I Jio You

I am starting a new sketchbook by Etchr accordion format. I will go back to Tiong Bahru and continue to sketch a panoramic view starting from this sketch. It was a hot day last Saturday so we all sat under the shade on one side of the pedestrianized road. You can see a few of them on the bottom left of the sketch.

Picking up calligraphy brushes again

Freestyle handwriting after calligraphy practice. 塗鸦练字.

I always wanted to learn Chinese calligraphy so I signed up for a basic calligraphy course for seniors. It was not easy handling the Chinese brushes let alone writing Chinese words!

After practising the proper way storke by stroke, I got bored and continued to write in freestyle.

This passage is a poem by 释绍昙, a monk from Song dynasty.

俗姓梁, 本名-梁慧开,字-无门, 幼年入道，广习经论；年长，于南峰石室独居禅思，积年六载，忽有省悟，乃出礼谒诸山尊宿，得法于江苏万寿寺月林师观禅师座下。嘉定十一年（1218），开法于安吉报国寺，次迁隆兴天宁寺、黄龙翠岩寺、苏州开元寺、灵岩寺、镇江焦山寺、金陵保宁寺等刹。绍定二年（1229）为皇帝祝寿而编撰无门关一卷，该书系精选诸禅录之著名公案四十八则，另加评唱与颂而成。理宗淳祐六年（1246），奉旨入杭州护国仁王寺。晚年居于西湖边，理宗曾诏至选德殿说法，为宫中祈雨得感应，遂敕赐金襕衣，及‘佛眼禅师’之号。师形枯神朗，绀发蓬松，常着弊垢之衣，众人奉其为开此道之先锋。景定元年入寂，世寿七十八。其无门关一书，迄今仍盛行于世。[续传灯录卷三十五、增集续传灯录卷二、五灯严统卷二十二、五灯全书卷五十三]

Marina Bay with SUTD students

Marina Bay sketchwalk with students under scorching hot sun. Accourding to weather man, it felt like 39degC.
Instructors include Erwin Lian, Jeffrey Ang, Andrew Tan and yours truly.

Result of March Sketchwalk

Did a small one today in between two old sketches to complete the Saunders Waterford Concertina Sketchbook. This building is Wisma Geylang Serai. The building was the winning entry by Design-Environment Group Architectsof through a building competition held in 2013 and it was completed in 2018 and officially opened by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in January 2019.

For me, this is the site for the demolished Malay village that I frequented during my younger days. I have very fond memories of the kampong style complex and I can only get the information at https://remembersingapore.org/geylang-serai-malay-village/

Under this brutal weather, I also needed to teach and guide my students from Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) so had to be quick and done with early. I also needed to get ready to apply for a ALSW Penang ticket which was not successful due to delayed and unresponsive payment system. I tried. So game over for any future ticket snatching events for this retiree as I truly hated to make to go through the process as a senior and founder.

March Sketchwalk at Wisma Geylang Serai

Hi Sketchers, in view of upcoming Hari Raya Puasa, we're heading to Geylang Serai to sketch and bask in the festivities!
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In light of the COVID situation, mask wearing is optional. We urge everyone to remain cautious. Let's all play a part to stay safe!
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Date: Saturday, 30 March 2024
Time: 9.30am - 12.30pm
Nearest MRT station: Paya Lebar (EW8/CC9)
Meeting point: Wisma Geylang Serai (Meet at the main entrance just next to the market, there's a big space there)
Address: 1 Engku Aman Turn, Singapore 408528
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y4zdZUVcFhi7Uo3x9
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𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆:
By participating this Event, you agreed with the followings:
1. My participation in this Event is entirely voluntary.
2. I am aware of and agree to assume any and all risks which might be associated with the Event and I will not hold Urban Sketchers Singapore (USkSG) and any admin/organiser responsible or liable in any way for and will not commence any action arising from the Event, or claim for any loss and/or damage (including, without limitation, personal injury and/or property damage) caused by or sustained as a result of my participation in the Event.
3. I will indemnify USkSG and keep USkSG indemnified against all losses, claims, demands, actions, proceedings, damages, costs, expenses, and any other liability arising in any way from my participation in the above Event.
4. For participant under 18 years old, his/her parent/guardian are aware and agree to the above clauses.
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Timeline for the day:
9.30am: Short briefing at Wisma Geylang Serai
12pm: Start packing your things and make your way for Show & Tell
12.20pm: Show and Tell at Wisma Geylang Serai*
*Please note that location of Short briefing and Show and Tell are subjected to change, depending on the weather for the day.
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Instructions for the day:
1. Make your way to the location, be aware of surroundings, and maintain necessary distancing.
2. Challenge yourself to explore hidden corners that hasn't been seen/drawn yet; this will also help prevent too many of us crowding the same perching points.
3. Post your sketches, snapshots and videos online — 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬 #𝐮𝐬𝐤𝐬𝐠 — so everyone can easily find the day's artistic output.
4. Some sketch leaders will go around to catch you in action for posts on Facebook and Instagram, so look out for them!
5. Happy sketching!! 
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Credits:
Event banner by Alfonso Paronda 

Sketching at Kampong Glam

Yesterday was a scotching hot day at Kampong Glam. Even my phone was displaying warning sign that temperature was at dangerous level. I added some darker areas after the show and tell to bring out the shades and shadows under this hot weather.

