visual flaneur

I L L U S T R A T I O N S – inspired by aimless ramblings of the streets

How to celebrate in San Francisco May 28, 2012

Filed under: Locations,Miscellaneous,Paintings,Pen & Ink,Reportage Drawing,San Francisco,Urban Sketches,Watercolor — visualflaneur @ 10:55 am
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If you’re alive, you can’t be bored in San Francisco.

If you’re not alive, San Francisco will bring you to life.

- William Saroyan

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I think 2 recent events in the City show that:

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First, Bay to Breakers: A race from the San Francisco Bay to Ocean Beach on the other side of the City.  Early runners are followed by a hedonistic, costumed crowd turning the day into a big party.

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Residents along the route either watch the spectacle…

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…or take part by dancing on their roofs!

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A lot of thought goes into costumes…

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… and by the end of the day everyone is generally exhausted but happy.

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The second festival was Carnaval in the Mission this weekend. This multicultural celebration showcases the latin-american roots of many Mission residents with food, fair rides…

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…vendors selling Mexican Lucha Libre Wrestling Masks…

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…and  of course a big, colorful parade…

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with, amongst others, performers on stilts.

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What can I say – the Mission is a great place to be in San Francisco.

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Your visual flaneur

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…where I reflect on the human condition in my local bar May 13, 2012

Filed under: Locations,Miscellaneous,Pen & Ink,Reportage Drawing,San Francisco,Urban Sketches,Watercolor — visualflaneur @ 8:17 pm

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    ‘He who despairs the human condition is a coward,

     but he who has hope for it is a fool’

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- Albert Camus

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Tough stuff, but what does it mean to be human?

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There are some fundamental issues that define us; some pleasant, some not so; interestingly we think of them as highly intimate, personal matters.

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They are:

- a sense of curiosity

- the search for purpose

- the inevitability of isolation

- the fear of death

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When I recently sketched some patrons at a local bar, I couldn’t help but wonder which category they currently embraced…

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Mission – Revolution Cafe May 6, 2012

Filed under: Locations,Miscellaneous,Reportage Drawing,San Francisco,Urban Sketches — visualflaneur @ 10:00 pm
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I just stumbled across a reportage drawing I did there a while back at Revolution Cafe…

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Do you like it?

 

Mission Dolores March 28, 2012

Filed under: Locations,Miscellaneous,Pen & Ink,Reportage Drawing,San Francisco,Urban Sketches,Watercolor — visualflaneur @ 9:18 pm
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… another drawing of Mission Dolores. One weekend I found myself a spot in the sun and went for it. As simple as that.

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Enjoy!

 

…where I wrap up the trip to Mexico and Belize March 8, 2012

Filed under: Belize,Mexico,Miscellaneous,Paintings,Pen & Ink,Reportage Drawing,Urban Sketches,Watercolor — visualflaneur @ 11:42 pm
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Accommodation and means of transport are the unifying themes for this post:

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In Playa del Carmen (Mexico), Hostel Che isn’t a bad option to stay.  This guy was starting a mural on the rooftop bar – I wonder what it’ll look like when he has finished.

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From Playa del Carmen one can catch a ferry to Cozumel- quite popular with people.

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A few miles down the road from Playa del Carmen is famous Tulum ( still Mexico).

The hammock equipped hostel ‘Lobo Inn’ offers basic accommodation  for the flaneur minded.

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Inclusive bikes for the short trip to the beach…

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…and the Center.

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We got to Belize by bus. A bunch of private companies organize transportation in Belize. They all seem to agree: Old American School buses are the vehicle to use. Here one from the inside – I put only a fraction of the passengers in my drawing.

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In Hopkins (Belize) I can wholeheartedly recommend the  ‘Funky Dodo’. Right behind owner Will’s car on the left.

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Down the road, on the beach are some holiday apartments . I borrowed one of their club chairs and, enticed by the pelican statues, drew the place. I like how it turned out.

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That’s it from this trip. I hope it was worth sharing and you liked some of the visual notes.

More from San Francisco to come soon.

