Sketches at Insadong street, Seoul

[By Lee Yong-hwan in Seoul, Korea]

  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)

.

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.