April 2018 Sketchwalk at Farrer Park

Copyright © Chia Kwek Fah
Used with permission

Farrer Park is where much of Singapore's Sports was developed. Fandi Ahmad played at the field. Ang Peng Siong trained at the pool. But by mid 2020, Farrer Park will be returned to the government. Its fate is unknown, but it is one of the few remaining large open spaces in land-scarce Singapore. (http://www.straitstimes.com/videos/farewell-farrer-park/5760121151001).

Surrounding Farrer Park Field are shophouses along Race Course Road, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Farrer Park Swimming Complex, several old churches and temples.

START
Time: 9:30 AM
Location: Farrer Park Field next to Farrer Park Swimming Complex
https://goo.gl/maps/SWnQipRJ17v
If it rains we'll take shelter at the swimming complex

END
Time: 12:15 PM
Location: Same as starting point

Nearest MRT: Little India (DTL/NEL)

Locations to sketch:
- Farrer Park Field. With some luck there may be people playing soccer or cricket!
- Farrer Park Swimming Complex (from the outside. It's a private facility)
- KK Women's and Children's Hospital
- Shophouses and churches along Race Course Road
- Shree Lakshminarayan Temple along Chander Road
- Parish of Christ Church along Dorset Road
- Mama shop at Rotan Lane

Places to eat and shop:
- Restaurants along Race Course Road
- Pek Kio Market

Sketchwalk leaders: Patrick Ng

Notes: Bring your umbrella and hat, and sunblock if you need. Not a lot of shade/shelter at the field, and trees sometimes have birds

Credits: Banner sketch by Chia Kwek Fah

More Super5 Atlantic Ink Sketches

More sketches with New Super5 Atlantic Ink.

All sketches were sketched on locations.

My tools - Pilot Custom 823 F & B nibs , Sailor Realo Fude , Kuretake Brush Pen ,

Holbein Water Brush , Kunst & Papier Sketchbook and New Super5 Atlantic Ink

Testing New Super5 Atlantic Blue Ink.

All these sketches are sketched on locations.

I am testing out the New Super5 Atlantic Blue Ink.

My tools : Pilot Custom 823 F & B nibs , Sailor Realo Fude , Kuretake Pen Brush , Holbein Water Brush , Kunst & Papier Sketchbook and Super5 Atlantic Ink.

Low tide at Pulau Ubin

Pool side - Shangri-La Orchard

Tiong Bahru - Chay Yan Street

Little India - Mayo Street

Little India - Masjid Abdul Gafoor

Chinatown Chinese New Year Decoration 

Tiong Bahru with the CBD skyline 

Urbansketchers | Sketching & Drawing People at Cafes & on public transport

I have not posted here for so long. Anyway it's good to be back and henceforth, here are some recent sketches I made at different locations, mostly cafes, and food places. Due to a busy schedule for the first quarter of the year, it was hard for me to sketch on a regular basis. I am aiming to do more come the school holiday in about a month's time. When I have not sketch for a while, I usually feel lost, or something missing in my life. Sketching has become a lifestyle, not just to sharpen any technical skill, but it has been a way to find meaning and direction in life. I don't know how to explain it, but doing something I enjoy provides a means of finding security with myself and other things.

The above sketch of uncle reading newspaper was done at Great World City, when missus went shopping at Marks & Spencer, while I stayed in McDonalds which is just a stone's throw away from the store. Uncle was having his wonderful time of solitude and me time at the cafe. He may have a cup of coffee from McCafe, but everything else was his personal stuff, down to the hot water flask. When he got tired of reading he would take a quick shuteye and then continued with his reading again. Good thing Great World City wasn't very crowded even on a weekend. There is always plenty of standing and sitting spaces in the mall and in cafe like McDonalds.

I seldom come to Holland Village unless I am visiting friends. This round I was with some friends for an art show titled "Interlace" that brought 20 artists from all over the world who supported and painted on "The Perfect Sketchbook". After the private launch party, we came to the food center for dinner. On our walk there, I noticed that Holland Village has changed quite a bit. Some roads were closed off for human traffic only and this move has added some vibrancy to the place. Restaurants have placed additional chairs and tables on the added open spaces, while the area was teeming with people from all walks of life. One sad thing was, the iconic wind mill structure was taken down and now it just looks like anything other estate in Singapore.

Before the lunch crowds, Starbucks at Vivocity was haven to anyone who wanted a quiet ambience to sip their coffee and reading from their laptops or smart devices, a very common sight in a/c cafes these days. I only have my sketchbook and pens. Some students were with me and our mission for that day was to sketch people standing or sitting or engaging in their activities or conversation. After about 2 hours, I finished about 4 pages on my sketchbook with a single brush pen. I don't usually add tones or colours to my drawings on location because I have been keeping my tools simple and my bag as light weight as possible. I enjoyed putting lines on paper with a fountain pen or brush pen, which are my favourite tools for sketching. I used to have my watercolor palette in the past but now, I am getting lazy.

Sketching people at Starbucks cafe.

Sketching commuters on the bus is not as difficult as you think. The bumping around makes good lines sometimes. Losing control over the lines you draw can be a good thing. On the bus, you tend to draw simply, lose some details, and draw looser lines. The final drawing looks more gestural and the moving lines add a sense of movement to the sketch.

I have more control when I sketch on the train. The train cabin is more stable and it provides a good opportunity to draw someone sitting opposite me, like a life drawing or portrait drawing session, provided the train was not crowded. In case of a crowded train, drawing standing up is easier.

