Png:Sg Trip 14: Some much needed solo sketching time

January 29, 2014 | 2 Comments


If you think my blog posts just keep coming and coming… that is how I feel too!  At the time I was starting to get very tired around this stage in my trip. I really had done a lot and worked fairly hard in the previous weeks… but still I keep going.

The flurry of activity in my first 2.5 days in Singapore had been crazy so I was in need of some solo time and decided to keep below the facebook radar this morning and go off on my own…maybe a some classical architecture sketching on the agenda?


I also felt like a little museum visiting – something I have not done at all lately (I just prefer sketching outside) so on the recommendation of some USKers I went to the National Museum of Singapore. I got there too early to get into the free gallery so ended up sitting in the entrance foyer and sketching the dome.

This sketch did me a lot of good. I was in a comfortable spot and sketched slowly but freely – and it gave me some great processing time. Nice to do something without watercolour as well – I love colour but it is healthy to restrain myself from time to time (I was using a water-soluble brush pen for the tones)

Once I had finished this I was ready to move on and not bother going inside….hopeless I know!

 
I had so many ideas bouncing around in my head – not only from my own sketchbook adventures in Penang but from the discussions of the previous days and from sketching alongside other Urban Sketchers. I never take it for granted how wonderful it is to be able to hang out with other artists like I had been. Sometimes you just happen to notice someone next to you do something with their pen or brush – it gives you an idea and that connects with something you were already thinking… and so the process goes on and we are inspired by each other.

Anyway, that was a long rambling way for saying that I decided to do something different with my sketch of the museum exterior. On other occasions I have put the paint down first but for some reason this time it hit the spot …. I really liked the resultant sense of play that it generated. As I have mentioned before, the most important thing about sketching for me is to get ‘the buzz’ and I got it doing this sketch!


I took a few photos of my sketch during the process.


I was having trouble finding coffee shops that open in the morning… so it wasn’t till lunchtime that I found somewhere quiet and comfortable to sit. So quiet that I was practically the only one in the place. Continuing with this new idea of some line – paint –  ink line – paint …mixing it and having so much fun!!!


A sketch-free afternoon included some shopping and buying a copy of James Hobb’s wonderful new book “Sketch your world”. Then followed a quiet evening doing some more experiments – drawing with my paintbrush and other stuff.


One of my little random pages that record the little things. It is a great luxury when I am travelling to have time like this (and it is a rarity too!) – time to think and test a few things out while I am rather focussed on my art.

2 Comments

  • Sue Pownall says:

    These are great. I actually like the tea cup at it's pencil and colour stage, though it looks fab finished too. The dome looks scary to attempt, but your sketch is amazing!

    I've been enjoying your trip posts -I was only 10 behind 🙂 but somehow this one made sense to me. I think for hte mix of enjoying being with other sketchers but needing the time out too.

  • kay&quilting says:

    Hi Liz, I have been following your blog for a while. I am really enjoying it, I think it is my favorite blog actually. Your posts about your trip have been fantastic. What a great keepsake you have in your sketchbooks. Kay

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