Tiny Travel Watercolour Set

September 26, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

This shows a similar travel size watercolour set to mine, which I’m so passionate about – which I bought in San Francisco a year or so back. If I’d had a spare minute I’d have sketched this one for you. Please forgive me in my excitement. A mere photo! I hadn’t seen any as small in Australia, but had seen larger ones at outrageous amounts. So when people asked where to get one like mine, I felt I should find […]

Categories: Art, Art Materials, Line & Watercolour, Sketching Locations, Watercolour Painting • Tags: Quick Watercolours, Watercolor painting, Watercolour Travel Sets

Once a Service Station

August 5, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

It’s been a while since this quaint little building has seen new life. Sitting on a corner, surrounded by much larger, and very unstylish buildings, sits this decorative ‘home’ like place, which truly was a service station. When you look at it, it’s all there. Drive through for petrol, side doors for motor repairs, everything for a tiny but perfectly formed garage. It’s called ‘Auckland’ but I don’t know the history of that. Somehow having such a purpose-built architecturally designed, […]

Categories: Art, Line & Watercolour, Plein air painting • Tags: Exhibition space with feeling, Location Sketches, Quick Watercolours, Revitalised Architecture

More Hollywood Spanish Mission

July 24, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

Now that I’ve started drawing selected local homes, I’m seeing this style popping up quite a bit.  Should make it easier to draw those ‘twisted’ columns around doorways and arched balconies as I become familiar with it – you’d think. There is quite a charm to them among the Federation cottages, the San Francisco shingles, and the Terrace houses. I have to say I’m not sure what style some of the others are yet. But I’ll work it out as […]

Categories: Art, Line & Watercolour, Sketches • Tags: Line drawing with Watercolour, Location Sketches, Quick Watercolours

Peepster Box Chocolat – but some missing

July 16, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

A parcel arrived. From Paris. Mmmmmm. What could it be. Inside was a wonderfully interesting box with 4 yummy coloured chocolate blocks peeping through the window.  Peepster Box Chocolat from London. Not your usual neat shapes and plain chocolatey brown. No no. These were freeform with colours pale and bright, and decorated with pieces of choc and nuts like 4 little abstract paintings. It was coming up to after dinner cafe time, and M was very keen to go in […]

Categories: Art, Art to Eat, Drawings & Sketches, Line & Watercolour • Tags: Art as food, Painting the essence, Quick Watercolours

Garden on the Water

June 28, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

I see the matching Bacchus sculptures at the edge of the garden, with the classic column wall between, as I descend the steps. The harbour glitters. This is the garden at ‘Casa Mia’, a Spanish Mission style mansion about to be demolished. The lawns, shrubs, and flower beds would once have been much more in keeping with the style of the house. However what is still there is enough to give a hint of what used to be. Once the […]

Categories: Art, Family & Friends, Line & Watercolour, Plein air painting, Spanish Mission • Tags: Line drawing with Watercolour, Location Sketches, Mission Revival Style architecture, Quick Watercolours

Spanish Mission style to go.

June 25, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

I saw in the local rag that this sublime Spanish Mission style mansion will soon make way for yet another contemporary apartment block. As part of my sketches of Manly Homes & Gardens I thought I’d better get down there quick smart and get it on paper. So before going to the Studio this morning, I went looking for it. Turns out it’s directly opposite from our place, and now I know which one it is, I’ll know when they […]

Categories: Art, Line & Watercolour, Places of note, Plein air painting, Spanish Mission • Tags: Composition & Colour, Harbour happenings, Location Sketches, Quick Watercolours

Dramatic Rainclouds

April 24, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

I was with Sketchclub and attempting to get some drawing in at the Opera House before heading to a dry spot at The Royal Botanical Gardens adjoining. Most people like to see sunny skies but here we have some dramatic rain clouds – with some dramatic rain. For a few moments it seemed safe to sit on the ledge across from the Harbour Bridge. Of course I didn’t bother to close my bag and the rain came down. I did […]

Categories: Art, Drawings and Sketches, Harbour action, International Sketchcrawl, My Artist Friends, Plein air painting • Tags: Composition & Colour, Line drawing with Watercolour, Opera House, Quick Watercolours, Sydney, Sydney Harbour Bridge

Rain Rain Rain on Sketch Club Day

April 16, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

I knew last night when the weather went pear-shaped, that today would be the same. However nothing holds back a dedicated Sketcher. Sure enough you could barely see in front of you. My journey begins with walking to the wharf and catching the Manly Ferry. So wearing my ‘Cougar Print’ hooded raincoat ( thanks Niki from Texas), umbrella, boots and scarf, I battled the wind to get there. Once at Circulat Quay Liz had said she’s be starting the day […]

Categories: Art, Drawings & Sketches, International Sketchcrawl, My Artist Friends, Plein air painting • Tags: Composition & Colour, Line drawing with Watercolour, Quick Watercolours, watercolour

Sketch Club at Govt. House

March 29, 2011 by Erin Hill Sketching

It’s amazing how fast you draw when there’s a time limit. The rain stopped and I decided to leave my basket chair on the wide slate verandah of Government House, and find another spot, before the skies opened again. As in Paris, you cannot walk on the grass around the Govt House Gardens. Mmmm. That’s hard for me. I’m used to grass you walk on, not look at.  However, I contained myself, and sat on a low wall looking back […]

Categories: Art, Drawings & Sketches, My Artist Friends, Plein air painting • Tags: Line drawing with Watercolour, Location Sketches, Quick Watercolours