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)

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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)

Entrance lobby of Concert Hall, pen and watercolor, (21 x 29.6cm) 

Meister fast food restaurant, pen and watercolor crayon, 

(21 x 29.6cm)

beautiful buildings along the street, pencil, (21 x 29.6cm)

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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~

Sketches of billiards game at the MVL Goyang Hotel, Ilsan (일산),

The MVL Goyang Hotel(엠블호텔 고양), pen and watercolor,

Cafe scene seen from the stair case, pen and watercolor,

Hotel Lobby, pen and crayon, 

PBA Tour Tryout game, pen and pastels,

Staffs and journalists, pen and watercolor,

Caster and commentator of Billiards TV, pencil and watercolor,

Staffs and journalists, pen and watercolor,

Camera men, pencil and watercolor,

Camera man, pencil

Camera men, pen and watercolor, 

Under playing, pen and pastels,

Under playing, pen and watercolor, 

Under playing, pencil, 

Game table under live broadcasting, pen and watercolor, 

Game table under live broadcasting, pen and crayon,

Camera man, pencil and watercolor,

A quick drawing of game scene, pen and crayon,

A quick drawing of game scene, pen and crayon,

A quick drawing of camera men, pencil,

A quick drawing of camera men, pencil,

(21 x 29.6cm sketchbook)

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Recently I visited billiards clubs one or two days for sketching and seeing the games with BH Yoo. But this time we went to the MVL Goyang Hotel four times because the PBA(Professional Billiards Association) Tour Tryout was holding during 11 days from Apr. 21 to May 1. While visiting there we could see lots of games between famous players and unknown great ones aged from twenties to sixties. While seeing the games and sketching we clapped for the nice scenes and sighed at the losing game by one or two points. The indoor sports arena installed in the convention hall was spectacular. Additionally we could find that lots of people including caster and commentator liked to see us sketch and felt so happy to receive a sketch from me. They hoped that such cultural events could happen in billiards game fields as in other sports or festivals.
Sketching brought a new start with a young judge who was directing the disabled billiards players for years. He addressed us what for we've been sketching. We explained about urban sketching and sharing them with people. He asked us to draw those players when the game to open once a month. He let us know the home page(Korea Billiard Association For The Disabled). Sketching seemed to bless us by meeting nice people and making us see the world in deeper and wider viewpoints. I was very happy to be able to concentrate on billiards sketching with a lot of support from the participants for many days. You can see BH Yoo's works on https://urbansketchers-seoul.blogspot.com/.
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지난 주, 일산의 엠블호텔 컨벤션에서 11일간 열린 PBA(프로당구협회)Tour 트라이아웃 전국선수선발대회를 BH Yoo와 함께 4차례 관람하며 스케치했습니다.전국에서 온 300여명의 내노라하는 강호의 유명선수들의 열띤 승부열기와 함께 스케일 큰 대회분위기를 만끽하며 편한 자리에서 스케치하는 행운을 얻었습니다~ 왕년의 당구스타 장성출 선수를 비롯한 유명선수들을 피부로 접할 수 있었습니다. 빌리어즈TV 권재일 캐스터와 황득희 위원에게 스케치를 선물하면서 주최 관계인사들로부터 당구에 예술문화를 접목시킨다는 호평을 받아 보람있었고, 어반스케쳐로서 많은 에너지를 얻은 산체험의 보람있는 시간이었습니다. 행사 관계자님들께 감사드리며 투혼을 살려 훌륭한 경기를 펼친 선수들께 성원의 박수를 보내드립니다~~

Sketches at Insadong street, Seoul

Nakwon Musical Instrument Arcade viewed from south entrance of Insadong, pencil and watercolor, (38 x 55cm)

main street of Insadong Cultural District with crowded people, pen and watercolor, 

(27 x 41cm)

 a street scene of Yulgok-ro viewed from north entrance of Insadong,

pen and watercolor, (27 x 41cm)

Magic Performance in the Buk-insa madang (north entrance of Insadong), pen and watercolor, (38 x 55cm)

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Recently Korea Watercolor Association(since 1974) has been holding events of painting watercolor works outdoor on the spot once a year. 

Last Saturday, the 17th Korea Watercolor Academy Festival was held at Insadong where lots of tourists and citizens gather to enjoy shopping and dropping in galleries. The Office forbids traffic at Insadong street for the visitors to walk freely on weekends. 

