I spent a number of years of my life living in Epping and earlier this week I had a spare 1.5 hours to explore its streets.

I haven’t been back since I left 7.5 years ago, and there have been a lot of changes. Not one of the 3 cafes or the 3 Thai restaurants that I used to frequent is still there, and some parts of Epping are a little rundown, which is a little sad. However, I think it’s more interesting to sketch!

I did this mixed media sketch in about 20 minutes of the shops along Langston Place with some background highrise. I really enjoyed doing this – loosely making marks with Neocolors, Poscas and my fude pen.

Earlier, I sketched in a cafe called Common Coffee…

and later that day, I drew a map documenting the areas I explored and all the things that are no longer there.

I also did a little digging into the archives of this blog and have put together a few of my sketches from Epping. They date from the first few years after I left my full-time job as an architect, and it’s amazing the memories and feelings that these sketches evoke.

Buildings along Oxford St

A few churches

Morning Coffees

Local Houses

I would like to return to Epping again soon, walk down more memory lanes and do some more sketching!