A visit to Balmoral

August 17, 2013 | 4 Comments


There is always a bit of adjustment for me when I come home from a big trip. I go back to my normal sketchbook (A5 Stillman and Birn Alpha) and for some reason in the last 6 months this every day book has now become a lot more casual. It is more about recording my first impressions or experiments and less about creating ‘good sketches’. More of a working book and less as a finished work of art.


This morning’s visit to Balmoral was all about casing the joint for my upcoming class in Mosman. First week – this coming Wednesday we will be here at Balmoral – please contact me if you would like to join for one week or all four weeks. We will be covering similar content to what we did in my Manly sketching class in May/June but this time in a different suburb. I can’t wait- I am sure it will be lots of fun!


I started my short 2,5 hour visit with morning tea (late breakfast) at Bathers Pavilion ( very nice but don’t normally eat at fancy ($) places like this on a regular basis) and then went outside and onto the beach on a lovely winters day- 24C!


The little island between Balmoral and Edwards Beach, called Rocky Point, has some special significance for me – I designed my first-year university architecture project here (it was a little house for myself right on the point and was inspired by the rocks) and when I worked in Mosman (for 9 years) I used to escape at lunchtime here (either walk down and up the big hill or drive down) I wasn’t trying to do a definitive sketch of it today but rather just making a few visual notes. As you can see I did a lot of quick sketches today. The larger sketchbook is an old Jasart Premium Sketchbook which I want to use up and is my ‘class sketchbook’. Used to use this type of sketchbook all the time – 150 gsm cartridge…but just don’t like the paper anymore. Sand was being blown into my sketch and water/paint was blown off my brush at times!


Ah! It was so good to great out for a little sketching today and even better to be able to take my winter boots off and get my feet in the sand and the water and soak up some sun at the beach! Why oh why, don’t I do it more often????

4 Comments

  • Liz Steel says:

    thanks Gail… I have used Daniel Smith ultramarine (a little bit) but mainly cobalt teal blue (W&N Cobalt turq light is similar. maybe nicer!) and DS Indathrone Blue which is the deep blue. I love CTB/CTL probably my favourite colour at the moment!

  • Gail Wong says:

    Liz,
    I love the colors on these sketches, which Blues were you using?

  • atreewalker says:

    I like your sketches, and especially the ones by the sea – I am a continental sketcher, and painting the sea seems to be so difficult to me!
    🙂

  • Liz Steel says:

    thanks atreewalker! I cant imagine living not near the sea… I rarely get there but at least I know it is there if I 'need' it!

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