What do I do with an enormous sketchbook?

My daughter gave me this very large sketchbook which she got from an art shop in Dunedin, (sadly they've gone out of supplying these now, and I find it difficult to source sketchbooks which have high gsm papers suitable for watercolour). It is quite large, a bit too big to take out sketching, so I decided to use it for watercolour paintings instead. This was then a little intimidating, especially the first page as you want it to look good!

Here is the result: 

 Shell Study. Watercolour. The first page in my large watercolour sketchbook.

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.)

Kite surfers from East End Surf Club.

On a fine, but very windy day, I sat outside the East End Surf Club and had another try at sketching the kite surfers. They are certainly not easy as they are always on the move. I'm not sure how many there were. Definitely more than 10. The sea was quite rough and Port Taranaki was a bit hazy in the background. The wind was whipping up quite a bit of sea spray.

I think this is my best kite surfer sketch yet.

Aussie Car Muster

1957 Vauxhall Velox wagon at the Aussie Car Muster - not exactly a 'Muscle Car' as billed on the advertising but still very much admired by passers by.

Police

(Sketched by Patricia)   Police & Fire at Car demo, with the jaws of life

Motonui Epa

Forty years ago these Motonui Epa (back panels of a storehouse) found in a swamp were spirited out of the country to a Bolivian collector for USD65.000.  The government bought them back for 4.5 million this year, and they were returned to Taranaki.  Distinctively our style with serpentine bodies, the pointed heads and pu-werewere (spider web) decoration.

A challenge to draw as the display was slowly rotating, so we had much exercise over the hour's drawing. 

Brian suggested trying a dark background to 'pop' them out.

Maori Carvings

Sketched by Patricia

Pukekura Park entrance, Rogan Street, New Plymouth.

Today while the others sketched at The Traveller's Fair, I sat and sketched the Rogan Street entrance to Pukekura Park.
There is the usual red Pukekura Park gate, and a pleasant shady path to walk down. In front of that was an enormous power-pole interrupting my view. This is what caught my eye.

I decided to try a different technique today and used a medium black calligraphy pen and watercolour. I limited my palate to five colours. Surprisingly I finished the whole thing in an hour.

Gypsy Travellers Fair

You invariably find interesting characters at Gypsy Fairs.

Here are two good sports who didn't mind modelling.  (And I'm not talking about the Bedford and Ford)

Fire Trucks

Just some fire trucks because that's what I felt like drawing lately