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

Sketches around Jangchungdan Park, Seoul

a street scene viewed from the entrance of Jangchungdan Park, pen and watercolor, 

(54 x 72cm)

a sketch at the beautiful courtyard of Caffe Bene, pencil and watercolor, (36 x51cm)

.sketching on the flower bed at the entrance of the park

Last Saturday, in the scorching heat of early summer, we usk Seoul members gathered at Jangchungdan Park for a regular sketch meeting. Located at the foot of Namsan Mountain, which gives a feeling of warmth to Seoul citizens, Jangchungdan Park is a convenient place for transportation and is close to the city center. Like any other park in Seoul, it is a cozy and fresh resting place with pine trees, various broadleaf trees, lawns, outdoor stages, and sports facilities for citizens. In more than 120 years of history,
statues of ancestors, various cultural assets, modern architecture and symbols around the park are precious family parks that live in the hearts of Seoulites.
The places wherever I have sketched many times have the pleasure of finding a new feeling on the spot. At first, the bustling streets and the surrounding buildings seen from the entrance of the pleasant park caught my eye. After lunch, I was attracted to the beautiful courtyard of Caffe Bene as a comfortable place for sketching.
It was a useful day drawing the large-sized watercolor sketch to capture the new feeling of the scene around Jangchungdan Park.
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장충단공원 주변의 푸르른 신록은 뜨거운 여름을 식혀주는 도시의 청량제와 같습니다.
교통이 편리한 가족공원, 성곽길 따라서 남산의 정취와 서울의 경관을 만끽하며.....
관광호텔과 캠퍼스, 체육관, 각종 맛집들, 전통문화와 볼꺼리들이 어우러지는 주변 속에서
여름 땡볕을 막아주는 네거리의 교통섬 그늘막이 장충동의 포커스처럼 눈길을 끌었습니다.

Watercolor sketches at Buam-dong village, Seoul

a panorama of Buam-dong village, pencil and watercolor, (54 x 72cm)

a street scene of Baekseokdong-gil viewed from the cafe, pen and watercolor, 

(36 x 51cm)

a street scene of Changuimun-ro viewed from the cafe, pen and watercolor pencil, 

(36 x 51cm)

photo by Daniel Thomas Faller

.

The weather was very clear last Saturday, especially it was the first sketch meeting in four months after Corona19, so the atmosphere of the meeting place was full of vitality. Buam-dong, a beautiful village, is a small tourist attraction that I often visit and sketch because it is close to my home and has various painting elements. The village, which has the rural atmosphere of Bukaksan Mountain and Inwangsan Mountain hills, is filled with many sketching elements, including famous food restaurants, cafes, modern galleries, and registered cultural assets. 

In the morning, I sat on the stone steps looking at Bukhansan Mountain in the distance, and began to paint a panoramic view of the village where high and low houses were harmonized. I drew a watercolor on a large piece of paper. When drawing on a larger piece of paper than on a small piece of paper previously drawn, it was certainly beneficial in many ways because it allowed more observation and concentration on the subject. 

After lunch, I leaned over the table on the second floor of the cafe(Club Espresso) and sketched the various street views over the window in a comfortable atmosphere. I usually use pens and watercolors, but I think it's good to enjoy different flavors of atmosphere, sometimes using a variety of colored pencils, pastels, and markers, and so forth. Buam-dong is a small and cute village, but it is also a good place to sketch for new challenges to various objects and materials.

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코로나19로 인해 어반스케치의 제약을 받아 온 날들은

더더욱 현장그림의 소중함을 크게 깨닫게 해주는 계기 같습니다.

부암동은 명산과 둘레길, 볼거리와 먹거리 카페의 핫 플레이스~

빈티지와 현대미, 예술과 전통 문화가 자연스레 어우러지고

명징한 하늘아래 구비구비 골목길.. 다양한 색들의 변주곡을 들으면서

북악의 호연지기를 마시며 5월의 부암동 스케치에 취해봅니다.

