Sketches around Myeong-dong, Seoul

Sketches by Yoo Byung Hwa

Sketch at the meeting place near the exit 3 of Myeongdong Station, pen & watercolor, A 4

A sketcher in front of Noon Square building at main street of Myeongdong, 

pen and watercolor, 10.5 x 15.5 cm

Scenery of bridge between Lotte Young Plaza and Lotte dept.,

pen & watercolor, 10.5 x 15.5 cm

People on bench in front of Noon Square building located at Myeongdong,

pen & watercolor, A 4

Scenery with cafe(You Are Here Cafe) and convenient store(Seven Eleven),

pen & watercolor, white chalk, 10.5 x 15.5 cm

Money exchange shop near Hana Financial Group building,

pencil(8B), watercolor, A 4

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Sketches by Lee Yong Hwan

Scenery with bridge between Lotte Young Plaza and Lotte department,

pen and watercolor, 36 x 51 cm

Buildings seen from Hana Financial Group building, 

pen and watercolor, 36 x 51 cm

Sketch at the meeting place near the exit 3 of Myeongdong stn.,

pen and watercolor, 29.7 x 42 cm

We had a meeting last Saturday. Though we couldn't gather in a massive group it was a happy time after months since last April. And we were glad to see Daniel Thomas Faller again. He came from Switzerland and had interest in Korean culture and our sketching group. 

The weather was really fine with light blowing. The allies and streets were not busy with travelers because of COVID. But we felt sorry to see vacant shops with "For Rent".  We started sketching at the meeting place with benches under shadow of big trees. Lots of sketchers gathered to share greeting and departed soon to their sketching places at Myeongdong. Offline sketching made us feel alive. 

Hope this pandemic to be ended as soon as possible and see you all!

 

오랜만에 모임이라 많은 분들이 참여하셨고 예쁜 선물도 주셔서 감사했습니다. 작은 크기의 패드에 그림도 그려보고 즐거운 시간 가졌습니다. 관광객의 감소로 거리는 전과 달리 복잡하지 않아서 좋았지만 빈 상가들이 눈에 띄여 어려움을 실감할 수 있었구요. 하루빨리 정상적인 생활로 돌아갔으면 하는 마음으로 돌아 왔습니다. 건강히 지내시고 다음 모임에 뵙겠습니다. 

Sketches at Euljiro, Seoul

old fashioned Bangsan Market, traditional wholesale market, pen and watercolor 

(35x51cm)

an old Japanese style house, pen and watercolor (29.5x42cm)

a scene of Sampoong Arcade and surroundings, pen and watercolor (29.5x42cm)

famous buildings around Sogong-dong viewed from Euljiro 1-ga, pen and watercolor (35x51cm)

Months have passed without off-line sketch meetings. But passionate sketchers keep posting on-line without off-line regular meetup sketching. Last Saturday, usk Seoul held a regular sketch meeting at Euljiro in downtown Seoul. Euljiro has long been a hub of Seoul's industry and business, and residential and commercial facilities coexist, and transportation is very convenient with subway line 2. Especially, it is interesting to see the old and new things, the harmony of preservation and development, history and future changes in Seoul.

I first started sketching crawl from the old Bangsan Market around Euljiro 4-ga. Soon after, an old shabby Japanese style house in the alley of the market caught my eyes. Then I sketched quickly it before the truck leaves,. After lunch, I walked down the main street and went up to the second-floor deck of Daelim Arcade on Euljiro 3-ga. And I sketched a bridge connecting Sampoong Arcade and a building under construction nearby. 

At last, avoiding the shower, I sat on the stairs of the subway Euljiro 1-ga Station Exit.I sketched colorful buildings around Sogong-dong crowded with famous department stores.

What a nice day to sketch outdoors in the natural air!

Hope you all safe and hard situation to be ended soon.

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팬데믹으로 움추려 오던 몇개월이 길게 느껴집니다~

조심스레 그림도구를  펼치는 을지로가 반갑습니다.

길고도 평면적이고 하늘을 솟는 높이가 특징이지만

을지로의 틈새공간과 거대한 덩어리속의 세포분열은

역사 문화와 모듬살이 삶에서 변화하는 과정같습니다.

전통시장, 상가, 조명과 쇳덩어리, 영화세트 골목과 빌딩들..

