Sketching in Hong Kong

A watercolor illustration of a street scene featuring a small shop with a person sitting at a table reading a newspaper. The shop has tools, bicycles, and various items on display, with trees and a sidewalk in the background.

Published Oct 19, 2025.

Over the past few years, I have created drawings on-site using ink and watercolours. These pieces capture moments from everyday life and highlight places that I found intriguing enough to document on paper.

Hong Kong is a vibrant metropolis with a diverse range of atmospheres—from the concrete jungle of skyscrapers to the hustle and bustle of crowded streets, as well as its beautiful beaches and remote, tranquil valleys. It's a magnificent place to practice urban sketching.

I hope you like these drawings.

A colorful watercolor sketch of a busy street corner market with red awnings, people shopping, and buildings with murals and posters in the background.

A live sketch of the North Point Wet Market. Watercolour and ink on Moleskine paper. Private collection.

A watercolor painting of a traditional Chinese pavilion with curved roof lines, nestled among lush trees and rocks, with a small waterfall and pond in the foreground.

A view of the pond in the park where Kowloon Walled City was located. Watercolour and sepia ink on Moleskine paper. Private collection.

Watercolor painting of traditional Japanese temple buildings with tiered roofs, surrounded by trees and pink flowering bushes, with stone lanterns and a fenced garden area.

Chi Lin Nunnery is a very special Buddhist complex featuring a large courtyard adorned with bonsai trees, ponds, and lotuses in Diamond Hill. I brought my portable chair, as I do on other occasions, to work on this drawing. However, they didn't allow me to sit while drawing, so I had to complete it while standing, which wasn't a problem for me. I used watercolour and ink in a Moleskine notebook.

Watercolor illustration of an outdoor market stall with steps leading up to it. There are three people standing on the steps, one with a backpack looking at the stall, and two others a woman in a pink skirt and a man in a light shirt. The market stall is covered with green and striped awnings and has various boxes, bags, and items stacked around. The background shows an urban setting with buildings.

Swatow Street in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Watercolour and ink.

A watercolor painting of a small street-side restaurant with outdoor seating. There are people sitting at tables and a man standing near the entrance. The restaurant has a red awning, red hanging lamps, and various signs on the storefront. A street sign with a 'no entry' symbol is visible in the center.

Butcher shop in Tai Hang, one of Hong Kong's most charming neighbourhoods. Although some traditional businesses have sadly disappeared—like this butcher shop—many new establishments are cool restaurants and cafes.Watercolour and ink on Hannemühle paper.

Watercolor painting of a small harbor with boat, surrounded by stilt houses and buildings with laundry hanging, set against a mountain backdrop.

Boat in Tai O, a fishing village on Lantau Island, with marsh and tin houses. A place worth visiting. Watercolour and ink on a Moleskine sketchbook. Private collection.

Watercolor painting of a traditional Chinese courtyard entrance with a tiled roof, potted plants, and a brick wall.

Wan Chai Pak Tai Temple. Watercolour and ink.

A watercolor sketch of an alleyway with a dilapidated building. It shows outdoor furniture, carts, and a covered area against the building, with laundry and air conditioning units added to the scene.

An alley in the Tai Hang district. One of Hong Kong's very typical and picturesque alleyways. Private collection.

A traditional Chinese temple entrance decorated with red lanterns, red doors, and Chinese characters on banners and signs. There are two chairs on the steps leading up to the temple and some people sitting inside.

Yaumatei Ting Hau Temple, Chinese Lunar New Year Day. Watercolour and ink on Stillman & Birn paper. Private collection.

A watercolor sketch of a traditional Chinese temple entrance with lanterns, red banners, and a person burning incense inside.

Rock Temple in Tai Hang. Watercolour and ink on Hannemühle paper.

A watercolor style illustration of a street scene featuring a small outdoor shop with a man reading a newspaper at a table. There are bicycles parked outside and shelves filled with various items above the shop. The scene includes trees and a sidewalk, with Chinese characters on a red sign above the shop.

Old shop in Shap Pat Heung North, Yuen Long. Watercolour and ink. Private collection.

Watercolor sketch of a multi-story building with balconies, surrounded by green trees, under a cloudy sky.

Tiled house in Mui Wo. Ink and watercolour on Fabriano paper.

Watercolor of an old cemetery with tombstones, surrounded by leafless trees and fallen autumn leaves on the ground, with a winding path.

An outdoor sketch at the old Happy Valley Cemetery. Watercolour and ink on Hannemühle paper.

Watercolor painting of a lakeside scene with boats, mountains in the background, and a dock with a pergola structure with people underneath.

Sai Kung view. Watercolour and ink. Private collection.

