Between Two Cities: A collection of watercolour sketches of Manila and Jakarta

Manila, capital of the Philippines, and Jakarta, capital of Indonesia are both massive and densely populated cities which were occupied by European colonisers back in the days. I lived in Manila for 6 years when I started working and when I had the opportunity to work overseas, Jakarta became home since 2013. I have observed many similarities with both cities like the ways and means of life and the influence of its colonisers in food, language and architecture. This inspired me to find places and objects that are comparable and turn it into watercolour sketches. 

Earlier this year, I have been thinking of publishing the sketches into a book to feature a collection of my personal watercolour sketches of places, buildings and landmarks of Manila and Jakarta. Then the pandemic hit and priorities shifted heavily towards staying alive and sane while sheltering at home since March. The sketches on location I have done were from July 2019 to early days of March 2020, pre-lockdown times and I was fortunate to meet members of Urban Sketchers Manila when I was in Manila. I am yet to join the Jakarta chapter of Urban Sketchers when this pandemic ends.

Taman Suropati, Menteng, Jakarta

There are many places I have found and sketched to compare what Manila and Jakarta both have. The Philippine post office in Manila is one of the most recognisable buildings in the city with its neo-classical architecture. In Central Jakarta, the Jakarta Philatelic Building, was built in Dutch-colonial architecture.

Jakarta Philatelic Building

Philippine Post Office Manila

In Escolta, Manila, the old Capitol Theater, which was unfortunately torn down mid of 2020, used to be one of the go-to places when Manila was still the center of entertainment and commerce. In Cikini, Jakarta, the well-preserved Metropole Jakarta still serves as one of the most important cinema houses in the city since it opened its doors in 1952. Both building are Art-deco style and was designed by local architects.

Metropole Jakarta

Capitol Theater Escolta, Manila

Here are some more of places in both cities that I have I thought were similar and share the same history despite being in two different cities.

The Manila Metropolitan Theater

The Jakarta Theater in Taman Izmail marzuki

      

The Jakarta Cathedral

The Manila Cathedral

The dome of Masjid Istiqlal in Central Jakarta

The dome of the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila

Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in South Jakarta

Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila

Kopaja, a public transport used in Jakarta

Jeepney, a common public transport used all over the Philippines

I have done actually more of these sketches which sums up to about 80+ artworks which I hope to publish one day into a book. Maybe one day, but for now this is what I would consider a preview of the book.

So long 2020. It has been swell.

jgcl

Instagram: @sigeraldto

Barcelona and Rome: A Week Of Sketches

Using this Hahnemuhle Cappuccino Sketchbook as my sketch journal, I, together with my mom and dad, went to Barcelona and Rome for a week. It was my second time in Barcelona and first time in Rome but my parents are both first-timers in both cities. Since travelling with the elderly gave us enough time for rest, I took the opportunity to record sketches of places we visited.

Burma: Sketching Colonial Buildings and Temples

Burma, or modernly called as Myanmar, is a country I have been fascinated to come to and in December of 2018, I was able to visit 4 major cities and the outskirts of these cities. Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Inle Lake. These four places are very unique from each other. Yangon, the colonial capital of Burma boasts with a number of well-maintained and still-in-use colorful colonial buildings. Mandalay, with it's paralleled streets and blocks much like the way New York City's streets and avenues were urban-planned, is a quiet old kingdom and is your gateway to the outskirts that will lead you to Sagain, Innwa and Amarapura. Inle Lake, a very remote tranquil lake city on the highlands of Naungshwe, is paradise and not to forget a local vineyard where you can sip your wine on a hill top over looking the surroundings. Bagan, my favorite of all, is a vast flat lands with droplets of ancient temple all over. One can go around on an electric bike and find your own spot in any of the temples and have your own tranquil time.

Here are some of the works from my sketchbook while travelling in Burma.

More of San Francisco

Every where I go in San Francisco, there are so many things to see that inspires me to sketch. If I could, I would do an on the spot sketching. I have joined some of the sketchwalks organized by Urban Sketchers San Francisco/Bay Area. I met the very lovely Laurie Wigham, one of the pioneers of urban sketching in San Francisco. I have been to a couple of the sketch walks she organized and it was great to see fellow urban sketching enthusiasts Apart from urban sketching, I also try other ways of illustrations like taking a photo of a place and sketching it and sketching the interior of a coffee shop or restaurant.

Here are more San Francisco sketches I made:

Sketching Los Angeles

I visited Los Angeles for the first time during spring break last month and I had a great time walking the city and finding great places to sketch. Food was great too. I am thankful for my friend for adopting me for 3 days and touring me around L.A.

Here are sketches I did while I was there.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall . . . . #urbansketchers #urbansketch #urbansketches #usk #waltdisney #illustration #illustrations #sketch #sketchdaily #sketches #waltdisneyconcerthall #losangeles #california #disney

A post shared by J. Gerald Legaspi (@sigeraldto) on Apr 2, 2018 at 2:11pm PDT

San Francisco Sketches

In the past months, I have been quite active in making sketches of San Francisco and most of them were done on the spot at places like Mission-Dolores Park, The Ferry Building, The Presidio and at the Marina.

