Watercolor paintings at Seodaemun Prison History Hall

Last saturday, I painted in watercolor on the subject of prison with Seoul urban sketchers. All of us had a pleasant sketch time in a harmonious atmosphere. My watercolor paintings of the day are as follows.

A week ago the Independence Day, Aug.15th, I made on-the-spot survey of the present condition of this Prison History Hall, sketching various types of building with red bricks. Some sketches on the very day are as follows.

The Seodaemun Prison History Hall is not only well-known as a historical site, but useful to draw buildings of red bricks clustered close together. For our sketchers, Seodaemun Independence Park is a quite suitable place to draw various kinds of the old and new subjects.

Some sketches in monochrome

the overpass viewed from Cultural Complex J-Bug at Jayang-dong

viewed from the same spot

Chungdam Bridge viewed from Han River Park Thukseom Area 

a cafe by the roadside to Mt. Namsan

at Huam-dong village

Jongno Culture & Gym. Center at Sajik-dong

Song Pa Public Library at Ogeum-dong

The old-fashioned houses at Namchang-dong

Seoul Childcare Center viewed from Baejae Park

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Once in a while, I attempt to sketch in monochrome. To simplify the color may be uninteresting, but the trial is useful in many ways, for instance, to make an experiment in complete control of value, to experience a particular impression of the dominant color, and so on. I like such a good potentiality of the monochrome.

two sketches along the street at Susong-dong

the buildings are simple in style, but something attractive.

the first sketch at a stretch

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Sambong-gil is an old-aged street lined with shops, located on the opposite side of Jongno-gu office. Occasionally I pass by the street, the scenery of low-rise buildings attracts my attention. These works are sketched within a short moment on my way home.

August Sketchcrawl around Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul

DDP building viewed from 'helloapM Building'

sketched the same scenery months ago

viewed from the bus stop across the road

viewed from 'Doota Building'

the field of construction work

another view of the field of construction work

panoramic view of the 'maxtyle building' nearby

a shoe store in 'Doota Building'

two customers at the shoe store

an advertisement screen on the outer wall of the 'maxtyle Building'

another advertisement on the outer wall of the same building

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The Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park (DDP) is a large urban development project under construction in Dongdaemun, Seoul. It will contain of a multi-use park, a fashion plaza, an underground mall, and a restoration of a number of items of national heritage.Perhaps it will be completed next year.

I used to sketch this attractive subject several times recently. Owing to the hot weather, I sketched this magnificent structure looking over the window, within air-conditioned buildings on the opposite side.

The rural villages in Seoul

Junggye-dong 104 village is well known for its rural atmosphere surrounded with woods and hills on the outskirts of Seoul. My sketches in this place are as follows.

 Hongje-dong Ant village(alias Gaemi-Maul)is located on the hillside of Mt.Inwang in downtown Seoul. It is famous for the beauty of wall paintings drawn by several art colleges' students. My sketches are as follows.

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A lot of old aged villages are still well-preserved in Seoul. But it's possible that these villages may be disappearing in order to construct highrise apartment complexes. I hope these would be in existence by renovation for harmony with nature.

at the Mountain Inwang in downtown Seoul

beautiful skyline of the Mt.Bukhansan beyond the hill of Hongjidong village

Sangmyung University Campus viewed from halfway up the mountain

distant view of Sangmyung Art Center at Hongjidong

a panorama of Hongeundong village viewed from the ridgeline of the mountain

Jongno Culture & Gym Center located on hillside of the mountain

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Mt.Inwang is one of the well-known tourist attractions in downtown Seoul. The mountain stands at a height of 338 meters, not so far from my village. From the top of the mountain, we can enjoy fascinating vistas of the city of Seoul. Some time ago, I could have a distant view of mountains and fantastic cityscapes not only from the summit, but from the important parts of ridge of the mountain.