Sold out tickets of my workshop for kids tomorrow!

Hi, children and friends,
Thank you for booking in. I'll see "30 children."
Exciting! Let's have fun.
See you soon!
BTW, we've skipped spring and got into summer?!! It went up to 28 degrees.

When:

1st Oct 2014 11:00am-12:00pm

Where:
Parramatta City Library Parramatta

Contact:
Parramatta City Library on 9806 5159

Cost:
$3

Artist Sadami Konchi will be demonstrating to young people the process of painting watercolour artwork, from a sketch to the end product.

Suitable for ages 8-12 years.

Registration Information

REGISTRATION TYPE	REMAINING	SALES END	PRICE	FEE	QUANTITY
Child ticket	Sold Out	1d 9h 55m	$3.00	$0.00	Sold Out

Sold out tickets of my workshop for kids tomorrow!

Youtube Wesley Building Dreams (u can c me in action)

Oh, my, Friends, exclusive! I'm in Youtube! Quite a short video. If you like, you could share time with us.
"Meet the Artist (3:54),"  My lovely students and me.
"Welsey building dreams -- about the art exhibition (2:00)"
Not the easy project, but I also really enjoyed it. My most struggle was how to let my students take initiative, find joy and gain self-esteem. All my students experienced watercolour for the first time in their lives. They tended to be very passive at the beginning. A wonderful changing process was that the students began to enjoy watercolour more and more, even without me, a teacher! Yey!!!! The students learned not to rely on a third party, but they've found they were the agencies of lives. You see in Youtube, the students show gorgeous colours and draw freely! The participants have all found new confidence and enthusiasm for watercolour through  the sessions on the program. My clients sublimated their uniqueness into beauty and created interesting art work. The result was the incredible pop up exhibition. Certainly, my gifted students painted their dreams.  

... after the last session, when all the students were gone and I became alone in a room, I cried in joy...

 Our Uni Lecturer 

If anyone have difficulty in their lives, please pass on this post . You're not alone and deserve to be happy. You have the same rights to enjoy art and life! Also, art  is a wonderful communication methods and universal language. Everyone can understand each other.  

  

Thank you Wesly Mission for giving me the wonderful opportunity to share time with talented people. They have the great potential, I have no doubt. 

Also, thank you for everyone who has been encouraging me and supporting Wesley and me. In particular, thanks for Blogger Friends. Your big cheers helped me to carry it out. 
I heartily hope our little work will make a bit our world better... 

Oh, yes! Come over my watercolour workshop. Children aged between 8 and 12 years @ Parramatta library,  on 1st October,11am-12pm. $3 per person. To book, please contact the library, 9806 5159. Let's have fun!!

Friends, Happy Painting! Let's share joy!! 

Youtube Wesley Building Dreams (u can c me in action)

1) Wash & Timing 2) 2015 Book Launch, Exhibitions, Author Talks

Hi, Friends, I'm enjoying a new interesting project for publication.
While working on it, I play with washes. If you love washes, I'll post them more. Any feedback is welcomed and appreciated.

1) Wash & Timing
This work (A4) was absolutely fun! Timing is critically important. Sounds contradicted though, being "spontaneous" is, in fact, a carefully planned job in a loose style. Especially, in wet-in-wet, if you can find the appropriate moment when to add a colour, sure, you'll be a winner of a loose style. 
In this work, I left only a bird blank and started up a first wash all over the paper. All wet. Then, I kept on adding paints and moved them around on the paper. It's thrilling to balance between a half-wet paper and adding paints. There's a "time" in watercolour under heaven. 

(*That paper was originally used for life drawing. I always use both sides of papers.) The first try came out not so bad than I had expected.    
This fun experiment gives me a breakthough of washes in a loose style. 
I've got the feeling how to handle washes or played with paints and water. A reference photo was taken in a country side this year. 

This is the original photo. It seems I'm a happy and colourful person! 

Some more study of washes I tried. Landscapes came out of my head.   

Studio work is not so exciting. I went outside and observed bush, while enjoying cricket in the park. I got it -- colour, shape, value and pattern. Then, I got on this wash practice. 

Technically, another important factor for wash is the amount of water. I imagined a typical old-fashioned farmer's house in Australian bush. 

This is a bad example. I could not handle either timing or the amount of water. Also, a mono tone bored me too much. So, (**this is the point for me. I do not push myself too much, particularly, in art. I always listen to my heart and have fun) I moved onto colour instantly. Then, you already saw the better result above. 

