stop and talk to us while we sketched, and I enjoyed that was well.

Fabriano Venezia sketchbook 2B mechanical pencil

First Urban Sketchout for 2016!!!

The Brisbane Urban Sketchers met for our first sketchout of the year at the Collectors Cafe at the Brisbane Museum & Sciencentre.  It was a rainy day, so we hung around under cover.  Here are my two sketches of the day.

Looking across at the still, tallest building in Brisbane, the Meriton building.  The glass Pyramid is on the forecourt in front of the Collectors Cafe.

I moved up the stairs to the cafes seated area which is still under cover, and safe from the rain and sketched this view.

This is the Busway, taken from the top of the walkway that leads to the Museum and cafe.