UrbanSketcher

100-3029-30 – Manila Med people sketching

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Waiting area Manila Med

Here are a couple of sketches I did while my wife was visiting Manila Med hospital for a check up. I did the first one in the waiting area and the second one in the little corner park opposite the hospital when I went downstairs for a cup of coffee. I am sometimes asked if people notice me when I sketch or what to do if they see me. Generally I try not to stare but to glance only – and if they do notice me I make a point of looking away and sketching another part of the drawing. I also never hide what I am doing as that makes it seem too surreptitious.

Manila Med

Sat-15-Mar-2025

100-3022 – Kindred

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Here is a sketch I did when my wife went to have a health consultation – we waited for ages only to find out that she needed to see another type of doctor. I always find it odd when you are expected to know what kind of specialist to see! At least I managed to do this sketch in their brightly coloured lobby.

Thu-6-Mar-2025

100-3019 – Picnic

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On Sunday 2 March, we decided to go out into the communal garden for a change and do a sketch – but somehow this ended up looking a lot gloomier than it really is. I’ve sketched that big tree a couple of times before – the roots are really coming out of the ground now and there is always a danger it will topple over in a typhoon.

Sun-2-Mar-2025

100-3012 – Not the anniversary dinner we planned

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This sketch was done at Shakey’s down the road from where we live. We set out to drive to Wabi-Sabi Noodle House in Makati, but the traffic was appallingly bad (worse than the usual dreadful conditions), so we just stopped at the nearest eatery. For desert I ate the brownie that is featured in this poster…it was supposed to have salted caramel on it but I think they just sprinkle (far to much) salt on some syrup!

Thu-27-Feb-2025

98-2961 – Guys watching guys at UP sunken garden

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On Sunday 12 January we joined our first #SketchWalk of the year with #UskQuezonCity at the University of the Philippines sunken garden. The sunken garden is a large green basin-shaped area at the Diliman campus, surrounded by large trees and is popular as a venue for sports and outside events. I did this first sketch of a group of young guys quite quickly…after 15 minutes they all got up and left together, so I had to be fast.

Sun-12-Jan-2025

98-2956 – Two hour car wash

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I started this sketch when we took our car to the car wash (before having lunch with some friends in Las Pinas). We were late to our meet up because the queue and the washers took forever – in fact I could have done more sketches. I seem to be sketching the backside of cars a lot these days!

Sun-5-Jan-2025

98-2955 – Bells

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The day after we got back from Puerto Galera was the last day of our eldest daughters visit to the Philippines, so we decided to visit the Museo de San Agustin (she could’t recall ever going to Intramuros, except when she was little). I’ve sketched at the museum before (see sketch No. 2682) – it’s an amazing place. The first of these sketches is of a church bell with the inscription saying that to “facilitate evangelisation, the missionaries persuaded the natives to settle themselves in big communities…to have them “bajo la campana” or “under the bell,” that is, around the church in an area where they could hear the bell”. The second was done at the Belfry Cafe next to Manila Cathedral.

Sat-4-Jan-2025

98-2954 – Ferry snack bar

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Finally, here is my last holiday sketch done on the ferry on the way back. This time instead of sitting in the air-conditioned bit (which you have to pay an extra Php50 for) we sat in front of the snack bar – handy for coffee, biscuits, packet noodles etc. I am sure they do great business as for most of the two hour ferry ride there were lots of people queuing to be served.

Fri-3-Jan-2025