Singapore Shopfront Challenge

 I'm managing to meet (occasionally) the Shopfront Challenge set up by Singapore sketcher Alice Lim. She shares a weekly photo of a Singapore Shopfront on Facebook and Instagram and artists are invited to depict it in their own style. 

I've long been interested in this form of Singapore architecture and it's a bit of a nostalgia trip for me as I'm originally from that city state. Doing this challenge has stretched my skills – trying out new techniques and tools on a subject I don't usually draw. 

Here are a few sketches done for the Shopfront Challenge.

Hoi Chow Clan Association, Ann Siang Road 

I'm informed that this Cantonese clan association was set up in 1937 to look after the welfare of people who came to Singapore from Hoi Chow village in Guangdong Province, China. 

Tai Chong Kok @Sago Street

One of several outlets, it sells mooncakes and traditional Cantonese pastries, making them by hand from scratch since 1935. For some reason I found this sketch very difficult to do even though it's such a simple frontage. Maybe I'm still getting to know the paper (Fabriano Studio Hot Press), working at A4 (I usually work smaller in a sketchbook) or was it the shadows or trying to get some depth? 

The shop also sells piglet shaped biscuits in plastic baskets! Gosh! I've not eaten one since I was a child!! To read about what this shop sells, click here. 

Potato Head Restaurant and Bar, Keong Saik Road

A rooftop restaurant and cocktail bar inside an iconic heritage building. Also, a photo of the actual building (a challenge in perspective!).  

Momolato Cafe, Haji Lane

This is an ice cream place. I had great difficulty matching the colour of the purple building with my watercolours so I used a marker. A patchy outcome but the colours matched! 

You can read more about this form of architecture and my interest in it in a previous blog post. Click here.

First 2 sketches: #Sailorfude pen, watercolour, Fabriano Studio Watercolour Hot Press, A4.

Second 2 sketches: #Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”

Thanks #shopfrontchallenge, #eurekawanders, #eureca1 for the challenges.