Three for Ackland

Three for Ackland.
The Urban Sketchers organisation asked us to contribute to an exposition, in order to raise money for the USK.
The exposition will be held in the Ackland museum, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
I decided to contribute, and made these three drawings for the occasion. I made them on three different continents, three different places, three different cultures, all of which I visited within one week.
First USA, Baton Rouge for business, then back home, Amstenrade in the Netherlands, and after that a citytrip to Istanbul with my wife.
I attached a real token of each place to the drawings: a Hagia Sofia entrance ticket, a part of the package of flowerseeds that I bought at the gardencentre which forms part of the castle, and the label of a bottle of Louisiana chilli sauce.

Blue Mosque

 

Sketch of the Blue Mosque, (Sultan Ahmet Camii), as seen from our hotel room, nr. 308 of the Citadel Hotel in Istanbul. This is the last of the sketches that I made in our short trip; and I made this one specially for the Auckland Urban Sketchers exhibition. I had to bend awkwardly over the television set to draw this view, that's why the lines are a bit wobbly and not very straight.

It was the smallest hotel room I even slept in, but who cares, you're mostly outside on the Istanbul streets anyway. 

I case you haven't noticed: I am very occupied with work, home and garden at the moment; hardly any time to sketch or even keep up my blogs.

Topkapi in Istanbul

The top sketch is of the Topkapi palace; the famous palace of the Sultan and his thousand wife's. It's a labyrinth of buildings and courtyards, I made this sketch in one of the less crowded ones. I had problems with the paint, I was standing in the burning sun (pretty hot for Spring), and the paint dried quickly.
Below the view from the 1st floor gallery of the Hagia Sophia, one of the most impressive buildings I know. You feel the weight of the centuries on your shoulders when walking through this (original Roman empire) building.
Boven een schets van het Topkapi paleis, onder een schets van de preekstoel (of hoe heet zoiets in de Islam) vanaf de omloop in de Hagia Sofia.

Grand Bazaar

Another day, another terrace within the Bazaar, another cup of coffee. The man on the table next to us ( I think they were a Russian couple) noticed me drawing him; when they left he bent over to me and said: "You were drawing us right? My grandfather did the same, he was always drawing everybody". He briskly turned and walked away. I would have loved to see his grandfathers drawings.

Istanbul

Two days after my return from Louisiana and the sketchcrawl, my wife and I left for Istanbul for our wedding anniversary. That was already two weeks ago. We had the early morning flight from Düsseldorf, and arrived in Turkey around noon. So we had all day to explore the city.
I made these sketches that Monday; one is the view from the Galata bridge (crossing the Golden Horn) with all these fishermen and the view to the famous Yeni Mosque.
The second was while we were sitting for a nice cup of coffee in the famous Grand Bazaar, watching a bored salesman waiting for clients.
Een korte stedentrip naar Istanbul. We hadden de vroege morgenvlucht en hadden nog alle tijd om de stad te verkennen. Deze schetsen zijn die eerste dag gemaakt: de Galata brug en een wachtende verkoper in de Grote Bazaar.

Galata bridge, Istanbul

Last of the sketches of the BNA trip to Istanbul. I sketched this while waiting for our lunch, superb grilled fish, we were sitting on a terrace overlooking the Galata bridge, between the western and eastern parts of Istanbul. Schets gemaakt tijdens een uitstekende lunch van gegrilde vis, met uitzicht op de Galata brug. Op de brug zijn de vissers te zien.

Santral powerplant

We visited "Santral" in Istanbul, an abandoned powerplant, converted into a modern art museum. Not much art, but a fantastic powerhouse in its original state. All machinery and even the control room was in its original state. The sketch below shows an electrical power indicator tree in this control room, drawn on location (it was hard to get the circles right).

More Istanbul

Istanbul, more sketches. We visited the city hall, the above sketch is the view from the roof terrace. Below a streetvendor in front of the Aya Sophia, selling hot chestnuts and roasted corn.
Istanbul, schets van enkele moskeeen, gezien vanaf het dak van het gemeentehuis. Onder straatverkoop, hete kastanjes en geroosterde maiskolven.

Istanbul fish market

Last weekend in Istanbul: impressions of the Fishmarket in Beshiktas. The woman was peeling some unknown vegetable. Vismarkt in Beshiktas, Istanbul. Ik kon er niet achter komen welke groente het vrouwtje verkocht, ze pelde ze ter plekke.

Istanbul, Hagia Sophia

Interior of the Hagia Sophia. You can feel the weight of the centuries in this building. It dates back to 550...  Je voelt het gewicht van de 15 eeuwen geschiedenis in dit fantastische gebouw.

Istanbul

Last thursday I went to Istanbul with the BNA-zuid (Dutch association of architects). We visited a lot of buildings, old and new. The first day, Thursday, we visited the old town. Here are sketches of the Grand Bazar and the view over the Golden Horn next to the Galata bridge. Drawn on location with fountainpen filled with Lexington grey waterproof ink.

BNA-zuid op excursie naar Istanbul. We bezochten een groot aantal gebouwen. Dag 1 stond in het teken van de oude binnenstad. Schetsen van de Grote Bazaar, en het uitzicht over de Gouden Hoorn (vanaf de Galata brug). Ter plaatse getekend met mijn nieuwe vulpeninkt.

Life is good

Busy week, been to France and Turkey, passed through Belgium and Germany as well. For the record: my meals.

Sunday. Still at home: steak, salad and fries, with a nice Merlot wine.
Monday. Dinner in the airport in Belgium: tagliatelle with pesto sauce and scampi's, with a nice cool Chardonnay.
On the plane: smoked salmon on couscous.
Tuesday. Lunch in France: blackpudding (sausage) and chevre (goatcheese) with bread.
Dinner: Foie Gras, Agneau (Lambroast) with salad, pommes dauphines and a white Jurancon wine.

Wednesday. Lunch: Brebis (sheep cheese) and bread.
Dinner on the airplane: Greek style rice in wineleaves with Feta cheese. At home arrival, late at night: braadharing (fried and pickled herring).
Thursday. After a long flight, lunch in Istanbul: Durum Kebab with salad. Dinner: calamares (octopus), Dourade (fish) with salad and turkish red wine.
Friday: Lunch: Kofte (meatballs) with salad and Ayran (drinking yoghurt).
Dinner: Lamb tandoori with Arabic spiced rice and Turkish red wine.

Saturday. Lunch: Kofte in yoghurt sauce and salad.
Dinner: pasta tricolore with beef and oriental spices, and turkish dry white wine.
Sunday. Lunch: Calamares, sea brass and salad with a perfect view over Istanbul.
Dinner on the airplane back home: smoked chicken with rice, eggplant and arabic herbs.

Life is good.