Letting Go

I usually don't draw the same image twice. It's a rare occurrence for me to redraw a piece and so far I've only ever done it with The Tree of Dreams. But this is starting to change as I begin to open myself up to explore a particular image in different perspectives. This change was a result of my interest in sustaining a series of work that has a unifying theme! Letting Go was a small pen drawing on card coloured with colour pencils. My intention was to capture a moment of release, to let go of burdens and be carefree. The first instance of Letting Go had a little girl in a mushroom and toadstool grove and a sleeping cat and was created in 2010.

I was not fully satisfied with how the first drawing was finished and felt it would be interesting to revisit the drawing again in 2014. This was one of the first drawings I worked on since moving back to Penang in March of 2014. Instead of smooth card the second drawing was done on 300gsm cold press watercolour paper. I've placed the composition in a circle as I found it easier to contain the composition in this manner. The toadstool grove has grown, and a sleeping cat, little frog and steampunk seahorse now accompanies the girl. She has also grown up somewhat!

Sketch and the beginnings of inking.

The inking was done using Staedtler Pigment markers 

which was also used to ink the first drawing in 2010.

I had begun to work more with watercolours since 2012, and have gradually improved my skills. I would build up colour through many layers of wash and the cold press paper made it possible to do so. For this piece I used a 24-colour watercolour set by Schmincke for the first time. I liked this set for the way I am able to get a brilliant finish with the colours.

First wash tends to be very light as I begin blocking in colour.

Colouring is a slow and painstaking process in order to ensure the composition

stays balanced and stands out at the right places.

As each spot is filled up it becomes easier to choose the remaining

colours to fill in the rest!

I enjoy a saturated colour palette and placing complementary colours next to one another!

The finished piece!

The drawing was begun around March 2014 and completed in November 2014. Compositionally I feel this piece is stronger than the first drawing as the circular format really draws your eye into another world of fantasy and make-believe. Perhaps I will draw the same image again at a different time of my life and see how the picture has evolved! :)

REstart - New Banner and look!

For a long while I had shifted by base of operations to my Facebook Page and Instagram. I had considered retiring this blog but never got around to doing it. I guess I have some sentimentality especially when it comes to posts documenting my creative process - it reminds me of how far I've come and how much further I can go. More than a year has passed since my last post, I've graduated with my MA, moved back to Malaysia, and am seriously building my career as a professional artist! So I'm glad I kept this blog, perhaps it may inspire some who also intend to pursue their dreams despite practical advice on how life should be lived. Somehow it is working out for me, so I'll continue to share my journey here!

So first things first, is to change the design from the clunky flipcard template to this simpler one. It looks better to me! Second is to update the banner! The previous banner was a funky neon design, which I still love but does not fit with the current theme.

Banner from 2011-2014

The new banner!

Hope you like the new design! I've managed to keep the rainbow colours but toned them down a bit. I'm beginning to use colours more and more in my art, especially watercolours!

New badges for Behance, Facebook and Society6

In addition I've also created new badges that link to my galleries on Behance, Facebook and Society6! Go to Behance for large, scrumptious views of my black and white drawings, while my Facebook is catered to my custom papercutting and illustration commissions. I've also got a few art prints for sale on Society6! Go check them out!

The Adventure, Pixie Storytime and The Dreaming Treehouse

It's been a long while since the last update... I was caught up with completing my thesis on painting style in Brunei. Now that the writing's been done, I've finally got the time to reconnect with my drawings once more!!! It's the most beautiful feeling ever :)

'The Adventure' is based on how I'm feeling with my life becoming more of an adventure than being stuck in drudgery. Though I'd love for my life to be like my drawings, I've learned to accept this reality for what it is and still carry that spark of the other place within my heart constantly. This is what keeps me enthusiastic and inspired for the next day!

I've always wanted to draw a scene where you are led from a hill in the foreground to the wide ocean in the distance. The possibilities are out there!

Closer look at the girl and the jaguar. These characters are inspired by the people I meet in my life :)

'Pixie Storytime' is a small watercolour piece in progress. A peaceful moment in time.

Lastly it's 'The Dreaming Treehouse'! Drew this a while ago, finally getting on with the colouring! Sometimes I'd find this one colour, texture of background that can get a drawing rolling and it feels awesome when things fall into place :)

Colour My World :)

I've been discovering the joys of watercolours hehe! I've felt the need to begin experimenting with colour more and more, it's simply the next stage in the evolution of my drawings. So here we GO!!! :D

'Eva' is the one that started it off way back in July this year. It's an A5-sized drawing, I'd wanted to try out some new markers on a base of watercolour. Had some issues controlling  the intensity of the markers, but it was a fun exercise!

Everything seemed too strong, especially on the giant, blue cat. Well, try and learn! It is still unfinished at this point.

The 'Melancholy Dragon Hut', or 'Eric's Home', with markers hehe :) That's pretty much it for colour in this piece. I want it to be kind of a bleeding effect, the lines and black and white still takes precedence over colour.

Detail from 'House of Masks'. Similar concept as Eric's Home, where colour just highlights certain elements of the drawing. When I first conceived the drawing I never intended for colour to be part of it and I think it kind of shows.

'House of Masks', detail of the Rubik's Pyramid and blue door.

Onward to the watercolour pieces! Drew this in Penang in June and began colouring in July.

The Peaceful Bonsai - in progress. Colouring had stalled from July, but I believe things are going to move now! I was frustrated by the dullness of the watercolours I had, it was a very old set :/ Also the colour range was quite limited.

 Detail of sleeping child in the 'Peaceful Bonsai'. A4-sized drawing.

The newest one, 'The Cat Tree' for CAS's art exhibition at Rainforest Gallery in November. I bought a new set of colours that gave me the range I needed. I really had fun here! :D What's left is to colour in the cats and kids!

Learning colour is a big shift for my drawings. I have a huge backlog of line drawings that are crying out for colour and I believe now I can go and finish them! :) One that comes immediately to mind is Birds of a Feather and The Girl and the Monster. And there are a few more new drawings that I haven't uploaded yet!!! Hahahaha!

Melancholy Dragon Hut

After looking back and re-evaluating where my drawings could go, I realized that what I''ve been drawing so far were imaginary landscapes and well...I've been imposing how I feel on these external views. Not sure how to say it but what I really want to explore now are my insides, my thoughts, emotions and spirit.

I really love doll houses and models, so I was inspired one day to 'hey, let's draw interiors!'. So this is the first of my foray inside my inside lol! Not a very happy one, then again that's how I was feeling. But it was fun to work with the depth and the surface patterning of the clouds to convey a sense of oppression. I was feeling trapped in my head and my little apartment.

I hope later drawings will be more fun with imagination types but the common theme would be exposing truths about family and relationships to me. Thank you for staying with me on my journey so far and I hope you enjoy this new phase of my travels! :D

...and I've also resolved to talk less and let my drawings do the talking! :p