a man yawns somewhere upstairs......

Posted by stupot at 08:39 AM Friday 21 Nov | Post comment (0) comments

efficient and tasty

Back in the jungle once more - Osaka welcomed me back like I'd just gone around the corner for the milk and papers. I think it expected me to go back to work. A slightly odd feeling came over me that must happen in a place that was once home, in another lifetime. Glasgow does the same to me. "Go back to what you were doing!" you can hear it shouting. Thankfully new things are far more interesting and despite the unshakable service, the consistently incredible food and even the cartons of grape juice in Lawsons being just as I had left them, things change and Osaka continues to evolve. The cranes around the station building (still undergoing the gruelling refub) suggest a prosperity lacking in the UK. Dotonbori bridge, in all its neon glory, is finished and can now welcome vistors - along with a new development in south Horie on the river. Dan and Miko's new apartment is council housing like perhaps only the scandanavians know about. My tatami room is luxury and it's lovely to be welcomed back. So it's a week of drawing, shopping, eating and seeing friends. I'm not going to be working here but I'd certainly discuss the prospect!

Posted by stupot at 03:32 AM Friday 21 Nov | Post comment (0) comments

A cure

I'm on the verge of so many colds at the moment - drawing outside demands wooly hat, long-johns and the fingerless gloves I don't possess. I am beginning to wish I'd booked a holiday somewhere warm. This is a famous pub just around the corner from work. It stands just near the old city wall and the building was put up to mark the opening of the nearby infirmary. Thus the name. It's where you go for a 'cure' the next day.

Posted by stupot at 07:59 PM Friday 14 Nov | Post comment (0) comments

remember, remember, November

Our old celebration of thwarting those early terrorists on the 5th seems to have passed me by this year - probably due to Guy Fawkes night being mid week and coinciding with a deadline. I popped up to the castle today - a working garrison and its war museum being part of the National Museums five sites. If we go up out of hours to install part of an exhibition you have to pass the lone, armed sentry - a bit of a shock first time around. Today there were kids in the forecourt drawing which was really nice to see. It seemed fitting to note some names of the fallen. Earl Haig - who gave his name to the Scottish poppy appeal - was overlooking the proceedings upon his horse.

Posted by stupot at 06:12 PM Tuesday 11 Nov | Post comment (0) comments

Stockbridge

Really chilly again today with a blustery wind from Scandanavia. Blue skies for the most part though. This was drawn on a back street just near where I drew the cheesemonger earlier in the year. Quite a posh part of town. The building on the left was put up in 1650 and now home to a Thai restaurant. Noise around is car tyres on cobbles - you can hear them a mile off. Cobbles are a nightmare on a bike! We hit a deadline on Friday at work and off to Osaka next week so hope to update from there.

Posted by stupot at 11:13 PM Sunday 9 Nov | Post comment (0) comments

Urban Sketchers

New site, Urban Sketchers, hitting the airwaves from November - courtesy of Seattle's Gabi Campanario. We appear to have someone in every continent - bookmark it today for your drawing fix!

Posted by stupot at 09:36 PM Monday 20 Oct | Post comment (0) comments

maintain

Today I took a wee reminder in bike maintenance. The bike co-op does day training for few shekels and despite it taking up a full day of your weekend, I'd recommend to anyone. I was a bit concerned when we started by repairing a tyre - a well trodden area for me - but comfort zones were soon being challenged. Even in sections I did know about there was always one new thing I learned - be it adjusting the springs on cantilever brakes or tricks for tweaking gears. And some interesting technical terminology. Flange didn't even get a chuckle compared to some of the jargon.
Now I just need all the tools. And a stand. And patience.

Posted by stupot at 05:37 PM Sunday 19 Oct | Post comment (0) comments

the back streets

I like weaving between back streets in a city - as well as seeing how the place is serviced they are also a calm within the madness. Atholl crescent lane sits behind Shandwick place and the road mimics the curve of the more grand frontage. The lane looks a lot more like how the city would have looked a hundred years ago - few cars, few signs, little noise - at one point during rush hour all I could hear was a church bell. visually, the down pipes are just as prominent as the repetition of the gable ends - cobbles camber down to large stones which act like a gutter - I like the function.

Posted by stupot at 05:26 PM Sunday 19 Oct | Post comment (0) comments

the crawl

"Their bodies were obliterated. but the spirit held firm!"
I dare you not to laugh.

Posted by stupot at 08:30 PM Tuesday 14 Oct | Post comment (0) comments

arthur's seat

I think the reason Edinburgh is such a good place to live in is because it isn't really a city. Now the nights are drawing in, the 3 mile loop around Arthurs seat is becoming more and more of a useful route after work. 4 times round including getting to and from home allows for a good wind down. When you reach the top of the short, but sharp, climb you feel completely out of the city despite being at its centre. The views from the top are cracking - The city sits behind you as you climb - the moon was rising over the North sea and Denmark to my east tonight - beyond the Pentland hills to the south lies England and finally as you finish the plateau the ever present castle with sunset faces you to the west. There's greenery everywhere - or sea. It's why Edinburgh is known as a town despite being the capital city. At the weekends it only takes 20 minutes to be surrounded by fields and cattle. It's not a bad gaff.

Posted by stupot at 10:53 PM Monday 13 Oct | Post comment (0) comments