rocket [the bell tower, barrack square, perth, australia, 2023]
rocket
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 8 August 2023].
If you're an Australian of a particular vintage (specifically, Generation X or Baby Boomer), I challenge you to tell me you're not thinking of Mr Squiggle's 'Rocket' while looking at my photo of Perth's Bell Tower at Elizabeth Quay.
I took this while on a whistle-stop tour of Perth with Rhys, one of my cousins.
While Kings Park was quite familiar to me, including the vista from the war memorial (which I had captured on at least one previous visit), the view had markedly changed in the roughly 20-30 years since I'd last photographed it.
This building and other high rises have since populated (and are still adding to) the skyline on Elizabeth Quay.
Although the architecture is vastly different: The Bell Tower is on a river, while the National Carillon is on an island in a manmade lake, and they are on almost direct opposite sides of the big, brown land we call Australia, I couldn't help but think of the near-annual visits my brothers and I took with my Granddad to the National Carillon on Queen Elizabeth II Island in Lake Burley Griffin as kids when confronted with The Bell Tower.
Perth was the city my grandparents moved to after decades lived in Canberra, and it was while visiting them in late high school that I first saw Perth.
I still feel I've only scratched the surface of Perth after about four visits, but there's something comforting about the same-same-but-different elements of the city to Canberra.
I'm sure that if my brothers, cousins and I were kids now and my grandparents were still alive and living in Perth, my Granddad would take us to The Bell Tower annually.
under glass
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 7 May 2022].
090 beer
Day ninety of The 100 Day Project for 2021.
The home stretch!
I raise a toast to celebrate.
Or rather, Scott did, last Tuesday, as we sat by the Thames. As if I'd drink beer...
It was chilly enough that we were in coats while we ate and drank, but we were comfortable enough in said coats.
We'd wavered about which day to meet but, in the end, chose the best day of the week. The next day, which was initially suggested, was windy and drizzly and altogether horrid. At least we got a bit of blue sky through the haze that lurked about.
It was my first visit to a pub since visiting three in one day on 4 December 2020. And it was the first time Scott and I had been able to catch up in person since 17 December 2019.
While Scott is fully vaccinated, I'm yet to have my first dose, so we settled for clinking glasses instead of our usual hug on greeting and departing.
Scott asked how I decide what to draw each day and proposed I draw his pint of beer. Funnily enough, I'd paused numerous times over this photo of Simon's beer I'd taken at the Harringay Arms in August last year. I'd contemplated drawing it but thought I would leave it until my drawing skills had improved. Primarily, my ability to render the head on the beer. I'm not convinced I'm any closer to that goal, 90 days into the project.
Though I suspected I may not actually be game to draw Scott's beer either, I did photograph it as we sat by the river. I took extra care to obscure the bollard behind the pint (with Scott manoeuvring it to avoid me touching his glass). And lining the shot up to capture St Paul's Cathedral in the background.
Yesterday, in the last 45 minutes of the day, I decided to take my chances. I knew I wouldn't be able to render the foam even vaguely, so I let myself skip that.
I managed to misjudge the width of the glass versus the typeface, so I had to fix that once I had drawn 'beer'.
It's not even vaguely photorealistic. And I'm almost certain, if that pint was placed on that table, in reality, it would slide straight off toward the bottom-right of the frame...
But, for all that, it's a sketch I feel is kind of satisfying. Even if it's beer and not cider. I drew it; I don't have to drink it.
The initial sketch was drawn with a 4H pencil. Overdrawn and shaded with a mix of 6B, 3B and HB pencils.
Want me to attempt to sketch a subject of your choosing? There's still a little time. I can't promise anything, but my suggestion box is open. #NotAEuphemism
010 absolut sketch
Day ten of The 100 Day Project for 2021.
The base of the glass is not bad.
Apart from that, it's evident the glass has had a skinful: it's swaying a little to the side, spilling its drink and blurring its words.
I'm not entirely sure you'd know what it was without the lettering and the source photo but not my worst effort, I don't think.
And my longest sketch so far, despite starting some new contract work today and feeling a bit pushed for time.
A contemplative way to defrag. The drawing, not the booze. Though the last of the Tiptree salted caramel vodka liqueur was a delicious subject.