September Sketchwalk at Gillman Barracks

Hi Sketchers!

This weekend we're heading to Gillman Barracks!

Tucked off Alexandra Road amid greenery, Gillman Barracks was built in 1936 as a British military camp, named after Sir Webb Gillman. Today its conserved colonial buildings house a cluster of contemporary art galleries and cafes.

Landmark to look out for:
Gillman Barracks Gateway Arch - A Balinese styled gateway
https://maps.app.goo.gl/XKjQX4QTFrWYPxw19
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𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀:
Date: 26 Sep 2026
Time: 9.30am - 12.30pm
Nearest MRT station: Labrador Park Station

Meeting point: Gillman Barracks Gateway Arch
Show and tell location: TBC on the day itself

Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XKjQX4QTFrWYPxw19

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𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆:
9.30am: Short brief at meeting point.
9.40am: Free and easy sketch
12pm: Start packing your things and make your way for Show & Tell
12.15pm: Show and Tell
12.30pm: End

*Please note that location of Briefing and Show and Tell may subject to change if weather changes. Admin will edit location on this post if any changes.

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𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲:
By participating this Event, you agree with the followings:
1. My participation in this Event is entirely voluntary.
2. I am aware of and agree to assume any and all risks which might be associated with the Event and I will not hold Urban Sketchers Singapore (USkSG) and any admin/organiser responsible or liable in any way for and will not commence any action arising from the Event, or claim for any loss and/or damage (including, without limitation, personal injury and/or property damage) caused by or sustained as a result of my participation in the Event.
3. I will indemnify USkSG and keep USkSG indemnified against all losses, claims, demands, actions, proceedings, damages, costs, expenses, and any other liability arising in any way from my participation in the above Event.
4. For participant under 18 years old, his/her parent/guardian are aware and agree to the above clauses.
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𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆:
1. Make your way to the location, be aware of surroundings, and maintain necessary distancing.
2. Challenge yourself to explore hidden corners that hasn't been seen/drawn yet; this will also help prevent too many of us crowding the same perching points.
3. Post your sketches, snapshots and videos online — 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬 #𝐮𝐬𝐤𝐬𝐠 — so everyone can easily find the day's artistic output.
4. Some sketch leaders will go around to catch you in action for posts on Facebook and Instagram, so look out for them!
5. Happy sketching!!
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𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀:
Event photo from Stephanie Ng

Seniors at Coffee Shop

I see seniors at coffee shops, markets and supermarkets more and more may be because I am also a senior, a retiree and we have all the time in the world to wonder around our neighbourhood. I see more seniors on wheelchairs or on their PMD some with helpers, many alone sitting in the coffee shops staring at their smart phones. Very often they were watching useless sitcoms, shorts, online purchases etc.

This table of seniors from different races and their helpers caught my attention as they were chatting, seemingly reminiscing the old days. Uncle Sikh had a long white beard and moustache so when he ate his prata with curry, the orangy curry stains could be seen on his beard. His helper would clean off the curry for him with the wet tissues supplied by the other uncle Eurasian with a shorter beard and walked with a walking stick. When I left, they were still sitting there so I was not sure who needed the wheelchair, was it uncle Sikh or the other uncle Chinese whose back was facing me.

Buffet at Feast Asia

Feast Asia has their creamy Signature Durian Pengat and yummy Laksa that we like very much. So we spent our Saturday evening there and it was so expensive for the weekend meal that cost us over $180 for two. No wonder there were no crowd like it used to be when they had more Peranakan dishes like buah keluah and chop suey. I remember it used to be very affordable price for the seniors at less than $40 or $50 after the pandemic and we visited the place regularly since we stayed in the East. Oh yes, it was called Feast@East Buffet Restaurant in the old days.

I added two more chefs at the counter and there was only one chef in reality and he had to serve the sashimi station and the laksa station. Occasionally there was one more chef coming in and out of kitchen that you see in this sketch.

Starbucks at Plaza Singapura

The ink flow from the fountain pen was not ideal but I made do. There were many students studying at starbucks with their laptops, books and bags spreading over the tables and chairs. The students would disappear for around an hour or so leaving their stuff behind. I suspect some of them went for lunch. Singapore is so safe!

