This is the second sketch I did on the #UskManila sketchwalk last Saturday. To do this one I climbed the stairs up to look down on the remains of the bastion. The original fort was built in 1586. Nowadays the gardens are used for wedding photo shoots and the upper area overlooks a golf course.
Sat-28-May-2022
On Saturday I joined #UskManila for their 11th anniversary sketchwalk at Baluarte de San Diego gardens. It was raining lightly, so I took a huge umbrella – but in the end didn’t need it, as I sketched this from a sheltered walk-way. This one took me far too long to finish – but it was a challenge. Why there is an old steam engine in the gardens I don’t know.
Sat-28-May-2022
Last week we bought some raw peanuts. On our first attempt at roasting some, we forgot they were in the oven until we smelt that terrible burning smell. They were roasted way too much and tasted bitter. Our second batch were more successful but I think they weren’t very fresh in the first place, so they lacked crunch…and were more chewy, but at least they weren’t bitter.
Thu-26-May-2022
Here is a quick sketch of some guava’s. My motto (as I think I have said before) is that when in doubt (of what to sketch), sketch fruit.
Wed-25-May-2022
Here is a simple evening sketch of a bottle of tomato ketchup – one of those handy squeeze bottles. The “57 varieties” slogan was first used by Heinz in 1896 – even though at that time they already sold more than 60 different products and of course now sell hundreds.
Mon-23-May-2022
Last weekend we went to watch a movie (the latest Fantastic Beasts film) and being deliberately early, so we could buy good tickets, we decided to treat ourselves with some ice-cream. I thought that Baskin Robbins is supposed to have 31 different flavours but as soon as we stepped in the door, the guy behind the counter said they only had a few flavours left – so we ended up eating mint chocolate chip, while I sketched this.
Sun-22-May-2022
Here is the second sketch I did last Saturday with #UskQuezonCity at Ateneo Art Gallery. This installation, by Pete Jimenez, is made out of decommissioned rescue boats and is meant to be a commentary on the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea. I only had time to do the ink work on the spot and finished off the painting at home. My sketch ended up looking kind of abstract…but it really did look like this.
Sat-21-May-2022
Last Saturday I joined #UskQuezonCity for a sketch-walk at Ateneo Art Gallery where a we sketched this installation by Leroy New. Mebuyan is a goddess of death and fertility in Bagobo mythology (the Bagobo are one of the largest groups of indigenous people in Southern Mindanao). It consists of lots of spheres made of bamboo and steel, filled with plants and vegetables growing in planters, which you can walk through (on the far right of my sketch are some steps which take you up into the installation). It was a really tricky thing to sketch!
Sat-21-May-2022
A while ago I sketched some courgettes/zucchini and this is how I cooked them. I scraped out the inside, chopped it up and fried it with onions, garlic and tomatoes, then added some cooked quinoa and red lentils. Then stuffed it all back in the shells and steamed them. We served it with a garlic yogurt sauce…yummy!
Fri-20-May-2022