Trafalgar Square 倫敦 Trafalgar Square

Another scanned sketch from last summer's UK sketch trip.   Quick Sketch of Trafalgar Square.

另外一張旅遊英國時畫的速寫。倫敦 Trafalgar Square。

York in the Evening 約克的黃昏

Another scanned sketch from my UK sketch trip last summer. I stayed with a group of very dedicated sketch friends in the square sketching this charming scene of the old city wall of York and the cityscape until dark.

另外一張旅遊英國時畫的速寫。當日同一班發燒畫友留在約克城牆外廣場一路畫至入黑。

St. Lawrence's Church, Macau 澳門風順堂街聖老楞佐堂

First Sketch of my Singapore Trip: Sketching and Eating at the Telok Ayer Market (Lau Pa Sat) 抵步星架坡第一張速寫 Telok Ayer Market (Lau Pa Sat)

After settling in a nearby hostel, we went out to this historic market and had our first meal in Singapore.  We couldn't resist to sketch the vibrant scene and the very iconic metal structure of the building.

抵步星架坡，放下行理，天已黑，係時候出外醫肚。 得知Telok Ayer Market (Lau Pa Sat) 就係附近，我地就走去食晚飯，飯後大家當然要幫Telok Ayer Market畫番張速寫啦。

6th International Urban Sketchers Symposium Day 1: Masjid Sultan Singapore 星架坡蘇丹清真寺

A group of urban sketchers from Hong Kong gathered around the Masjid Sultan and sketched in the heat of the afternoon.  

熱辣辣嘅下午，一班香港速寫人齊集星架坡蘇丹清真寺外速寫。

6th International Urban Sketchers Day 3: Norris Street, Little India 星架坡小印度一角

6th International Urban Sketchers Symposium Day 2: Sketchwalk at Waterloo Street 第二日Waterloo Street 速寫印度廟

On the third day of the symposium, we went to a sketchwalk at Waterloo Street.  I really liked the delicate patterns and sculptures of this Hindu temple.  I decided not to use colour so that I could focus on the  patterns using line work only.

Waterloo Street 此處有一印度廟，印度廟四處都有精緻圖案同神像雕刻，畫時只用線條不用色，目的係要突出其精緻圖案。

6th International Urban Sketchers Symposium Day 3: Sketching at Long Bar, Raffles Hotel 新加坡萊佛士酒店

Nice atmosphere, nice drinks and peanut shells littered everywhere on the floor.  I was told that it was the only place that people were allowed to litter the floor (with peanut shells only I guess).

新加坡萊佛士酒店 Long Bar 充滿英式殖民地氣氛，高樓底，回旋木梯，典雅木櫃再加上籐椅，係作畫嘅好地方。

6th International Urban Sketchers Symposium Day 4: Sketching at the Singapore Botanic Gardens 星架坡植物園速寫

6th International Urban Sketchers Symposium Day 4: Singapore Art Museum 第六屆國際速寫人大會：星架坡藝術館

This quick sketch was done at the final sketch walk of the 6th International Urban Sketchers Symposium in Singapore. What a great week with so many sketchers from around the world! A bigTHANK YOU to those dedicated sketchers who brought us this wonderful symposium!

來自世界各地嘅速寫人聚首一堂，交流切磋，日日workshop同畫sketch。這張係星架坡最後一將速寫，題為星架坡藝術館。

A Hongkongese in Taipei : Sketching Beitou 港人畫台北 : 速寫北投

Thanks to Carton and friends from Urban Sketchers Taipei,  I had a very happy sketch day in Beitou and visited a few interesting spots in the area.  The first place we sketched was the Beitou Public Library, a wooden structure that stands next to the hot spring river.  I was really drawn to the interior of the library so I decided to stay inside and made a sketch out of it.  During lunch, we shared our sketches and talked about different techniques and styles.  Carton, the leader of the Taipei sketch group, even demonstrated to us his quick sketch method.  After lunch, we visited the Beitou Hot Spring Museum, formerly a Japanese bathhouse and I chose to sketch in the balcony of the museum afterwards. 

