Sunday 30 December 2012

'New'


I haven't studied calligraphy and don't really understand that much about it, but I still try to practice it every now and then to improve my brush control. So today filled the sheet with character 'new' (新) written in different styles (above a part that fit to the scanner). 

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Snow


I have heard that the Chinese brand Snow is the world's best selling beer. It is cheap and tasteless and I don't know who actually drinks it. Not Beijingers I think, they prefer the local brand Yanjing, which is the world's best beer (in my opinion... )

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Explore

My moving boxes finally arrived on Monday. They were on their way from Beijing to London for almost 4 months. I have spent a couple of days now opening them and exploring and arranging the contents. It feels like Christmas though I am quite shocked about the amount of possessions I have. I thought I threw away a lot but now I notice I still have too much. The only things I have really missed have been my art supplies, kitchenware and some pieces of furniture...

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Imitation...

...is the sincerest form of flattery?

After Rain
After Rain / 雨后, 2011, 100 x 53 cm, ink and watercolor on xuan paper
Yesterday I bumped into an almost exact copy of my painting (above) in an internet art portfolio site. It was a strange feeling...

Tuesday 4 December 2012

Stretch

9 Month Stretch

Back in London, nice to be drawing again! (And still don't know how to get rid of that stupid border around images, I think I set it as transparent already, why is it still there...??)

Thursday 1 November 2012

Gorge

Gorge
Gorge / 峡谷, 74 X 46 cm, 2012 (410), ink and mineral color on rice paper

Busy busy busy. I have spent a couple of days in Helsinki to plan my exhibition that opens in January in Gallery Jangva. (Gorge is one of the paintings to be included.) Tomorrow will continue to Beijing to fetch my cat Nunu...

Monday 22 October 2012

Sky


One day on savannah.

Janus Face


Janus Face
Janus Face, 75 x 45 cm, ink and Chinese watercolor on hand-made xuan paper, 2012 (553)

This is one of the paintings I made just before leaving China. The painting itself is now somewhere between Beijing and London as well as most of my art supplies. I miss them, especially after I have seen how much those things cost in UK.

Thursday 18 October 2012

Water



Hmmm, I doodled this last weekend but was planning to do something else for Illustration Friday later. Since it is already Thursday evening, this will be do :-P

Wednesday 10 October 2012

Life Drawing


Tried one of the life drawing venues of London yesterday, I liked that place, they had two models, poses were interesting, and there were even tea and cookies... :-)

Monday 8 October 2012

Mirror




This is my first contribution to Illustration Friday in more than 3 months! Moving from Beijing to London took a lot of time and energy but now I am finally more or less settled. Most of my art supplies are still on the way but I have my little sketch pad and little bottle of ink = enough to start doodling again.

Monday 1 October 2012

Tweed Flower

Greetings from the land of tweed...! I moved from Beijing to London last month. More or less settled by now, only the internet connection is missing.

Tweed Flower
Tweed Flower / 花呢花
2012 (482), 75x46 cm, ink and Chinese color on xuan paper

Sunday 19 August 2012

Qipao Life

Sold 4 paintings today, including one of my favorites, Qipao Life:

Qipao Life
 Qipao Life / 旗袍一生, 2011 (338), 74x44 cm, ink + Chinese watercolor + oil pastel on xuan paper

Thursday 16 August 2012

Still in Dongzhimenei


Welcome to my new blog*! I am still in Beijing but in 2 weeks time I will be heading towards new adventures, so exciting... 

I wanted to paint the view from my window before I go. I haven't really tried paintings landscapes with Chinese brushes so it was an interesting experiment. But I still prefer flowers, it is more fun and free.

View to West
View to West (Dongzhimennei) / 东直门内, 2012 (490), 75x46 cm, ink + Chinese water color + oil pastel on xuan paper

*This is my 3rd sketch blog therefore number three in the title. The 1st one was a Flash site I started in 2004 (not online at the moment). The 2nd one covered last four years of my Beijing life (and should have been called Sasa's Sketchbook 2... :-P).