AirportSketch

123-3559 – Layover in Istanbul

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I didn’t have time to sketch at the airport in Manila before we left for our UK-Montenegro holiday, because a strap on my wife’s backpack snapped at the checkin desk. So we wandered around to find an affordable replacement (definitely not Tumi). After the long flight to Istanbul (12 hours) we had a few hours in the massive airport terminal (which makes NAIA and Heathrow look dreadful), so we found a spot for a coffee. My only grumble about the airport terminal?…nowhere to sit unless you buy coffee or food….which maybe deliberate.

Mon-20-Jul-2026

122-3553 – Diver on the ceiling

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This is the second sketch I did in Doha at the “Food Park” dining zone (on my way back from Iraq), where I had something to eat. According to Gemini AI (which often gets things wrong), the dining area is designed around the theme pearl diving (which Doha has a history of), and the diver is supposed to look like they are surrounded by a deep blue sea while diving for oysters. I can’t find any pictures of the sculpture online and (as often seems to be the habit) the artist is not credited anywhere I can see.

Fri-10-Jul-2026

122-3552 – Lamp/bear

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Anyone who travels through Doha might recognise this? It’s called ‘Untitled (Lamp/Bear) and is by Swiss artist Urs Fischer. According to the blurb on the notice in front of it, the bear is cast in bronze and rests peacefully against a lamp, “reminding travellers of childhood and precious objects from home”. Hmmm…given that the lamp actually goes through the bears body and intersects with it’s head (kind of like the intersection of Seth Brundle and the teleportation pod in “the fly”)… I am not sure it evokes the same feelings in me!

Tue-7-Jul-2026

122-3548-9 – Lounges on the way to Iraq

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PAGS lounge

Here are the sketches I did on the way to Erbil, Iraq for work. The first is at the PAGS (Philippine Airport and Ground Services) lounge. I was surprised to be bumped up to business class – the travel agent had offered an upgrade with a hefty extra cost and I said no thanks, but somehow I ended up in business class anyway. So although I always feel a little uncomfortable with luxury and being waited on, I took advantage of the free coffee and breakfast before leaving Manila.

Another lounge

The second sketch is of the Al-Mourjan business lounge in Doha. The PAGS lounge was much better – here there was only free coffee and no food. This sketch ended up almost abstract. By this point I was pretty tired, so that’s my excuse.

Tue-7-Jul-2026

107-3215-16 – Fight with the ceiling – look up please

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Fight with the ceiling

Here are a couple of sketches I did while I had hours to kill in Erbil Airport. I was sketching to stay awake. Sleepiness is my excuse for struggling with the white on grey ceiling pattern, in the first one, which I fought to correct after I mucked it up. One sketch was not enough for the hours I had to kill, so I did the second one at the gate.

Look up please

Fri-22-Aug-2025

107-3210 – Reds at Rice-Noodle Express

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Here is a sketch done on my way to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq – at the airport in Manila. As always I am a little trepidatious about visiting a new country with only limited understanding of the culture and situation – so sketching is a good way to take my mind off it and relax. When choosing a subject to sketch my eye is always attracted to bright colours…this little noodle shop being no exception!

Sat-16-Aug-2025