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...
What can I say? Some sketchy characters find the gritty back alleys more interesting than shopfronts.
There is so much character to be found amongst the crumbling masonry, red bricks, bins, skips, downpipes, parked cars and air conditioning systems.
There is a definite authentic victorian appearance to the back of these shops on Symonds Street and Mount Eden Roads. They're a great place to experiment with a toned sketchbook, exploring texture effects.
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