Umbrella Revolution: St Frances Chapel on the Street 雨傘革命：重建聖法蘭西斯堂

St Frances Chapel set up again in Nathan Road by protestors for democracy after it was dismantled by police during violent crackdown last Friday.

Mong Kok
Hong Kong

#umbrellarevolution

警察鎮壓後，信眾係彌敦道上重建聖法蘭西斯堂！

Umbrella Revolution: A Protestor Resting in Nathan Road 彌敦道上一位正在休息的學生

A quiet moment at night as a student protestor is resting in Nathan Road.  

彌敦道上一位正在休息的學生

#hkclassboycott #OccupyCentral #UmbrellaRevolution

Umbrella Revolution: Street Temple Set Up by Protestors at a Barricade 彌敦道嘅路障關帝廟

A shrine dedicated to the protector god "Kwan Kung" was set up a week ago at one of the barricades along Nathan Road and since then the shrine has been growing in scale as worshippers are bringing in various accessories to add onto the simple shrine.  Office ladies, workers, housewives and senior citizens were seen lining up orderly to pray in front of the god, hoping that Hong Kong will soon get true democracy!  

自從路障關帝廟係彌敦道出現後，規模日大，前來祁求關帝保佑香港嘅男女老少，源源不絕！



#hkclassboycott #OccupyCentral #UmbrellaRevolution

Umbrella Revolution: Resource Centre in Admiralty 雨傘革命：金鐘物資站

The protest for true democracy in Hong Kong is about to enter the third week. Volunteers and supporters keep on bringing in resources to various protest sites.

雨傘革命繼續！支持者繼續帶來物資到各區支援！



#hkclassboycott #OccupyCentral #UmbrellaRevolution

The Umbrella Man: Hong Kong's Fight for Democracy Continues 雨傘勇士爭民主

The sculpture of the Umbrella Man is now erected in front of the Hong Kong Government Headquarters.  Inspired by protestors holding just umbrellas to fend off pepper spray and tear gas on 27 September, a group of artists specially made this sculpture to show their support for every Hongkongese who is fighting for true democracy for Hong Kong!  

雨傘擋葫椒噴霧催淚彈已成為香港人爭民主真普選嘅象徵! 昨日再到金鐘，第一次親眼見到雨傘勇士像，好感動！




#hkclassboycott #OccupyCentral #UmbrellaRevolution

Mong Kok: Hong Kong's Fight for Democracy Continues 5 October 2014 大家繼續為香港爭真民主同真普選！

Protest for Democracy continues amid attacks from paid pro-China mobs!
無懼中共打手，大家繼續為香港爭真民主同真普選！



#hkclassboycott #OccupyCentral #UmbrellaRevolution

Bus for Democracy 民主巴士

This bus is plastered with countless number of protest notes for true democracy!
巴士全身貼滿香港人要民主的聲音！



#OccupyCentral
#UmbrellaRevolution
#SketchOccupyCentral

Journalists Covering the Protest for True Democracy in Hong Kong 記者採訪香港人爭真民主

A group of journalists stationing at the top of the Mass Transit Railway Exit, covering the ongoing protest for true democracy in Hong Kong.

記者採訪香港人爭真民主！



#OccupyCentral
#UmbrellaRevolution
#SketchOccupyCentral

Nathan Road Void of Traffic 沒有車的彌敦道

Nathan Road was void of traffic yesterday as the road has been blocked and protest for democracy in Hong Kong continues!  
爭取眞民主繼續！路障防清場，彌敦道只有行人，無車行！



#OccupyCentral
#UmbrellaRevolution
#SketchOccupyCentral

Hong Kong's Fight for Democracy and Autonomy Continues 遍地海花 旺角主場 29-9-2014

After the police crackdown on peaceful protestors using teargas in Central and Admiralty yesterday, even more Hongkongese are coming out into the streets today to say no to the fake political reform masterminded by the China-controlled Hong Kong government. Protests have spread to different districts in Hong Kong

I was standing on top of the city's Mass Transit Railway Entrance roof with a group of protestors. By the time I finished the sketch, the sky had darkened and the streets around me were all packed with people, showing their support for those who suffered yesterday.

