Deja vu!

Singapore's City in a Garden vision which started in 1963 has been a success, turning the city into a lush oasis despite it's high density of population. The vegetation has got more lush since the last time I was here 2 years ago.

After spending 8 months here 2 years ago, I  didn’t think we would be back in Singapore for an extended stay again but here we are. Deja vu!

I guess you can't come to Singapore without sketching the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel. This is the view of the unusual building which has a skypark and infinity pool at the top. 

Copic Multiliner pen, Pentel Pocket brush pen, watercolour, #HandbookJournal (watercolour) 5.25”x8.25”.

Sydney Terrace Houses

I love the old terrace houses which are common in the older parts of Sydney, Australia. We were lucky to spend quite a few days living in one.

Here are a few on a street in the neighbourhood of Bondi Junction.

Faber-Castell Pitt Pens, watercolour, #HandbookJournal (watercolour) 5.25”x8.25”.

(Un)eventful trip to Sydney

Getting over the flu and nursing an injured knee on a recent visit to Sydney, Australia meant sketching friends' backyards...

and the view from skylights. 

I did manage a trip to the Sydney Fish Market where heaps of Asian tourists were having expensive meals. Our meal of fish and chips was watched over by greedy seagulls.

Faber-Castell Pitt Pens, watercolour, #HandbookJournal (watercolour) 5.25”x8.25”.
#HandbookJournal 5.5"x5.5".

More Dog Portraits

I sketched some of the (human) participants while waiting for Kya the model dog for a recent Drop In Studio session. 

Kya an Australian Labradoodle was not at all shy.



This next one was of Bryn. Here I was trying watercolour first followed by pen. Bryn is a therapy dog, a Shitzu/Bichon cross, he slept the whole time. This was the last therapy dog painting session.  Drop In Studio, McMullen Gallery. U of Alberta Hospital. Edmonton.

See my earlier post “Dog Portraits” for more on these sessions.

Ink and watercolour in Stillman & Birn Alpha Journal and watercolour paper.

First Snowfall 2015

I’ve sketched this scene many times before in different seasons but this is my first in winter. We had our first (very late) snowfall a couple of days ago and chaos on the roads and a shut down of the trains kept me at home. I started the sketch at 2pm, filled in the colours at the time the sun started to set around 4pm. 

By the time I finished, it was too dark to take a photo so I took it the next morning. 

Pen and ink, watercolour, #HandbookJournal (watercolour) 5.25”x8.25”

Dog Portraits

For something different and because I like dogs, I attended several dog sketching/painting sessions at the McMullen Gallery, U of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton. The gallery’s weekly Drop In Studio (for patients, staff and visitors) got a bit of a boost with actual dog models, all therapy dogs in the hospital. The media were at this session last week. 

Here are my sketches of Gurdy the oh so cuddly Bulldog.

The artist leading the sessions is Father Douglas who is the present exhibiting artist with his show - "Songs of the Soul" featuring surreal portraits of dogs inspired by William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience. (Runs Oct 24 - Dec 6, 2015). 

Pen and ink on watercolour paper.
For more on the McMullen Gallery.
#McmullenGallery

Pedways

I seem to do a lot of waiting at Southgate Station and indirectly this means a lot of sketching too. This is the overhead covered pedway across the southbound lanes of 111St. Very welcomed when the temperature is minus 30C.