Sasa's Sketchbook 3

An art project I participated this Spring had an exhibition opening yesterday in Pump House Gallery, London. The project was called Developing Landscapes. We visited various development sites in South West London over a six week period and painted changing landscapes. Documentation of the project can be found on  Instagram . Here is one wall from the exhibition, my work in the bottom right corner, one of the numerous 'crane paintings' I did (sorry about the reflections). And here is another wall, my monochrome work in the middle (top right), a pile of dirt and a construction site. I don't have a proper photos of most of my work since I left the originals to the wonderful artists, Ali and Seb, who were the originators and organizers of the project, but below is of my water colour works from North Street Mews featuring an abandoned Mongolian Race car. This one is in the exhibition too.

Painting in Battersea Park. There is this beautiful pagoda, which makes me feel 'homesick'.

Oh, I just realized that January is almost gone without me posting anything... So here are some sketches I made in Canary Wharf two weeks ago (it was very cold day to draw outside so proud of myself). I love industrial scenes and will definitely draw there again (which should be easy since I happen to work there as well).

Drawing around Tate Modern... Left: In Members' Room;  Right: St Paul's Cathedral seen from a bench by Thames Carousel in Christmas Market in the front of Tate Modern Installation of Abraham Cruzvillegas in  Turbine Hall

Walked along Regent's Canal last weekend, from Angel to Bethnal Green, and stopped three times to paint with watercolours. I hope nice weather continues, I would still like to do this a couple of times before winter arrives. A lock in Islington View from  a canal side cafe Towpath in Haggerston  Gas tower in Bethnal Green. Sunset.

I just realized that September is almost gone and I haven't created a single blog post. So here is a small collection of stuff I did in last 30 days. Drew St Paul's Cathedral from Tate Modern's Member's Room Went to Angel to draw Regent's Canal (this is Islington Tunnel) Tested new kind of paper Played with  textures and collage Sketched a  glass of red and a box of nail polish on radiator Studied dead sunflowers

Commuters at the Shadwell DLR station

Cloudy day in London today. Went out to sketch with London Urban Sketchers, my the first time with this group. I came a bit late so had time to do just this one quick sketch of the statue of Queen Victoria in front of Buckingham Palace with lots and lots of tourists around it. 

Sketched this one yesterday in Royal Festival Hall. Outside you can see Hayward Gallery and  Carsten Höller's installation (which is basically a slide, looked really fun.) PS. Did some drawings in Scotland too but not as much as I hoped. Finding time to sketch is always a problem when you travel with people who don't draw. Luckily yesterday I didn't have that problem, my companion is a very eager sketcher.

This is where I have spent quite a lot of time during last couple of days... Finally got myself to draw 'the new sofa', quite different from the sofa in the previous apartment . The latter was definitely more comfortable but we gave it away because it didn't fit in the new flat (both style and size wise). This is a hard futon sofa bed thing but I like the streamlined look. Happy new year to all you wonderful people who visit my blog. I am off to Tenerife tomorrow and hope to return with bunch of sunny sketches to share.

I was drawing in Natural History Museum today. It was full of inspiring things to draw: corals and shells, fossils, skeletons,...  Dino This time I stayed in the main lobby drawing the dinosaurus and the giant moa there (I had never heard of moas before, looks like a huge emu or ostrich). The lobby has a wonderful golden yellow light but unfortunately the yellow of my drawings doesn't look that good in the scanned versions. I tried to adjust the color in Photoshop but didn't manage to make these look like the originals. Anyway, I found drawing 'bones' very satisfying for some reason. Giant Moa

Last weekend I was sketching in Mile End with a group of friends. We started at Tower Hamlets Cemetery, drawing a mausoleum, sitting on a foot path, harassed by ants. Tower Hamlets Cemetery Next we wanted to find a shadier place with a park bench. We found one but the view was a bit less spectacular. Tower Hamlets Cemetery Then we bought some food from supermarket and had a lunch in Mile End Park.  Mile End Park After lunch we walked to Victoria Park via beautiful canal path. I didn't do any sketches there but I think I will go back with my sketchpad some time soon. Nice day.

I also did a sketch in V&A cafe. I was fascinated by the patterns on the walls. The side room where I was sitting was very dark so I didn't really see the colors I used, but they turned out very vibrant (but not exactly life like). Which reminds me of this colorful letter that arrived this week. I was lucky enough to win Sybille 's amazing New Year's card. I don't think I will send it to anyone, it is too pretty...

  I was sketching yesterday in Victoria & Albert Museum . Here is the view from 1st floor to the museum entrance (with that cool yellow light information desk).

London Eye Some quick watercolor work I made on the same drawing trips than those black and white pen sketches I posted last week. (And more London stuff coming, next weekend drawing in Tate Britain.) National Portrait Gallery

Just recovered from superflu that left me with no energy for more than two weeks. Now eager to go back to my ink and paper and all that other wonderful stuff you use to make pictures.... But before I'll get something new to post, here are some pen sketches I did before I got ill: Big Ben Westminster Abbey Trafalgar Square

A scene from Notting Hill Carneval Can you find a policeman talking on a mobile in this picture?

  I was drawing this week in Kensington Roof Gardens, which is an amazing hidden oasis in busy Kensington. It is hard to belief you are actually in a roof of a building. There are trees and flowers, ponds and bridges, a waterfall, a Spanish style villa, ducks - and even flamingos! I would have liked to sketch one but unfortunately didn't have time . As you can see, I wasn't alone, we had a quite big group of sketchers there, which meant I spent most of the time chatting about anything between toilet habits around the world to fostering children, and not that much drawing.   (Maybe I shouldn't have added that fence to the sketch, I think it looked better before.)

Went to Camden Beach yesterday with a bunch of artist friends. It is a rooftop with fine sand, deckchairs, beach huts and expensive drinks. It was a cold and windy day but at least it didn't start raining.

  I had some time this afternoon so visited the Kensal Green cemetery again. I am still fascinated by the wild chaotic feel of the place. Very different from the graveyards in Finland where the stones are straight and organized according to a grid plan and the vegetation is kept under control - so boring...