Royal Arcade July 14 urban sketching Watercolour and Ink
I have started another online course called Sketch Book Skool which has been a lot of fun. So I have made a new sketch book for it. As part of the course you are encouraged to go out and sketch, so I met up with the Melbourne ‘Urban Sketches’ and we drew in one of the lovely Victorian Arcades in the centre of Melbourne. A really pleasant way to spend time. We met up, then everyone dispersed throughout the arcade and did a couple of hours of drawing then met up again to see what each other had done. Then off to lunch and a little more sketching.
Royal Arcade Melbourne
This was my first time sketching in the middle of town, but I found it to be really rewarding. I bought a little stool and set myself up in a corner of the arcade and went to work. Most people walk by with the quick glance, some stopped to chat and some children were fascinated. I enjoy talking to people about what I am doing and they were all very kind.
New Sketch Book 29.5 x 20cm 180gsm water colour paper
Circumstances have been against me and I haven’t had a chance to go drawing with the group again, but I plan to do so in the future. I have been doing more sketches and I will share these with you in coming posts.
Sketching in Royal Arcade, it was very cold that day.
Royal Arcade 2 July 14 urban sketching Water colour and Ink
This was a quick little sketch of a Babushka Shop in the arcade. Yes the whole shop is full of these little babushkas so I could not resist doing a quick 10 minute sketch of the window.
I would recommend Sketch Book Skool to others who would like some encouragement to start sketching, it is a nice mix of instruction, getting to see different sketchers and their styles and motivation to get out and sketch.
Karen
Karen Bailey Studio 
I have posts on a facebook group “Urban Sketchers”. I have never gone out with a group, only by myself or with my husband. I have been thinking of starting one with kids…. Here’s the page if you’re interested https://www.facebook.com/groups/urbansketchers/
You should go out with the sketchers, such a fun thing to do and so interesting to see what other people have drawn. You learn something from each drawing you see or do. Thanks for the facebook link.
Oh and I love the Royal Arcade drawing!
So glad you did, as I am not that fond of it. But I wanted to post it anyway, if I start editing what I post in the way of sketches, I might not post anything. Karen
Wonderful drawing! I’m in Skectchbook Skool too. Isn’t it great?
Yes, I really enjoyed Skool, though I didn’t do as many of the excercises as I would have liked, but with unlimited access to the course I am going to go back and get them al done gradually.
I haven’t gone outside yet but I am trying to draw an old wall in a sketchbook from a photograph and find the perspective hard to get right. You seem to have managed well!!
The best thing I have learnt from urban sketching is to embrace the wonky line and to just go for it in pen. My first few pen drawings were very scary, but there is a freshness to the drawings that has its own beauty. So I am trying not to worry too much about the mistakes and just go with the lines I have done and complete the drawing, they turn out ok. Karen. (In an upcoming post I will show you what I mean)
I signed up to the Urban Sketchers but have realised I am more of a rural sketcher than an urban one! These are great, and the more you do the more confident and fluent you become. Just doing it is the thing!
I agree Anna, I have improved so much with recent practice. The urban sketching has been part of my plan to push myself into new areas. I usual draw nature, so urban is a challenge, I may even work up to people!
Beautiful sketching. Love these arcades too – saw many like these in Paris.
I am sure the Melbourne ones were modelled on the French. I am thankful to the goldrush for giving Melbourne such gorgeous buildings as these.