Melbourne. It's all about colour.

Regardless of wether you're drawing simple 'beach boxes' at Brighton Beach (as above) or incredibly ornate Victorian architecture — you will be overwhelmed by colour.

Fresh from Auckland's conservative 'paint everything white culture' I was shocked at how much colour was on display in Melbourne.

Even the Victorians were at it. Building in stone and brick, they relentlessly contrasted laying styles, colour and relief for decorative effect, then added arabesques, dormers, tiles and 

ornate ironwork for good measure.

All awesome fun to sketch of course, but I admit sketching the restored Rialto, Winfield and Olderfleet buildings (above, now an Intercontinental Hotel) in Collins Street was a little overwhelming! So good these buildings were saved for future generations to enjoy.

The City Baths were almost as full-on, and came with the added bonus of yellow and black overhead tram wires to frame the sketch. Definitely make sure your palette is topped up with pigment before visiting. Good to see so many cyclists streaming past despite the heat too.

It’s a good 25 years since I last visited Brunswick Street in Fitzroy, and it’s just as colourful as ever. I didn't get a hand gun drawn on me this time, but did get to do a couple of sketches including Alimentary Deli. I can highly recommend their Shakshuka...

...and look at this beautiful place on Johnston Street, just around the corner from Brunswick Street. Drawn while sitting in front of the Sir Charles Fitzroy cafe with a flat white. That mansard roof and widows walk are the icing on the cake. Known as Dr Peacock's surgery & residence after it's original owner, it has a pretty dark history but then it's difficult to seperate fact from just stories that have grown over the years.

Another stand out building is the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens. This sketch is definitely all about colour, not so much the details. Difficult not to focus on the colour with warm sunlight casting the building in pink hues, a garden of orange flowering ginger plants and cactus. If only Dunedin had saved their exhibition buildings from 1865, 1889 and 1939, although not quite as spectacular I’m sure they would be drawing visitors today too.

You really do feel like you’re in a proper city in Melbourne – there are people everywhere! This is the crowd on the State Library Victoria steps.

And lastly, there’s a pretty good view from St Kilda Pier where you can take a break and look back at the Melbourne skyline. And below, a bit further along the coast at Brighton, those colourful beach boxes. I enjoyed sketching these while standing in the water!