Marg Picken - Property Illustrator History 1983-2005
Having trained and worked as a cartographic Draftsman from 1968-1975 within the mining industry, I easily fitted into a 'work at home' job when it presented itself to me in 1983 as a 'pen and ink' sketch artist drawing houses for the Real Estate industry within the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The tools of trade were the same but the subject matter different.
Working from home was a perfect job to have while a busy family of 3 young children happened in tandem. The kitchen table was my office for most of this working time. Significantly I was able to work around school and family commitments.
Initially I worked for another artist for 3 months but as I had my own contacts in Real Estate, we amicably parted company and after that I began what was to be a 22-year career in this area.
Sketches were ordered by phone initially as there were no mobile phones or computers then. I would take our 2 year-old son with me to the houses when the other 2 boys were at school. I 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' was completed. This process was the only one I used the entire time. Polaroid photos gave an instant usable photo. I then delivered the sketches by hand to the offices. There were deadlines each week on a Tuesday.
As the years went by the mobile phone, computer usage and finally being able to scan and send the sketches streamlined the process.
As well as the house sketches there were floor plans and site plans ordered and after a few years aerial sketches also were ordered when the property needed an overall view. Today a drone photo would be used. Appointments with the vendor were needed for access if necessary.
I became aware of my sketches being used multiple times in the late 1990's without recompense and sought legal opinion re Copyright issues. It was confirmed to me that I owned Copyright, as I was the 'author' of each work. Discussing this issue with my Real Estate clients they were immediately in agreement and allowed me to retrieve all my sketches from their archives. I am incredibly grateful for this and as a consequence I can now gift these sketches to the local Historical Societies for their future use. As an amateur historian myself I appreciate the worth of this material for posterity.
Finally, about 2003, coloured photos began to take over the sketches and mainstream companies replaced sole traders like myself providing a one-stop shop for all advertising. I produced my last Real Estate sketches in late 2005.
Overtime I formed many great relationships with the agents, and became the preferred artist to many including ... Woodard's, Fletchers (Fletcher and Parker), McLaren and Argyle Partners. I view my working life during this time as an enormously busy one providing me with a most rewarding career.
Marg Picken Property Illustrator List of Real Estate agency /Private commissions 1983-2005
Sole contractor: Woodards, Woodards Network, Fletchers (Fletcher and Parker), Ham Kerr and Co, Richard Kerr and Co, Argyle Partners, Barrett Bros, Barry Iles, McLaren Real Estate, Noel Jones, Gorman and Kelly (Commercial), Paul Walker ,Collin Simms
Subcontractor: Realtor, Printco, Real Estate Media, Sharpart
Other agencies - smaller orders: Barry Plant, Bennison and McKinnon, Type Graphics, Noel F Allen, Hill and Knowlton, Masterplan
E.D. Doherty, John Coote, Knight Real Estate, Empress Towns Development, Richard Ellis, Many private and other commissions
Source: See all scanned illustrations donated by Marg Picken (2021)
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