Nathan Road
Mong Kok

警察震壓過後，更多香港人行出厘支持學生，拒絕由中共控制嘅假普選。畫畫完時，天黑晒，但全條馬路都坐滿人。


#OccupyCentral
#UmbrellaRevolution
#SketchOccupyCentral 

Protector of the People or Protector of the Dictator? 香港人的警察還是港共的打手?

Protector of the People or Protector of the Dictator? 
香港人的警察還是港共的打手?

Before the tear gas came! 28/9/14 發射催淚彈前

We were one of the many groups coming here in support of the students, seeking democracy and autonomy for Hong Kong. We were unable to enter the main protest site as all roads to the site were blocked.  When we were leaving, the riot police suddenly fired gas on the protestors. A group of riot police with guns and shields started to march into the crowd! 

我同三位香港速寫人到政府總部以畫見証香港重要時刻。無咕到警察會發射催淚彈震壓！

Admiralty Centre
Hong Kong

Students strike continues in Hong Kong for the fourth day! 罷課繼續！

Students strike continues in Hong Kong for the fourth day!

China has violated the Joint Sino-British Declaration and the Basic law (the constitution of Hong Kong) attempting to fully control Hong Kong and us. Students from universities and high schools are coming together to fight for full democracy and autonomy for our city state!

Hongkongese, act! Give them concrete support and win the battle!

罷課繼續, 一齊有效支援，同心協力，係要打贏呢場仗！

Tamar Park
Hong Kong Government Headquarters
Central
Hong Kong

The Long-term Causes that led to waves of protests in Hong Kong (Commentary from entry posted on 17 June 2014)

Since the handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People’s Republic of China in 1997, the People’s Republic of China has been increasingly interfering with Hong Kong’s internal affairs which violated the “One Country, Two Systems” principle enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration ensuring Hong Kong full autonomy on all internal affairs except defense and diplomacy. For instance, even as of 17 years since the handover, Hongkongese were still unable to elect its “Chief Executive”, an equivalent to the president of a country, as the position is still appointed by a pro-China committee. The Legislative Council is still not fully elected by the Hong Kong general public but largely controlled by pro-China legislators. Every day, a quota of 150 is given to immigrants from the People’s Republic of China and, ironically, as an autonomous state, Hong Kong is deprived of the right to filter or refuse entry of these people. It is an attempt to change Hong Kong’s demography. And, in recent years, deprived of any mechanism to regulate the inflow of visitors from China, Hong Kong have seen a dramatic increase in number of visitors.  In 2013, the total number of visitors had exceeded 54 million people, six times the population of Hong Kong and, among them, 75% came from China. These visitors from China have been buying up daily necessities such as milk powder and smuggling them to China in huge quantities in broad daylight, overloading the public transport systems, driving up rent and effectively shut down local and traditional shops with great cultural significance all around the city in huge numbers. Worst still, the People’s Republic of China has just issued a “White Paper” in June, claiming that China has the right of total governance in Hong Kong, an act that violated the Sino-British Joint Declaration and essentially an attempt to abolish the constitution of Hong Kong.

Two Systems for Two Peoples

The growing identity of Hongkongese as a separate group of people different from that of the Chinese of the People’s Republic of China had never been stronger as China’s aggression escalates. As a matter of fact, Hong Kong had been separated from Mainland China since the British takeover in 1841, which since then developed into a community with its own distinct identity. It was not until 1997 that Hong Kong was handed over to the present People’s Republic of China, without first consulting the Hong Kong public.

Gary Yeung

Special thanks to Richard for editing the text!

Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Roof Garden 啟德郵輪碼頭花園

Constructed on the end of the former runway of the legendary Kai Tak Airport, the under-used cruise terminal is a bit isolated from the nearby urban area but still, it's a nice place to visit as the roof garden provides excellent sea views and it's not crowded.  A great place to sketch the harbour!

啟德郵輪碼頭位處前啓德機場跑道盡頭。郵輪不多遊客少，再加上碼頭天臺花園無敵維港景，係速寫的好地方。

Jardine House and Neighbourhood 怡和大廈四周

White boxy outlook with circular windows, Jardine House (formerly called Connaught Centre) has always been my favourite skyscraper in Hong Kong.  Completed in 1972, it had been the tallest building in Hong Kong and Asia for eight years until Hopewell Centre took the crown.

