The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal 香港終審法院

It was quite challenging to get the geometry of this building right on site!  If it was possible, I would love to do a close-up sketch of the pediment and the Statue of Justice up there.  

Info about the building from Wikipedia:

The pediment sits on the top  the central section of the building facing Statue Square. Above it stands the Statue of Justice and under it is the inscription "Erected AD MDCCCCX" (Erected AD 1910). The pediment incorporates a semi-circular window and the carving of the British Royal Coat of Arms. The shield shows the various royal emblems of the various parts of the United Kingdom: the three lions of England in the first and fourth quarters, the lion of Scotland in the second and the harp of Ireland in the third. The shield is supported by the English lion and Scottish unicorn and is surmounted by the Royal crown. The motto of the Sovereign, Dieu et mon droit (God and my right), is displayed underneath it. The figures of Mercy and Truth are located on both sides of the British Royal Coat of Arms. 

今日下午去畫香港終審法院大樓，一座好想仔細畫，又能代表香港的建築。畫起來才發覺要準確畫低佢都唔太易。

A sketch of See Cheung Street 泰式午餐後市場街速寫

A sketch of a group of chatting workers along See Cheung Street! I was sitting right behind them having Thai lunch while sketching.  

八月畫的速寫。食完泰式午餐後畫眼前街景，順便畫埋坐係道幾位阿哥。

上窰民俗文物館 Sheung Yiu Folk Museum

It was a fine afternoon at Sheung Yiu Folk Museum with a band of merry urban sketchers! 

From left to right, the sketch illustrates the entrance guard tower to the fortified Hakka village, a typical hat to be worn to fend off the sun while working in the paddy field, eating utensils such as bowls, cups and a teapot, a wooden machine for working on the harvested rice, a wooden bucket, a rattan basket and a large pot and finally on the right the inner courtyard as viewed from the entrance guard tower. 

香港速寫人共聚上窰民俗文物館，齊畫此得以保留嘅客家古村。

由左至右，古村更樓，門口左右寫上風調雨順，五榖豐登，古村內擺放各種舊時生活用品，客家帽、碗碟茶具、打榖機、木桶、籐籃同瓦缸，最右係入口更樓內望，兩層平房同前地。

The Royal Robe for a Local Deity "Yuen Tin Sheung Dai" 藍田玄天上帝的龍袍

I went sketching at the birthday celebration of the deity "Yuen Tin Sheung Dai" in Lam Tin this evening.  What I like most was the royal robe for the deity which had a flying dragon on it.  The sparking spots surrounding the dragon resembled stars in the sky.   

得知玄天上帝寶誕係附近，便前往速寫。玄天上帝件龍袍上有龍，龍身有雲同星包圍，像徵天上翔龍。玄天上帝全名真係長，全名係北極鎮天真武玄天上帝玉虛師相金闕化身蕩魔永鎮終劫濟苦天尊。來頭好勁，但對此神靈真不太了解，查查先知玄天上帝即係北帝。

維基百科係咁寫:

玄天上帝，本名玄武大帝，宋真宗大中祥符五年，為避諱聖祖趙玄朗之名而改稱為真武。全稱北極鎮天真武玄天上帝玉虛師相金闕化身蕩魔永鎮終劫濟苦天尊，通稱北極玄天上帝。常被簡稱為北帝、真武大帝或玄天上帝。其又有玄武神、真武神、元武神、玄武大帝、開天大帝、北極大帝、北極佑聖真君、北極蕩魔天尊等稱；俗稱上帝公、上帝爺公、上帝爺或帝爺公。

其象徵北極星與四象中的玄武，為統理北方之道教大神，北方在五行之中屬水，能統領所有水族與水上事物（故兼海神），因北方在五色中屬於黑色，又稱黑帝。

玄天上帝亦是明朝鎮邦護國之神、降妖伏魔之神、戰神，明朝公家建了許多玄天上帝廟，並由官方祭祀。北帝據說擁有消災解困，治水禦火，護持武運及延年益壽的神力，故頗受擁戴。

Sketching Causeway Bay 速寫銅鑼灣

Comfortable cafe and great panorama at La Cafe Habitat.

