Chef vs Home Cook

Today we went to Puke Ariki Landing where they were holding the Chef vs Home Cook Grill Off. It was a pleasant afternoon of sketching interspersed by tastings of samples of the food cooked. Yum!

Devon Street - on the hill

Under the shady trees on Devon Street - Lunchtime sketching on hot summer days. 

Farm vs Farmlet Houses.

Last year I did a sketch of my parents farm house where they'd been living for 19 years. This is a pretty typical farm house. Nothing fancy, weatherboard exterior and iron roof. It was comfortable to live in because they insulated it and the windows had been replaced for aluminium joinery where the old wooden windows had rotted. This house was built out of wood milled from the farm by the original owner that built it.

They've now moved onto a farmlet. The house is only 10 years old. Again built by the people who initially owned the piece of land that was subdivided out of the original farm. This house still has a wooden exterior, but board and batten and an iron roof. It has a much different look to it though. Stylish and comfortable to live in because it was built that way!

World Sketch Crawl. New Plymouth.

Part of my sketch crawl was the tramping club.

Vogeltown Bowling Club

Festival of Lights

Every year, the city of New Plymouth lights up Pukekura Park with coloured lights and displays. It's called the Festival of Lights and happens every year. Each night for 6 weeks there are different entertainment acts such as musicians and outdoor movies projected onto a large screen. Admission is free to all shows so this central park is quite popular every night that it isn't raining.

The Original Gypsy Fair, Merrilands School.

Today we sketched at "The Original Gypsy Fair". It was founded in 1990. So not that old really. We sketched here last year as well, so it was interesting to go back, and also to look back and see how we got on last year.

Here is my best sketch from last time:

Today I sat in the sun and listened to the band, which made for quite a pleasant afternoon. I wanted to try the signpost. I was quite taken with this last time, but didn't have the time or the confidence to attempt it.

Boats and More Boats. Lee Breakwater near The Bach.

On a scorcher of a day we went sketching at the Lee Breakwater. I arrived early and tried to catch the chaos at the boat ramp.

I then went up the hill to check out the view and sketched more boats.

Here are a couple of pictures I took of a glorious view on a glorious day!

Nelson

* Kite surfing lessons - Tahunanui Beach
* Flea marketers
* Flying home 

New Plymouth Yacht Club

Georgeous day, yachts gearing up for racing, large crane loomed in the harbour yards next door.

Coastal Walkway - The start of summer

Original drawing before colouring

This is from November on one of the first summer-like days of this season. I didn't post this one at the time since the original seemed to be missing something without the colouring.

For those people that haven't been to New Plymouth, I'm sitting on some steps leading to a pedestrian bridge (over railway tracks) that connects the central commercial area to the coastal walkway. This walkway runs for several kilometres in both directions.

Pukekura Park

Tried a watercolour in the the shade on the path, had to rush as the sand flies thought I was the blood donor of the year, I will remember repellent next time.

Pukekura Park on 22nd December 2012

On 22nd December 2012 we sketched in Pukekura Park. The final day sketching together for the year. I'm having much the same problem as Brian, and my sketch isn't actually finished yet! I thought I should post it anyway, and put the finished one up later.

I drew Poet's Bridge. I love this bridge, not least because it was built with the winnings on a race horse. The lanterns are part of the festival of the lights.

"In 1883, Pukekura Park board member Mr. J T Davis drew the horse The Poet in a sweepstake on an Auckland race. It won, and Davis collected 150 Pounds which he immediately handed to the board for building the bridge. The Poets Bridge, designed by a Mr. Barclay, was opened in 1884 connecting the two sides of the main boating lake."

Here is my sketch now finished:

My daughter Claire sketched with me. Here is her sketch:

Gill Street from Puke Ariki

Sitting under a palm tree in Puke Ariki landing. Behind that partial wall is a stream that runs through the CBD. The trees on the other side barely hide a shopping mall parking building. Other buildings in the back include the BNZ/Quest building and the Liardet St Apartments that, for whatever reason, seem to show up often in my sketchbook lately. Other than that, there were lots of Christmas shoppers about. I must admit that I started this one last year! I ran out of time and was going to come back the next day (in December) and finish it. I got too busy at work and then it became way too hot. The heatwave was followed by some tropical rain. Before I knew it, it was next year!

(Apologies to the Canadian tourist who I had a chat with who may have wanted to see the finished drawing. Finally finished!)