Here are some of my recent sketches. Follow my on Instagram @sigeraldto

Back in SF. This was sketched during a hike at the Presidio yesterday. . . . . . #urbansketchers #urbansketch #urbansketches #usk #waltdisney #illustration #illustrations #sketch #sketchdaily #sketches #art #dailyart #sketchaday #anartfeature #youtubers #igers #instagram #instasketch

A post shared by J. Gerald Legaspi (@sigeraldto) on Apr 6, 2018 at 5:45pm PDT

New York City Sketches

Last December, during one of the coldest winter the east coast has experienced, I went travelling in New York city and created a 3-part sketchbook. New York city is such an inspiring place full of architecture that you would want to recreate. Sketchbooks have always been my go-to souvenirs of my travel aside from photographs and postcards. I hope this becomes into a book someday.

A post shared by J. Gerald Legaspi (@sigeraldto) on Jan 20, 2018 at 3:30pm PST

San Francisco So Far

So far, here are some of the sketches and snapshots of San Francisco. It has been over a month since I moved here but Netlfix and Hulu is taking much of my time. I got a lot of catching up with TV.

Sydney and Melbourne, City Sketches and Adele

Australia. A country I never thought I would set my foot in to because I always say that it is too far but Adele changed it all. Ha! When it was announced that Adele will have a series of concert in Australia. I immediately decided to go because I may never get any more chance to see her perform live thus giving me the opportunity to visit Australia, specifically Sydney and Melbourne.

My visit lasted 5 days in Sydney and 6 days in Melbourne ending the trip together with the 77,000 people in Etihad Stadium, Docklands area in Melbourne just to watch Adele's last night in Australia. Can I just say that it is one of the best concerts I have ever seen in my life.

During my trip, I have done sketches of some of my favourite spots and scenes both in Sydney and Melbourne. Here are the pictures I have taken during the trip:

City Sketches: Paris, Marseille, Aix, Barcelona and Madrid.

During my trip to France and Spain, I have taken the time to sketch the places and things that I liked. I have posted this on Instagram and I have compiled it all here to show my sketches during my travel.

Port Vieux, Marseille

Sketches and Photographs: An Instagrammed chronicle of my first visit to Japan.

My first trip to Japan and I visited Tokyo and Hakone. I have never been so excited to visit the crazy city of Tokyo and I was also well inspired that I have made a lot of sketches during the trip.

Here are the sketches I have done and some of the photographs I have taken.

City Sketches: Macau

So I spent my Christmas holiday in Macau for 3 days before going to Hong Kong and I have done some sketches while I was there and I also added some more after returning home. Here are the sketches I made.

Surprising Macau: Christmas in this wonderful city.

Oh Macau, you surprise me with your charm. I never thought I would love your city but I did despite a very tight 3 days 2 nights stay, you still managed to deliver the best of a heritage-filled city and the cosmopolitan side of all the glitz and glam of your stunning casinos. Words are not enough for me describe you but here are my best shots of your city. Enjoy.

Semarang and it's old charm.

Last weekend, I spent three days in Semarang, located in Central Java, Indonesia, and of course the best way to do in a trip to an old city is to do some sketching.

Some facts about Semarang:

1. It's the capital of Central Java, Indonesia.

2. Predominantly Muslim but the presence of Dutch colony was very evident in the city's old town.

3. Travelers often overlook this city because online polls says it does not have the charm that Yogyakarta and Solo has to offer. But they are wrong. It is probably one of the best preserved old towns in Indonesia. 

4. Food is great for a Filipino like me because in general, they are not that spicy and most of the food are sweet and a bit salty.

5. The city is quite clean and has wider roads which gives you less traffic.

6. The famous Borobudur Temples can also be accessed from here although with a much longer travel time compared to Yogyakarta.

7. It's the gate to other must-visit places like Candi Gedong Songo, a hindu temple on the mountainside and the town of Ambarawa, where the largest collection of steam engine trains in Asia are stored and displayed in a museum.

8. Lawang Sewu, literally translated as Thousand Doors, is one of the most magnificent old Dutch building ever built in Indonesia and has been restored for the public to see.

9. The old town is just simply mesmerizing and has different churches within it.

10. Vintage collectors will have a fiesta in several antique stores and sometimes at the flea markets in the old town.

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jigo

07.17.2014

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Nepal Sketches

This sketch was done recently although the trip to Nepal was last December 2013. I took this shot and now I sketched it on watercolor and ink.

Patan Durbar Square, Nepal

Will upload more of sketches of my Nepal trip when I find the time.

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6.24.2014
jigomesiter

Manila Sketches

Here are some of my previous sketch work of Intramuros in Manila, Philippines I have done. Sketches were done using watercolor and ink.

San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila, Philippines

Urban Sketching Series - Kota (Old Town), Jakarta

Here you go. Another urban sketches and artworks I have done for travelling in Jakarta, Indonesia. Kota is an old town of Jakarta and it boasts of several museums and the best on my list to visit are Museum Wayang and Museum Mandiri. I have been there on my first visit here in Jakarta in 2011. But now, I only went to Kota just for sketching and try out Cafe Batavia.

Museum Sejarah Jakarta

Urban Sketches - Various

Here are latest additions to my sketches and watercolor projects.

Cavenagh Bridge, Singapore

Ernest Zacharevic

I have visited Penang last year to specifically look at the street art. George Town in Penang is the most artsy place you can go in Malaysia and the most interesting street arts were done by Ernest Zacharevic. He is just such a genius with his works all over George Town. Luckily, I manage to buy the book and postcards showing his works. I myself is a sort of an artist and trying urban sketching and watercolor painting. So i tried on making one by using one of the most famous works of Ernest in George Town. 

George Town Street Art in Watercolor

This is just a beginners work for me and I hope I did a great job on urban sketching and watercolor painting.

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05.16.2014