Sarah & Genevieve

I've been revisiting some of my work I did few months ago, discovering them as if they were from someone else. What was bothering back then seems to have vanished, with the memory of what I wanted them to be.  I haven't done life drawing since we landed in Shanghai. But have some opportunities ahead, I'm flying for 2 weeks in San Francisco, and I've already spotted some places I can drop in. I will try to do some landscape too.

Sarah 

Sarah

Genevieve

I don't know how to name this entry.

Thursday afternoon, the sun was playing hide and seek with me. I wanted to go out but a menacing cloud was hovering constantly. Stubborn as usual, I went out and took a cab. Apparently, the cloud was just above my condo, the rest of Singapore was bright and shiny. I sat down near Arab Street, ordered a lemonade, and start painting furiously. After an hour and 2 glasses, I wasn't happy at all with the result. I finished it the next morning, darkening and cooling the shadowed area. I also added some figures, they could have been done better.

This one was inspired by a photo I saw on fffffffound. It was a CCTV camera, with a big square on top of it, with two holes. The picture lingered in my mind for days... so I put down my version of CCTV Robot.

Marlene Inspired

Still in my mood for Hooks and McGinnis, I tried to reproduce a Marlene Dietrich b&w photo. I didnt try to go for the likeness. Gotta find another cheesy title for this one. For my next exercise I should try to tell a story within the frame.

Audran & Jin

That was the name of our booth at the Singapore Toy Game & Comic Convention . Thanks to everyone who came down there to support us, it was very cool to see you all. We had a lot of fun. It was very exciting to paint on the spot. After seeing some of pieces that I did there, i'm starting to think of illustrating a children book.

The Muse

Xu Hui came back yesterday. All I wanted to do during this session, was to capture her elegance and grace. It wasn't so much in the watercolors, but more on the underlying drawing, i tried to exagerrate some shape to enhance that aspect of her body. I felt the necessity of adding outlines later when everything was dry. I really like the effect of the flowing curves around her silhouette. To my art, she is the perfect muse.

I'm getting there.

Today I've done two pieces, the fist one, is a study after JS Sargent. Zattere Rio Eremite, Venice 1904. I understood many things while doing this piece, especially how water reflection need to be of a surgical precision. After this 30min test, my palette was wet, my arm was relaxed and my mind willing for another challenge, I looked at Sargent study of the Spanish Dancer, I started sketching it, but then I noticed my wife perfectly still working on her computer. Gotcha! I quickly erase my pencil lines, and started with swift movement a drawing of Joelle. Keeping in mind my friend Wayne's advise. "Speed and good drawing at the same time". After few minute, I was ok with the sketch, seeing some mistake but didnt want to retouch them. I rectify them during the watercolors pass. My main regret is the upper chest area, it should have been much brighter. I really like her gaze and her right shoulder, the soft gradient describing the volume. The likeness is quite there too. I'm very surprised. Oh by the way, today i tried a new set of colors too. After I got John Pike book on Watercolors, I changed my palette arrangement. I'v discovered the Thalo Blue. I really like it mixed with ultramarine, Burnt Sienna or Burnt Umber that's how I've done the hair.

Joelle, The Sleeping One

Natasha with Ink

I was browsing a previous sketchbook of mine and I found this sketch. Made in Annecy, about a year ago. I remembered how I liked this paper, and this is what I want to talk about. It's from Bee Paper Company in Oregon. AQUABEE SUPER DELUXE 808 11x14. I highly recommend it for light wash & nib drawing. The paper has a very pleasant velvet surface and prevent the water from soaking it. The water stays at the surface and you're free to drag the pigments with your brush. The floating pigments blend delicately. I couldnt find a place in singapore where I can get those pad. I guess I'll have to order them online.

Painting of the day.

I went out today, on my favorite spot around the lake in Annecy. I sat there 45 minutes. And here is the result of my doings. I kinda like it. I regret adding the smalls figures on the shore.
Still I think they add a little something. The sun was warm and golden, the snow on the mountain top, even at that distance, didn't felt cold at all.