Your visual flaneur

 

…where I seperate locals from tourists on the trip through Mexico and Belize February 5, 2012

Filed under: Belize,Locations,Mexico,Miscellaneous,Paintings,Pen & Ink,Reportage Drawing,Urban Sketches,Watercolor — visualflaneur @ 6:51 pm
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My snoozing girlfriend – an omnipresent picture opportunity throughout the trip. Definitely in the tourist category.

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Sun bathers at the beach in Playa del Carmen (Mexico) -  many tourists and very few locals.

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Mariachis – Local (?) Mexican musician playing for tourists.  Mainly in restaurants.  Somehow I felt I was supposed to be enchanted when they blasted a completely unsolicited folk song in my ears. A real holiday challenge…

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Rose runs her food stand on Caye Caulker (Belize). If you are around you should try it out. Definitely local.

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A bunch of children in Hopkins (Belize) tried to charm us into giving them some money on New Years day.  Some inconsistencies in their answers (‘Who is the oldest of you?’) and consistencies (‘What do you want the money for?’ ‘Going to the show watching girls dance!’)  made me cling on to my money. Definitely local.

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A humbling experience when a kid you are drawing thinks what you are drawing is an ape. Oh well. Locals…

 

… where kids catch an octopus by my watering hole January 29, 2012

Filed under: Belize,Locations,Pen & Ink,Reportage Drawing,Urban Sketches — visualflaneur @ 10:44 pm
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In 1961 hurricane Hattie hit Belize and milled a 40 feet wide channel into the sandy grounds of  Caye Caulker’s north end . This ‘Split’ now separates the island from a stretch of land even further north.

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Looking on the bright side, a bar established itself at this quite scenic spot. Reggae tunes help you laugh in the face of adversity with a chilled drink in hands.

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Its a great place to hangout and watch local kids – like this 12year old proudly gutting an octopus he just caught with his harpoon…

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… and tourists ever so skeptical of anything outside their immediate expectations…

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Take care -
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Your visual flaneur.


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… where I juxtapose the picturesque (Mexico and Belize 2) January 21, 2012

Filed under: Locations,Miscellaneous,Paintings,Pen & Ink,Reportage Drawing,Urban Sketches,Watercolor — visualflaneur @ 9:53 pm
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Boats:

Colorful vessels (Playa del Carmen, Mexico) with smudged birds in the air…

… and grey seagulls with an attitude and a boat in the background (Caye Caulker, Belize).

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Panoramas:

 A beach view (Playa del Carmen, Mexico)…

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and a cityscape (Cancun, Mexico).

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Living by the sea:

A bungalow by the beach (Caye Caulker, Belize)…

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and a cabin on the water (Caye Caulker, Belize) …

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By the way, say you live on the water.

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One day you get up from your hammock and decide to take a little sunset cruise in your vessel. But wait, oh no – you are low on gas! Where to turn to in such an emergency? It’s good that you remember…

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… the gas station on the sea (Caye Caulker, Belize).

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… where I start hanging out January 11, 2012

Filed under: Belize,Information,Locations,Mexico,Pen & Ink,Reportage Drawing,Urban Sketches,Watercolor — visualflaneur @ 10:03 pm
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Don’t just do something. Sit there.

- Rinzai

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We flew into Cancun and went via Playa del Carmen and Tulum to Belize, around a little and back up. Rather than chronologically, I’ll serve you my trip based on themes. This first installment deals with my most essential holiday activity: ‘hanging out’.

Mexico is  just north of the illustration and we found it to be a prime spot for some serious snoozing …

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and hammock time…

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More to come …

 

…where I wish you a belated Happy New Year! January 8, 2012

Filed under: Miscellaneous,Pen & Ink,Reportage Drawing,San Francisco,Urban Sketches — visualflaneur @ 7:06 pm
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Happy New Year to everyone!

Over the holidays I have been traveling through Mexico and Belize and stayed away as far away as I could from any computers.

I think you are up for some treats as I scan what I produced and release it in bits to your inbox. If you haven’t yet signed up – it’s the button on the top right…

 

 
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