I made it out with the Urban Sketchers crew to one of my favourite places to draw – St Stephen’s Cemetery in Newtown/Camperdown. Its an old Anglican churchyard that has been overgrown with trees and greenery. The gravestones have lost their footing and show wear and tear of over more than a century and a half, these days locals come to walk their dogs or sit and read a book in a patch of sun.
I picked the one spot that seemed like it was meant to be drawn. I didn’t know what I had in mind, usually I do tho it never turns out the way I see it, so I started a watercolour background. While I waited for the paint to dry I started another one with my parallel pen. I went back to the watercolour, not really sure what my next step was, but ended up doing a an artline cross hatch followed by some watercolours on top.
And these are the results.
But I was most happy with the last one. Everyone headed off for lunch but I stayed and drew this beautiful Moreton Bay Fig. Its a tree native to the east coast of Australia and is like something out of a fantasy novel. This one in particular seems to be bigger than most. Some of the roots looked like they were at least a metre high.
I used my scribble technique, which is constantly scribbling shape and tone. Its so freeing.
Cheers,
Meegan