After training as a Cartographic Draftsman within the mining industry, I worked as a property illustrator for real estate firms in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne for 22 years from 1983. I initially photographed houses with a Polaroid camera and made a 'thumbnail' sketch while there. The photos were used to scale off a sketch in pencil and then that sketch was overlaid with drafting film and the 'pen and ink' completed. The pens I used were the Rotring ‘Rapidigraph’ drafting pens. The ink was also made by Rotring (German).The film was ‘Rapidraw’, polyester drafting film, double matte. It takes a very fine line and doesn’t bleed. As well as house sketches, there were often floor plans and site plans ordered. Aerial sketches were ordered when the property needed an overall view. (Margaret Picken, 2020)This drawing is one of a series created by Margaret Picken for a number of real estate agents in Melbourne between 1983 and 2005. Each work is signed and dated by the artist.Gift of Margaret Picken, 2020Pen and ink drawing on drafting film of 5 Tara Avenue, Kew. by Margaret Picken.5 RARA AVE., KEW / MARGARET PICKEN '92 / WOODARDS ~ KEWartist -- margaret picken 1950-, 5 tara avenue -- kew (vic.), property illustrations — buildings — kew (vic.)

Pru Sanderson, in her groundbreaking ‘City of Kew Urban Conservation Study : Volume 2 - Development History’ (1988), summarised the periods of urban development and subdivisions of land in Kew. The periods that she identified included 1845-1880, 1880-1893, 1893-1921, 1921-1933, 1933-1943, and Post-War Development. These periods were selected as they represented periods of rapid growth or decline in urban development. An obvious starting point for Sanderson’s groupings involved population growth and the associated economic cycles. These cycles also highlighted urban expansion onto land that was predominantly rural, although in other cases it represented the decline and breakup of large estates. A number of the plans in the Kew Historical Society’s collection can also be found in other collections, such as those of the State Library of Victoria and the Boroondara Library Service. A number are however unique to the collection.The Kew Historical Society collection includes almost 100 subdivision plans pertaining to suburbs of the City of Melbourne. Most of these are of Kew, Kew East or Studley Park, although a smaller number are plans of Camberwell, Deepdene, Balwyn and Hawthorn. It is believed that the majority of the plans were gifted to the Society by persons connected with the real estate firm - J. R. Mathers and McMillan, 136 Cotham Road, Kew. The Plans in the collection are rarely in pristine form, being working plans on which the agent would write notes and record lots sold and the prices of these. The subdivision plans are historically significant examples of the growth of urban Melbourne from the beginning of the 20th Century up until the 1980s. A number of the plans are double-sided and often include a photograph on the reverse. A number of the latter are by noted photographers such as J.E. Barnes.An unnamed subdivision in Studley Park including five lots for sale in Studley Park Road, Highfield Grove and Tara Avenue. Unidentified on the plan, but clearly existing, are the Henty family mansion of Field Place and Tara Hall in Studley Park Road. The first attempted subdivision of Tara Hall was advertised in 1927 in which Lots 5, 6 and 7 in this plan were also advertised. Unusually, Lot 2 in Studley Park Road was created from the northern part of the Henty mansion, rather than Tara Hall. In the subdivision, lots were advertised at varying prices, with the highest price for land being Lot 2 in Studley Park Road. The plan notes that only one villa is to be allowed on each allotment.subdivision plans - kew, field place subdivision -- studley park – kew (vic.), highfield grove – kew (vic.), tara avenue – kew (vic.)