Here is the Christmas present I got from my sister – some Anker SoundCore P30i noise cancelling earbuds. These are a good affordable substitute for Apple AirPods – which I loved but finally the battery packed up. I found it challenging to sketch such a black object!
Thu-6-Feb-2025
After many years we invested in a pressure cooker. I was a bit nervous using it for the first time as for some reason I think of them as possibly exploding…naturally it was fine. My nervousness wasn’t helped by the incomprehensible instructions – here is a sample: “To raise temperature by cook after cover shown as 6) and pressure limit valve hooking the right position of exhaust pine. If any wrong position and fail to get use effect (shown as 7) and the lift indicating vane pole”. All English words but not in comprehensible sentences!
Wed-5-Feb-2025
As part of the #LunetaArtFair on Sunday 2 Feb a group of artists and history enthusiasts (called #Renacimiento) organised a live sketching session featuring historical re-enactors wearing vintage clothing. The event was called “Threads through time” and aimed to deepen understanding of the historical legacy of fashion in the Philippines. Each of these sketches was done in about 15-20 minutes – the models posed in couples, but I wasn’t always able to capture both of them in such a short time.
Sun-2-Feb-2025
After Pasinaya I joined the #LunetaArtFair on Sunday 2 Feb. The art fair is an annual event that takes place in Rizal Park’s Noli Mi Tangere Garden in Manila., that showcases art from local galleries. After helping set up the #UskManila stall I went over to the area of the park with statues depicting Rizal’s last days. These were made by Eduardo Castrillo (1942-2016) from bronze and brass, a famous Filipino sculptor who was the artist behind the People Power monument on EDSA and many other sculptures around the Philippines.
Sun-2-Feb-2025
On Saturday 1 Feb we joined #UskManila as the #Pasinaya2025 arts festival – the launch event for National Arts Month. This is the third time I have joined (see sketches No. 2300 in 2023 and No. 2584 from last year) – it’s an annual festival that celebrates Filipino creativity and culture and is organised by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). This years theme was “Para Sa Lahat” (which means “For Everyone”).
I joined up to do some sketching demonstrations – the first at the Museo de Intramuros, where I sketched the courtyard while we waited for things to start. The second sketch was done in the lobby of the museum. The third sketch was done near the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (also called the Black Box) theatre in the afternoon, as a second sketching demonstration. Pasinaya is free to join by anyone but the majority of participants seemed to be young students. A huge group joined in and it was great fun.
Sat-1-Feb-2025
This is the first sketch in another sketchbook made using 300gsm Baohong Hot Pressed paper. The first of these tall thin sketches was done at J.Co donuts (I always thought they were a Filipino company but it seems they are Indonesian). We went out to the mall firstly for me to post my passport to the UK and secondly to buy some stuff to prepare to join the Luneta Art Fair. The second sketch is the only tall and thin thing I could think of to sketch the following day, which I did while we watched the TV.
Wed-29 and Thu-30-Jan-2025
I picked this blossom up near our apartment and thought that the colours are so beautiful that I had to try and sketch it. I used watercolour pencils, watercolour, a tiny touch of ink and a yellow Posca pen to do this one. According to Wikipedia the tree has been nominated as among 100 of the “World’s Worst” invaders – it is not native to the Philippines but is widely planted as an ornamental tree.
Tue-28-Jan-2025
I was a bit stuck for a subject to sketch, the day I drew this, so I looked on Instagram to see what some of my favourite sketchers were up to. Seeing that @everydaylizmc had sketched some pencils, I thought I would give that a go too (also because that day I had sorted out all my sketching materials). If I am stuck for something to sketch I find that just looking at what some of your favourite artists have done, is a good way to get an idea.
Mon-27-Jan-2025
I usually sketch the presents I got at Christmas to say thank you. These are some of them – two different types of coffee, chocolate and shaving cream from Human Nature. I wasn’t sure where I was going with this sketch…I started with simple shapes and then used Watercolour Pencils to add texture and detail.
Sat-25-Jan-2025