59th World Wide SketchCrawl at Okcheonam Temple

panoramic view of Okcheonam Temple, pencil and watercolor

looking up the temple complex inside the gate, pencil and watercolor

Rock-carved Seated Bodhisattva in Bodogak Hall, pen and watercolor

approaching the One Pillar Gate of Okcheonam Temple, pen and watercolor

a colorful scene of the neighboring village, pen and watercolor

distant view of the temple under the overpass, pen

. 

(29.6 x 42cm sketchbook)

.

It was a little windy but pleasantly sunny and warm last Saturday. For the 59th World Wide SketchCrawl, USK Seoul members met at Okcheonam Hermitage, a small and peacefull temple in Hongeun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Okcheonam Temple located at the foot of Samgaksan Mountain, and beneath the precinct Hongjecheon stream that flows throughout the year. The Temple dates back to the 14th century during the Goryeo dynasty. Lots of colorful Lotus Lanterns are beautifully embroidered on the temple and the street around the surrounding residential village. It was to celebrate the Buddha's Birthday on May 22. The temple buildings are built on narrow and steep bedrock linearly, and the natural combination of different architectures seems very interesting and beautiful features harmonized with the natural landscape. Especially the Rock-carved Seated Bodhisattva of Okcheonam Hermitage (Designation: Treasure No.1820) is famous for a large Buddhist image over five meters tall. The granite carving is concave and painted in a lovely seashell white, and so called "The White Buddah". Though the site of the temple is long narrow and rather small but the the precincts was crowded with Buddhists and visitors for lanterns ceremony to celebrate Buddha's Birthday. 

On entering the temple, I was fascinated with the panoramic scenes of the temple and the neighboring village, including access bridge over the stream and curved overpass, apartment buildings, etc. I enjoyed sketching several colorful scenes around the small and peaceful temple at the foot of the mountain nearby downtown Seoul.

----------------------------------------------

석탄일을 앞두고 거리마다 연등으로 수놓은 신록의 새봄~

삼각산과 홍제천을 따라 도심속의 시골내음이 배어나오고

쉬지않고 달리는 고가도로 밑의 다정한 "하얀 부처님"

일상의 소재가 구석구석 담겨있는 명품 스케치의 장소입니다.

Sketching with brush pen

subway sketches

sketches inside the McDonalds, Anguk branch, 15 x 22 cm

Bulkwangsa temple with Lotte Tower, Jamsil, pen, pencil, A 4

sketch inside the Buddhist sanctuary, B4 floor

inside the Buddhist sanctuary, 5th floor

scenery seen at the Jamsil lake bridge

A 4

카트리지는 4개나 되는데 붓펜을 통 못찾다가 다시 한벌 사서 모처럼 써보았습니다. 너무 낭창거려서 오히려 힘들었어요. 필기구가 나의 의지보다 먼저 달리는 듯하더군요.  한마디로 작가의 의지에 반하는 물건이라고나 할까요.  

암튼 전철에서, 잠실의 도심 사찰에서 요긴하게 썼습니다. 재빨리 그림이 되는 듯하여 '맛들이면 안되겠다'는 생각이 강하게 왔구요. 날로 먹는 느낌이라 거짓말하는 기분이 들기도 하였습니다. 

I used brush pen for the last two days. It ran so fast beyond my will to control my drawing, I felt like that. I thought I should not be addicted in the powerful charm of the pen. It seemed to make drawing by itself with less efforts. I admired the fascinating development of art tools anyhow. 

Two sketches at Doseonsa Temple

pencil, water soluble color pencils, 29.5x41.5cm

pen, water soluble color pencils, 29.5x41.5cm

Last Friday, Sept. 1st, I went to Doseonsa Temple located at Wooi-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul. The weather was very fine. Because it locates high in the mountain, Samgaksan. Months ago it took over one hour for me to walk down the well paved road. The scenery was good. In old days people walked up to go there; but these days they use shuttle bus. 

This time the first building where a big restaurant and big praying space for ancestral rites was under repairing. Countless scaffolds were set up all around the building.  I tried to draw on somewhat big papers(29.5x41.5cm). It was just a challenge to capture such complicated scene. The numbers of the vertical plumbs are not exactly same as the real features. The place I took seat was an open cafe with wooden stools or benches under trees. So I could enjoy sketching hearing the sutras sounded in speakers repeatedly. 