Now, thin sketch pads do not hold my washes any more. Gulp... sketching, too, will cost me more than ever?!! 
Anyway, if you like this sort of work, please let me know. I'll keep up. 

2) Planning of Book Launch, Exhibitions, Author Talks in 2015
My illustrations are at the stage of layout. Layout is called, "marriage between a text and illustration." I've left editing in a book designer and an editor's hands. I keep praying it will go well...

We're preparing for a book launch next May. Already, a high-profile bookshop, Gleebooks delightedly welcomes our book launch and an exhibition. All the things are first experiences for me. I have no idea how to do it. The bookshop staff, Australian Society of Authors and top-notchers guide me, totally, a novice. Big names celebrate my debut such as Libby Gleeson, Shaun Tan, Margaret Wild, Elise Hurst, Sally Rippin, Jeannie Baker, Donna Rawlins, well-known editors and lots more. They all represent contemporary Australian picture books and to the world as well. Above all, my fabulous editor Helen Chamberlin and fantastic mentor Ann James back up me well. (*Right now, Ann is bridging culture between Korea and Australia by picture books!) I'm certain they want me to bloom out as one of Australian Illustrators.

Friends, I also appreciate Lynndy Bennett (Children's Manager at Gleebooks Pty Ltd), her warm cheers for such long years and her remembering me, this nameless children picture book illustrator! Once, our linguistics professor Jane Simpson and other notable authors such as Libby (Gleeson) did book launch at Gleebooks. I was there and sketched them. Lynndy and I knew each other quite a long time ago. I dreamed... I wish I could do book launch here...

BUT now, my publishing is becoming true.
When I rang up the shop to tell Lynndy my good news, she, -- to my very surprise -- promptly, said, "Oh, Sadami, what a coincidence! I just looked up your work on net a few days ago. Beautiful! I saw how quickly you sketched our guest speaker." Wow, I became speechless. I so much thanked for her strong support. In addition and for Lynndy's honour, she received the award, ABA Elizabeth Riley Fellowship for Children's Bookselling 2013. 

I've found myself surrounded by super stars and constellations of Australian picture book industry. ...I sometimes wonder I'm in a fairy tale or a day dream. No. This is real.
Thank you, Friends. Your cheers have enabled me to come to this stage.
My hands have still pains though, I'll do my best to pay back what I've got to society through picture books and art activities.

Libraries also celebrate my debut and we're planning author talks.
Yes, a school holidays program! Come over my watercolour workshop. Children aged between 8 and 12 years @ Parramatta library,  on 1st October,11am-12pm. $3 per person. To book, please contact the library, 9806 5159. Let's have fun!!

Friends, Happy Painting! Special thanks and smile from me, Sadami!

1) Wash & Timing 2) 2015 Book Launch, Exhibitions, Author Talks

Lunch With Kids @ Bookfeast 2014!

Hi, Friends, first, a school holidays program! Come over my watercolour workshop. Children aged between 8 and 12 years @ Parramatta library,  on 1st October,11am-12pm. $3 per person. To book, please contact the library, 9806 5159. 
Now, this week's topic, Bookfeast! Picture book illustrators and authors had lunch with primary shcool children, teacher librarians and teachers. I had a wonderful time with them, talking over my published books, a sketch book, a dummy book for my picture book = a final stage of illustration. The most entertaning was my watercolour sketch demo! So quick and it captured the speaker, Marcell Bernard on a stage. It amazed all children. Thanks, kids, I love your "wows"!  

Children were very happy to know my books, the process of picture book illustration and the sample works. Primary school students asked me questions.

For example...
Q1) What is you're most proud? 
"Being what I am fully."   
Q2) How did you become an illustrator? 
The difficulty in my leg opened a door to be an illustrator. My story lit up the teacher librarians' faces and kids' faces. After lunch, a girl came to me and said how much it inspired her. Good! 

Kids made a long queue to get my autograph. (*In my mind, I really, really thanked for these little "big" fans...!!)  This is my autograph. One girl had difficulty in the legs and on a wheel chair. She came to me also asked me to pray for her. Another girl brought a huge orange canvas for an autograph. I could imagine she would hang it on her room, sure. I signed each kid's note, diary, etc, etc, thinking of their life stories. 