Chinatown Sketchwalk (Jan 2018)

Here's the video from last week's sketchwalk at Chinatown.

Join out Jan 2018 sketchwalk at Chinatown

For the first sketchwalk of 2018, we will be celebrating Chinese New Year in advance at Chinatown!

We will start at People's Park Centre and end at Hong Lim Complex.

Lots of decorations along Eu Tong Sen Street with the Chinese New Year celebrations. Or head up to the bridge above Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road for a bird's eye view. And there's always the option of going into the heart of Chinatown across the road. History buffs may be interested in the site of the Sook Ching Inspection Centre at Hong Lim Complex, a reminder of the grim Japanese Occupation.

START POINT (930AM)
Between People's Park Complex and OG, just outside the Chinatown MRT exit, next to 7-Eleven
Here's the map.

END POINT (1215PM)
Hong Lim Complex
Sook Ching Inspection Centre Plaque
https://goo.gl/maps/4WL7mQBfBc62

Good locations to sketch:
- CNY decorations along Eu Tong Sen Street
- Bridge over Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road
- Rooftop carpark at People's Park Complex
- People's Park Food Court
- Chinatown - Smith Street, Mosque Street, Temple Street, Pagoda Street, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, etc.
- Club Street, Ann Siang Hill
- Hong Lim Complex, China Square Central

Places to eat:
- People's Park Complex Food Centre
- Hong Lim Food Centre
- Chinatown Food Street
- Chinatown Complex Food Centre
- Lots lots more in the area

Sketchwalk Leaders: Favian Ee, Flavian Ee, Benedict, Alice Lim, Patrick Ng

Credits: Banner sketch by (Parka) Teoh Yi Chie

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We Sketch Amaravati Together

Happy New Year 2018!

I did a video on my recent sketches on India. I was with my sketcher friends from 08 - 15 Dec 2017 to Vijayawada and Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh on a project called "We Sketch Amaravati Together".

Andhra Pradesh is one of the 29 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of the country. The state is the seventh-largest state in India covering an area of 162970 sq km. As per 2011 Census of India, the state is tenth-largest by population with 49,386,799 inhabitants. Amaravati has 29 villages and it will be the brand new capital city for Andhra Pradesh under the vision of N Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, also the President of Telugu Desam Party and Member of Legislative Assembly, Kuppam.

Amaravati, is envisioned to be a city of world-class standards with a vision of increasing Andhra Pradesh’s prominence in the world. For a start, Construction of the seed capital development area — covering 16.7 sq km and comprising the AP Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, High Court, Secretariat, Raj Bhavan, quarters for the ministers and officials, and the township for government officials had already started.

Our sketching trip is fully sponsored by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore and our mission is to sketch the existing 29 villages in Amaravati to help capture the current heritage and culture before the new city is built.

Last Sketchwalk of the Year at Orchard Road

For the last sketchwalk of 2017, we will be sketching the Christmas lighting at Orchard Road! This will be an EVENING sketchwalk.

Once lined with fruit orchard and spice plantations, Orchard Road was developed into Singapore's premier shopping district (http://www.orchardroad.org/information/). Every Christmas, the stretch is decorated with Christmas lights and decor with malls trying to outdo each other in creating the festive spirit.

Our location this year will be the junction of Grange Road and Orchard Road, which is surrounded by many sketchable areas and vantage points. Quaint old Emerald Hill is just round the corner and a couple of old houses sit opposite Heeren along Cairnhill Road. Or sketch from the bridge spanning Orchard Gateway. Mandarin Gallery, 313, Centrepoint, Paragon are all within walking distance. Or head to the rooftop of Orchard Central for a birds-eye view of the shopping district. Remember to bring your own light if you plan to sketch in the dark!

MEETING POINTS
Start:
Orchard Fountain Corner
(Between Orchard Shopping Centre and H&M)
https://goo.gl/maps/HmguCa9EPuM2

End:
*SCAPE
(Exact location to be confirmed. Probably at the back along Grange Road)
https://goo.gl/maps/eByz8aTcg1R2

Result of Nov Sketchwalk

Result of November Sketchwalk. There are three parts of Petain Road in this long sketch namely the shophouse, the park and the playground.

Petain Road was named by municipal government of Singapore in 1928 after Field Marshall Henri Philippe Petain, one of France’s greatest military heroes from the First World War. However, the name drew controversy when the French military force grew from bad to worst as Petain became the Prime Minister of France in 1940. There were suggestions to change the name of the road when it became a notorious red light district in Little India in the old days. Today, this row of beautiful shophouses are the homes of rich and famous with elaborate majolica floral ceramic tiles covering the walls and flowers, cranes and phoenix adorning the pillars and walls. Directly across Petain Road is a big park with lush green and a colourful playground.

Size : 700mmx300mm
Paper : Saunders Waterford

November Sketchwalk at Little India

We're going to Little India this weekend, at the Kitchener Road vicinity. Kitchener Road stretches from Jalan Besar and cuts through the heart of Little India.

START
9:30 am
City Square Mall
— main entrance where the Christmas decor is going up

Closest MRT station:
Farrer Park on the North East Line
Exit H or I

END
Somme Road Playground
— stone's throw from City Square Mall
https://goo.gl/maps/wV2eFEX1o8N2

We'll meet at 12:15pm to share our works from the session.