Sketches at Ttukseom Culture Complex J-Bug (뚝섬 자벌레관)

surrounding scene viewed from the terrace of the tunnel, pen and watercolor, 

(29.6 x 42cm)

indoor scene at the library, Seoul Saengag Maru, pen and watercolor, 

(21 x 29.6cm)

a happy family scene inside the Seoul Saengag Maru, pen and watercolor, 

(21 x 29.6cm)

an outdoor scene viewed from the tunnel near the exit 3 of subway no.7, 

pen and watercolor, (21 x 29.6cm)

scenery of Han River viewed from the observatory deck of the Seoul Saengag Maru, pencil, (29.6 x 42cm)

.
Last Saturday, it was rather cold but clear weather to sketch. Seoul urban sketches gathered at Ttukseom Cultural Complex J-bug(뚝섬 전망문화컴플렉스) from the morning.  J-Bug, so-called Jabollae Observatory (자벌레전망대) is a well-known cultural complex located at Ttukseom Han River Park in Gwangjin-gu. It forms a floating tunnel that looks like a smooth curved catapillar, and offers a magnificient views of the Han River. It is directly connected to the subway station, making it more accessible to citizens and convenient to visit regardless of the weather. Inside the tunnel, the library (Seoul Saengag Maru, 서울생각마루), observatory deck, cafes and interior spaces with a fine atmosphere are all sketch materials. Exterior views from open spaces, various scenes around the Han River, surrounding scenes of apartments and overpasses are also good sketch subjects. As I happened to have another schedule that afternoon, I had to sketch quickly from place to place and leave the meeting place. The sketch meeting, which has a lot of drawing materials with new members, was impressive and I would like to visit more often to do many works. It was a nice day of free-wheeling sketches!
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뚝섬 한강공원의 작은 명물 자벌레 전망대~~
한강을 향한 몸통 속에 길게 이어지는 환상의 공간
어둠을 가르며 간간이 스쳐가는 햇살과 부드러운 조명속에
열린 데크를 통해서 한강 주변 파노라마들을 감싸안으며
도시속에서 숲과 물을 향유하며 독서와 이벤트를 같이 즐기는
자벌레관 속에서 보내는 스케치의 하루는 상쾌한 시간입니다.

Year-end sketches at Mullae Art Village, Seoul

main street scene of old fashioned iron mills at Mullae-dong, 

pen and watercolor, (36 x 51cm)

an alley scene at Mullae Art Village, pencil and watercolor, (29.6 x 42cm)

an inside scene of cafe "308 Mohenic Stay", pencil, (29.6 x 42cm)

a bustling landscape of ironworks, pen, (21 x 29.6cm)

street scene viewed from the road adjacent to the Anglican Church of Korea, 

pen and watercolor, (36 x 51cm)

.

Last Saturday, we Seoul urban sketchers held this year’s final sketch meeting at Mullae Creative Village(문래 창작촌), Guro-gu, Seoul. Mullae Village has been famous for its ironworks complex for a long time, but it has recently been transformed into a space of young artists, one by one, where steel mills have left. With modern skyscrapers built around it, the creative village is being reborn as a small attraction in the city where old industry and new art coexist. 

The weather was a little cold and cloudy, and besides, it rained in the afternoon, forcing us to sketch outdoors under the iron factory eaves to avoid it. While sketching from place to place, I thought about the future of the village, looking at the ironworks that are disappearing one by one and the workshops and cafes of young artists that are changing their spaces in various ways. This village, where old and new coexist without destroying the existing facilities, is an interesting and picturesque place for urban sketchers.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all urban sketchers!

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철공소단지가 젊은 예술촌으로 변모해가는 문래동...

철판 쇳소리를 용접 불꽃에 녹이던 삶의 현장~~

변해가는 물결에 하나둘 사라져가는 산업시대의 자취들...

속속 고층빌딩들 사이로 쇳가루 골목길엔 향수가 배어있고

둔탁함과 아기자기함이 어우러지며 꽃피는 이야기 속에 

새로운 핫 플레이스~문래동의 스케치꺼리가 넘쳐납니다.

새해 복들 많이 받으시고 스케치 현장에서 뵈어요!

Sketches at Seoul Nambu Bus Terminal, Seocho-dong

front view of Seoul Nambu Bus Terminal, pen and watercolor, (24 x 32cm)

buses waiting to depart from the Concourse, pen and watercolor, (24 x 32cm)

the ticket booth in the waiting hall, pen and pastel watercolor, (21 x 29.6cm)

a scene inside the building, pen and watercolor, (21 x 29.6cm)

surrounding buildings across the terminal, pen and watercolor, (21 x 29.6cm)

a portrait of newcomer Kwon, pencil, (21 x 29.6cm)

.

Last Saturday, in a late autumn weather, we Seoul urban sketchers gathered at Seoul 

Nambu Terminal. Seoul Nambu Terminal is an old intercity bus terminal located in Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. Since its relocation from Yongsan in 1990, it has been operating actively by covering all areas of the country with intercity bus terminals. The buildings are very old and narrow, so it is a little inconvenient, but the transport accessibility is very convenient, so Seoulites use the terminal very often in daily lives. The weather outside of that day was a little cold, and the waiting room was crowded with passengers, but the sketching mood was very comfortable. 

