Inglewood Columns

Here's another one from Inglewood. In between these columns is a view of people sweating while trying to finish off their Christmas shopping. We like to get ready for the holidays early, so I have lots of time to sketch the last-minute desperation.

Colourize Project: Rangimarie Paritutu

Here's another from what I call my Colourize Project, which is taking previous sketches, usually going back to where I drew them, and giving them the watercolour treatment.
This is of the Rangimarie Arts & Crafts Centre with Paritutu in the background. This has been in the news lately since it is to be moved from the port area to allow for seaport expansion.

Len Lye

After one year, it's still quite popular to take a selfie against the stainless steel walls on the Len Lye Centre.

Out-of-Towner's

The local government is using a few of my drawings to promote interest in a plan for the future of the region. One thing that was said was that I should get out of New Plymouth more and get the neighbouring towns. So I did a sketch of Inglewood and Waitara and they are being used too. I figure I could still do a few more in each place as well.

Pukekura Park and the Boat shed

Saturday sketching in the Park- always a very pleasant place to be . This view across from the path  that leads to the Bowl of Brooklands covers  the Boat Shed and the smaller of the two bridges .MLB

Colourize Project: Chaos Cafe

If I have the time I've started to add watercolour to sketches. Some of my older ones are getting the colour treatment too.

Pukekura Park

An unforecasted warm afternoon in the park, not a parking spot to be found owing to the huge Tattoo Festival being held at the nearby TSB Stadium

Old slaughterhouse Urenui, North Taranaki NZ

The drive into New Plymouth from the north passes some of the most spectacular road scenery anywhere .

This old building  just on the left as you enter Urenui has fascinated me for a long time ; who used it , what was the population like back then ; is it really as old as it looks .  MLB

Old Woolshed Pukearuhe

MELBOURNE

a few days in Melbourne and a trip into Williamstown.

Le Grande Tour

Church of St Peter & St Paul - Deddington, Oxfordshire

Finnieston Crane, Clyde River, Glasgow

 Winged human-headed bull - Assyrian 860BC from Nimrud - British Museum, London

 Fischerhude - near Achim, Germany

 Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

Still Life

Sketched by Paul

Lost Paradise

Lost Paradise - in the Totara Dell - 700 orchids - part of the Taranaki Garden Spectacular.

A bit of a catch up.

It's been a busy few weeks, so not much sketching work has been getting done. Here's a bit of a catch up:

29th October 2016

Tupare:

Last Saturday we went to Tupare. It was a little cold and windy, so I found a nice sheltered spot and this old lamppost.
I decided to try something a little different this time and did a pencil drawing of the lamppost, and then finished with watercolour. I used plenty of water and let it run.

8th  October 2016

White Hart Hotel:

The White Hart Hotel. Now restored and looking great.

Pen and wash.

Plymouth Ensemble

Most pleasant listening to the this quartet on a sunny afternoon at Tupare.

V8 Restored

At the 150th anniversary of the Fire Service all the engines were out on display for the little kids and not so little kids

1934 Ford V8 beautifully restored from the Urenui Fire Brigade

Fire Service

Fire Service

drawn by Patricia

Gables lying down

Just to get a different perspective and avoid the keen wind, I lay down on the footpath and drew the Gables.  I was very toasty, with the breeze whizzing overhead.

Taranaki Seaside Market

The first Sunday of every month at Ngamotu Beach is the Seaside Market. Although there's lots of stuff for sale, I usually just go down for the food. Although last week, I went down for the sketch and the mild sunburn. I guess summer's coming!

Len Lye Centre, Govett Brewster Gallery , Monica's : NEW PLYMOUTH.

The re-furbished Govett Brewster Gallery and the Len Lye Centre have great exhibitions  which are fittingly matched by great service and coffee at Monica's. MLB

Guzzi

A cool blustery day, and parked up was a brand new 2016 Italian imported Moto Guzzi V7 Racer 750cc.  What a lot of hardware crafted together, complete with embossed leather strap down the tank and taped exhausts.

Perepere and Paepae

Carving in front of a storehouse.  Found in a swamp.  Items in Puke Ariki museum.  This carving surprisingly has ears.

Paepae dug up from a local swamp in 1904.  The main speakers sit on these carved front benches at the threshold of a meeting house.

2011 Dodge Challenger at Port Taranaki

Late afternoon sun on a car parked down near the breakwater at low tide. The days are starting to get longer now.

Ombu

Here's a sketch of a 150-year old creepy looking tree. The hotel, where it's at, was somewhat built around it to keep it. It's actually a NZ Registered Notable Tree although when it was listed the site was still a church property.

The Million dollar Ombu Tree.

A heritage protected Phytolacca dioica.We weren't sure if it was a million dollar tree because it cost a million dollars to preserve it while the hotel it is next to was being built, or because they would have been fined a million dollars if they cut it down. There are only three of these trees in New Zealand apparently. It is approximately 150 years old, 20 metres tall and 25 metres wide. You can't fit all of that tree onto one page!

 The challenge with this tree was it was so big and complicated you kept losing your place! And the rain...........of course.

Here are a few photos. Sepia seemed like a good idea.

Royal Enfield

Whilst sketching the rare 150 year old Ombu tree, this Enfield Bullet parked up, it started to rain so I abandoned the tree and moved across to the bike - umbrella sketching.

10th September 2016 St Mary's Cathedral.

St Mary's Cathedral, the oldest stone church in New Zealand. The land it stands on was obtained in 1842 and the church was built in 1845-1846. We could only sketch outside as the church is now closed for earthquake strengthening. This earthquake strengthening and remediation is expected to cost between $8-10 million. That's a lot of fundraising!

Blue biro and watercolour.

Mind Mapping

Because the weather was less conducive for sketching we had a talk on Mind Mapping - just for something completely different.

Maurice gave a good example of preparing for an artwork commission discussion.  I shared some work and exam examples and finished up with this example of preparing for a talk on sketching.

Time for a Haircut

A sketch at the barbers that I go to. I like how the decor is a bit old-timey - a real barbershop. Snip snip, chop chop, talk some shop. Pitter patter, a bit of banter, and you're done.

Two Weekends Ago at the Fernery, Pukekura Park.

Here is my sketch from a couple of weekends ago. I've drawn the fish in the fernery pool at Pukekura Park multiple times, and they don't really get any easier! Here they are again and I'm still not happy. I think another visit will be called for.

 Make a Wish! The money thrown into the pool buys food for the fish. I note they're quite fat.

I do like the effect in my moleskine sketchbook. Two different days in the same location together.

St Marys

Now closed for earthquake proofing - for a number of years

St Marys

Sketched by Patricia

Te Henui Vicarage

Constructed of Taranaki volcanic andesite in 1845,  It is the extension to the original sandstone house and all that remains.  It is used by the Taranaki potters and now has an earthquake warning sign outside.

2016

         

2009                                                                                    2011

1985