Interestingly, there was a zero shadow phenomena that day at 1:11pm. Very close to the time we took our group photo. Details on zero shadow phenomena here.

Next Saturday, we are going to Wisma Geylang Serai to soak in the festive atmosphere for our official March Sketchwalk.

Another Outing with SUTD

Posted by Tia Boon Sim on Tuesday 26 March 2024

We went to Eco Lake of Botanic Garden to sketch yesterday with students from SUTD. I have been teaching Urban Sketching course at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) since 2012 even when I was teaching full time at Temasek Polytechnic. I was grateful for the Poly to allowing me to teach at SUTD every Friday afternoon for a semester. It started in Sep 2012 for the first run and now it is conducted from Jan to Apr for the students in term2. It has been 12 years since and the students are getting younger while we instructors are getting older!

Asia Link Sketchwalk Penang

So the news is out, Asia Link Sketchwalk will be held in Penang from 1 - 4 Aug 2024, only 400 sketch passes are available. No workshop pass for the very first time, only demo passes.

Video on Bali Sketches

Bali Connection

It was a very different vacation whereby we followed my elder son's family staying in the Villa most of the time, dinning in with all the options, BBQ, Balinese night, floating breakfast, privagt beach, swimming, eating, watiching TV, reading and doodling. I was hoping to see the Bali I had not seen for so many years may be with a cultural night, day trip to Ubud etc etc.

So when we two older folks took the villa transport to a local shopping mall, the driver brought us to Bali Connection which was obviously meant for tourists! I made do and did a sketch of the temple inside the mall under the big tree although the weather was really hot and humid.

Bali Sketches

I am on family vacation so can only do sketches within the hotel vicinity. It was a scotching hot day and the staff was very helpful to check on me once a while. Anyway I was the only one at the public pool since every villas had its own private pool to chill.

Result of March wood firing

Thank you team for another successful wood firing! Lots of ashes this time. #tkca_sg #thowkwangpotteryjungle #tiastudio #woodkiln #thowkwangdragonkiln

Posted by Tia Boon Sim on Monday, 18 March 2024

Bali Trip

We had a family vacation in Bali with my elder son's family at Amarterra. We arrived on Sunday 2pm and it was the eve of Nyepi which was a day of silence, fasting and meditation for the Balinese. So there was a huge traffic jam but it was good so we could see all the Ogoh Ogoh Parade peparation literally along the roadside.

It was a vacation with just swmimming, idling, reading, doodling, eating and sleeping inside the villa. My husband and I managed to take the hotel car to the near-by retail compound called Bali Collection which was very obviously targetting at global and domestic tourist. Not a complaint as it was truly a relaxing vacation even under the scotching hot and very humid weather.

This was also my last ink doodle in the Nude Sketchbook which I started inking again last Monday. Total 8 days of ink doodling.

You can read more about Nyepi here and Ogoh-Ogoh here

Quick Sketch on the Plane

I was on a family vacation and did not feel like sketching but somehow before landing, I just did one quick sketch on my A5 muji notebook with my Signo Uni-ball gel pen I brought along.

We are off to BALI

We are off to Bali from 10 to 15 March with our son, daughter-in-law and two adorable granddaughters who are having a one-week school vacation.

We arrived in Bali around 2pm and there was a big traffic jam from the airport to the hotel. It was a surprise to see Ogoh-Ogoh parade in preparation by the roadside. We could see several big sculptures of various monsters and creatures. Ogoh-Ogoh parade happend at the eve of Nyepi, the day of silence for the Balinese.

Early Birthday Lunch at Meet for Meat

My youngest son's birthday is on 12 March but we will be in Bali with my elder son and his family.

He always wanted to try this 'Meet 4 Meat' outlet for their Wellington beef so we had it at their food stall at a local coffee shop along East Coast Road. It happended to be their last few weeks of operation and they would move out at the end of the month. They will still be operating at the other stall at Ubi.

Happy Birthday son.

Joined as ONE

First wood firing of the year

Friday evening we started the wood firing at Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle and I doodled on the spot while waiting to throw the next piece of wood into the fire box. My duty slot was 6pm to 12am, so when I was ready to sleep, it was already 2:30am the next morning. I added the colour for the fire box to start the ink and wash segment in the Nude Sketchbook.

When I left the dragon kiln at around 12:30am, the temperature was 350 deg C right on target. We are going to fire 48 hours for the very first time with our guest potter, Remo Mamaril from Canada who will be leaving on 21 March. So this close 48-hour wood firing is specially conducted with him around. We plan to upload the pieces from the dragon belly on Saturday, 16 Mar 2024.

May the Kiln God be nice to us.

Connected as ONE

The Eras Tour

Singapore is the only stop in Southeast Asia for The Eras Tour by Taylor Swift. The event is presented by Marina Bay Sands and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, official bank and pre-sale partner UOB, and official experience partner Klook, promoted by AEG Presents Asia, and produced by Taylor Swift Touring. The shows in Singapore are currently taking place on 2, 3, 4 continue on 7, 8, 9 March 2024 at Singapore’s National Stadium.

I was at Rasapura Food Court of Marina Bay Sands for my afternoon coffee break I found myself soaking in the swiftie atmosphere.

So many young people in Taylor Swift-inspired outfit and it was so easy to spot the guy with a bling bling top.