It was boring in some sense to draw similar scenery on both sides of the building. But I drew them because I will not be able to capture such scenes after the finishing of the repairing. Though the temple locates at far from the downtown its long history founded on 862 and beautiful scenery attracts citizens, believers, and mountain climbers all the seasons. By the opening of Wooi light rail people can arrive there sooner than before. Next time I will try to ride that. 

지난 금요일에는 모처럼 우이동의 도선사에 올라갔습니다. 도선사 위치가 좀 높아서 셔틀버스가 다녀서 그나마 편합니다. 경치는 좋구요. 몇달만에 올라갔더니 호국참회원이라는 건물이 보수 공사로 온통 비계로 둘러싸여 있더군요. 그림 시작전에 우선 점심 공양을 맛있게 하였어요. 제사가 있었는지 팥떡이랑 파인애플 썬 것도 있어서 감사히 먹었습니다. 

사찰의 모습이 대동소이하지만 공사중인 건물의 모습은 특이하여서 두 장을 그렸어요. 그림 마치고 이곳 저곳을 들러보고 좋은 시간 보냈습니다. 작은 연못도 있는 곳도 있었고 미쳐 못 올라간 곳도 있습니다. 또 가고 싶은 여지를 두고 왔습니다.

Sketches on small papers

old buildings at the alley near the Jogyesa(temple) 

Pyeonghwa print company near the Jogyesa(temple), 19x27cm

buildings in Jogyesa with flower bowls

tower with lotus lanturns at Jogyesa, 12 x 16 cm

scenery of rocks at Geumsunsa(temple)

 inside scenery at the season of Buddha's birthday in Geumsunsa, 12.5 x 18.5 cm

Jogyesa is located at downtown, Jongno. Therefore I drop in often to appreciate the colorful lanterns decorated all around the temple. Citizens, office workers nearby, tourists and lots of believers come to there to pray or look around. And visiting the Geumsunsa near my villageI drew too. Pen and pencil sketching on small papers is easy to begin and finish. But to draw well seemed to be another matter. Drawing in monotonous materials was a helpful practice to see subjects in value.

부처님 오신 날 주변의 사찰은 화려한 연등으로 많은 사람들의 눈길을 끕니다. 종로의 조계사와 돌아가신 부모님이 모셔져 있는 금선사를 자주 방문합니다. 작은 종이라도 가지고 다니면서 틈날 때마다 그려보게 됩니다. 아름다운 연등의 색을 외면하고 펜과 연필로만 그려보았구요. 작다고 쉽지 않은 것을 알게 됩니다. 내년의 연등철에 다시 도전해보아야겠습니다.

Sketches by Eric Ngan from New Zealand

scenery with bridges on Cheonggyecheon

"Spring" by Claes Oldenburg and Coose Van Bruggen

sketch at Jogyesa (temple)

Eric Ngan sketching at the temple

Eric Ngan had an experiencing time of making Songpyeon(Korean traditional rice cake on Chuseok-Korean thanksgiving season)

Eric Ngan and Chung Hae-kwon posing at the temple after sketching

having dinner at Korean dimsum restaurant "Koong"

sketch at Sinheungsa, Seorak mountain

pencil, watercolor, A 4

Yesterday I went to Seorak mountain(1708 m) located at Gangwon province with my family. The white diagonal lines shown in left are for cable car which runs 1,128 m from the entrance(222 m altitude) to Gwongeumseong(699 m altitude). I rode with my family and others; it carries 50 passengers at one time. Instead of climbing I stayed at the temple(Sinheungsa) and sketched the above one. I remember over thirty years had passed since I'd gone there. The roads or convenience facillities seem to be changed in better way for tourists. But the beautiful scenery of the mountain was the same as before. I would like to go there often.

