Singapore Trip: First day - USKSG Sketchwalk in Tiong Bahru

January 8, 2013 | Leave your thoughts


Talk about starting my Singapore trip with a bang! Tia organised a sketchwalk – called an adhoc sketchwalk – as opposed to the official one which is always on the last Saturday of the month (stay tuned for that one!)

The USKSG group meet at a cafe and many have breakfast (various kinds of noodle or soup)…I joined in but trying to sketch and meet various people was a little challenging!

Due to not changing my mobile phone to local time and waking up at 3.30 local time, I wasn’t all that with it…so although not the usual jetlag after a 24-36 hour flight, I was struggling with my coordination. Fun getting adjusted to the pace of life and humidity.

Great to meet lots of new people (‘Am I a facebook friend – should I know you?’) and obviously to hang out with Tia and Paul again. Also great to meet Don and Parka – two sketchers that I have known online for a while. Such inspiring work was done!!! Wow!



After the first sketch and a bit of chatting .. A group of us wandered off. I wanted to draw a back view and some of the very cool spiral stairs at the back of the very nice art deco housing in Tiong Bahru.

But finding a place in the shade and comfy to sit was the most important criteria!

Of course I had to draw my lunch… ah! The food in Singapore. SO many choices and all so good!

After lunch, Parka kindly looked after me and helped me get sorted with a MRT card and a local SIM (It was more active during my visit that my mobile (cell phone) is normally here in Sydney!) and of course, we managed a visit to one of the two art stores that I would get to know quite well during my visit. Thanks Parka!

An afternoon storm was on its way and I managed to get to the cool and comfort of the library in time… and of course do a sketch or two.


Thanks to Tia for the suggestion of the library. It was a great place to rest and sketch while it rained and rained!

My intention was to try to take this trip a little slower… but somehow I couldn’t help sketching the view from my hotel – there was a lovely little seating area on my floor that was very cosy for sketching. The evening call to prayer went while I was finishing off… I really got a feel for the multicultural nature of this city from my hotel – right on the edge of Little India.

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