Elafmephants & other Jungle Animals

November 22, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

That’s what I called elephants when I was six. I still like that word. This was our Sketch Club outing at the Zoo. We rode all the way up to the top in the skypod thing, because it’s easier to slowly walk and sketch all the way down to the bottom, and catch the ferry home. Unless you are not going to the bottom, and then you have to walk up again!  You can’t win really, can you. Sunday is […]

Categories: Art, Line & Watercolour, Quick Sketches, Sketchclub, Sketching • Tags: Barbary sheep, Elephant, Kodiak Bear, Location Sketches, Pygmy Hippopotamus, Quick Watercolours, Zebra

French Sketches – South of France

October 15, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

This is a few of my sketches, done in the village of Trausse, South of France. These are sketches done as I observe & enjoy special moments around the village. The above 2 sketches were done as I stood in the doorway of the Summer Kitchen, looking out to the little garden. the old wisteria, the roses and petunias, pots and milk cans. Where else would you rather be? These stone village houses are where you can stay on your visits. […]

Categories: Art to enchant, Quick Sketches, Sketching Holidays, Sketching in France, Traveling & Sketching, Villages of France • Tags: art, Location Sketches, Sketches, Soft colour, Southern France

Sketching Australian Botanicals

October 9, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

It was a Sketchclub Meetup at The Botanical Gardens. Off I went quite early to grab a coffee and catch the ferry. As it turns out I had a few spare minutes to do a quick sketch of the view from the wharf. Might as well get the eye/hand coordination going before meeting the others. It was nice really. The Ferry men just waiting around to tie up the next ferry – my ferry. Quiet and peaceful on this early Saturday. […]

Categories: Art, Harbour action, Line & Watercolour, Observing the Light, Quick Sketches, Waterscapes • Tags: Australian Garden, Botanical garden, Ficus Macrophylla, Garden, Line drawing with Watercolour

The Demolition of an Ice Cream

October 7, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

The big delivery truck pulls up outside. I raise my eyes. The Ice Cream and other junk people eat I say to myself. All going into the little Convenience Store next door to my Studio. The nice man pats Amelie ( and Ruby ) sitting on the doorstep in the sun. We smile and swap pleasantries. ‘I have a little dog like this’ says the nice man. Fluffy dogs always win people over. ‘Would you like an Ice Cream’ he […]

Categories: Art, Art to Eat, Creative food, Line & Watercolour, Quick Sketches, The little things in Life • Tags: Art as food, Ice Cream, Line drawing with Watercolour, Quick Watercolours, Sketches

Sketching at the Jazz Festival

October 1, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

Every year, on this long weekend we have the fab Manly Jazz Festival. It’s actually Labour day on Monday but no one cares about that because having a long weekend is the important bit. Oh and we have to move the clocks forward on Sunday night. It’s soooo entertaining. Even if you are not a jazz fan, you can find a seat in front of the many stages where performers are on all day and evening for 3 days – […]

Categories: Art, Line & Watercolour, Manly Beach, Quick Sketches, The little things in Life • Tags: Festivals, Jazz, Location Sketches, Music, Sketches

Sunrise Sketch & Sunday Sketch group

September 18, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

Did a quick sketch on Friday, to show the class on Sunday. If you know your location and have good reference, it CAN work to sketch from. Here was a 5.40am sunrise recently which was sooooo beautiful. I do prefer sketches are done in that moment of course, but somehow in my pj’s , cup of tea in hand and sans sketchbook – the camera was the best I could do. It happens. By sketching in the bones of it […]

Categories: Art, Art appreciation, Art School, Line & Watercolour, Quick Sketches, Sketching Classes • Tags: art, Catching the essence, Line drawing with Watercolour, Location Sketches, Pencil, Sketch

The Gardens & The City

March 16, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

Again the Ibis is there. Two little water hens were pecking around, and keeping a beady eye on him. They can run quite fast I noticed when Mr Ibis gives them the evil eye. This was a great spot for looking at a whole layer of things. I was on the way back towards the Band Lawn where the group would later meet, and there was about enough time – say 20 mins at most – to draw something else. […]

Categories: Art, Drawings & Sketches, Landscapes, Line & Watercolour, Quick Sketches • Tags: Botanical Gardens and Arboreta, Composition & Colour, Ibis, Line drawing with Watercolour, Location Sketches, Sydney

Saturday Afternoon, Balmoral

March 2, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

It’s hard to believe, but I do try to draw just a tiny aspect of what I can see, but as usual before long, I have most of the beach and the rest of the world in there. Just can’t help myself. I squeezed past the bridal party being photographed on the bridge, hoping I wouldn’t have to be photoshopped out of the best one!! There are so many great vantage points on that side, and Margaret and Linda also […]

Categories: Art, Drawings & Sketches, Family & Friends, Line & Watercolour, Quick Sketches • Tags: Beach Views, Line drawing with Watercolour, Location Sketches, Quick Watercolours

Gilly Spies Some Action

January 30, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

This was fabulous. There had been a few ‘goings-on’ out on the harbour the previous night. Dale & Gilly, Milton & I had sat on the balcony having a last drink before bed – when somebody – we think on the beach beyond – was having a dramatic moment. ‘Love you babe’ were words being screamed out across the water many times. However ‘Babe’ didn’t seem to be answering too often. Oh the stories we came up with. We decided […]

Categories: Art, Drawings & Sketches, Harbour action, Quick Sketches, The little things in Life, watercolour • Tags: Beach Views, Harbour happenings, Line drawing with Watercolour, Location Sketches, Painting the essence, Quick Watercolours, Water views