Lotuses are blooming

Finally a sunny day to draw the lotuses. I can't let a year go by without it. They need a big sign - we were there a long time and everyone called them water lilies. Not so many flowers - yet. It has been so cool that maybe more flowers will come if warm weather continues.

After lunch, we sought out interesting trees to draw. Couldn't find last year's favourites, so we discovered some very interesting ones we hadn't seen before. I have to draw these trees again on a bigger page & starting earlier in the day. I can't say what they are, because I couldn't find a sign.

Last Spring Sketchabout

We started the Spring Sketchabout at the Palace Garden. As I'd been to the zoo, and my sketchbook is full of animals already, I decided to draw a lion. This one is truly king of the jungle - well, the Palace Garden anyway, as he has a crown of roses.

I snuck off down the stairs away from the main group to draw this jacaranda. They are blooming all over Sydney at the moment. I wanted to be sure I drew one this year, so - no time like the present. They are so ethereal looking.

We took our lunch to the lawn behind the Main Pond, where we always meet to catch up and look at one anothers sketches.We sit in the shade of this big tree and I always look at the intricate patterns of its bark. I've wanted to draw it before and this time I summoned the energy. I didn't think to look what type of tree it is, so I just called it 'The Lunch Tree' because that is what it is for me.

It was a beautiful day in the Gardens on Thursday, though a cool breeze near the water. We started out on the Spring Walk. Look how gorgeous. There were a lot of people looking and I was lucky to get this photo in a minute when they'd all disappeared. After lunch we moved on to draw trees. I have been wanting to do this ever since I saw Julia and Catherine's beautiful tree drawings the day the sketchabout went to Government House. The colours have been chosen for fun, rather than following nature. The top one is a Port Jackson fig, and the lower
one is a Moreton Bay fig.

Sketchabout 5 - Liz's Sketches

Another WONDERFUL sketchabout...and the most perfect day weather wise as well! Was a little exhausted in the morning but somehow picked up once the event started!


I am really enjoying sketching tree trunks these days

Funny that I always seem drawn to the buildings in the gardens....

Now for the sketches that I did during the sketchabout in the herb garden....

Such a beautiful day- so relaxing sitting in the shade sketching and chatting!

A final sketch...I am trying to fill up my sketchbook so feeling pressure to sketch as much as I can! I wrote banana leaves...but I think they might be palms?