Gate to the Great Buddah

Bagua Mountain, Changhua Taiwan. This is my daily cardiovascular workout area. I have lost count of how many times I have walked these steps. Just beautiful, especially in the evening. It is also a nice refuge during the hot summer months because the temperature here can be as much as 5-7 degrees cooler than down in the city. Love it!

Market Day

Everyday is market day in Changhua. I could sketch this place one thousand times and every time would be different. It's hustle and bustle to the nth degree. I love the energy and so many colors, smells and characters. Noodler's Ahab flex pen with carbon black ink and watercolor in a Moleskine watercolor journal.

Early Morning Rain

Early morning rain at a harbor in Kending, Taiwan. Taiwanese fishermen love to paint their boats in bright greens, blues and yellows. I didn't do the colors justice, but I wanted to capture that rainy day feeling. The sky cleared after forty-five minutes or so and it was a beautiful day. Noodler's Ahab flex pen with Noodler's black ink in a Molskine watercolor journal.

Taiwan Fishing Boat

An old Taiwan fishing boat tied up at a harbor in Kending Taiwan. What caught my eye was the very narrow frontal perspective. It looked so top heavy, I expected it to topple over. There must be quite a large mass below the waterline to balance it. This particular boat has seen better days but still earns it's money by going out every night to catch what the sea will offer. Such brave men-these fishermen. Noodler's Ahab flex pen with Carbon black ink in a Molskine watercolor journal. Color washes were added after I had finished sketching the three views. Don't know why I drew the front view so small-maybe to emphasize how really, really small the bottom was.

Anything and Everything

The Changhua City open air market. You can buy anything here from a pencil sharpener to exotic tropical fruit. You need to keep your head on a swivel because the motorcycle and foot traffic can get crazy at times. Noodler's Ahab flex pen with Noodler's black ink and watercolor in a Molskine watercolor journal.

Down in Front Please

A group of young people performing in front of the Taichung train station in Taichung, Taiwan. The woman on the left was close enough to be part of the group. Some people just don't have a clue! Rotring ArtPen with Noodler's black ink,Inktense pencils, Prismacolor colored pencils and watercolor in a Molskine watercolor journal.

Roadside Fruit

My wife and I took a couple of days R&R to the Guguan Hot Springs area for some soul soothing hot soaks. On the way, we noticed this vender and my wife wanted to stop and see what he had. Poor guy didn't have much and my wife felt sorry and bought way too much. What made me want to sketch this was the fact that the truck had "POWER STEERING" written on the side door. Why would a manufacturer even put that on a vehicle. It's ugly and useless. Don't all trucks have power steering these-days. Would this be a selling point if you where looking for a small utility truck. Whatever the reason, it struck me funny so I sketched it. Noodler's Ahab flex pen with Noodler's black ink on a Moleskine watercolor journal.

Just Enough Water for a Scenic Boat Cruise on Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan

China tourists buying tickets for a scenic cruise on Sun Moon Lake. Taiwan is experiencing a severe water reserve shortage, but the show must go on. Maybe if the water gets low enough they can put wheels on the bottom of the boats. Noodler's Ahab flex pen with Noodler's black ink in a Molskine watercolor journal.