Sketching Kuwait Winter 2021
First Week of Sketching Kuwait in the winter of 2021
Now that the weather is finally getting cooler in Kuwait I have decided to go out more and sketch. This has been something that I wanted to do for ages. Come winter, days would go by and I wouldn’t have anything to account for. This year I am adamant to fill my sketchbook with many sketches from all around Kuwait. Document my memories and findings along the way.
This week found me walking along the Marina Crescent, sipping coffee by the sea while greeted by the sounds of nature all around. On my first day I managed two sketches before heading home when I decided to return the next day and add another.
The thing is. I often sketch while in a coffee shop or seated somewhere comfortably which allows me to take my time and enjoy the process. Yet, at the same time it allows my overthinking brain to stop me from being spontaneous. I have found that I tend to reach for the same tools, use the same methods and many times overthink while sketching.
Going back on the second day I found a lovey yellow boat that I wanted to sketch with no available place to sit and setup my kit. I had to do it standing. So, to muster up a sketch. I ended sketching with ink pen going straight in. Used my water brush as opposed to the watercolour brush and ended up doing the sketch in half the time I would usually take. The end result was far from perfect. Wonky at its best but I came out with many interesting findings:
- I can sketch while standing.It is not really that bad.
- Water brush is not as bad as I have labelled it to be.
- It’s good to go with pen straight in as opposed to using pencil lines first. It allows for sponteneity and more lively sketches. Even if they end up being wonky ones.
- I need to work outside my comfort zone and use different ways and tools while sketching. It is so easy to get caught in the same old, same old.
- I really enjoy my solo morning outings !
Oh, and it started to rain while I was sketching which didn’t stop me. On the contrary, I enjoyed looking at the rain drops doing their magic to my sketch.
Last two days of the week I decided to go to Al Shaheed park. Mornings are the best. With visitors, yet not too crowded. The breeze is cool and allows me to stay as long as I wish before turning into an agitated monster because I can’t stand the heat! First sketch was of Al-Tijaria tower .Then I decided that I wanted to do two views from a complete two different sides. It is such an interesting building with so many curves and twists that each side looks completely different as you walk around it. Nowadays buildings are so fluid and look as if one took a sheet of paper and twisted it in different directions.
What was once a rigid straight blocks of heavy bulky structures, is now turning into graceful masterpieces. Sculptures in their own right. One only needs to look at the skyline of many new buildings in urban settings to marvel how far we’ve come in terms of modern architecture.
Second day in Al Shaheed Park. I decided to go for a longer walk before I sat down and sketched one of the old fishing boats. There is a whole section dedicated to old Kuwait. Including old miniature city model, old doors, and parts of the original wall that surrounded old Kuwait City. I wasn’t planning to stay long this time but I would like to go back and walk around that part of the park again to muster up some more sketches.
So this is it in a nut shell. My first week of sketching Kuwait. One week, two locations and six sketches!