I have not been to Plaza Singapura for a very very long time so I was happy to go early and explore before a meeting. I took the train and Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station was huge! It took me a while to locate the exit to Plaza Singapura which was my go-to shopping mall in the 80s when Yaohan and Yamaha Music School were there. In the 80s, everyone carried a Yaohan plastic bag just like now everyone carried a NTUC plastic bag. My children spent most of their weekends learning music and organ at Yamaha on the upper floor. I also remember spending a lot of time at a salad cafe called Ponderosa.

I do miss the good old days at Plaza Singapura before Starbucks. More on the history of the old mall at this link.

Steamboat at Heartland

First visit to Chang Long FishHead Steamboat 长龙火炭鱼头炉 at Block 122, Bedok North Street 2. The portion of red garoupa fish slices were much smaller and the steamboat is average. We think we prefer the two fishhead steamboats aka Lye Huat and Jin Wee at our Siglap neighbourhood.

I only did a steamboat sketch on half the book and put a namecard or sticker on the other half. You can see from this sketch that ink bleeding through paper page and so I normally do not sketch on the back of the sketch except for this piece.

Monday at Tampines Round Market

Monday is rest day for many stall owners at Tampines Round Market but Sarawak Kolo Mee and Quan Fang (泉芳) drink stall are still opened on Monday. These two are my favourite stalls. Quan Fang has Mickey Mouse illustrations on the signboard and the noodles stall narrowly missed the Michelin Star this year.

The husband from the noodle stall likes to dye his hair in bright brown or gold and auntie has very smooth complexion. I notice auntie bending her neck forward more and more over the years and sincerely wish her free from pains and sufferings. The media report on the left states that they were selected into 2026 round of Michelin Guide. They are many nice yummy food in this market even some are not awarded with Michelin Stars.

Michelin or not, there is a strong sense of camaraderie amongst the hawkers at this round market. Some of whom have been operating their stalls for more than three decades. In 1983, 72 stallholders moved together from Block 176 in Toa Payoh, Lorong 2 to make way for an MRT line, bringing their established culinary traditions to the East.

The fountain pen on this sketch had smoother ink flow compared to my last sketch at Marine Terrace Market.

An exterior sketch I did for this round market: https://tiastudio.blogspot.com/2018/08/tampines-sketches.html

Seniors on Saturday Day Out

Saturday morning at Marine Terrace Market. I was having my breakfast at the coffee shop and I saw this group of seniors on wheelchairs with their helpers. These seniors needed help and there were other seniors on their personal mobility devices moving around in this market too.

Extract from Ministry of Health:
"Singapore is one of the fastest-ageing countries in the world. The United Nations defines a country as 'ageing' if the share of its population aged 65 and above crosses 7%. It is considered ‘aged’ if the share exceeds 14%. Once the share reaches 21%, it is 'super aged'. We are an aged society and projected to attain ‘super aged’ status in 2026. By 2030, 1 in 4 citizens will be aged 65 and above."

I am already above 65, I don't want to be like these seniors when I get much older. It is a wake up call for me. First thing first, I need to loose some weight, exercise more and perhaps, sketch and paint more!

I used a fountain pen with diluted ink and probably needs cleaning. The ink flow was not good but it gave this sketch another character and a different feel.

Sketching People

I started a new Nude square sketchbook trying to do one sketch per day.

On a Friday evening, before the show at Marina Bay Sands Theatre for "All Wishes Come True! 八仙" which is a hit 2026 computer-animated comedy film from Pearl Studio that reimagines the traditional Chinese legend of the Eight Immortals, we had dinner at the very busy Rasapura at MBS's basement level. Even at around 5pm, every empty table was filled up immediately when the diners left. The two ladies in uniforms with the chef-looking hats caught my eyes and they were sitting at the table talking to a lady in suit presumbly their supervisor for a short period of time. People continued to stream in after they left their table and some were seen standing beside me making me very uncomfortable. I had to sketch very fast in 15 mins, keep my sketchbook, buy my food and eat slowly. Crazy!

Nude Sketchbook
Size: 290 x 145mm

Remembering 911

At 8:46am, 25 years later, the images of September 11, 2001, permanently imprinted on my memory as I was on top of WTC on 26 Aug that year. I also stood in the crowd to cheer for the trucks going in and out of ground zero in the following weeks. Missing but not forgotten.

Video from Changi Chapel and Museum

Looking for ALSW2027 Host

Sketchwalk Photos