Caricature Drawing Workshop at APAD

I volunteered a caricature drawing workshop at my art association, the Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya. Its a three hour session which was attend by only six person. I was a bit dissapointed at the small attendance because there was overwhelming enquiry for the course when it was published. Though small, we managed to have a good time and each of them got caricatured by me.

Throughout the year, I get numerous queries from the public requesting for me to conduct art courses for individuals. I have accumulated a long list of names . Sadly when the time comes that I announce a class, they never show up. So if you ever wondered why in the first place I am reluctant to accept individual students and only operate for schools and corporate events, its because I’d prefer to spend time with my wife and watch my kids grow rather than be stood up by strangers. Then again, if you really want to engage me for a session and can organise a crowd, we can discuss it.

This is not the first time I’ve had small audience or been stood up by students. For the love of art, I’ll do this again but only once a year. It used to be once a week in the past years but I gave up on being Mr. Nice. All proceeds for this workshop goes to the association.

Caricature Drawing at Art-A-Fair, Parkway Parade

It was too bright and hot when the sun shines through the atrium, that was why we drew in shades and hat. Cool hor!

Last weekend (8 & 9th March) was a busy one for me and Ruoshi. We participated in the Parkway Parade’s Art-A-Fair for the second time. This time we introduced speed colour caricature drawings on-the-spot, which was such a hit with the public that we ended up drawing non-stop from 10am-10pm. Customers were game for exaggerations and it was great fun for me to draw, good satifaction for the customers and entertaining for the other shoppers that pile up behind me and also peer down from the balconies upstairs.

Its official now. We launched our new logo at the fair.

There has been a steady increase in caricature commissions which I post here that it is distracting the contents of this art journal which document my art and art teaching activities. So I have decided to separate those posts to another blog. I will be posting all my commissioned caricatures at cartoon.sg. We’ll also have more pictures of this event there.

Most wanted man in Singapore: Mas Selamat Kastari

All news is on this man Mas Selamat Bin Kastari who escaped from an Internal Security detention facility on 27th February 08, 4.05pm. He is still at large nearing a week. He is the suspected leader of a terror cell that was uncovered after 9-11 for trying to sabotage public facilities. How he managed to escape has baffled authorities. Never have I seen such a massive manhunt. His mugshot is posted all over the place, even the telcos has sent out MMS of the photo to all its subscribers.

Singapore is a very densely populated place where it is almost impossible to avoid contact with people. How a high profile fugitive could elude detection this long is bizarre. As an artist, how could I contribute in this situation? I have read of research in UK proofing that caricatures are more effective at jolting peoples memory of a face than the existing police photofits system. Read the article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/nov/26/ukcrime.humanbehaviour

There are photographs of him off course, but a mild caricature seems to help in memorizing the features. Here is my quick take of the most wanted man in Singapore with watersoluble Graphitone.

Golfers joke: A birdie for birthday gift

This caricature was commissioned as a gift for a 21 year old golfer. His dear friends wanted to surprise him with a humorous gift and they explainded to me how the term ‘birdie‘ in golfing was derived. I did some research and got a clearer picture of the term for this gag. I hope my humour is not too cruel by having the bird hit with a golf ball in between the legs. Oouuch!

Caricature for back-to-school party concept

A team of insurance agents from Prudential comissioned this set of 21 caricatures for their upcoming dinner and dance with a back-to-school concept. I reminisced about my schooling days while doing this and thus managed to come out with 21 different poses to elaborate on the given theme. Too bad is was not done in colour.

I reminisced the days when I had hair and always playing truant.

Caricature of rider on BMW R1550 motorcycle

This is a farewell gift for a boss who rides a BMW bike. I hope I got the technicalities of the BMW R1550 right as I did not see the real thing and only worked from several photo references. Besides the usual challenge in caricature for achieving likeness of the face, this is also a caricature of an inanimate object. Through simplifying and exaggerating certain features of a motorcycle I was able to achieve an impression of the specific model. I bet he’d be riding away smiling, into the sunset with this gift in his leather jacket.

Valentine day gift for loving couple

Beginning to get orders to draw caricatures for Valentine day. It is good to plan ahead if you already have a ‘Steady’, so that the rest of your energy can be focused at being super extra romantic on the special day.

This couple specifically requested for an Audi R8 car and a host of other items around their caricatures.

Illustrations for BP Singapore Work Seminar

 

I was called upon to do a series of illustrations for BP (British Petroleum) Singapore. It was for a training seminar. They had a military theme and the training sessions would simulate a platoon briefings in a war zone. Hence they need someone to prepare field graphics which means urgent job and the finishing need not be very polished. There were several topics covered by numerous department heads which I interviewed individually and put their ideas into illustrations. Due to the confidentiality of this ‘military operation’, I can only show a few cropped samples here. I also did a spot illustration for an article in their newsletters. Its been ages since I last did an editorial spot illustration. I started out in 1993 as a freelance illustrator for several key magazines in Singapore. But I gave that up within a year to start and manage a graphic design company.

Chinese Lunar New Year Greetings.

Chinese lunar new year will be celebrated on the 7th of February 2008 to usher in the year of the mouse. We’ve had some orders for caricature illustration by corporations for their festive greetings. These days, that includes e-greetings sent out via email and SMSes. I penciled the concept and Ruoshi watercoloured this illustration for a department of AIG - a multinational financial institution.

A caricature greeting card is always a winner for any festive occasion. Caricatured greeting cards are highly personalised, it is light hearted and gives the receiver a good laugh as they try to recall the likeness.

Wishing one and all “Gong Xi Fa Cai”

Retirement gift for General Manager of TCS

Touch Community Services wanted a gift for their GM that is retiring. They wanted me to portray him as a great motivator and inspiring speaker.