'Show Us Your Sketch Book!'

                     People are always asking to see my actual sketch books so here they are.

I am currently filling Number 9 but have made a cover for Number 10 ready. I have gone from filling one book a year to two. I am using the books more as I like to flick through them and have even taken to making indexes and contents pages. I also have added a scrap book and journal element so I have added stickers to my own covers and art  pages. The Charlie Chaplain figure with guitar is a drawing I made based on a joke I made when about 14 when referring to a band called Super Tramp. The joke did not go down well with my fellow students who let loose a collective groan. (Showing  a knowledge of the current super cool pop or rock group was considered somehow vital but referencing a timeless movie tramp was not but I actually had never heard of Super Tramp, the group).

  I like the A4 hard cover sketch books for the size and also the support when sketching. The spine gets a battering though, as the book gets carried around in backpacks. I have been reinforcing it with tape.

Here is a new style cover based on that shown in 'Bill Making Stuff'. It is 3D with stuff actually glued to the cover.

Below are some of the contents of my first 2026 sketchbook. Most of these I have already posted with better resolution.

  I even include book reviews now. That right hand drawing is copied from the cover of Barry Dickins illustrated book about his grandmother.

Fezians Versus Dinosaur

 This is another illustration based o my fantasy wargame campaign. The models for the illustration are toy soldiers and dinosaur.

Camping by the Creek

 

Mick and Hoppa 'Reading material'

 

                           Can you get the subtle 'in joke' referencing a supposed author?

Dracos' Last Stand, Drawing From Wargames

 Something I am increasingly doing is drawing from my wargames and the toy soldiers I use. The figures I use mostly stand 54mm.

 The picture is made with fine-liners, gel pens, water color and acrylic.

'V' TV S.F. Series

 

I did something different by starting with a magazine cutout of a mouth. Anyway, I like old SF series and the ladies in this one made an impression.

Sketchy Sketches of the Portrait Group

                                                                                                        

 

These are 15 minute 'sketchy sketches' using pencil instead of my usual pens. The first two were part of the same sketch. The colored one shows Rod and Klara chatting before they began sketching, Rod soon sat down so it was a very quick drawing of him.

Colored Portraits of Rod and Jerry

 These drawing are from my portrait group. I had posted them in black and white but now they are colored.

Chloe, Sister of the Moon

 Chloe, the cat, is a ready model.

Vampire Love

 I am going to include this story in a zine compilation on a vampire theme.

NOTE on spelling. Civilization is the American spelling and civilisation the British. Australia mostly, but not always, follows British spelling and often both at once like with color/colour, although in the 1960s students were told we were now following the American version. Well, I don't feel TOO bad for using the American version.

PLANET OF THE CATS

 

This was a a flow on idea from my Statue of Dogivity. I always loved the Planet of the Apes series of movies, the original more than the later. 

Half Moon Bay

 The dog was smaller but I liked it to be a big dog. I had to draw this fast as the people were at the water fountain only a couple of minutes. Also they were there at separate times.

Do you mind if I sit here?

 I thought it was a nice spot to sit as there were three empty seats but the lady didn't like the idea and went off in a huff. as far as I know I didn't run over her dog.

Super Heroes From a Time Long Ago

 I found these drawing in a small sketch book from around twenty years ago. I scanned them today and added additional headings and text.

The Drakos Family Tragedy Part 1

 The characters derive from my decision to write a background to my recent wargame. I might change the writing to a computer font which will be neater.

Moo-lahs of Iran

 

My Portraits of Rod at the Portrait Group

 Rod has some strong features. The first image is done with pencil, The other two are done with a paint brush pen.

People on the Sandringham and Pakenham Lines April 2026

 I recently took a train trip to Melbourne and got out the sketch book - no surprises there.

The first three cartoon portraits are derived from the black and white sketch I did on the train. Artistic License is a great thing; The first woman I did a blonde and a brunette version of.

                                                                Here is the original drawing.

  I drew this next one on the way home. I used an economy of line but a more realistic look. I did slightly exaggerate the man's nose and paunch. I don't much worry about some geometric lines being wobbly as straight lines can be boring and the train jolts around a little, making really straight lines difficult.

  This young fellow was dozing so he was great for a study in forms. I don't know if the hand is too big but it was large. You might have noticed I have an obsession with clouds but they give a good contrast.

One of the joys of this exercise is scanning the pictures on to my laptop. I increase shadows and contrast and if they are color I usually intensify it.

  Drawing people is a bit of a balancing act. If they are not sleeping I try not to be too obvious as it could be unnerving having a person staring intently. For this reason and also because people might get off at a station I draw fast and partially from memory. In any case, I often am drawing the whole section of the carriage so not looking always at just one person. Fortunately most people are so intensely looking at mobile phones that they are oblivious to anything else.