At first, I sketched the facade of the terminal building and the surrounding buildings outside the terminal, and the waiting room and the ticket booth inside the building. And I sketched a portrait of the new participant Kwon and present it as a gift. After lunch, I sketched buses waiting to depart from the Concourse. I think the terminal is a permanent sketching site, with countless people and buses moving around without staying.

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서울 남부버스터미널.... 

조명등 아래 혼잡과 소음이 얽혀 돌아가는 숨가쁜 

시간표 속에서~~~ 쉴새없이 들고나는 승객들과 

시외버스 무리들 바쁜 틈사이로 세상살이의 참모습

이 보이는 듯 합니다.

스케치를 물상보다는 현장의 분위기를 표현한다고 

생각할 때, 화려함보다는 오히려 꼭 필요한 본능적 

요소만 갖춘.... 낡은 모습의 남부터미널은 소박한 

정감을 느끼게하는 좋은 스케치의 장소라고 생각

합니다.

Sketches at Dongdaemun Design Plaza and its surroundings

DDP and the surroundings viewed from the park, pencil and watercolor,

(36 x 51cm)

main approach way of DDP viewed from the Eoullim Plaza, 

pen and watercolor soluble pencil, (36 x 51cm)

street scene around Sinpyeonghwa Market viewed from Ogansugyo Bridge,

pen and watercolor, (29.6 x 42cm)

Dongdaemun Shoes Market, pencil and watercolor, (21 x 29.6cm)

.
Last Saturday, for the 65th World Wide SketchCrawl event, Seoul sketches gathered to sketch on the Ogansugyo Bridge around the DDP(Dongdaemun Design Plaza).
It was a pleasant but rather chilly day. Although only a few members participated, the sketching subjects were always diverse and rich, so it was a good atmosphere for sketching. DDP is famous for its huge architecture as a new tourist attraction in downtown Seoul. Since I have often sketched here, all the scenes are familiar, but the colorful architecture of various scales and vibrant streets are always renew my mind.
I drew various commercial buildings around Cheonggyecheon in the morning. And after lunch, I sketched new scenes with the huge landmark DDP of Dongdaemun.
The area around Dongdaemun History & Culture Park, which contains the history of Seoul's life culture, is an excellent place to provide vivid scenes to Seoul sketches all the time. My posting is late because I traveled abroad right after this sketching event.
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동대문 주변의 생생한 열기는 사시사철 스케치의 열망을 불러오고
낯익은 곳이면서도 모든 요소가 맞물려 새롭게 보이는 매력적인 곳입니다.
DDP 스케치를 마치고 곧바로 해외여행을 다녀오느라 포스팅이 늦었습니다.

Sketches at the Latin American Cultural Center-Museum, Goyang City

panoramic view of the Latin American Cultural Center-Museum, pen and watercolor, (29.6 x 42cm)

inide the hall of the museum, pen and watercolor, (36 x 51cm)

inside the religion exhibition hall, pen and watercolor, (29.6 x 42cm)

 Gaucho Argentino, traditional costumes, pen and watercolor, (36 x 51cm)

museum and art gallery viewed from the entrance gate, pen and watercolor crayon, 

(20 x 30cm)

.

Last Saturday, it was a fine autumn weather to sketch despite the typhoon forecast. Seoul urban sketches gathered at the Latin American Cultural Center-Museum in Goyang City nearby Seoul. Many visitors interested in foreign culture appreciated Latin American history, art, religion and customs, and other attractive works of exotic culture. The elegant red-brick buildings, museum, art gallery and religion exhibition hall combined with outdoor sculpture parks and Mayan murals to brighten the atmosphere of the cultural center.

While sketching the various forms of pretty and majestic buildings, the inside of the exhibition hall and traditional costumes, I thanked the founder of the Latin American Cultural Center. I'm lucky to be able to sketch as much as I like, experiencing various exotic cultures at the museum near where I live.

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원색, 토속 예술, 신앙과 풍습의 역사를 담은

신비스러운 중남미 문화원의 가을 스케치~ 

아담하면서 장엄한 붉은벽돌과 조화를 이루는

조각 공원의 예술품들과 마야벽화의 웅장함...

쉽게 오가기 어려운 이국 문화를 가까이 느끼며

맘껏 스케치할 장소를 설립하신 분께 감사드립니다~~

Sketches at National Museum of Korea, Yongsan, Seoul

National Museum of Korea building beyond Mirror Pond, pen and watercolor crayon, (29.6 x 42cm)

Dear Jazz Orchestra performance on the Open Plaza, pen and watercolor, (29.6 x 42cm)

  a quick sketch of the players of the orchestra, pencil, (29.6 x 42cm)

Buddhist Hanging Scroll at Magoksa Temple(마곡사 괘불), pen and watercolor, 

(21 x 29.6cm)

Iron Statue, Buddha(부처), pencil, (21 x 29.6cm)

exhibition room of donated works on the 2nd floor, pen and watercolor, (29.6 x 42cm)

main hall (Great Hall) of the museum, pen, (21 x 29.6cm)

.

