Pokhara to Kathmandu

I could have easily run away to Pokhara and never gone back to Istanbul, but I had to return to Kathmandu. I decided to split the long ride back into two days, the first day would be about a four hour bumpy bus ride to Dumre, then a twenty minute microbus up the hill to the town of Bandipur, where I'd spend the night. The second part of the journey would be getting back down to Dumre and taking a microbus to Kathmandu. Bandipur is a gem of a town, with rolling green hills, spectacular views of the Himalaya, and some of the best-preserved Newari architecture in the region— the only drawback is that it is a little pricier than I had anticipated. I could only stay the night, but made the most of it by hiking up the massive hill by the town's entrance that held a tiny temple at its tip, Thani Mai.

Hiking up to Thani Mai was an overwhelming experience; it was physically hard, but there was this point when I felt my body vanish, though I were floating up the hill's wet path like a breath. The mountains were to my right, silently watching above the monsoon clouds.



I started this sketch of a typical building in Bandipur, but the mosquitoes were driving me batty, so this was as far as I got. I've taken to using coffee as my brush water, and I quite like the earthy colours it creates. Below is a portrait of the microbus I took back to Kathmandu, which was a crowded and wild ride. The driver and his "bus attendants"— guys who yell "KATMANDOOKATMANDOOOO!" out the window for him and collect the fares— had great senses of humour and made the four sticky hours pass with ease. When we stopped for a break, I sketched our trusty micro and unintentionally gathered the small group of our passengers around me. We went through my sketchbook before hopping back onto the bus.



While hiking down from Sarangkot in Pokhara, where I drew the Annapurna range, I had slipped on a wet rock and gashed open my leg. I'll spare you the details, but it was pretty deep and bled like crazy. Once back in Kathmandu,
I noticed the wound was developing an infection. So I drew it.
I now have some very nice curved scars as souvenirs.

See the photos, read the story on my blog Harika!

Meet the correspondent: Rolf Schroeter > Berlin

"Since I can think, I was doodling, filling every blank surface with scrawls. Then sketchbooks channeled that passion a bit more.

After finishing architecture studies ten years ago, I moved to Berlin, where i work as an illustrator now. We got children, and there was not much time for sketching anymore.

Kids got older and I discovered Urban Sketchers. Maybe it was not lack of time, but lack of influence, that had constricted my sketching? Now I draw more than ever. Since I reactivated my sketching, my relation to Berlin intensified and I got somehow involved in the city.

I rarely go out for the exclusive purpose to draw, but I always carry sketchbook and pen with me and use it on every occasion. Most of my sketches are done in short breaks into my common everyday-movements. I choose topic, view etc. spontaneously and try to let a place flow with as few resistance as possible on the sheet, trying, to get "disturbing me" out of the way. I like this state of concentrated "self-unawareness." Hopefully occasionally something of "common interest" emerges from that practice…"

• Rolf's sketches on flickr.
• Rolf's blog.
• Rolf's website.

i hear that train a-comin'

I missed by bus on Saturday, which means an hour-long wait for the next one. I didn't see it as an hour lost, more a sketchbook opportunity gained. Just up the road, up the railroad in fact, this train engine was sitting, and so I sat by the lumber yard and sketched it before it could go anywhere. I don't know if it was planning to go anywhere just yet. When I was done, it reminded me of a Top Trumps card or something.

By Pete Scully

A badly placed canopy

While drawing this urban scene, a thought came to my mind: somebody in the local transport company decided the location for the bus stop watching a street plan, and never came to the site. Otherwise the canopy would have not been placed in front of this nice building, partially hiding its finely carved gate. I can assure that the actual view is worse than in my drawing, I tried not to put a stress on the steel structure!
I also remembered something I saw here some time ago, during the world football cup: a small but noisy crowd gathered in front of the balcony with the two flags. It was then when I learnt Paraguay had a consulate in Málaga, and how enthusiastic they were supporting their team!

Whirlow Park

John and spent the weekend decorating (yawn), so on Monday I treated myself to a day of painting in Whirlow Park.

I packed a sandwich and a flask and was there by 9.30am, when nobody else was about yet. I took a range of materials, so I could experiment and see what took my fancy.

After a while, people started to arrive and I could see them watching me from a distance. A few bolder ones came up and chatted, including a very elderly couple, who since retirement have painted in aid of St Lukes Hospice, selling digital prints of their work. They have collected around £100,000 over 20 years. Impressive.

To stop myself being impatient while waiting for the watercolour to dry, and ruining things, I did a second drawing in another sketchbook, this time in coloured conte sticks:

Meet the correspondent: Norberto Dorantes > Buenos Aires

"For years, I wanted to devote full time to the graphic arts, but I did not dare. So I chose architecture as a profession, since it was so close to one of my deepest passions: drawing.

I discovered as a child — in Mexico where I was born — while copying all possible images from books, magazines, pictures, people and even TV, that a few simple lines or spots may communicate many aspects of daily life and my own being. At the National University of Mexico I was inspired to draw en plein air especially architecture and urban spaces. I clearly remember those hours walking and exploring sites that caught my attention intensely. Hours drawing in pencil and watercolor painting.

I currently teach architectural design, perspective, sketches and watercolors. The most rewarding thing for me is to have the opportunity to convey to others an enthusiasm for hand drawing and sketching outdoors. I can see progress in their own expression, which fills me with pride. And it is a personal way to continue learning and experimenting all the time.

