From the sketchbook.

I have a Hanoi trip coming up, I don't know what compelled me to pick Vietnam when initially I wanted to go to Phnom Penh. I am looking forward to purely explore and shoot and thought that I should revive my stencil project once again since I've been unintentionally neglecting it for awhile. So here are a some intended stencils.

From the sketchbook

It's always hard to resist buying sketchbooks or notebooks. Especially when it comes with smooth paper. Moleskine books are always great but they are pricey. And especially those big ones. So i got an alternative by Daler Rowney. I had intentions of buying an A5 sized notebook, but figured I needed more space, so I got it in A4 to devote more time to working on my hand lettering.

These were the first in my new sketchbook.

Walls & Wieners and hidden texts.

Last weekend, I made my first wall attempt at the Walls & Wieners event held at The Substation organised by RSCLS.

I had always wanted to try my hand at bigger scale versions of my typo ever since I bought my very first cans (x2) of Montana paint on a whim on my last KL trip. I, however, didn't use them on Sunday cos I thought I'd probably waste it. Then I thought I'd use wall paint and do hidden text, but I woke up on Sunday and it was raining dinosaurs, so I got myself some jumbo markers instead and thought I'd just wing it.

sketches.

hidden text (elitist)

The back wall.

I was too shy for the back wall, so I took a wee space in the alley. Did a hidden text piece. Limpeh (meaning "your father"), cos SKL0 had stuck her sticker on the pipe, and like I said, I was winging it and it was the first word to pop in my head. Oh, yeah and I had pink and purple markers with me too so  I drew a little on the door but I, later thrashed it cos I didn't like it too much. So, well, I hope to upgrade myself to aerosols and wall paint soon if another opportunity comes up.

Can you believe it's already mid October??

More of The Reveal

Just happened to start simple text in colors using acrylic markers. This stemmed or still could be part of The Reveal series, just trying thing out. 

Sometimes you feel the need to be somewhere else

Did this last night while watching The Fighter and then Tangled. I know. Yes. Tangled. I needed something to ease off the drama from The Fighter. I thought Amy Adams was brilliant in that one. But maybe cos she was a tough chick. And Mark Wahlberg? Is it just me, or does he always get cast as a bad ass softie? The tough guy with alot of heart? Or maybe it's that voice. 

Can you feel it? 

Good vibrations. Sweet...sen..sa..tion. 

Try Hard Everyday & Majulah Yourself

It's the nation's birthday. I watched the parade on tv and cringed when the commentator said his congratulatories to the olympic medal winners of Singapore. Firstly, I don't pay much attention to the Olympics. Secondly, the players were China born. I have nothing against the Chinese really, but when you regard a win like this; a nation's pride, it's just sad. Regardless, whether or not, he or she is a citizen. Cos in my opinion, whether whoever reading this, likes it or not, you ought to be a pure born and bred singaporean. But oh well...

We just have to keep trying hard everyday to prove not to everyone but to ourselves that we are as great and worthy to be on this earth and to be in this fast paced country. 

We are great, because we try. Hard every single day. 

I'll be putting this up for sale on my Etsy really soon. It's in A3 size.

Another drawing I did today. Majulah means onward and I took it from the national anthem Majulah Singapura(Onward Singapore). But really, onward yourself. 

Believe without doubt.

You know, I was just getting into the groove of things. I did this just few hours after I was done with the first(previous entry). It's just really therapeutic. Almost mindless but not. 

Eversince the year started, the one resolution I made was to MAKE MORE ART. And I stand attest to that. I have been. I try with my busy schedule. In recent weeks, it's almost become an anxiety. A need to do something when I get home from work. I should be sleeping. The spark is there and I should take action. I used to always say that "I don't have the time etc, etc" and my conscience replies "Make Time." I just have to keep moving to keep this flow going. Hard work always pays off eventually, right?

Stop thinking too much.

So my earlier sketches have evolved into this. This was done while having a corned beef sandwich in the other hand and being mindful not to drop any bits unto the paper. I believe this has become the new "pattern" or style(maybe) to work with. It's been a gradual move from the triangular patterns that I had been working with for the past two years. This has more fluidity and movement and works well with the cursive type. I've likened to calling this my "hand cramp" (proper grammar would have it be "cramped hand" but I'm Singaporean, so it works better this way) series. 

Doodley googley

It started out with this one.A few curves that turned into lines and into a bunch of lines and it started to form. And I worked with it for two other sketches below. And that's pretty much all I had time for this week.

*I need a better camera. I promise to get one soon!!

Be (silently) Brave, Not Sorry.

I just downloaded the blogger app for the iPhone. I admit, I do everything with my iphone. Especially so, cos I don't have a mac at home. Well, I do. The ol' powerbook G4. But I only use it for emergency work.

Anyway, it'll be easier to update from now on. I drew this last night. Its about having the quiet determination to do certain things so you won't regret not doing them.

Laters.

I will not give up

It's been a rough couple of weeks at work, what with the long hours and constant stare downs with the mac screen. I try to fit in a drawing or two when I can or when I'm inspired to. And sometimes, they're quick processes cos i think about it when I'm on the journey home and get right down to it once I do reach home. Drawing, like walking (yes, I like walking) is very therapeutic for me.

Anyhoo, I drew this in an hour or so. Mainly to make my stand that eventhough, I feel like I might just break at work, I will not give up. 

February

Time really does fly. Especially when you're busy. My job has kept me that way and it's coming to the end of my second month. The hours are long but the people I work with keep me sane. In fact, I think we keep each other sane. It's hard to do personal work but I try to keep doodling. I try to feed my mind with new ideas, I have a bunch of links left open on Safari at work which I go to in between assignments. Just to keep the mind alive. I hardly get on the computer when I get home, cos all I would do is head straight to bed and sleep and force myself to get up the next morning. I've fallen into the routine of working my butt off from Mondays to Fridays and sleeping in just a little longer on Saturdays before heading out to see the world during the day. I try to make sure my Sundays are spent at home with my family, even if it is infront of the tv. Thank goodness for cable.

Here are a couple of shots I've posted on Instagram.

Some stuff I drew/doodled/worked on.

I finally used the calligraphy pen I bought a year ago.I started a photography series involving Max called Where the wild things at? #wherethewildthingsat

That's all for now.