I always attempt a bit of sketching when I go away. If nothing else, it secures a memory of a place (however bad the drawing!). It is a moment of closer observation. But I find it hard. There was so much I wanted to draw during my recent visit to Singapore but as usual my self-consciousness was a bit of an obstacle. I also always regret the tools I take for one reason or another. I need to rethink this sketching lark.
One further problem is finding somewhere to sit and draw. Often there isn’t a convenient seat at the chosen site, and balancing watercolours and ink pens on a crowded Asian street is something of an ordeal. I need to be more practical!
The school librarian in Singapore, Ben Farr, very kindly gave me a beautiful gift – a book of sketches by Graham Byfield. It’s wonderful and I was inspired to spend my last day with my sketchbook. I can’t pretend to understand Singapore as well as Mr Byfield, but here are a few quick sketches that I am just about prepared to share…
The Chinese Gardens. There were little kites flying in the sky over this pavilion.
One of my favourite places was Kampong Glam, the Arab Quarter. Here’s the Sultan Mosque one evening…
In a Hindu temple, there were musicians and processions…
Old topsy-turvy shop fronts in Little India.
Happily, and surprisingly, I have just been invited back to Singapore, so I will redouble my efforts with the sketching next time and rethink the tools of the trade. Watch this space!
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