A bottle tree

November 21, 2016 | 7 Comments


I had another jam-packed week last week, including a hectic day visit to Brisbane to teach another sketching workshop for architects. I am planning to do another vlog flicking through my sketchbook, but for today, I just want to share a quick sketch I did of a bottle tree in Anzac Square during my previous visit to Brisbane (for the first workshop I taught there). As this first visit was just before my sabbatical week, I haven’t shared any details with you but I will be including them in my next vlog.

Although I don’t sketch trees a lot, they are one of the first things I notice when I arrive in a new place. It was hard to miss these gorgeous bottle trees as I roamed the streets of Brisbane looking for workshop locations

Posting this sketch has made me realise that I need to get out sketching the trees in Sydney at this time of year! (Note: I am setting myself a challenge this week)


So, what are the trees like in your local area at the moment? Are we going to sketch trees this week?

7 Comments

  • Christine Rae says:

    Hi Liz, I live in the beautiful Hunter Valley in New South Wales and at this time of year the Jacaranda blooms are stunning. Everywhere you look the soft purple catches your eye. In my own garden, we have a Tree Waratah which has flame red flowers which are such a contrast to the dark lime green foliage. I love trees!

    • Liz Steel says:

      Oh I know – the jacarandas are groegous here too – not as many flame trees though. Oh! its the best time of the year!

  • Patricia Langer says:

    This morning the maples, elms and oak trees are heavy laden with snow which was delivered by a driving wind that spattered snow on one side of the trunks leaving the other side bare. The light hasn’t fully broken yet but the sky is opening to a Payne’s Gray. The boughs of the fir trees have not held any snow, lifted and blown as they are in the wind.
    I love this time of year, before heavy winter has set in and patterns of grass and ground are still exposed.
    I tried sketching the trees yesterday a part of a larger scene that included the few houses and hill out my south facing window.
    Today I’ll try the trees alone.
    Thanks for your beautiful bottle tree! As always, motivating and inspiring.

  • Carole Jurack says:

    Same here in Ohio as Patricia Langer’s comment.Still some leaves hanging on for dear life as it is very breezy out there today. Some gold and red. They should all be down soon. Makes it easy to see the tree bones, great for sketching. May have to give it a whirl!

  • Fiona Campbell says:

    Wonderful autumn this year in Scotland. Mild days in September and October mean we have fab colours – beeches, maples, sycamores and rowans all in bright shades of orange, yellow and red. No gales so far, so they’re hanging on looking stunning on sunny frosty mornings. Went out to sketch them last week and for once no Scottish greys – but lots Quin Gold and Red !!

  • Meredith Davies says:

    I was sketching in Anzac Square on Friday too. I love this time of year in Brisbane when the gorgeous purples of the last Jacaranda trees contrast with the first brilliant reds of the Poincianna trees. Liz, I hope you can run a workshop in Brisbane for urban sketchers soon.

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