이곳저곳 그리면서 인간미와 기계음이 섞여 돌아가는 

을지로는 쉴틈없이 살아 움직이는 스케치 테마 공장입니다

Doing art at Ttukseom, Seoul

Lee Yong Hwan, scenery captured at Ttukseom resort plaza, pen, watercolor, 54 x 72 cm

Lee Yong Hwan

Yoo Byung Hwa, conte(sepia, sanguine), pastels, 29.5 x 42 cm

YH Lee and I visited the Ttukseom resort again for sketching. But the very spot we planned to sketch near the entrance of the caterpillar tunnel was closed firmly since Feb. 25 by the Corona19 policy. We should have called the information center. We had to go down to the plaza. It was not a fine day but cloudy, blowing and even drizzling for a while. To take shelter from rain we took seats on a stone bench under the overbridge for subway line no. 7. Though rain stopped soon it began to blow strongly. I felt very cold for I did wear somewhat lightly expecting hot weather of previous days. Despite of bad weather people came there with their friends, families, kids. They were enjoying talks, riding bicycles, walking along the Han River after months' restraining themselves from outdoor activities. But most of them wore facial masks though. Just all of us hope this situation to be ended as soon as possible.

오늘 뚝섬 자벌레관에서 큰 종이에 다시 그리려고 방문했는데 자벌레관 출입문이 굳게 닫혀 있어서 하는 수 없이 광장으로 내려가니 비가 슬슬 오더군요. 그래도 전철 교각아래는 비피하기가 좋아 돌의자에 앉아 그림을 시작했습니다. 비가 더 오기 전에 매력적인 장면을 잡아 같이 그리게 되었어요. 사람들은 좀 많이 나온듯했어요. 워낙 요즘 썰렁한 분위기였는데 전과 비슷해보이기도 했습니다. 그래도 어린이 날이라고 생각하면 예전 분위기같지는 않았어요. 비는 곧 그쳤지만 바람이 심하게 불고 강가라 그런지 더 추웠습니다. 그래도 마스크를 쓰고라도 그림을 그릴 수 있어 좋았어요. 깔깔거리는 어린 학생들의 웃음소리가 어찌나 즐겁던지요. '참 좋은 시절이다...'하며 절로 미소가 지어지더군요. 공부다 뭐다해서 저희들은 또 괴롭다 하겠지만 모여서 숨넘어가게 웃을 수 있는 그 시간이 얼마나 귀중한지 아이들이 알았으면 했습니다. 코로나가 하루 빨리 종식되기를 바라며 오늘 그림을 마쳤습니다.

Sketches of four days at the MVL Goyang Hotel

By Lee Yong Hwan

The MVL Goyang Hotel, pen and watercolor, A 4

Cafe scene seen from the stair case, pen and watercolor, A 4

Hotel Lobby, pen, crayon, A 4

PBA Tour Tryout game, pen, pastels, A 4

Staffs and journalists, pen and watercolor, A 4

Caster and commentator of Billiards TV, pencil and watercolor, A 4

Camera men, pen and watercolor, A 4

Under playing, pen and watercolor, A 4

Under playing, pencil, A 4

Game table under live broadcasting, pen and watercolor, A 4

Game table under live broadcasting, pen and crayons, A 4

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By Yoo Byung Hwa

Under playing game, pencil, 18.5 x 26 cm

Camera men, charcoal, 18.5 x 26 cm

Scene seen from the hotel, pen and pastels, A 4

Staffs and journalists, pen and pastels, A 4

Player, pen and charcoal, 12 x 12 cm

photo captured in the live broadcasting of Billiards TV

Previously we visited billiards clubs one or two days for sketching and seeing the games. But this time we went to the hotel four times because the PBA(Professional Billiards Association) Tour Tryout was holding during 11 days from Apr. 21 to May 1. While visiting there we could see lots of games between famous players and unknown great ones aged from twenties to sixties. Especially I could get the sign from the oldest player Mr. Jang Sung-Chul(67) who was called as a legend of Korean billiards history. And the famous player Mr. Jung Gil-Bok signed for me thankfully. While seeing the games and sketching we clapped for the nice scenes and sighed at the losing game by one or two points. 

Additionally we could find that lots of people including caster and commentator liked to see us sketch and felt so happy to receive a sketch from YH Lee. They hoped that such cultural events could happen in billiards game fields as in other sports or festivals. 

Sketching brought a new start with a young judge who was directing the disabled billiards players for years. He addressed us what for we've been sketching. We explained about urban sketching and sharing them with people. He asked us to draw those players when the game to open once a month. He let us know the home page(Korea Billiard Association For The Disabled). Sketching seemed to bless us by meeting nice people and making us see the world in deeper and wider viewpoints.

