video for September sketchwalk

September Night Sketchwalk

September 2012 Sketchwalk – Mid Autum Festival @ Chinatown 
Date: 29 Sep 2012 Location: Chinatown
Time: 5pm-8pm
Meeting Place: Steps leading to Chinatown Food Center on the South Side facing Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
Show & Tell: Same location meeting at 8pm

 The Mid Autumn Festival is also popularly known as the Mooncake or Lantern Festival. This year, the festival takes place from 11 Sep to 10 Oct. On the 15th day of the eighth Chinese lunar month (which occurs on 3 Oct 2012), the moon would be at its fullest. This would be the day the Chinese celebrates the Mid Autumn Festival, during which they would enjoy moon cakes as festival treats while children would carry lanterns (lit by either candles or electrically with bulbs or LEDs these days). The festival is celebrated in Chinatown with festive street light ups and bazaar stalls selling mooncakes, pomelos, tea and an assortment of festive goodies. In Chinese tradition and believe, the complete moon (月圆) symbolizes family’s togetherness and unity.

 Urban Sketchers Singapore is going to participate in this years’ festivity by sketching Chinatown during the September’s sketchwalk. Sketch as you bask in the cool of the evening and be enchanted by the colorful lantern light-ups and themed decorations.

 We will meet at 5pm at the steps leading to Chinatown Food Center on the South Side facing Buddha Tooth Relic Temple (you will see many elderlies congregating there to play a game of chess) and proceed to walk the streets of Chinatown along Pagoda Street, Temple Street and Smith Street where the main activities would be. You may stop anywhere to sketch or you could congregate together if you are uncomfortable to sketch alone.

Finally, we will meet back where we started for Show & Tell at 8pm.

Megumi

Put in fresh ink cartridge for my fountain pen and it just flow too freely not to my liking. I had to sketch really fast to prevent 'staining'. The big size woman and the petite lady just sat down after I finished with the sushi counter. The chief chef came out of the kitchen I had to include him in the sketch too. People-watch while having my meal was never this busy and interesting on a relaxing Sunday.

Another breakfast sketch at corner coffee shop at Jalan Tua Kong and East Coast Road. It is certainly not a good idea to draw too many lines on the face. It means too much wrinkles on my husband's face and making him a bit too old in this sketch. He did not know anyway as he was enjoying his meal.

Amoy Street

I went back this morning to the same spot for another 30 mins to complete a long sketch at Amoy Street, Singapore. I started this piece last Sunday before my weekly music group practice at 10.30am. I spent about 45mins last week, so it took about 1.5 hours to complete the long piece.

Size : 420mm x 148mm or 16.5" x 5.8"

porridge

The eating house that we frequent a lot. As far as i can remember , this is the third sketch at the same place, Hua Hua Eating House at Marine Parade at different year, different time in my muji sketchbooks. We never fail to order two bowls of porridge, a plate of raw fish plus coffee and tea for our breakfast. Here my husband was busy making calls to settle some office issues at breakfast on a Saturday morning.

SUTD

I started teaching part time at SUTD - Singapore University of Technology and Design on every Friday afternoon for this semester. Here the students were busy working on 'intuitive drawing' looking at twigs, rocks and leaves exploring textures and shapes. This is to allow them to gain some foundation and confidence before bringing them out for urban sketching later!

Teaching part time while having a full time job is really challenging this semester but I am very happy as I am doing things that I really like!

people watch

Shoppers were tired and sat there for me to sketch. This is outside the Apple Store called Epic Centre inside the big mall at Orchard Road called 313@Somerset. It was named after the house number 313.

family dinner

My son and my daughter - family dinner time.

kitchen with a view

ODP has been around for a while but it was my first visit to the restaurant. ODP means Open Door Policy. I was sitting at the counter with a clear view into the kitchen through the big piece of glass. This sketch took me less than 20 minutes and people inside and outside the kitchen were visibly shocked at the speed and pleased at the final result.

Makansutra Gluttons Bay

Have not been sketching much as I was swamped with work but I tried. Here is a sketch I did a while ago...

The correct name for this place is Makansutra Gluttons Bay. While waiting for my next meeting at Esplanade, I sketched at this outdoor food court next to Esplanade and opposite Marina Bay Sands. It was crowded. The oyster omelette was average but the ambiance was pleasantly cozy.

Sunday again

Sunday morning a sketch at Armenian St around 9.30am before my next activity at 10.30am. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many taxis and coaches bringing tourists to the Peranakan Museum on a Sunday morning. The locals are probably still in bed......