La cafe Habitat環境舒適，仲有無敵銅鑼灣維園景！

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋節快樂！

Wish you all a happy Mid-Autumn Festival 

祝大家中秋節快樂！

St Andrew's Church 聖安得烈堂

The oldest English speaking Protestant church in Kowloon, the St Andrew's Church.

聖安得烈堂係九龍最悠久嘅英語基督教堂。

A Small Reservoir in Lion's Nature Education Centre 獅子會自然教育中心內的小水塘

The second sketch I did in the afternoon.  The pump structure was interesting in its own way and the school of fish circling in the water added much interest to the scene.  

下午第二張速寫。泵水設施加塘中群魚，平凡但有趣！

Sketching At Lion's Nature Education Centre 獅子會瓜棚下速寫

It was a very quiet afternoon at the Lion's Nature Education Centre! 
獅子會瓜棚下寧靜的下午。

Quick Evening Sketch at Sai Kung Waterfront 西貢碼頭黃昏速寫

The magical moment of the evening!  By the time I finished the sketch, night was here.
黃昏速寫，畫完已入黑！

Ngau Chi Wan Village: Grocery Stall Under an Old Banyan Tree 牛池灣村:大榕樹下的士多

Charming little stall under a big banyan tree and a charismatic boss!  We sketched the stall and bought ice bars from the stall to quench our thirst and cool ourselves down in the scorching summer heat!   

大榕樹下的士多！畫到熱時我哋去買孖條解渴，同老闆有傾有講！香港重有幾多咁嘅士多?

Sketching Causeway Bay Hungry Ghost Festival 銅鑼灣盂蘭勝會

This was the second time I sketched the Hungry Ghost Festival Rituals this year.  I was particularly drawn to the "coolies' shoes" offerings which were the site-specific origin of the Causeway Bay Hungry Ghost Festival.  (Each district in Hong Kong has its own legend/reason for holding the Hungry Ghost Festival.)  As I was told, Causeway Bay was once a pier and thus attracted a population from China to seek a better life in Hong Kong, working as “coolies”.  Unfortunately, some of them died here alone in Hong Kong and were unable to return to China.  Their spirits were believed to wander in the area ever since.  The purpose of the festival is to bring these spirits together so that they can be provided for with offerings suitable for them and hopefully they can be brought back to the cycle of reincarnation.  

今年第二次畫鬼節，畫嘅係銅鑼灣盂蘭勝會。銅鑼灣以前係起落貨嘅碼頭，吸引好多由中國南下嘅人做苦力。不幸係部份人死係香港，變成遊魂野鬼， 同鄉同行都稱呼佢地為「好兄弟」。銅鑼灣盂蘭勝會用專車係銅鑼灣一帶接載孤魂，等生嘅人可以接濟佢地，超渡佢地。

Sketching Ghost Festival Chiu Chau Opera in Yau Tong 油塘盂蘭勝會

I watched quite a bit of the opera but I didn't understand a bit of it as it was sung in the Chiu Chau dialect. Obviously it was a tragedy as the music had a strong sadness and the last scene was set in the underworld. It's difficult to capture a particular scene there but since there were many interesting items around so I decided to put together a collage of the site. 

Ghost Festival in Orthodox Chinese Culture (A tradition well-preserved in Hong Kong)

It's believed that on the 1st of July of the Lunar Calendar, the gate of the underworld opens and for one whole month, ghosts wander on the face of the earth. During this month, people burn offerings and place food on streets so that hungry ghosts can be fed. Different village associations also construct temporary temples and street theatres which host special Chiu Chau Opera performances both for the public and and for the ghosts as well.