I also talked of my editor Helen Chamberlin and mentor Ann James, when I chatted over my to-be-published picutre book. Kids and some teacher librarians did not know the name of Helen, but they knew Shaun Tan. When I showed "Arrival", all got how blessed I was to work with such a great editor! Ann James is in Korea RIGHT NOW to bridge culture between Australia and Korea through picture books! What a fantastic mentor I have!  

 I really love these naughty pretty girls and boys. 

Look at this graffiti on a balloon! 

An organiser had told me four years ago, "You (=illustrators and authors) are super heros for children." I know this event would make children's dreams come true to see their superheros and give them hope. It is our real purpose of this project. Ever since, I've been joining this annual feast. 

Kids were kings and queens for me. So, I did my best to entertain them! I wanted to see their smiling and to hear their laughing! Sometimes, I came across children who were poor at using knife. I always cut their chickens. ​All the staff know me and appreciated my "extra" service for kids. I appreciated their hard work. "All children know you (Sadami)!" the staff said. Wow! It surprised me and made me so happy! 

This is Tasha's present for me. Thank you! 
So beautiful! 

Hey, Friends, ... that's my fabulous job, a picture book illustrator! It brings love and hope for children and readers. 

May all these children have wonderful bright futures.
Their futures are our futures and for our Australia and a world! 
The teacher librarian said, "We'll put your watercolour workshop on our school newspaper!" at a good bye. Yes, please! I look forward to see children again!!
Special thanks to the students and the staff. 

.. and a very interesting new project has come to me. 
Friends, you, too, enjoy drawing and life. Happy Painting!  

​. 

​

Lunch With Kids @ Bookfeast 2014!

Heesco Made Mural on Eastwood Library Wall

Friends, do you want to know the tips how to paint or whatever answer in art forms? I sketched a renowned street artist from Melbourne, Heesco working on Eastwood library. His portrait, "Daniel Boyde in Primary Colours," became Doug Moran Finalist 2013. When we had a chat over art, he gave the advice for any artists seeking for help, 

"Drawing. All the problems are in drawings. Draw.
It's cheap. You just need papers. Draw!" 

What an inspiring say! Heesco's say means, "All the answers are in drawings." Yes, me, too, believe so. Draw, draw, draw my head off! 
Interestingly, my eyes commanded me, "Stop! Don't go away. Look at his work! Sketch him!," even though I was walking by the library. The artist's outstanding drawing skills hooked me. I could not walk away any more and started drawing him -- Heesco. 

In my eyes, Heesco so much enjoyed spray painting even in rain and a cold weather. 
... and one more person enjoying sketching him in rain -- it was me, hahaha! ( *People told me, "Interesting to see the artist sketching the artist!") A wet weather was not good for watercolour. I brought a dryer in case from a second day!  

The mural symbolises the rich linguistic diverse and cultural heritage in four children. The common element, "green apples" are known as "Granny Smith Apples," our pioneer's legacy. Maria Ann Smith started to grow them in 19th Century. These children encompass our bright future. A fun event was we could see real "petit" models in front of the "big" painting in Moon Festival ceremony. So cute they were! You can see how huge the work is below. 

In three days, Heesco finished up the spray painting on the public library wall. Quite fascinating to look at the process and spray can techniques, although I have no idea how to use a spray can. I wondered how on earth to use sprays like "brushes"? Kind Heesco showed me how to use a spray head to draw a "thin line." That's a great bonus! Does anyone know what spray like is for an art material? Spray is opaque. It could be more like acrylics and oil or close to gouache in watercolour? His "use" of white is opposite to my transparent watercolour's white "creating."  

We praised at our stupidity?! or our love for drawing. Yes, simply because we love drawing and we've been doing it since childhood. Do you know this feeling? When I wake up and feel like drawing on a huge wall, it's a very good day and I get on work. I simply want to draw and be happy! Friends, I know you have the same enthusiasm. 

Heesco used so many cans. Wow, it amazed me, for I do a "limited palette" technique = use only a few colours.  
But when he finished it, he picked up all the messes and cans on his own. He cleaned up there and "spotless," which impressed me. "You're so caring and nice!" I said with a smile. Shy Heesco smiled back. 

The lovely mural tells "Living in harmony" on the public library entrance. Widely ranged library events activate a community and help education and welfare development. Hardworking and caring librarians are no less than social workers in a residential area. We, picture book illustrators also help events at libraries such as workshops for children and author talks. Libraries and I are planning them right now. Very exciting! I heartily hope to bring children love, hope and dreams through picture books.    

