This is a worm’s eye view of the iconic Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. See how the towers appear to slope gently inward as they get higher? That’s because there’s a vanishing point somewhere way up in the sky. This interesting perspective also features lively color, particularly at the lower levels, and it feels appropriate that the pen marks and color seem to fade out as the towers get higher.
Above, Hakym takes on much of the Kuala Lumpur skyline in a double-page spread. From left to right you can see the towers in relation to other landmarks, the KL Tower and the Istana Budaya cultural venue. Quirkily drawn buildings, gentle color, plenty of foreground interest and subtle splashes make for a delightful sketch.
This offers a very different approach to Hakym’s other Petronas Towers sketch, opposite. I love the intense darks of the foreground trees, the limited color palette and the splashes. The use of just two colors and the concentration of color in the base of the towers, which are silhouetted against a white sky, really draws our eye to the towers as the focal point of the sketch. What’s not to admire?
Of the four sketches featured on this page, this gives the clearest idea of the height and proportion of the 88-story Twin Towers—up until 2004, the tallest buildings in the world. It’s hard to believe the Skybridge connects them at the 41st and 42nd floors! This is another example of a drawing where color isn’t really required. The pen shading (“hatching”) gives a real sense of the articulation of the faceted towers.