어제 모처럼 가족과 설악산에 다녀왔어요. 가족들은 울산바위까지 올르고 저는 신흥사 주변을 구경하며 스케치도 좀 했습니다. 산은 여전히 아름다왔어요. 울산바위까지 엄첨 힘들었다고 하더군요. 오늘 길에 속초 중앙시장도 둘러 보았어요. 고속 버스가 2시간 반정도밖에 안걸려서 당일로 다녀오기에 충분했다는 것도 새로운 발견이었습니다. 아름다운 우리의 산하를 많이 그려보아야겠다는 각오도 한 여행이었습니다.

two sketches at Hwagyesa (temple)

temple building for praying, A 4

temple yard in temple buildings, A 4

Yesterday I visited the Hwagyesa (temple) located in Suyu 1-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul. The temple was built on 1522 in Joseon dynasty. It's loved by people for its long history and the easy accessibility. I could arrive there by 15 minutes' walk from bus stop. And buildings for educational purposes of buddhism located near the entrance. Lots of monks come and go. I imagines how beautiful it would look in the other seasons. It would be one of my favorite sketching places, maybe.

어제 수유동에 있는 화계사를 가보았어요. 서울에 있으면서도 처음으로 가 본 절입니다. 절의 모습은 상상 밖으로 아름다왔어요. 앞의 커다란 삼층 빌딩은 전통 건축물같지 않았지만 뒤켠에 조용히 숨어 있는 건물들은 좋았습니다. 날씨는 비록 쌀쌀했지만 햇살을 받으면 두장 그렸습니다. 

scroll painting of Gaeamsa exhibited at the National Museum of Korea

scroll painting of Gaeamsa(temple located at Buan, Jeonla Bukdo), which is exhibited at the National Museum of Korea, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

A 4

Two days ago I visited the National Museum of Korea. In winter season I go often there to appreciate lots of national treasures and special exhibition. I could see the above scroll painting with 1,317 cm height and 868 cm width. Though it looked very hard to imitate I tried to do on A 4 paper. It's one of national treasure, no. 1269. Color was brilliant in spite of that it was produced on 1749. Because such kind of scroll paintings were so big to hang inside the temple it was used for the praying outside the temple building. For the height of the painting it was hung in the open space through two floors. It looked so statios that I stayed for long in front of the painting.

며칠 전 국립 중앙 박물관을 방문하였어요. 겨울이면 추위를 피할 겸 보물들을 감상하려 자주 갑니다. 마침 박물관에서 순차적으로 전시해주는 괘불 그림을 볼수 있었어요. 이번 작품이 아홉전째 것이라는군요. 지난 번에는 흥국사 괘불을 그려본 적이 있던터라 다시 도전하여보았습니다. 역시나 어려웠지만 흉내만이라도 내어 본것이 만족스러웠구요. 이런 저런 국보급 보물들을 만나는 것이 감사하고 소중한 기회였습니다.

some sketches in celebration of Buddha's Birthday

This year May 6 is  Buddha's Birthday (석가탄신일). The Buddhists are gathered on the temples to celebrate the annual high day. And lots of colorful Lotus Lanterns are beautifully embroidered on the precincts and the street around the temple. During the last holidays, I sketched several colorful sceneries at my favorite temples nearby the Mt. Bukhansan National Park.

panoramic view of Heungguksa Temple(흥국사), pen and watercolor, 29.6 x 15cm

temple office at the entrance of the temple precincts, pen and watercolor, 29.6 X 21cm  

 the belfry on the upper floor of the temple office,  pen and watercolor, 29.6 X 21cm

 a sleeping dog in the backyard,  pen and watercolor, 29.6 X 21cm 

 temple office of Geumsunsa Temple (금선사), pen and watercolor, 29.6 X 21cm

 a natural scenery of Geumsunsa Temple, pen and watercolor, 29.6 X 21cm 

 a stone bridge over the stream in the Geumsunsa Temple, pen and watercolor, 29.6 X 21cm 

 the Buddhists joined together in worship, pen and watercolor, 29.6 X 21cm

Yeonhwadang (연화당): the charnel house of Geumsunsa , pen and watercolor, 29.6 X 21cm

.

석가 탄신일을 맞아 신록의 온누리를 연등으로 수놓는 5월은 진정 계절의 여왕이지만~~~ 올해는 사찰마다 세월호 희생자들의 넋을 위한 애도의 마음으로 숙연한 분위기였고, 스케치하면서도 삶 자체가 축복이란 것을 다시 느꼈습니다.
삼가 고인들의 명복을 빌며... 오색 연등과 함께 극락왕생 하시기를 기원합니다.