A hand-drawn sketch of a damaged building with debris, a flag with Chinese characters, and a tent on the roof.

Barricade at Admiralty during the 2014 protests—live sketch with ink on paper.

A busy street scene featuring people walking, shopping, and standing under umbrellas. There are market stalls, fruit on display, and various storefronts in an urban setting with Asian signage.

Scene at Central, next to the escalator. Live drawing. Ink and watercolour.

A crowded street scene with a green tram approaching, surrounded by shops and pedestrians, with signs in Chinese and yellow awnings.

Tram terminus in North Point. Live sketch on a Moleskine sketchbook with watercolour and ink.

A busy city street scene during rain with pedestrians holding umbrellas, parked cars lining the street, storefronts with various signs, and a wet sidewalk with steps.

Raining in Sheung Wan. Live sketch on Hahnemühle paper with watercolour and ink. Private collection.

Watercolor painting of a person sitting on steps outside a building with traditional Chinese lantern hanging above. The person has gray hair, is wearing a gray jacket and yellow pants, and appears to be lost in thought. Red Chinese signs are visible on the building wall.

A beggar begging for alms on the steps of Tin Hau Temple in Tai Hang. Watercolour and ink on Moleskine paper.

A watercolor illustration of a narrow urban alleyway, featuring apartment buildings with laundry hanging outside, potted plants, bicycles, and a green canopy shading part of the street.

An Alley in Sai Kung. Watercolour and ink on Moleskine paper.

A watercolor painting of a garden scene featuring a brick and stone entrance with classical columns, alongside a decorative brick and stone railing adorned with potted plants and flowers, with lush green trees in the background.

A corner of the University of Hong Kong.Watercolour and ink.

A watercolor painting of a busy beach scene with people swimming, sunbathing, and walking along the shore, with hills and boats in the background.

Shrek O Beach. Live sketch.

A watercolor sketch of a narrow alleyway with buildings on both sides, potted plants, baskets, and a colorful striped fabric hanging overhead on a string, with two people walking in the distance.

An alley in Kowloon City. A scorching hot day. On-site sketch. Watercolour and ink on Hunnemile paper. Private collection.

A watercolor and ink sketch of a brick building with three stories, decorated windows, and greenery surrounding it, including potted plants at the foreground.

The old Science Medicine Centre, now a museum. Watercolour and ink.

Various small boats docked at a harbor, some covered with tarps and equipment, water reflecting the boats, watercolor painting style.

Boats full of junk at Kwun Tong Tsai Wan. Watercolour and sepia ink on Moleskine.

A watercolor painting of a tall sailing ship docked at a harbor, with masts and rigging visible, and a small boat nearby in the water.

A replica of the Bounty, Captain James Cook's ship, moored at Discovery Bay. Watercolour and ink. Private collection.

A watercolor street scene with houses, trees, and a person standing on the sidewalk.

Winter in Sai Kung. Watercolour and ink on Moleskine sketchbook.

A watercolor painting of a busy urban street scene with shops, parked cars, and a variety of buildings. There are signs with Chinese characters, potted plants, and a wooden table with chairs outside a shop.

Sun Chunt St in Tai Hang. Watercolour and sepia ink.

A watercolor painting of a beach scene with a tree on the left, rocks along the shoreline, and an ocean with gentle waves. In the background, there are hills or mountains with a misty sky.

Shek O beach in winter. Watercolour and ink on Moleskine sketchbook.

A colorful sketch of a busy urban street scene with multistory buildings, laundry hanging, and people walking past a cafe.

Sai Kung Promenade in the Chinese Lunar New Year. Watercolour and ink.

A watercolor painting of a narrow urban alleyway filled with air conditioning units, pipes, and cluttered buildings on either side, viewed from an elevated perspective.

Alley in Fortress Hill. Watercolour and ink.

Rainy day scene at a bus stop with five people seated and people walking with umbrellas in the background.

Women sheltering from the monsoon rain in Sai Kung.

A lively outdoor market with vendors selling fruits like bananas, oranges, apples, and other produce under a canopy with crowd of shoppers.

North Point market. Watercolour and ink pen.

Watercolor painting of boats docked at a harbor with mountains in the background.

Sai Kung port in Winter. Watercolour and ink.

Watercolor painting of an old building with stairs leading to an entrance, a flower pot with orange flowers, and Chinese characters on a sign above the door.

A portal of a Sai Kung house. Watercolour and ink. Private collection.

All the illustrations displayed on this page are original drawings created on-site.

A watercolor illustration of a busy street scene with a green tram, pedestrians, and market stalls with yellow and red signs.

Thanks for the visit!

Portraits and other drawings with pigment and sumi-e ink.