Christmas is a wonderful sketching opportunity! I usually sketch the Christmas tree that is set up in the common garden where we live. In the past it has been made of recycled plastic bottles, but this year it features large star shaped lanterns. My sketch was done during the day (I was leaning against a tree and got a few love bites from the big red weaver ants that live in it), so it might look a little dull – but at night, when the lanterns are lit, it looks very festive.
Fri-8-Dec-2023
This is the second sketch I did last Wednesday with #UskManila after our #UrbanSketching demonstration talks with students from the College of Architecture and Urban Planning from Pamantasan Ng Lungsod Ng Maynila (the University of the City of Manila) and the CAUP Student Council. The Escuela Taller Foundation forms a beautiful courtyard with a garden in middle.
Wed-13-Dec-2023
Last Wednesday sketchers from #UskManila were invited to give #UrbanSketching demonstration talks and join a #Sketchwalk with students from the College of Architecture and Urban Planning from Pamantasan Ng Lungsod Ng Maynila (the University of the City of Manila). The event took place at Escuela Taller de Filipinas Foundation, Inc., in Intramuros and was organised by PM CAUP Student Council. After my little talk we went up onto the old city walls and I found a shady spot to sketch this view. It was great fun joining an enthusiastic group of students and of course discovering another beautiful place I have never visited in Metro Manila – thank you for the invite!
Wed-13-Dec-2023
Here is the second sketch I did after my little workshop on bookbinding with #UskQuezonCity last Sunday. We held the workshop at the Audio Visual room of @MuseoNiManuelQuezon, and in the back of the room was this bust of Manuel Quezon (the first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines). I am always attracted to bright colours and contrasting tones when I look for something to sketch, so sketching this was a no-brainer! I am not sure which country’s flags these are (though the Philippines flag is the 5th from the right)…maybe someone will point that out for me.
Sun-10-Dec-2023
I am jumping ahead a little with this post, done after my little workshop on bookbinding with #UskQuezonCity last Sunday. We held the workshop at the @MuseoNiManuelQuezon, which is a mausoleum/museum (which I didn’t even know existed) on the ground floor of the Quezon Memorial Shrine, containing the remains and memorabilia of Manuel Quezon, the first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. I didn’t get a chance to look round the museum but we were lucky enough to be allowed to climb up to the top of the shrine, up the few hundred steps of a narrow spiral staircase in one of the columns of the shrine. The views were fantastic.
Sun-10-Dec-2023
As usual I am behind with posting sketches, but here is one of some roses we were given at the wedding we attended in Baguio. I’ve never seen so many roses at once!
Thu-7-Dec-2023
Here is another sketch I did in Baguio…again taking photos of each step in an effort to show how I sketch. The truth is though, that I am usually not quite so careful and just launch into the sketch without any ‘construction’ lines…that’s why I often miss out the top of a tall building or find what I am sketching disappearing off the edge of the page! This one is done in my favourite restaurant in Baguio, a place called “Oh my gulay” – a local expression literally meaning ‘oh my veggies’ but effectively more like OMG. I’ve sketched here several times before – if you are keen you can hunt for sketch numbers 1643 and 2297 in my archive.
Sun-3-Dec-2023
I have been a bit lax in posting recently because I am preparing for a sketch-book making workshop on Sunday, plus I am giving a little urban sketching talk to some students in Intramuros next week. For the latter (as I am supposed to talk about the process I follow), I took some photos of this sketch at each step of the way. I did this one when we had a little hike up Mount Yangbew in La Trinidad, when we visited Baguio over last weekend.
Sun-3-Dec-2023
We have been on a little trip to Baguio and stayed in a nice little apartment way up in the mountains (or it certainly felt that way for our poor little car which struggled with the hills). This is the view we had from the rooftop. I did this sketch on the first day we arrived, after a long drive up from Manila, having setting off at 4am!
Fri-1-Dec-2023