速寫帶我第一次睇潮州神功戲。聽唔明但演員同現場音樂充滿悲傷，最後以地府一幕完結。想畫嘅東西好多，但又難捕捉一景，於是就畫一張拼合速寫。

盂蘭勝會

盂蘭勝會中的“盂蘭”由梵文「Ullambana」譯來的，意為“救倒懸”，即救度亡魂倒懸之苦，是來自民間《目蓮救母》的故事；“勝會”是指一大群人舉行活動的意思，在香港亦稱為盂蘭節、中元節或鬼節。相傳陰司地府在七月初一大開鬼門關，直到七月三十日才再次關閉，七月十五日佛教定為「盂蘭盆會」，而道教則稱為「中元普渡」。

(華文資料來自維基百科）

Hong Kong Trams, a Part of the Hong Kong Identity 電車乃香港身份一環

Trams grew up with us, are an integral part of the identity of Hong Kong. Apart from being a very affordable and effective transport system, it also marks the original coastline of the Hong Kong Island. It's a heritage that belongs to every Hongkonger and it's a living monument that belongs to many of our generations to come. The ridiculous proposal to take the trams down just shocked everyone. It's senseless and unreasonable, obviously it is aiming to destroy the Hong Kong identity, bit by bit, to erase the soul of Hong Kong! 

電車見証香港成長，全線標誌香港島最初嘅海岸線，係構成香港城邦身份嘅一環。拆毀電車就係消滅香港嘅其中一個手段，目的係將本土歷史，本土身份斬草除根，令香港人喪失身份，令香港喪失性格，方便統治。

Yue Man Square under Redevelopment! 重建中的裕民坊

I was here two years ago sketching the vacant tenement buildings. Now the district which originally covers several streets has become a huge construction site for a mega residential and commercial development.

兩年前係裕民坊畫空置唐樓，今日再路經裕民坊時，唐樓群已變成大型建築地盤。

At Sai Kung Ali Oli Cafe 西貢Ali Oli茶座

A lazy afternoon at Ali Oli Cafe.
西貢Ali Oli茶座的悠閒下午。

Sai Kung Ng Kei Fruit and Vegtables 西貢吳記

A Quick Sketch at the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences 半小時速畫香港醫學博物館

Bonham Road Historic Wall Trees Chopped Down 斬殺般咸道石牆樹

After a tree fell down during a rainstorm recently in Bonham Road, a row of historic wall trees nearby were chopped down by the government for fear they will fall as well. The incident sparked a public outcry as these wall trees have been around for more than a hundred years. As tree experts later confirmed, the trees were in good health as there are no decay on the stumps. 

After sketching the stumps on location, I was told by a tree expert that new shoots will grow from around the stumps, however they are unlikely to grow into healthy strong trunks again unless an experienced practitioner comes in and help choose a few better shoots to train up and at the same time eliminate the other competing shoots. 

政府以般咸道石牆樹有機會倒塌為由，夜斬四棵均過百歲嘅細葉榕石牆樹，全港嘩然！及後樹木專家到場，指細葉榕樹腳切口並無病患蟲蛀，健康良好，無必要將之斬下。 

下午以畫記事，並請教一位樹木專家朋友榕樹會否再生，他說新芽會係樹頭周圍長出，互相競爭，很難長得穩固，辦法係待新芽長出後，選擇保留小數好芽，剪去其他新芽，加以時日照顧，待新芽木質化，慢慢長為樹幹。

Forbes Street Wall Trees 科士街石牆樹

One of the wall trees in Forbes Street, Kennedy Town

科士街尾其中一棵細葉榕石牆樹

Lo Baan Temple 魯斑先師廟

Lo Baan is the patron saint of architects, engineers and construction workers in the orthodox Chinese culture.

魯班是春秋末葉著名工匠，被後世尊為中國工匠師祖。

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

The Precious Tung Tak Pawn Shop Building 同德大押

Another historic building to be torn down in the name of redevelopment!  These buildings should be preserved for their historic and cultural values.   They are the precious things of Hong Kong, resources for our sons and daughters, the future generations of Hong Kong!  It is a shame that those big players are just caring about making money!

又一新發展，又拆一舊樓！好多舊建築見証香港發展，其中好多本身嘅外型設計亦甚有文化價值，佢地係香港嘅瑰寶，係留比香港下一代子孫最真實嘅歷史教材，亦係香港我城身份構成嘅一部份。拆之，就係拆毀香港！

East Meets West in Hebe Haven 華洋雜處白沙灣

The arch of the bar nicely framed the Cantonese Opera Street Theatre across the street.  Truly east meets west!

酒吧西式拱門同馬路對面嘅天后誕大戲棚構成好有趣嘅畫面，非畫不可。

Fisheye Sketch of Hebe Haven Pier 魚眼畫白沙灣