A Weekend in Melbourne, Train Travel & the Geelong Zine Day

 The following drawings were made on my train trips and at the Geelong library zine day. There were some portraits I did and sold which I did not keep to put here.

You sometimes see some strange passengers on a train but I enjoyed the view of cat, bird, seal and bull - in my imagination.

                                         This lady had a lot of character so I drew her twice.

  Thee two young ladies were good subjects. The other two started s observations but became pure fictitious creations when the subjects moved off.

I loved the woman's skirt and yes, she is Scottish! She has a taste for Doc Martins. I got sloppy with the check pattern.

I spent some time sitting outside of Flinders Street Station, on the Swanston Street entrance and noticed the singing black African Christian 'missionaries'. A little juxtaposition was provided by a passing Sikh and someone photographing the front of the station. The height of the post was made shorter to include the seagull. The women expressed themselves with their hands but I realized afterwards that I made the one on the right have too long an arm.

Back to train passengers: The lady on the left loved talking and was very lively with her friends. The one on the window side was much quieter.

   The two young ladies at top left are visiting from Japan. I showed them this, they took a photo and wrote their names underneath. They said it made their day. The lady below was joyously eating an apple. The young boy at right had a mass of wavy hair.

I indulged in some whimsy below when I made the row of seats recede into a distant sea between Sun and Moon. I think I captured the character of the passengers.

  

Geelong Zine Day 19 September

This coming Saturday there is a zine day at Geelong library. I'll be there selling my art and comic zines as well as drawing people.

 

August Train Sketches

 I have oodles of train sketches and at some point I'll make them into a zine. The following are from my recent train trip to Melbourne and back and also around Melbourne. Some of the sketches took just 5 or less minutes with the longest closer to 15 minutes. I don't spend too long looking at subjects, either because they get off the train or because I don't want to be staring at people, which might be misconstrued! It also helps if I start on one person and then begin on another, coming back to the first not long after. Basically nearly everyone on the train is looking at a mobile device anyway so they are oblivious to much else. A few rare ones are reading books but I don't see newspapers anymore. A small number of people are talking to each other and a much smaller number looking out the window or into space. Occasionally someone is snoozing, which makes a great subject. This trip I noticed a few people wearing their football colors and raving, deliriously about the 'footy'. Some old bird enthused about how they had 'annihilated' the rival team on the weekend. Anyone would think she was out there hobbling across the field and kicking the best goal of the day. Something might have broken if she had been tackled.

  Riding on trains I find somewhat relaxing, except when they have some issue and change to coach services, which sometimes has left me stranded when the bus drivers, especially in the city, inform me they can't take bicycles and I usually have the old 'treadly' with me. it did not happen this time. There is also the occasional odd loud, obnoxious person but the no eye contact rule usually works.

Rock Ballet

 

Images of Sale Hospital Imaging Department

 Today I was waiting in the imaging department waiting room so thought 'Why not make some images?'

Medical Waiting Room Sketch

 This is today's sketch. I had a medical checkup and did not waste the waiting time. The page in my sketchbook had been pre-painted for a new effect.

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).