感謝Carton同「速寫台北」的朋友帶我遊北投同一齊速寫。早上先到北投圖書館。此館主要用木材建成，依河而建，無論內外都很有歐陸風格。我特別喜歡館內的環景，於是就留在館內速寫。午飯時大家分享作品，品評切蹉，Carton還示範一筆畫一畫！之後前往原為日本溫泉浴室的北投溫泉博物館參觀，我並在二樓露台上速寫。

A Hongkongese in Taipei : Song Shan Cultural Park and Taipei Dome in Construction 港人畫台北 : 松山文創園與興建中的台北大巨蛋

It's my first time to visit Song Shan Cultural Park.  The old complex I drew which was one of the two old main buildings was built in 1939 and was originally a cigarette factory.   It stopped operation in 1998 and was finally converted into a cultural park in 2010. 

After a nice walk around the park, I settled in the inner courtyard (Baroque Garden) of the old complex and started to sketch.  I really found the juxtaposition of the Taipei Dome in construction and the old building in front of it a very interesting sight to sketch.  

松山文創園原本是松山菸廠。廠房建於1939年並於1998年停產。2010年轉型為松山文創園。

遊覽完畢，選了舊建築內園「巴洛克花園」速寫。後方建築中的台北大巨蛋同園內舊建築相影成趣。

A Hongkongese in Taipei: Si Si Nan Village 港人畫台北 : 四四南村

Heard that Si Si Nan Village has become a hip art venue so I decided to go there to have a look on the first day in Taipei.  It was already quite late when I arrived at the village and sadly the village was closed as it was under renovation.  To waste no time, I climbed up a berm next to the village and sketched the outside of the village together with Taipei 101 as backdrop. 

首日遊台北，聽說四四南村係新興文藝村，便到村一遊。可惜四四南村正在維修，暫停開放，唯有係村側一草丘上速寫村外景色，順便畫埋台北101。

Sketches from Europe Trip Part 2

After walking around Delfshaven in cold rain in Rotterdam, we decided to have a cup of hot chocolate.  This sketch was done while everyone was feeling still cold, wet and waiting for their cups of chocolate,


Location: Cafe Soif, Mathenesserdijk, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Concert Cebouw Amsterdam


While waiting for a tram, a very quick sketch depicting the concert hall at Van Baealestraat just across the road.

At the top of the Glass Elephant Tower


The sketch was done at the top of the Glass Elephant at Maximilian Park, Hamm.  The elephant was originally a coal mine structure but was turned into a giant elephant with a green house by architect Horst Rellecke.  At the top inside the green house, I had excellent view of the autumn colours of the city of Hamm.

A quick sketch depicting an alley at Museumpark, Rotterdam

Sketches from Europe Trip Part 1

Went to Netherlands, Belgium and Germany for 11 days for a study trip, focusing on landscape elements , along the way, I did a number of quick sketches.

KNSM Island waterfront, Amsterdam

Not completely sure I'm right with the location. I cycled to this place and settled on the wood deck to sketch. The whole waterfront is lined with nice boats and residential blocks.

Apeldoorn, Netherlands

After visiting the Het Loo Palace at Apeldoorn, we walked along one of the streets and had a quick lunch at a local eatery, along the way I did this sketch.

Breidelstraat overlooking Belfort, Bruges, Belgium

This is the street that connects the smaller square with the larger square "Markt". The tower is the Belfort which was built in the 18th century.

Beguinage of Bruges, Belgium

The Beguinage of Bruges was founded in 1245. The central courtyard, at the time of our visit was filled with autumn colours as all the trees have already turned yellowish brown and red. Interestingly, their branches all tilted to one side in the wind. The sounds the leaves made were soothing.