Last Saturday, it was a nice day to sketch. The National Museum of Korea (국립중앙박물관), located in Yongsan, was crowded with visitors who were interested in culture and art. We Seoul urban sketchers had several winter sketching events here. In the summer, the atmosphere of the museum was more lively than in the winter. The great museum is a large cultural facility in the Yongsan Family Park in central Seoul, and we can explore the history of art and enjoy culture regardless of weather conditions. The unique exhibition spaces in the magnificent building and numerous collections and cultural assets of various genres offer a lot of sketching subject. Various special exhibitions, weekend concerts, and harmonious elements of the surrounding landscape and museum buildings are colorful painting materials. Especially, the orchestra concert in the open plaza heightened the cultural festive mood.

I was touched by the craftsmanship of many artists and sketched several scenes that I had not previously painted. And I felt grateful to our ancestors, artists, architects, and citizens who share culture living in the present age. I was sorry that I couldn't draw all the materials, but I left the museum, taking the next chance.

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초여름 국립박물관 스케치는 열린마당 연주회를 곁들인 아름다운 문화 축제였습니다.
수천년 걸쳐 조상의 얼과 예술혼이 깃든 문화유산들~~
하나의 커다란 그릇에 담아 시대의 상징으로 태어난 대형건축물~~
보석같은 소재, 생생한 실물들을 마주보며 마음대로 스케치할 수있는 행운에 오로지 감사할 따름입니다.

Sketches at the Change Up Campus, former English Village,

Main gate of the Change Up Campus, Paju city, pen and watercolor, (36 x 51cm)

Concert Hall, pen and watercolor, (36 x 51cm)

 Street scene through the wall opening with round arch, pen and watercolor,
(21 x 29.6cm)

City Hall, pencil, (36 x 51cm)

Artistic Avenue in front of Concert Hall, pen and watercolor, (21 x 29.6cm)

 Scenery around Market Street, pen and watercolor crayon, (21 x 29.6cm)

.

Last Saturday, the weather was sunny and clear in early summer and nice to sketch outdoors. I was so glad to meet at the fantastic venue because it was the same place where we had the 47th World Wide SketchCrawl in the English village of Paju 4 years ago. The Change Up Campus (체인지업캠퍼스) located in Paju has been upgrading its previous Gyeonggi English Village (경기영어마을) and reborn as a lifelong educational institution to provide opportunities for English education and foreign culture through various programs in the beautiful campus with exotic atmosphere. Entering the Castle-like entrance, lots of colourful scenes such as beautiful cafes, market street, artistic avenue, concert hall and city hall, various educational facilities, and other exotic buildings have revived the cute atmosphere of the campus. I sketched various architectural scenes of contrasting lighting and shadow from place to place on campus. Located not far from Seoul, the Change Up Campus of eco-friendly village, is a great place to sketch western-style classical architecture with pleasant natural scenery.

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지난 토요일, 초여름 날씨라 다소 더웠지만 스케치하기에는 좋았습니다. 4년전 파주의 영어마을에서 47회 스케치크롤 행사를 했던 바로 그 환상적인 장소라서 반가운 마음이었습니다. 체인지업 캠퍼스는 이전의 경기 영어마을을 업그레이드하여 이국적인 분위기 속의 아름다운 건축물들을 그대로 살려서 다양한 프로그램을 통한 영어교육과 외국문화의 체험 기회를 제공하는 평생교육기관으로 거듭났습니다.  캐슬 형태 입구에 들어서면 아름다운 카페들과 보행로, 콘서트 홀과 시청사, 각종 교육시설, 전시장, 연수관등 아담하고 이국적인 건물들과 다양한 이벤트들이 캠퍼스의 아기자기한 분위기를 살려주었습니다.  따스한 빛과 시원한 그림자가 어우러지는 캠퍼스의 이곳저곳을 돌면서 전에 그리지 못했던 다양한 장면들을 스케치하였습니다. 전체의 스케일과 아기자기한 디테일들, 각종 아름다운 장식들, 밝은 색조와 명도변화.... 서울에서 멀지않은 곳에 위치한 친환경마을 풍의 체인지업 캠퍼스는 서구식 스타일의 고전 건축과 쾌적한 자연 풍경을 스케치하는 더없이 좋은 장소였습니다~