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

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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)

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photo by Daniel Thomas Faller

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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 Naksan Park, Seoul

a cityscape viewed from Seoul Fortress Trail, pen and watercolor (54 x 72cm)

Guldari-gil, alias Ewha Snail Road, pencil and watercolor (21 x 29.6cm)

a scene of the old houses , pen and watercolor (21 x 29.6cm)

an access road up from Chungsin-dong, pen and watercolor (21 x 29.6cm)

a scene overlooking Ewha-dong from Naksan Park, pen and watercolor (21 x 29.6cm)

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Since last January Seoul chapter did not have regular monthly meeting due to pandemic. And a plan for meetup on May 16th was delayed by two weeks because of infection cases linked to some clubs in Seoul.
During months I tried to avoid going to public places for sketching. But spring came and the fearful contagion seemed to decrease people began to come out to breathe fresh air. Days ago I went Naksan Park near Dongdaemun Gate to see the Seoul City Wall drawing some.
Seoul city has been redeveloping the area of Changsin-dong and Ewha-dong around the Naksan Mountain Trail, east part of Seoul City Wall. Old and new buildings are mixed in the area. The villages became a favorite touring place for foreigners and citizens by the panoramic city views with old wall. Small village bus makes people access to the summit of the wall. Therefore I could carry a big canvas(54x72cm) for a watercolor work easily without walking upward all the way. Old brick houses remained around the wall looked very attractive to me. Every sight could be a subject for drawing by the features piled up through years despite the city redevelopment plan. I sketched several attractive scenes around Naksan Park all day long.
All of us wish this pandemic to be ended soon.
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코로나19로 인해 몇달간 스케치 모임이 없어 아쉬웠지만
청정하고 매력적인 스케치 장소인 성곽길 낙산공원에 올라갔습니다.
낡은 동네를 감싸는 언덕의 고층아파트와 매력적인 골목 카페들~
멀리 동서남북으로 내려다보이는 도시의 파노라마 장면들이 어우러진
재개발과 보존을 둘러싼 도시재생의 살아 숨쉬는 현장을 만끽했습니다.

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

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YH Lee and BH Yoo  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 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)

another sketch of the interior scene in he tunnel, 

pen and watercolor, (21 x 29.6cm)

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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)

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Last Saturday, we Seoul urban sketchers held this year’s final sketch meeting at Mullae Creative Village(문예 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.

성탄과 더불어 새해 복 많이 받으셔요!