I have collected artwork in each city where I lived, my memory on paper. I currently live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a beautiful city that deserves to be drawn. I am very excited to be joining USK and inspired by the work of all participants. Thank you very much."

• Norberto's blog.

Montreal

Recently Yun and I spent a weekend in Montreal. It's a lovely, little sleepy city. There is an old French section with cobblestone streets. You can't really tell which country you are in. It feels sort of European and a little American at the same time. Some signs are in French and people speak french. I don't know if it feels Canadian or not because I don't know what Canadian feels like. The weather was perfect so that helped. They say in the winter it's one of the coldest cities in the world. Their slogan is, "Montreal is for lovers." The funny thing is that there are tons of people getting married. Every time you turn a corner, there is a wedding photographer shooting a bride and groom. White limos are driving up and down the avenues. Almost everyone on the street seems to be dressed as if they are in a wedding party. Whoever the marketing person was who sold the city on this lovers idea is a genius. Seems to be working like a charm.

uss intrepid

to follow gary amaro's post, I share the sketches I've done during my recent trip to ny.
veronica lawlor told me about the new york sea, air and space museum, an aircraft carrier, the uss intrepid, also built in 1943. it served during world war II through vietnam and it's now on a pear of west midtown.
I had only 2 hours before it get close and I wish I could have spent an entire day sketching this great aircrafts…



happy first anniversary with us gary!

blogged by lapin

skyhawk, hornet

The USS Hornet is an Essex class U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier. It was commissioned in 1943 and served until 1970. It is now the USS Hornet Museum, anchored in Alameda, Ca. The decks are filled with historic aircraft, including this A4 D Skyhawk attack bomber, seen here on the flight deck with the ship's conning tower behind.

The Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 command module when it returned to Earth in 1969, and there is an Apollo Program exhibit on the hangar deck documenting the splashdown and featuring artifacts from several Apollo missions. Last summer I saw moonwalking astronaut Buzz Aldrin himself there on a book tour. Here he is on viewscreens, speaking to a large a crowd of fans on the hangar deck.

This post marks my one year anniversary with Urban Sketchers. Thanks to everyone for the great inspiration and comments. Here's to plenty more sketching!

Sketches from Portland

I finally managed to post some of my sketches from Urban Sketching Symposium in Portland. It was such an amazing experience to spend time with other sketchers, meet some of the fellow correspondents in real life, and explore the city. Here are some of the Portland landmarks: top sketch is Steel Bridge, and the bottom one is Pioneer Courthouse Square - more sketches are posted at Symposium blog and on my blog here.

September correspondents

We have two new correspondents joining the blog in September. You may know Norberto from USK Argentina. Rolf is a longtime contributor to the flickr group. Stay tuned for their introductions.

• Norberto Dorantes, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• Rolf Schroeter, Berlin, Germany.

A CHURCH AND A COFFE

Hi,
 A sunny afternoon in Blois (France) and I came back home with two sketches...It was about time!
  I made the first one from the castel's garden. I've been fascinated by the presence of this church, the  "Saint Vincent de Paul" church rising in the middle of this group of huge trees.
It's seems that trees and church are fighting to be the more majestic monument in the middle of the city.
  For the story, this church has been built  in 1624 but has been stopped after the foundation level. In 1634 they retook the construction and spent 20 years to elevate it up to the roof's bottom. They've been pretty slow because most of the stones were requisitionned for the extention of the castel.
Finaly, the church has been finished in 1660.

  Later, I came back on earth ground and I just relaxed in the shade and fresh air from a terrasse coffe's of Blois, sketching the street view.
For this sketch, I used a new brush pen and i enjoyed again to play with it.

Guillaume.

Obereggenen

Obereggenen, DE, originally uploaded by Rob Carey2.

It's been a crazy couple of weeks, with hardly time to sharpen a pencil, so when the clouds opened up today, I just had to sketch something. Obereggenen is a quiet little village just a few miles up the winding road from us in the Black Forest. I love the crazy name, and I loved it that I had a free hour to do nothing but sit in the sunshine and sketch.

A Day At the Beach

Last Friday I spent a much needed day at the beach in Long Island, New York.  I just love the sand, the water and being out in the sun. There is something that is just so relaxing about it. I have very fond memories of the beach in general. From the days I spent as a kid at Martha's Vineyard and Florida.

As I sat on the sand trying to soak in the last few days of summer I saw two little girls screaming and running back and forth into the water. They were about six and seven years old. I noticed they were filling up their little beach buckets and running back to the sand to make a little castle. I couldn't help but smile and remember how I use to do the exact same thing. Making that sand castle as a kid was the goal of the beach!

I have a long way to go before retirement age, and I doubt I will ever retire but I'm thinking a warm climate with a beach! It just allows you to be a kid again!-Danielle

Waiting and sitting

The more time I have, the more time I have to sketch. That unfortunately includes waiting areas, such as the one below, while I was waiting to get my brakes fixed.

I also find time in hotel rooms/cabins. We stayed at a little cabin in the Texas Hill Country last month, giving me enough time to sketch our room, the "God Bless America" room, complete with red, white and blue decor and an American flag-inspired quilt.

The room next door was the "denim" room. You can imagine what that looked like.

by Paul Heaston