Thank you all the players and related staffs for the big tryout games! We enjoyed the best.

지난 며칠 간 일산 엠블 호텔에서 처음으로 열리는 프로 당구 투어를 위한 선수를 뽑기 위한 11일 간의 경기가 열렸습니다. 처음부터 가지는 못했으나 나흘간 뒤늦게 참가하였어요. 물론 요즘 재미있게 하는 당구 게임도 보고 스케치도 할 요량이았습니다만 너무나 출중한 선수들의 경기에 입을 다물지 못했음이 사진에서도 보입니다. 수백명의 후보 선수들이 초긴장을 하며 경기를 하는데 숨도 크게 쉴 수 없으리만치 손에 땀을 쥐게 하더군요. 한점 차이로 승자와 패자가 갈리는 것은 어찌 보면 우리의 인생 다반사에서 일어나는 일이겠습니다만 지난 번에 잠시 대화 나누었던 젊은 선수가 1부 투어에서 탈락하게 되어 참으로 아쉬웠습니다. 그러나 며칠 가는 동안 전설로 불리시는 장성출 선생님과 인사 나누고 사인까지 청해서 받고 했던 일이 기억에 남습니다. 스케치로 인해 장애인 당구 대회가 열린다는 것도알게 되었고 날짜가 되면 꼭 가서 스케치해보고 싶습니다. 그들의 투혼도 배우고 싶고요. 

스케치로 인해 만나게 되는 사람과 대화, 그리고 또 다른 세계에로의 열림도 인생을 깊게 만들어 주는 것같아 감사할 따름입니다.

Sketches at J Billiards Club

Sketches by Lee Yong Hwan

pen, watercolor crayons, A 4

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Sketches by Yoo Byung Hwa

pencil (6B), 18 x 26 cm

Yesterday(Apr. 7, 2019) YH Lee and I went to the "J Billiards Club" in the building of "Billiard Academy in Seoul" located at Jamwon-dong, Seoul. There was a big game of the 14th 3-Cushion championship for the Seoul City Mayor's Flag supported by Seoul Billiards Federation and Seoul City. We could see famous star players such as Cho Jae-Ho and Cho Myung-Woo and other female players we've seen on TV. Several times' visits to the billiards clubs gave different impression according to the location of the floors, scale, and the decoration. Chairs for the general visitors are our interesting point for sketching. Some are good and the others are not. Yesterday it was the best as far as we've experienced. Benches were laid a little higher than the floor. And we occupied the nearest one and we could keep sketching for hours. Last week we met a staff, Park Ji-Young of Seoul Billiards Federation. She showed much interest in sketch, especially YH Lee's work and took a photo. This time we met again and greeted warmly. She asked us to draw well letting us know who was the famous player, Cho Jae-Ho. We tried and tried of course. He won the first prize at last. This time it was special that we could see the female players' game in front of the game table. They looked so nice as models for drawing too. The female game winner Kim Min-Ah liked very much looking at her sketch drawn by YH Lee. The staff said that she kept visiting to our blog. Much thanks to her! 

서울 당구 연맹 홈피에서 제 14회 서울특별시장기 당구 대회가 열린다는 공지를 보고서 어제 서초구 잠원동에 위치한 J 당구 클럽을 갔습니다. 그동안 여러 당구장을 다녀보았어요. 물론 당구 게임을 보는 것도 좋지만 각각 다른 실내 분위기에서 스케치해보는 것도 또 다른 즐거움을 주었습니다. 어제 간 J 당구 클럽은 게임 관람자를 위해 졸은 환경이더군요. 약간 높은 위치에 벤치가 있었고 바로 눈앞에서 빅 게임이 열리니 금상첨화였습니다. 지난 달 말에 열린 김경률 추모 당구대회에서 만난 서울당구연맹 직원이신 박지영샘을 다시 만나 반가왔고 스케치하느라 자리를 못떠나는 저희를 위해 특별한 배려를 해주셔서 너무 감사했습니다. 조용히 경기도 보고 스케치하는 모습은 누구라도 좋아하시는 것같아 모두 기분이 좋았어요. 특히 저희 블로그도 링크해두시고 자주 보니 그림 많이 올려주시기 바란다고 하시더군요. 당구와 스케치가 예술로 만나는 경험을 했습니다. 승리하신 조재호 선수와 김민아 선수와 선전하신 많은 선수들께 박수 보냅니다. 감사했습니다!