On my last Sunday in Hanoi I went round the old quarter to try and do some souvenir shopping. In the end I only bought some coffee because the shops just seemed to be selling the standard backpacker tourist fare…things you could buy anywhere! I remeber the old quarter of Hanoi having more character when I visited 20 years ago. Anyway I stopped on my way home to draw this….I found out later that the building is a library.
Sun-15-Oct-2017
Here is another one done during the Philippines Urban Sketchers sketch-walk last weekend (at Washington Sycip Park). I never knew this park in Makati even existed – it’s very lush and green. A lovely quiet spot to draw.
Sat-19-Aug-2017
Back home, here is one of the sketches I did on a sketch walk with Philipines Urban Sketchers. I enjoyed joining the group again after having missed so many sketch-walks.
Sat-19-Aug-2017
Yesterday afternoon I took a break from work and ate a snack in the René Moawad Garden. I sat on a bench under a ring of trees, their canopies linking in a perfect circle around a pond. The garden reminded me of parks in Aleppo, where I used to live – full of families and kids playing, people reading and enjoying the atmosphere – exquisite!
Sat-8-July-2017
Yesterday my wife and I went to the gravesite of her parents, like we do fairly regularly. I always enjoy the peace and quiet and a chance to sketch away from the hustle and bustle. This time an awning was set up nearby for the mourners of a coming burial – and on the road were a series of carts full of soil. These days when I see something new in a place where I have sketched so often, I usually try to draw it.
Sun-11-Jun-2017
Here is one of the sketches I did today – just a view of the common park from our balcony.
Fri-21-Apr-2017
Yesterday I took a walk in the park and did this ink and watercolour sketch. You wouldn’t think of Vietnam as a cold place but it really got chilly while I was drawing, so I rushed this a bit to get back to the warmth of my hotel.
Sat-25-Mar-2017
I took a walk in the park again the morning before yesterday – and this time got closer to the lake. In the middle of my sketch is a guy relaxing on a bench – but he wandered off before I could really capture him, so he ended up as a white space. Sketching here is a fantastic was to relax before the trials of work.
Thu-23-Mar-2017
Here’s a quick watercolour sketch done in the “Le Dai Hanh” park before work. The park has a great atmosphere, with people exercising (that’s public exercise machines in the sketch), dancing in groups (to tango music) and doing aerobics. Definitely going there again.
Wed22-Mar-2017