Occasionally Auckland Sketchbook escapes the city to somewhere interesting — and close. This time the sketchbook got a workout in The Bay of Islands . Only 3.5 hours by car and a world away from work. The sketch above was made in down-town Paihia, it doesn't look it, but it is literally behind the main street. The view is the back of an old homestead called Williams House . I was attracted by the orchard of very old fig trees on the left that had me imagining eating juicy ripe figs. Sadly they weren't in season but it must be a fun place at harvest time. Right over the other side of the bay you will find his falling down old house on Matauwhi Bay. For a while there the water had a turquoise glow until the sun went into hiding. This is Pompallier House and Clendon Cottage in Russell sketched with my back to the sea. I may have used a little too much artistic licence in moving them close enough together to fit on my page so don't look too closely. Anyway, I have sketched Po...
Sketching Maori taonga (treasure) at the Auckland Museum. On the left is the prow of the waka taua (war canoe), Te-taki-a-tapiri, and on the right a carved kumara (sweet potato) pit entrance guardian, right.
The waka is really impressive, it almost fills the whole gallery, it's carved from a single large Totara tree, is 25 meters long and reportedly carried around 100 warriors. Built in 1863 it's amazing it even still exists, according to this description, at one stage being partly dismantled and someone even tried unsuccessfully to blow it up!
I love drawing this stuff, it makes you slow down and observe all of the beautiful details, but trying to capture all of this detail in dimly lit museum conditions is a real challenge. As a result, I had to finish the colour later at home.
Sketching Maori taonga (treasure) at the Auckland Museum. On the left is the prow of the waka taua (war canoe), Te-taki-a-tapiri, and on the right a carved kumara (sweet potato) pit entrance guardian, right.
The waka is really impressive, it almost fills the whole gallery, it's carved from a single large Totara tree, is 25 meters long and reportedly carried around 100 warriors. Built in 1863 it's amazing it even still exists, according to this description, at one stage being partly dismantled and someone even tried unsuccessfully to blow it up!
I love drawing this stuff, it makes you slow down and observe all of the beautiful details, but trying to capture all of this detail in dimly lit museum conditions is a real challenge. As a result, I had to finish the colour later at home.
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