Look forward to Sadami's watercolour workshops and author talks at public libraries. On 1st October, I'll run a watercolour workshop for children aged between 8 and 12 years at Parramatta library. 11am-12pm. $3 per person. A school holidays program session. To book, please contact the library on 9806 5159. Come over, children! 
We're planning my "author talks" especially, 2015 onward after publishing a children picture book. I'm happy to making my dream come true step by step -- "make kids happy by art activities"! 
Thank you for kind visiting of this blog. 

Friends, Happy Painting!
Let's draw!! Have fun!

Heesco Made Mural on Eastwood Library Wall

Sketch Musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Try"

Hi, Friends, I'll take you to a theatre today! Sydney sketch club challenged "mission impossible," sketching a musical in almost darkness! But I sketched a lot. I'll chat over the play and drawing technical tips. The final year students of the Australian Institute of Music  offered a fantastic musical for freebie! 

Hedy LaRue, "A Secretary Is Not A Toy." 
For the first time, I used soft oil pastel. Interesting. Need more experiments. 

A musical, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Try" is a satirical comedy that discloses problems in big business. Unfair promotion involved with kinship, old school tie, relationship, sexism, backstabbing competition for promotion, irrational lust for commercial benefits and so ons. They are smartly wrapped with humour and nice music. The story follows the rise of a young man, Finch who uses a handbook called "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying." He climbs up the corporate ladder from a window washer to a top. A time setting is 1960s.

Finch and Secretary  

The theme is the importance of humanity. Like I promised you if I found "how to get success," I will share with you. OK, my conclusion is need to define what success is. So, I'll leave it to you. "Enjoy the play by your own and find it!" I say ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ.  
A protagonist, Finch gets a happy ending though, I felt interest in another NEW window washer, Bud Frump holding the handbook... behind Finch's happy finale. Yeah, if Bud uses that book... gulp...will he rise like Finch?!

Finch gets favour of a 25-yrs working mailroom head, Mr. Twimble. 
They sing "The Company Way."

Regarding sketching a musical, a practical approach is "discover social conventions" and capture them in sketches. Social conventions show messages in a play. Technically, although it's very hard to draw in darkness, one solution is to draw without looking at own hand and paper. Another tip is to seize the most dramatic/crucial moments/scenes in the play that has social conventions. All these tips are very similar to picture book illustration. Why?

Australian Institute of Music Theatre 

Setting, a scenario and body language use our social conventions to convey symbolic meanings, which is same as picture book illustrators do. Character design amuses me. It's a good example of social agreement. It reveals culture and value in society. Think of a typical bad guy in a business company. How do you set his character? How does he look like? What costume and what colour does he put on? Setting in a theatre also uses a limited space efficiently and very clever. Especially, light and colours on a stage and setting interest me so much. It reminds me of page and space. In the play, "Book Voice" works excellent. Ahahahaha, different though, I remembered a tv show "Big Brother." That's a narrator and same as sentences in picture books. Got an image? I also paid attention when audience laughed = when audience respond well.

Boss Mr Biggley, Bad guy/sneaky/nepotistic little nephew Bud Frump 
& Hedy LaRue,(Mr Biggly's secret mistress).

So, for me, to watch a big hit play is a very important study at the same time. They all deepen knowledge and develop drawing skills to create picture books. Wonderful and helpful. Yes, picture book illustrators are no less than film directors. In our industry, very famous and successful picture book illustrators are, you can find, originally from a film/animation industry and vice verse. For example, Shaun Tan and Freya Blackwood. Films and plays are very good case studies for illustration.

"Paris Original"
All secretaries/girls ironically put on the same dress at a party!
Oh, each girl expected she should be the best. 

This already classic play is still popular. It's my another interest to think of why classic wins popularity. It implies same old issues remain in our modern society.

In addition, the final year students are excellent!!! They gave us a fabulous afternoon of free entertainment. Youngish and so talented students! They asked us for donation for Cancer Council! Good on them!! I happily put some money into a box. When I left the theatre, I said the special thanks to a music mixer and a receptionist. I hope they would pass on my thanks to other students. 
Sketching a musical play is hard, but we can do it! I'll explore oil pastel more. 


Let's challenge something new and explore it. 

Above all, let's have fun and enjoy a theatre play!
Friends, Happy Painting!!

Sketch Musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Try"