It all happened when there was a sketchwalk at Tiong Bahru - this led to many more sketchwalks in the evenings at the same place in preparation for a gallery show organized by White Gallery. We were there this evening to have tea with the gallery owner and to have a preview of the exhibition at the same time. To our surprise, there are already pieces sold and some reservations. We were pretty excited to see the sketches framed and displayed. We are gonna have a swell party and reception on Wed night. Come join us if you happen to see this post.

[caption id="attachment_1315" align="alignleft" width="512" caption="Tiong-Bahru,-White-Canvas-Gallery"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1306" align="alignnone" width="476" caption="Tiong Bahru on brown paper"][/caption]

That day was a hot day- that's all i remembered. It was so hot I couldn't really think. Nevertheless, we got together to sketch under a shady spot, with canned lime drinks and coke to quench our thirst. We laid out our materials and before we could even get started, we saw what each other brought with them. I saw Paul's brown pastel paper and decided to give it a try with watercolor and ink. It took the ink well but it was pretty hard to paint. The result was not satisfactory, until Paul showed me his crayons and I gave it another try. So I added spots of colors to bring out the texture and woh, it was worth the try.

And the following is the video taken and edited by Kat;

:P

So why am I drawing "cute" versions of me all these while? Well, I am testing out something for a journal book - one that I would illustrate about my life and my experiences as an artist. Not thinking whether it would sell or not, but it is something I have been thinking for some time now. Do it or never!!

Found some newsprint pad and started doodling some comics journal.

Character Design for the various mobile OS.

My first Dr Sketchy Session. Just what is Dr Sketchy: Read more here. If you are too lazy to surf the Net, here's an excerpt - "Dr. Sketchy's is the little Brooklyn event that became a movement. Founded in 2005 by artist Molly Crabapple, Dr. Sketchy's asked a simple question. Why can't drawing naked people be sexy?" Dr Sketchy is life drawing but more than just nude models and serious sketching. Models are usually beautiful burlesque performers, and including bizarre circus acts, and rippling hunks of man-flesh. They are then let loose on stage to release the artist in the artists! In between each round of sketching our larger-than-life models you get a chance to grab a drink get comfortable and take in some of the finest burlesque, comedy, music, poetry and quirky cabaret performances the big smoke has to offer.

Dr Sketchy isn't about being an amazing artist, as long as you can put pencil to paper and move it around that's good enough for us and you never know you might just unleash that artist inside.

It's what art classes would be if the class was let loose in the Moulin Rouge.



Hopefully this is okay to appear on Facebook. Anyway I did some similar life drawing sessions but not Dr Sketchy when I was living in Glendale. Dr Sketchy was held in LA but it is a 40 mins drive to town whereas the one I went was organized by Pasadena Art Center's professor for the working artists living in the Burbank and Glendale area. Models are clothed too. You can see the events here - Glendale Drawing Club. When I was heading back home last year, I wished there is something like this, but little did I know that there is already Dr Sketchy in Singapore. Well this is the result of a 3-hour life drawing session.

[caption id="attachment_1233" align="alignleft" width="554" caption="Toa Payoh North Canteen"][/caption]

The pic said it all.
Anyway I did this not long ago, the date was May 22, but only to manage to scan it last night and post it on the blog. Just wanna say sketching has been the link between the world and myself ever since I have started journal sketching and got to like it a lot. It is not just all about creating the best looking artwork on an expensive sketchbook, but it is a way of keeping tab of your life as well. Like I said before I was really inspired by Danny Gregory who started a group and published a book called "Everyday Matters" - a memoir about his wife’s accident and how he learned to draw - a must read. Visit his website and get inspired. A sketch journal can be anything. It doesn't need the best looking artwork or drawing; it can be your lunch, something you collected or even your thoughts about a place. Whenever I sketched, i told myself it is not going to be a good drawing, so it looses me to be free and gives me the courage to make mistake and learn from it - after all it is my personal diary. "The beauty of a sketch journal is that you are creating an illuminated journal" -- Hannah Hinchman.