Another fun medium for landscape sketching August 4, 2009

Mudflat at Main Bird Hide

If you are feeling bored with your usual sketching medium, try something new. Charcoal, pencils and pastel are the usual ones I use. For want of a fresh approach and experimentation I picked up some marker pens to try.
In this sketch I did at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, using Letraset markers. You will note that a variety of gradation and texture quality can be achieved. The pigment ink from a marker pen is somewhat difficult to modulate and one has to be careful about the duration and pressure of contact between pen and paper. I managed to produce enough variety of strokes and intensity of pigment by deliberately controlling the contact time and pressure. Try these two aspects out separately before working on your painting.
Happy sketching.
Tham Pui San 4 August 2009

Wetlands Alive October 31, 2008

 

Wetlands Alive: this  art exhibition to celebrate  the 15 th anniversary of Sungei Buloh will be held  from 6 Dec 08 to 15 Feb 2009.

exhibition poster

 

It will showcase 40 oil paintings of  this mangrove environment, depicting  glorious perspectives of this habitat and presents a message of hope and encouragement for nature and us. Two paintings will be auctioned to raise  funds for the Garden City Fund and  Rainbow Centre, a charity with a mission to enhance the lives of children and youths with special needs by providing early intervention programme and special education schools to help them develop to their fullest potential.

   Tham Pui San 24Nov.08

The Fallen shall Thrive May 3, 2008

  About four years ago  I did a  sketch of this fallen Sonneratia Alba, apparently struck by lightning on Christmas Eve 2003.

The old sketch was executed  with a 2 B graphite pencil, showing  details of the fresh breaks on some roots and masses of  earth still clinging stubbornly to the tips of the roots. Clumps of foliage on the higher branches laid so helplessly on the  ground still attached, waiting perhaps to continue its wondrous food making  process of photosynthesis. It attracted my attention then simply because of its unusual state brought about by an act of  nature and I wondered if the tree could overcome this seemingly cruel strike.

Four years on it has found a new way to survive and thriving well. My faith in Nature held strong.

Two large clusters of lively green foliage now grow on its prone trunk, like a fish with 2 large dorsal fins in tandem.  How it will continue to grow would be an interesting phenomenum to know and  I  wonder if it  can still bear  fruits  like the others do.

This present charcoal sketch is dedicated to those who need to make do with  changes caused by the  inevitable. 

Take heart, Nature and Time do wonders when we have faith.

Pui San 3 May 2008 

Closeup of Green Lizard March 22, 2007

  ”Closeup of Green Lizard” Submitted by Joyce

Mangal March 21, 2007

Mangal submitted by Siew Chin

This is my territory March 20, 2007

 ”This is my territory”

Submitted by June Tham

Paint along with Pui San March 15, 2007

The next session will be on 25 Oct, 2009. I will be teaching charcoal sketching, from where we left off 2 months ago. For those joining us for the first time, you will be guided accordingly, so bring any material you fancy.
The session will also cover basic water colour, and pencil sketching.
See you on 25Oct aug, 2009 from 0830 to 1130.

.
For details please call the Visitor Centre  at 67941401

Tham Pui San, 6 Oct 2009

Come September February 21, 2007

Come September

11” x 15”

Pastel on sanded card

  

While seeking out interesting elements to compose this scene, I came across this group of egrets busy foraging the mud bed for food. Ordinarily their appearance would not mean much. But on reflection we can take comfort that a year has passed and they made a comeback to the reserve despite untold disturbance to the natural environment caused by us humans.

Pui San

Sep 04

Path to somewhere February 19, 2007

Path to somewhere

11” x15”

Pastel

   

I discovered this path after a year’s service with the reserve and fell in love with it the very moment I set eyes on it.

It’s a classic composition, directing movement towards the bend to somewhere promising, and an essence of a place where you might have been before.

  

Pui San

May 04

A Common Mangrove Scene February 18, 2007

A Common Mangrove Scene

11’ x15”

Pastel

 

Scenes like these appear commonplace but a second look may reveal interesting details like the thriving epiphyte, growing like a bouquet above the smooth texture of the rising tide.

 The water neatly divides the contrasting clusters of greens from the sinewy roots of the buta buta trees. These form the compositional elements I need.

 

Pui San

2004