An amazing year with the Urban Sketchers - Part 1 - Hong Kong

I've had a fantastic year travelling to a number of places in the world and meeting up with many other Urban Sketchers. During March and April, I had the chance to spend four weeks travelling to Hong Kong, Paris, London, Sheffield, York and Cambridge. I attempted to sketch in each location, though sometimes it was too cold to complete the views I started.

I was lucky to arrive on the day of an Urban Sketching event for the Hong Kong Urban Sketchers so I met up with about 30 of them and we sketched the Maryknoll Convent School. It is 90 years old and has really interesting brickwork.

The Maryknoll Convent School, Hong Kong. A5 Moleskine sketchbook.

The paving through the old part of the school was created with locally mined granite. The bougainvilleas were out in full bloom and looked gorgeous.

Paving in the Maryknoll convent School. A5 Moleskine Sketchbook

We had a great lunch locally and a chance to chat before returning to the school for some more sketching. It is just wonderful to be able to meet up with fellow sketchers in almost any city in the world. USK is a fantastic organisation to be part of.

Amid lunch-time discussions, I heard that Graham Street, a famous wet-market, was to be 'renewed'. Many sketchers have been documenting this lively street for some time. I joined Alvin and Ben and sketched a stall in a couple of visits.

Graham Street stall, watercolour and pen in Moleskine A4 sketchbook.

We were joined by Tommy as he made his way down the street.

A corner building, Graham Street, watercolour in A5 Moleskine sketchbook.

It was quite disconcerting sketching the corner building as the sound of a regular, ground shaking banging was continuous - a reminder that this scene wasn't going to last.

I also explored the lovely Hong Kong park, found an amazing red flower, went to the aviary and saw some turtles.

On may way back through Hong Kong I sketched the education centre with Victor.

I also enjoyed spending some more time in the Asia Society building.

The Education Centre. Pen and watercolour.

A little turtle, watercolour in The Perfect Sketchbook.