Salmon Building

I only see this place in winter even though it's painted a bright salmon orange. The plants and moss growing on the side of it camouflage it into the fresh spring leaves. I did this one in September and the building's already starting to disappear among the trees.

Turquoise

Winter sketching means having a cooked breakfast in a warm cafe and sketching from the window.

Making time for fries

I've been busy this month with lots of extra jobs. As a result, I haven't made time for sketching. One day, I did have some extra time when I was in town and saw a sign that said "Curly French Fries". Oh, aggressive marketing... you win again! So I sat at a table with a street view and did this one.

Americarna 2017

The 10th year of the popular Americarna festival was still popular. After a very rainy Taranaki summer, the weather in New Plymouth was perfect for the multi-day event. I just sat in the shade and sketched the people looking at the classic cars.

Below is an Impala and a Belair from two years ago, and I've coloured last year's sketch too.

Americarna 2016

Even with a bit of rain, the final day of the Americarna festival was still popular. I had a prime position on a bench with a view of a massive 1959 Cadillac with huge fins and rocket engine tail lights. When it started to look like it was going to start getting wet, that all went out the window. I didn't wait for a clear path and just drew everything. What you see is a Star Destroyer sized Cadillac with three people and four cars in front of it. (For the enthusiast, a 2008 Mustang Shelby, 1934 Chevrolet, a 1970 Rambler Hornet, and like last year, a 1956 Chevy Belair.) A special shout-out to the several people I met from Wanganui who are waiting for the final version of this one.

Below: Last year's Belair

CC Ward

There's this building on the main street here in New Plymouth that has this large white box on top of it. I'm guessing that it's supposed to be part of it but I don't know what the deal is really. Weird. Beside it, is an old department store with plaster fancy plaster ceilings. I think it was a family owned business for nearly 100 years but it wrapped not too long ago. Now it's empty and I wonder if it's going to get another chance. It's an E Grade (Earthquake Survival) building which is as low and as expensive as it gets.

James Lane

This tall and thin building forms half of James Lane and two sides have street art on it. You can see a biplane on top and the bottom has a intricately painted wooden fence alley scene. I thought that the alley scene is a pretty good job but a friend said that maybe the artists did too good of a job. The fact that it's painted very well may give it a bit of resistance to being painted over with something new and prevent the natural image rotation that usually comes with urban art. Of course, the buildings making up the lane might not be that earthquake safe. If they end up needing replacement, it sort of makes the artwork time limit argument irrelevant. It's unlikely that any new building will have wall space put aside for spray cans. 

(Here's roughly the same scene, but from a slightly different angle done in 2012. Spot the differences between these two pictures.)

Metro Plaza

I've drawn the Metro Plaza three times now. This time it was from the top of the Kings Building across the street. The hustle and bustle of the people is really happening from up there, moving in and out of the shadows on the sidewalk.
I like the building because it's a bit weird. It's a bit rough in parts but it has character. If you walk through the arcade with different shops in it, you get to a parking building which is great for rainy days. I feel that this is a way better location than a Subway deserves. Of course maybe I just think there's too many Subways and I'd just rather have a pie.
The top floor is the JD Reid Gallery. He's a pretty cool guy who really knows how to paint. Check out what he's got up there; the space is open most days.
The bottom two sketches are from 2013, one month apart. I've posted the left one before but second one hadn't made it to the internet until now.

Kings Building

Often the views from high places in a city, can show untidy rooftops, and ours was no exception.  But here an there were handsome pocket cameos.  When Brian and I peered over the rooftop barrier at our main street, Devon St, we were presented with a wonderfully colourful left and right view up and down the street.

We stood there, clutching our sketchbooks firmly on the edge and enjoyed drawing in the warm spring day.

49th Worldwide Sketchcrawl Day

Check out our On Location page to see us in action on Sketchcrawl Day.

Here are Trevor's sketches:

King's building.

View from the King's Building.

King's Building from Devon Street East.

Here is my other sketch now completed:

49th Worldwide Sketchcrawl - King's Building.

The King's Building took two years to construct and was opened in November 1927. It was built for Newton King Limited, an important local businessman and benefactor. A building permit was issued on the 24th of March 1926 for the King's Building, Jones and Sandford were the builders at an estimated cost of £53,000. The architect firm involved was Gummer and Ford. They are described in the NPDC Heritage Study report as the pre-eminent architectural practice in New Zealand during the inter-war years.

In 1986 Westwell Properties Ltd bought the building for $1,200,000 and the building was upgraded.

In 1994 a penthouse apartment was added to the roof of the building and the whole building was renovated, modified and upgraded to give quality retail, office and residential use.

