Sketching at Mt Coot-Tha Botanic Gardens

It was a sunny morning yesterday at Mt-Coot-Tha. I had previously sketched the Japanese Gardens where the rest of the sketchers were meeting, so I decided to look for something else. I found this striking view of the Tropical Display Dome and a magnificent baobab tree. I started directly on the tree with watercolour - no drawing. The dome was tricky so here I used a light pencil sketch to keep me on track.

Mt Coot- Tha Tropical Dome - watercolour and ink in a Beta Sketchbook

First pass with watercolour and the pencil sketch of the Tropical Dome. 

Once this first wash was dry, I went in with some ink (Pilot Metropolitan Fine nib) to draw in the details of the branches. I wasn’t concerned about keeping to the painted areas, rather worked to redraw new details. 

More progress - ink and watercolour 

Summer in Brisbane, it seems, is here in earnest. It was very hot day and the shade I had been sitting in was disappearing. By the time it came to painting the Dome, I decided this would be achieved much more easily with a table, proper shade and cup of coffee. I moved into the cafe to complete the sketch. I was so wrapped up doing this that I only noticed the rest of the crew when they stood up to take photos! 

It’s strange how our brains translate what we see into manageable symbols. I must have stared at the Tropical Dome for over an hour before I started to paint it. My brain saw ‘diamond’ shapes and painted them accordingly. It was only when I was halfway through painting the Dome that I realised that the ‘diamonds’ were in fact triangles. Talk about painting what you think you see and not what you actually see!

Graphite drawing to re-see the Tropical Dome 

The reality...

43rd Worldwide Sketch-crawl Brisbane

My day started early with a stop in Margaret Street, Brisbane to draw the Bonded Stores. These buildings have just lost an appeal by Brisbane Heritage to the Queensland Heritage Council to save them from demolition by developers. The vote was close by 6-4 votes but it still means that they will come down.

Bonded Stores Margaret Street, Brisbane - Fabriano Venezia sketchbook 

©2014 Carol Lee Beckx

My sketch was on a page prepared with gesso/gouache under painting. On site I did a drawing using a Lamy Safari (EF nib) and Noodler"s black ink. On my return home I added more gouache - a sad drawing.

Next stop was the Queensland Parliament House in George Street. I wanted to try using loose watercolour washes for the building with no pencil or pen drawing. I left the double spread to dry planning to return later to do the drawing.

I joined my fellow sketchers and moved on to Old Government House. This building now forms part of QUT Garden Point Campus and houses the William Robinson Art Gallery, museum and café. (Unfortunately all closed during our visit as it was Easter holidays!)

Old Government House QUT ink and w/c Fabriano Venezia sketchbook 

©2014 Carol Lee Beckx 

Turning to face a different direction, I was struck by the contrasting modern buildings - Garden Theatre and the Science building.

Garden Theatre Ink and w/c Zeta Sketchbook ©2014 Carol Lee Beckx

The drawing of Parliament house was quite a challenge, particularly as it was almost lunch time. I used a Zeta A4 Sketchbook with a Lamy Safari (EF nib) and Noodlers black ink. Zeta is wonderful for ink but watercolour reacts very differently so smooth even washes just don't happen!

I debated whether I should add more watercolour for greater depth to the sketch.In the end I have left it as it was…I may still add more colour. The eternal question - when to stop?

Our crawl ended at Pancake Manor for coffee, lunch and a last quick sketch - a good day.