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.