Japan Sketchbook #1: Sunday in the Park with Charcoal

Eavesdrawing the patrons of Kyoto's Maruyama Park

September 18, 2024
Maruyama Park, Kyoto

Wandering through the steaming hot Maruyama Park today, I stopped to make a few sketches, snapped some photos for drawing later, and got very excited about some new charcoal ink I’d been gifted from my artist friend, Yoshi-san.

I settled in the hotel room at night for a sketch session, (with a little taste of Japanese Whiskey for inspiration.) — A young family dress in kimonos for a family portrait. An old man gets drunk alone on a secluded rock. A coffee shop that prohibits photos has the best-caffeinated beverages in Japan. A raw egg on my lunch is a hue I’ve never seen an egg take. I meet my newest friend at a visit to a micro-pig café. Enjoy.

newyorkcartoons

A post shared by @newyorkcartoons

Ronny Chieng was texting me at random hours with recommendations of places to go while in Kyoto. He said there was this really nice little coffee place he found underground, but it prohibits photos. So, I took a mental picture and drew it. It was such a nice vibe.

What I did not know is that at that moment, Ronny was texting me from his seat at the Emmys. (He won!)

The Egg on my lunch was so luminous I thought they’d injected it with ink. Nope! Just a really healthy chook.

This is my new friend, Mocha. She is a micro-pig.