Shophouse windows @ Emerald Hill

Exploring Emerald Hill, Singapore

Old Shophouses @ Teck Lim Road

Club Street, Singapore

I used my new 'Peranakan Brown' Noodler's ink made specially for Singapore for this sketch. The brownish-green works well for old shop-houses like these.

SketchWalk @ Tiong Bahru 27/03/2010

I decided to be a bit adventurous today with my sketches. So last night I prepared a few pages of my watercolour moleskine with very random splashes of colours. I am happy with the result when I layered on my new sketches on top of the prepared pages. I think the colours came from my crayons and they really energised me even though I was hot and sweaty.

SketchWalk @ Tiong Bahru 27/03/2010

This is my 2nd sketch walk with the Singapore Urbansketchers. I had a blast this morning even though the weather was extremely hot and humid. I moved to this area about 5 years ago and still loving it. Lots of charming pre and post war buildings built for mass housing projects. You can also see lots of influences from the art deco movement in the architectural ornamentations and details. 

It is very common see neigbhours hanging their laundries out in full view to catch the afternoon sun. Maybe that is why people say 'Do not air your dirty laundry in public'. Perhaps there is some truth it.

Beo Crescent

A quick sketch during lunch. I eat at this coffee shop quite often. Just a stone's throw from home too.

Junction of North bridge road & Liang Seah street

Norris Road @ Little India, Singapore

We chanced upon this long back alley because of the pigeons. Lots and lots of pigeons every where. The back doors are often used by the shops and restaurants for the delivery of goods and garbage disposal. Still a pretty lane to look at.

5-Foot-Way @ Little India, Singapore

This is another 5-foot-way sketch I did. Many colourful floor tiles with intricate designs adorn this long corridor. The weather was also getting intense so the shade from this corridor was a much needed respite.

Syed Alwi Road @ Little India, Singapore

I like the orange dome that was sticking out from among the shop houses. Not sure what the orange building is. Maybe a temple. I also realised I drew the bicycle a little too big.

Haji Lane, Singapore

 

I could not resist adding red to the 4 large chinese characters. Hopefully it will give you a flavour of old shop-houses in Singapore.

5 foot way @ Haji Lane, Singapore

This tiny lane, hidden away in the heart of the Muslim quarter, is a fashionista's paradise. The collection of narrow shop-houses have been transformed into an aggressively hip retail stretch. The 4 large chinese characters read 'Big Year Pawn Shop'. Very old style signage.

Duxton Hill, Singapore

 

This little collection of shop-houses are adjacent to the Chinatown. Even though the shop-house facade may look narrow and small, each unit can stretch a long way back creating long narrow spaces.

Opium and gambling dens, as well as cheap brothels, used to flourish on Duxton Road, and one writer describes it as a slum area and a notoriously vice-ridden environment. These places were patronised by the rickshaw coolies who lived in Duxton Road and Duxton Hill. Despite the notoriety of the street, many wealthy Straits Chinese families built and occupied lofty and exquisitely designed residences and shophouses on Duxton Hill.