‘Buffet de la Gare’ – Charrat, Switzerland

by on 20 October, 2023 at 9:47 pm
Posted In: drawing

I just made this sketch today in my sketchbook after receiving a Sailor Fude de Mannen fountain pen in the post. Tried using the pen, which requires a fair bit of practice, and reverted to my usual tools of pens and Kuratake ink brush, as well as a Real Color brush pen (light grey) for the wash. Much more convenient and versatile.

Came across this station cafe while waiting over 45 minutes for the next train back to Sion, this dilapidated station building across the road from the train station in Fully did not look open for business. Moreover, it was a Sunday afternoon, and we were thirsty and exhausted after spending the last 3-4 hours trekking in the burning sun through the Fully vineyards (in 30 degree heat) and then walking the remaining 4km along the river back to the train station. We actually walked around the building and entered through the back entrance, and to our surprise, found it quite deserted but open for business. The interior was cosy with very dated 1980s decor, but we could buy ice cold drinks and rest indoors until it was time to catch our train. The ‘RE’ of the “Buffet de la Gare” signage had almost completely faded.

Buffet de la Gare, Charrat

Sketchbook: Late summer tree – Sion, Switzerland

by on 29 September, 2023 at 1:53 pm
Posted In: drawing, tools

Bought some Kuratake Real Color brushes to experiment with, to try and phase out use of my old brush and ink, have not really got the hang of it yet, resulting in somewhat mottled results while shading. Made a sketch of a characterful tree I saw in Sion, Switzerland, late one afternoon. I liked the shadows the leaves cast on the cobbled street. Used the light blue-grey brush pen here and am not feeling so pleased with the results, I suppose more practice is required! Have not really been in the mood for sketching or drawing anything lately.

Sketchbook: Rex Cinema

by on 25 January, 2023 at 5:59 pm
Posted In: drawing

Returning to some inking and drawing again after a long break. Recently read that the 1939 Art Deco cinema in my hometown of Penang has been slated for demolition by the city council for the construction of another superfluous 27-storey condominium block. At this rate, my once lovely and characterful hometown will be unrecognisable in another decade or so. There is an online petition to try and save this building, but I am not optimistic about its chances of survival. Too many buildings of significant architectural interest have been demolished in recent months despite protest from NGOs.

Redrawing Nighthawks

by on 3 August, 2022 at 5:35 pm
Posted In: comics, drawing

I decided on a whim to completely redraw Nighthawks, which is one of the stronger stories in my Painting Stories collection, but now the drawing seems substandard to me, although some of it still retains some expressive charm, I think it would sell better if I repackaged it as a Cabaret Voltaire booklet and redid all the drawings, taking more time and care over my work. I drew the original Nighthawks in record time, in a feverishly productive couple of weeks and have since regretted publishing some occasionally crummy art work. This new project will take some time and there’s no guarantee I can find a publisher after all that – the current publishing fashion is autobiography, unfortunately something I have scant interest in.

One panel from the new Nighthawks

Sketchbook: Woman smoking

by on 9 May, 2022 at 1:08 pm
Posted In: drawing

Just thought I’d practise more on drawing women’s faces, not something I am particularly good at as I haven’t done a lot of it in the past. I found a photo which inspired me and just took it from there. No resemblance to anyone I know! Found out the hard way that Chinese sumi ink mixed with a quantity of water does not fare so well on my sketchbook paper…