Sunday Portrait Group Sketches of Sarah

 Today I drew on large sheets of paper on an easel as I left my sketchbook behind. This first one, below, is my favorite. There is a mirror in the background. Sarah, in the foreground, is the model. Also shown are Jeanette to the left, Klara in the center, Jerry to the right and Jerry's reflection with blackened cap and behind him Rod's reflection at the very back. I moved Klara's position so it really should be her reflection in the mirror.

The next drawing has less of a close likeness but I still like it. I used paint pen and colored pencils. 

           Jerry often manages to gatecrash my pictures but his cap makes it worthwhile.

This picture did not reproduce well so I'll do some more enhancement on it but it was a three minute sketch after I arrived late to the portrait group for the first sketch.

                    

Sketches of Glen & Royal Dental Hospital

 First up is a gel pen picture of Glen I made at the portrait group. I like the economy of line which still captured essential features.

The next picture is another dental hospital waiting room picture. The woman was holding her chin as she gazed at her friends teeth. His dreadlocks were a striking subject.

My Chilean Friend Juan as a Confederate Cavalry Officer

 

My Chilean friend, Juan Godos makes and sells reproduction Lido toy soldiers. He also does military reenactment such as the 1870s Pacific War uniforms. As he has a special interest in the American Civil War so I painted him as a Confederate cavalry officer.

  Materials: Acrylics, colored pencils, water colors and fine liners.

Elric of Melinbone

My favourite fantasy hero.....

 

Kerrie's Dogs

 

July V-Line & Metro-Rail Sketches & Some Waiting Room Drawings

 Here are some more of my quick train capture sketches. I like to capture the essence of passenger appearance and character but I also don't mind the occasional complete flights of fancy; one young man's headphones reminded me of a cartoon bird's eye so....

  

Illustration For Fantasy Wargame

 

I have taken to illustrating some of my wargames. This one covers a phase of my fantasy campaign with use of imagi-nations.

Drawing of Fantasy Figurines

 My 'other hobby' is collecting small figurines and painting the actual figurines that might also find their way into wargames. I love rummaging around Sunday markets and picking u the odd figurine; you can learn more about the actual figurines on my Quantrill's Toy Soldiers blog.

  Anyhow, recently I have taken to also drawing some of the figurines. This piece is drawn with fine-liners and colored pencils.

Royal Melbourne Dental Hospital

 O Monday I went to Royal Melbourne dental Hospital Emergency section. I got there at 7 AM and was either the first or second to get there. in the waiting foyer, in a glass display was an exquisite Aboriginal possum skin cloak.

  There were some good subjects for drawing. The lady with walker had a book about cats and a bag with at pictures on it. She was going to have to spend a very large amount for her black and white moggy at the vet.

 I assumed these two were mother (right) and daughter. The windows were an interesting shape and framed a passing Spencer Street train.

Inverleigh Zine Day

 I might make a zine out of this. Inverleigh is a very small town outside of Geelong. I took the train from Sandringham and then got a lift from Amanda (organiser of the earlier Geelong zine day) the 30 kilometers to Inverleigh.

  I sold a number of zines and swapped a few. I also drew some of the people. (One pic is not here as I sold it without taking a photo).

Train Passenger in Hoodie Snoozing

                                I drew this last Saturday, on the train, from Melbourne to Geelong.

A.I. 3D Version of My Battle Cartoon, Fezians Versus Dinosaur

 

Mick & Hoppa With the Troll At the Library in 3D

 

Childhood Spiky Dinosaur in AI Mode

I haven't really used AI images before. However I was trying to eliminate paper fold shadows and to darken line work in my childhood weird dinosaur drawing. I ended up with this eerie 3D alien creature which is a kind of cross between a camel, a lama, a giraffe and a porcupine. Initially it had a fifth leg, which I deleted.

The eye is haunting me.

 

The Law of Nature

 When people talk about the 'Laws of Nature' I imagine some old trees getting together to write these laws.

Homeless Ranter on Train

 

Travelling by train recently I noticed a man (presumably homeless) with shopping trolley packed almost to the ceiling. He was loudly conversing with the train passengers and chucking his cap in the air to try to catch it on his head. Five protective Services cops turned up and must have decided he was harmless as they just helped him manage his trolley which threatened to roll away

Melbourne to Geelong Zine Day

 Last Saturday I travelled to Geelong library for a zine day. I sketched on the trains and also on the day as well as selling a few of my zines. My Chloe the cat zine is the most popular.

 BELOW: My gel pens had run out of ink so I drew in pencil until I got to the Geelong branch of Office Works and bought some new drawing implements. This picture I did on the train with red and blue pencils and added more pencil colors later. After I scanned it I intensified the colors and digitally added the white lines on the yellow hair. For the record, the girl was Asian and had dyed her black hair.

My Sketchbook From Age Five? Spiky Dinosaur

 I found, in my garage, a very old, childhood sketch book.  It is not dated but I guess I was between four and six. The pages are buckled so I am going to try to flatten them so I can scan them better. Things I liked drawing included dinosaurs and monsters. This one seems to have overdone it a bit with the spikes!

  

    

Stratford Portrait Group Ticklish Turtle Cafe June, 2026

                                                                              The sketchers

                                                                    Frank, the model

This is my favorite and it was a five minute sketch between posing sessions. Rod was bending over his work making a few last minute additions.

'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.