Here is a simple sketch of another of my ‘go-to’ subjects – whatever fruit that we happen to have in the fruit basket. This basket is actually half of a “Bangchung” – a bamboo container made in Bhutan and traditionally used to carry your lunch or for serving food and snacks to guests. With the other semi-spherical half, it snaps together to make a container.
Sat-25-May-2024
We bought this Hollywood bike rack (that fixes on the back of our car) years ago. When I tried to put it on the car a while back, it was so long since we’d used it, that I first put it on upside down. All those straps and buckles and get pretty confusing! As I often find with my sketches I ran out of space at the bottom of the page for this one.
Thu-2-May-2024
After lots of #UrbanSketches here is one of something more simple – some new shoes. I bought these #Birkenstock shoes in Makati after sketching at the Dia del Libro event on 20th April in Ayala Triangle Gardens. I have been suffering from plantar fasciitis again (which affects my foot arches), and wearing these sandals (plus a compression sock at night) seems to fix the problem.
Mon-29-Apr-2024
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
This is the first sketch I did on a little trip out of town for lunch at ZenZen Japanese Food Hall and Cafe in Alfonso, Cavite. We arrived early so had a coffee first and I sketched this view of little bridges, lots of greenery and coy ponds. I don’t usually give up on a sketch, but my first attempt at this scene was abandoned as I got the placement of the tables and curve of the bridge railings all wrong.
Sun-12-Nov-2023
Today I joined #UskManila for a sketch-walk at the Mall of Asia (MOA), as we were participating in the Philippine Postal Corporation’s commemoration of the 256th founding anniversary of the establishment of the Philippine Postal Service. The event took place over three days (and included an exhibition of some of the group’s sketches done at the Manila Central Post office, which was sadly destroyed in a fire last May). I could only join on the last day, though that included the unveiling of “National Children’s Month Stamps”. My sketch has nothing much to do with all that – these two giant inflatables were at the end of the huge hall where the event took place and I couldn’t resist sketching them.
Wed-15-Nov-2023
This is a marble chess set we bought at the souk in Istanbul years ago. As my wife isn’t a fan I was playing against a computer using the chess.com app on my phone. As the computer and I made our moves, I moved the pieces on the board. I was only playing at intermediate level, but lost rather quickly and decisively! I sketched this following the #Sketchtober2023 prompt of ‘Gaming’ for Day 28…the occasional feeble attempt at playing chess is about the only kind of gaming I do.
Sat-11-Nov-2023
Having mentioned how much I like Posca pens in my last sketch I thought they would make a perfect subject for the #Sketchtober2023 prompt of ‘Pen’ for Day 22. These actually belong to my wife (though I borrow them every now and then)…hence the Christmas list mention in the title (which also coincided with the time I spent making Christmas wish lists on the day I drew this).
Tue-7-Nov-2023
For this sketch (following the #Sketchtober2023 prompt for Day 29), just for a change I switched to using a combination of my ‘Monte Marte’ watercolour markers, ink and Posca pens. I’ve got to get me some more Posca pens – they are such fun to use. This is ‘Mother’s Recipe Lime Pickle’ – so delicious I can’t describe it…so I drew it.
Mon-6-Nov-2023