怡和大廈,  舊稱康樂大廈，建於1972年，曾經係全港同全亞洲最高嘅大廈，直至灣仔合和中心於1980年建成。白色正方外牆加上圓型窗口，怡和大廈一直係我最喜歡嘅摩天大廈。

Mid Autumn Festival Lanterns at Sai Kung Tin Hau Temple 西貢中秋夜

It turns out the cold blue colour is very green when under normal indoor lights. The street lights on site did affect how we perceive colours.  To make it less green somehow, I glazed the background temple, the sky and parts of the ground with a blue tone when I was home.

晚間街燈下，以為是藍色，但在正常光下原來是太綠了！ 我後來係背景、天后廟同地上加上一層藍色，令綠色上加多一點藍調。

Four Sketchers in Sai Kung Old Town 西貢舊墟速寫人

We settled on a pier next to Sai Kung Old Town.  Three sketchers were busy sketching the views they found pleasing and I decided to capture them in my sketch as well.

大家行到西貢舊墟一碼頭上，各有各畫，我就順便畫埋佢地。  

An afternoon at the Central Public Pier 中環公眾碼頭光與影

After attending a workshop this morning, I walked to the Central Public Pier and did a sketch of the harbour.  Instead of just sketching the harbour,  the intriguing shadows cast on the ground and on the pillars caught me and hence they are included in the sketch.

我早上完成一工作坊後，行咗去中環公眾碼頭畫維港。下午時碼頭斜陽與影縱橫交錯，很好看，便順便畫入畫中。

Good Afternoon Sai Kung 西貢午安！

I stayed at a coffee shop in Sai Kung Old Town yesterday afternoon sketching the street scene.   Since the panorama sketch was quite complicated, it took me the whole afternoon to get it done.

昨日下午係西貢舊墟一間咖啡點邊畫邊嘆熱茶同三文治，一畫就一個下午。

Sketching Trams in Central 中環畫電車

The trams and the cables above them have witnessed the many changes in Hong Kong for more than a century!  Finally,  I found the perfect spot to sketch them!  I went to Central and found this perfect spot opposite the old Bank of China Building to sketch them.  The winding road and the web-like cables overhead make a very interesting composition for a panorama sketch and so I settled down and spent an afternoon sketching the scene.   

電車同穿梭半空的電纜培伴香港已超過一個世紀，今次終於揾到合適地方去捕捉它們。舊中銀對面遮打花園正是畫電車同半空蜘蛛網狀電纜的好地方。


維基百科:
1904年初，電車車身以組件形式由英國運抵香港裝嵌。首批電車共有26輛，分別為10輛頭等及16輛三等，全部為單層設計。電車原擬分為三等，後來為方便運作只設頭等和三等。頭等電車頭尾部分採用開放式設計，中間則是密封，每邊設有兩行長椅，可載客32人，收費每位一角。三等電車採用全開放式設計，設有6排背對背長椅，可載客48人，收費每位五仙。

1904年7月2日，有電車首次駛離車廠作試驗性行駛。經過隨後多日的測試後，香港電車終於在同年7月30日啟用。

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。

Retro Ladder Street 復古樓梯街

Retro Ladder Street
Oil and Acrylic on Canvas

The painting is based on an old photo of Ladder Street.  I really like the clothes that the people were wearing which were either white or black which unified the image so well.  A deliberate blue tone  was added to the painting so as to create a cool jazzy feeling to it.  It's also quite a challenge and a lot of fun to paint so many people in one painting.   While painting each one of them, I was like going back in time, trying to think and feel what each person's life was like. 

復古樓梯街
油彩，塑膠彩畫布

此畫是根據舊照片畫的。地點是樓梯街。大概是當時其他色彩的布料昂貴吧，畫中人物衣服都是非黑即白。如此黑白配襯，畫面又特別好看。繪畫時我刻意加上藍調，給整張畫一種冷的感覺。還有刻畫每一個人時，好像時光倒流，猜想他們每一個當時究竟過著怎樣的生活。



Painting the under layer.
畫緊張畫的底層。

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。

Sketching Central 速寫中環

A collection of my sketches on different locations in Central made into a video.
速寫中環短片