Several regular members in KWA including myself were commissioned to produce works to be awarded for the prize winners out of 120 participants. I've done four pieces among which three were presented to the winners. Some members painted portrait or still life inside showing the process. But I chose to sketch outside to capture scenes here and there. While sketching lots of people surrounded me. Some curious spectators asked me to sign even. I felt excited too all the while sketching in busy street crowded with visitors. Above all as an urban sketcher I thought that the event was very meaningful at the point of putting focus on urban sketching in the downtown of Seoul compared to the previous events done in suburban countryside and seaports and traditional villages. 

I hoped many participants to open their eyes in urban sketching and enjoy it out of studios.

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지난 토요일, 4월20일 한국수채화협회(1974~)가 주최하는 제 17회 한국수채화 아카데미 축제가 전통문화의 거리 인사동에서 열렸습니다.매년마다 현장에서 그날 그린 수채화를 심사하여 상을 주면서 격려하는 연례행사로 이날 120여명이 참여하였습니다.

인사동은 한국의 전통문화와 미술품을 즐길 수 있는 매력적인 관광명소로 유명하고 특히 인사동길은 주말에 차 없는 보행자의 구역으로 많은 전통행사가 열리는 곳으로 자유롭게 그림 그리기에 적합한 장소입니다. 저를 포함한 협회 임원들은 풍경, 인물, 정물수채화를 현장에서 그리는 작업을 시연하고, 그린 그림들을 입상자들에게 상으로 수여하는 역할을 맡았습니다. 저는 관광객과 방문객들으로 붐비는 인사동 주변의 거리와 빌딩 풍경을 여러 작품 그리면서 많은 사람들에게 현장 스케치의 장면을 보여주었습니다. 날씨도 좋았고 그림 열기에 가득찬 인사동길은 활발한 축제의 분위기였습니다.  저는 이날 4작품을 그려서 그중 3작품을 입상자들에게 시상하며 보람있는 시간을 가졌습니다., 

무엇보다도 오래전부터 수채화 아카데미 행사를 열어왔던 교외나 항구, 전통마을들이 아닌 서울 도심 복판에서 어반 스케치를 하는 뜻깊은 날이었습니다. 많은 참여자들이 스튜디오를 벗어나 어반스케치를 새로운 시각으로 체험하는 즐거운 날이었기를 바랍니다! 

Sketches at Gangbyeon Techno Mart, Seoul

Techno Mart building sketched at the sky garden outside the 9th floor of the building

 in front of the box office of CGV movie theater on the 10th floor

open superstore of cellular phones and telephones on the 6th floor

 a scene of open escalator hall sketched on the 6th floor

 

surrounding buildings viewed from the lounge on the 10th floor

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( pen and watercolor, 29.6 x 42cm sketchbook )

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Last Saturday was the day of usk Seoul's April meet up in pararelled with the 63rd World Wide SketchCrawl at Gangbyeon Techno Mart(강변 테크노마트). Coincidentally, that day I was scheduled to participate in Korea watercolor academy (한국수채화 아카데미) event, so I couldn't join in the usk Seoul' April meeting. Although I couldn't attend this important sketch meeting on the day, I went to the Techno Mart a few days earlier and made a sketch in advance. 

Gangbyeon Techno Mart located at Guui-dong, Gwangjin-gu is known to be the biggest electronics depot in Korea. It is a large shopping mall that connects to other shopping and discount stores. In addition to all kinds of electronic products, Techno Mart is also well-known as a hot place of relaxation and enjoyment, such as Lifestyle & fashion shopping mall and wedding hall, various restaurants and Hangang Observatory at Haneul Park (하늘공원) on the 9th floor, CGV movie theater on the 10th floor, and so on. What's meaningful is, 3 years ago we had a good sketch time here as the 52th World Wide SketchCrawl. Impressed by the charming and beautiful scenery along the Han River and the crowded indoor atmosphere, I enjoyed sketching with new feelings and views going up and down in and out of the building.

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4월 20일 한국수채화협회 아카데미 시연행사가 겹쳐

저는 부득이 며칠 전에 미리 가서 스케치했습니다.

동참 못하고 따로 그렸지만 스케치의 느낌을 함께 합니다.

3년전 테크노마트의 52차 스케치크롤이 생생하게 떠오릅니다..

전자쇼핑몰과 다양한 즐길거리로 붐비는 실내 분위기...

매력적이고 아름다운 한강변 풍경을 펼치는 랜드마크...

접근성과 짧은 동선, 사통오달의 좋은 스케치 장소입니다~