In 2010 the whole building was repainted in sympathetic colours which highlighted the decorated panels and friezes.

We had the opportunity today to sketch in the penthouse apartment as it is currently empty. This gave us different views of the central business district and the foreshore. We sketched both inside and out, and were able to come and go as we pleased.

I managed 1 1/2 sketches on the day. Here is my second sketch:

King's building view of the New Plymouth foreshore walkway and Puke Ariki landing. Pen and colour pencil.

And some photos:

Kings Building, New Plymouth NZ

The Kings Building is a landmark in the New Plymouth CBD. It houses  retail shops, upstairs commercial offices and a Penthouse which has a wonderful view of the New Plymouth waterfront. An interesting feature is that it is built over a stream . The downstairs premises were subject to occasional flooding before a flood protection scheme was constructed .  The eastern end of  the Kings Building includes the Espresso Cafe which now looks over the  Huatoki Plaza and uncovered part of the  Huatoki stream.  MLB  .

Mayfair Bar and Cafe , New Plymouth

The 'Mayfair' was originally a movie theatre built in the art-deco  style . In its time it was a pretty up-market kind of place  with an upstairs seating area and ground floor stalls . Mum made us  dress up in our best to go out to the movies and paid more to sit upstairs!  , People stood for the playing of  "God Save the Queen" before the program of  news films , many from overseas which is how we kept up to date  ,  Tom and Jerry cartoons , NZ short film productions of Fiordland or  the Bay of Islands  or the opening of Parliament .... and at half time a boy with a tray of pre-prepared ice creams would circulate . Dad would buy us one . What a treat !  . Then the main feature .. starring  Rock Hudson or John Mills or  whoever and more lately in colour ! .  Now its a friendly bar after the new owners completed the earthquake strengthening - as mentioned in last weeks sketches of St Mary's church.  MLB

Fair May at the Mayfair

A welcome break in the rain today... It was the sunniest day in recent memory and I had the day off. Having drinks outside and sketching! (A shout-out to the staff of the Mayfair in New Plymouth for being generally awesome.)

Wet White Hart Hotel

This wasn't my first choice of what to draw this week but the rain made us find shelter to draw. Trying to stay dry, I made a few mistakes in my slow and careful drawing style. Instead of ripping out the page and starting again, I went back into it with a heavy pen and saved it.
This thing really is brutal to draw. With so much repetitive detail in the building, even I have trouble not getting bored with it all. I have to say that I didn't mind sketching this after I started to let go a bit and draw it loosely.

Not summer yet

The weather lately has been shocking and more rain for this weekend too. People dressing down to battle the elements.

Devon Street Homework

Back in 2012, I did this drawing from the bar across the street. Over a beer, and more importantly, a big bowl of wedges and sour cream I happily sat here for a while and sketched. In my blog, on the original post, I wrote:
"Just an older building on the main shopping street here in New Plymouth. I have a feeling that I may end up colouring this one since I took my time on this one and that the building in the centre is a bright red colour."
At the beginning of 2014, I kept my word to myself and digitally painted this one, walking by several times in those weeks to see what colour everything was. I took my time and then entered it into a large art show in this part of New Zealand. With the large number of artist entries, I was honoured that it made the show selection. You can see it on display until August 24 at Puke Ariki. On June 25th (from 6.00 to 7.30pm) there is a meet the artists event and I plan to be there with my original sketch. And a couple months later, on August 16th (1.30 to 3.00pm), I'll be giving a presentation about Urban Sketching and getting everyone to have a go. A mini-sketchcrawl. If you're in New Plymouth that weekend, grab your preferred art supplies and come down to do some drawing!

Original 2012 sketch

Link to the exhibition website

Devon Street Sidewalk

One last one from January. Warm summers days with bright day sunlight. I usually like to find some place in the shade to draw during these months. Devon Street, with the storefront overhangs and rows of trees is always appealing. As I looked down the sidewalk, I was trying to draw the very bright sunny bits and the oasis-like shady bits. I really wanted this to be a drawing of shade, I guess.

Joe's Garage.

Today we went to Joe's Garage on the corner of Devon Street East and Gover Street. Joe's Garage is in the renovated and restored State Hotel. The building is 147 years old, and a lot of the old features have been maintained and exposed to keep the character of the building. Past owners also donated old memorabilia.

Karyn Grant the current director has said:
"It's really lovely seeing this building coming back to life and rejuvenated because it really is a landmark."

Ref:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/7169514/Joes-Garage-revs-up

Here is my sketch:

Just a quick one today as I arrived late.