I had just enough time to do a quick sketch on our way back home – and I could’t help but think what a pleasant clean and spacious airport it was in South Korea – we certainly experienced the opposite when we arrived at NAIA terminal 1.
Sun-15-Jun-2025
Here is my last sketch in Canada – and the first sketch in a new Sketchbook (still using Umae hot press paper). I missed sketching the day before this as we were too busy with shopping, visiting the Esker Gallery and packing. With a midday flight it was an easy start to the day, but WestJet still insist that each bag weighs 23k or less, despite us having far less weight overall…so again we were those unfortunate people you see frantically repackaging in front of the check-in desk! That grey blob on the plane, splashed onto my painting from another sketch!
Sat-14-Jun-2025
Here is my last sketch done on our UK trip for this year. They day started with getting up at 5am and driving 4 hours from Manchester to Heathrow through dreadful drizzly rain. We arrived in the nick of time to drop off the hire car and then had to repack our bags at check-in counter as one was over 23k (even though the other was well under!). Otherwise the flight was uneventful and we got food despite being told when we checked with a phone call the day before, that there would be none provided (so I ate both sandwiches and airline food). On the flight I watched “The Mercy” movie …which was much more depressing than I thought it would be!
Tue-3-Jun-2025
This is my first sketch done in the UK on our holiday. When we arrived we decided to wait to collect our hire car (so that we could drop it off at an appropriate time of day in 3 weeks), even though the arrival process in UK was smooth and fast. We felt freezing cold when we finally ventured out to get the car (despite it being springtime). At Caffè Nero, where I sketched this, everyone seemed to be wearing black overcoats!
Thu-15-May-2025
Finally I am starting to post my sketches done on our holiday to the UK. We arrived at the airport in Metro Manila 4 hours(!) before our flight, anticipating a long process. I wasn’t far off – we had to queue for more than an hour to check in. Then, of course, our flight transiting through BKK was delayed and we had a mad dash to the gate in Bangkok. This sketch was done in the airport when we had something to eat before departing.
Wed-14-May-2025
After my snooze at the airport in UAE I woke up with only a few hours to go before my flight, so I only managed this quick sketch at the gate, before boarding. This elderly couple appeared to be travelling the world together – they were wearing matching baggy trousers and had similarly coloured puffer jackets. What a fantastic moustache the guy had (my sketch is not an exaggeration)!
Wed-27-Nov-2024
You can tell my stay in Afghanistan was very short, because here is another #AirportSketch! I learnt a lot from my visit and experienced a warm welcome and so much generosity from my Afghan colleagues. After sketching this I had a very interesting chat with a fellow passenger who works for UNODC (UN Office on Drugs and Crime) – particularly pertinent I thought. I sketched this against the light (again) so there was a lot of guesswork going on with the colours.
Tue-26-Nov-2024
Here is the first sketch I did on my way to Afghanistan (travelling there for work), late at night at the airport. All the passengers seemed to be wearing dark grey-blue clothing…only that red shirt and people’s faces stood out. This is the last but one sketch in sketchbook number 96 – done on an odd sheet of “Langton” paper made by Daler-Rowney…although I don’t like the texture, I love the way it takes the paint. I am still on the search for the perfect sketching paper…suggestions are welcome!
Fri-22-Nov-2024
This is the last sketch from our holiday and the last one in sketchbook No.92! Our journey home was uneventful and our layover in Dubai was just long enough for me to sketch this. The teardrop shaped windows (which curve up to a peak) are covered with what seems to be an adhesive screen or mesh, which I guess is supposed to block the sunlight and keep the concourse cooler…it took me ages to copy the pattern!
Wed-21-Aug-2024