Curiousity 1

Have you ever tried machines? Only me picked up the inside of a car engine in Urban Sketchers Sydney meeting. Being honest with myself is my policy and important. To distinguish each part, values and colours are emphasised. I've sketched around the world from curiousity since childhood. I want to draw like a little kid. 

Btw, the three projects are ongoing. They keep myself busy. 

I've joined another sketch club, "Drawing Sydney." See how it goes. Many people seem to join different clubs at once = We bump each other at varied clubs. Balancing my work and life, I want to enjoy group activities. It's lovely to foster friendship. 

Friends, Happy Painting!  

Curiousity 1

Curiousity 2, two value drawing

I've sketched around the world from curiousity since childhood. I so much enjoyed this monochrome sketching in a dark concert room at a fringe festival. It was challenging to define values. I carefully observed a singer and decided to use a two-value drawing technique. Once, I got the "feeling" of sorting out values, it became easy! I chose the grey mixed of French Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna. Then, interesting colours came up naturally. Have fun! 

  

Night scenes and dark rooms require different approaches and techniques. Have you ever tried them? If you know how to do it and share it, please inform me. I want to capture light and shadow. This experiment gives me some idea. 

Now, hope you'll have a wonderful productive week. 

Happy Painting, Friends!! 

Curiousity 2, two value drawing

Fun! Workshop at Eastwood Library

Children, parents, librarians and I enjoyed a watercolour painting workshop at Eastwood library. I'd share joy with you in their great art works. The children drew animals or any creatures from imagination. I demonstrate salt, crayons and bubble wraps techniques. My mission was to bring out each child's uniqueness. I want to create work like these children! 

Here are the masterpieces. They are fantastic!! 

Once, children successfully "geared up" and got on the work, they began to draw subjects freely, beautifully and independently. Ah, they are my teachers! Then, they began to chat loudly, hahaha! Some children were shy. A librarian and I assisted them. 

Each child's interesting concept and vivid colours.  

Wow, a good texture! Quite sophisticated. 

This awl is so cute. It can be a children picture book illustration. 

Not cooking, but a salt technique. It's tricky though, a fun!

Very happy to see their concepts coming out.

Very rewarding. Some children came to me to tell, "Thank you very much," after the workshop. It touched me so much. Oh, so sweet. 

"Enjoy wateroclour painting at home, children!" I said at the end of the class. 

Being an artist and picture book illustrator is wonderful. I'll keep up. 

Friends, happy painting! 

Fun! Workshop at Eastwood Library

Bee My Baybee

I illustrated the poem as an assignment for Wayne Harris's picture book workshop at a final week at WestWords. First, I played around colours and composition. “Fresh! So fresh!!” Wayne gave me very positive feedback to the bee. He used my rough to explain about the features of watercolour painting and printing. Second, I put a curious boy in the illustration. Here we go!

Bee! I'm expecting you! Emily Dickinson

Bee! I’m expecting you!
Was saying Yesterday
To Somebody you know
That you were due—
The Frogs got Home last Week—
Are settled, and at work—
Birds, mostly back—
The Clover warm and thick—
You’ll get my Letter by
The seventeenth; Reply
Or better, be with me—
Yours, Fly.

Re the second image, below, Wayne praised at the boy’s body language, composition and light. Then, he suggested me not to put too much information and reduce blue in a sky, when I would illustrate this boy. Wayne defined an appropriate target group age setting, 6 to 8 years children, middle age. Little children will not be able to understand why the bee looks bigger in the foreground, while the boy is smaller in the middle ground. Also, in my rough, I put colours on only the necessary area, around the boy's face.  Thus, this image well sends the message of the poem and the curiosity of the boy. Wayne liked this style. 

Thank you very much, Wayne Harris! Each student enjoyed his feedback. He taught us with care and kindness. It's so useful to join workshops run by such established and experienced artists.

This class will keep up friendship and study about picture book workshop, regularly, at WestWords. I’ll learn more. Many people, publishers and the acclaimed give sweet comments on the bee's image on my facebook. Thank you. 
You, too, enjoy illustration and life! 
Friends, Happy Painting!

Bee My Baybee

An Old Building, Nostalgia

I sketched an old house with a character in Sydney Sketch Club meeting. I love the smell/sounds of ordinary people' life. Nostalgia and good old days remain in a backstreet. It's fun to imagine what sort of history she has whilst sketching. A tenant, a lady proudly talked to me that how fabulous this creaky building. I've been collecting these old houses images for references for my picture book illustration. 

I thought of "The Selfish Giant," during the sketching. It's sad that children's merrily voices are disappearing from streets, nowadays. Children and adults are addicted to tiny mobiles or lap tops. When I teach children at school, oh, their games, shouts, screaming, songs, voices are certainly there, on a play ground! They sound very warm, which remind me of a spring and flowers. Oscer Wild's idea is superb, the connection between seasons and the existence of children, which empowers children. In this sketch, I was thinking where to set my characters, children. 

I hope my sentimental attachment to old buildings will NOT end up nostalgia. I hope healthy children's games will remain forever in society. Me, too, do not want to cling to social media or a computer. I want to create drawings and paintings. Papers are calling me! I feel it. That's a good day. Btw our projects are ongoing. 

Friends, happy painting and enjoy sunshine. 

An Old Building, Nostalgia

Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sketch Club

Brave Sydney Sketch Club members enjoyed a meeting in Milsons Point despite in a cold and patch rain. Milsons Point is called a hundred million dollar view that has Sydney Harbour Bridge, opera house, a wharf, City, Luna Park and etc. This is the Harbour Bridge from the bottom angle. I played with colours. "Have your own colours," (a psychologist, a source unknown) is my favourite say. A high humidity helped wet in wet.  

One member beautifully included the bridge, the opera house etc above in a clever work. We all did hats off to her at a cafe, uttering, "Ahhh, ohhh, whaa"! So, with respect, I sketched that member across a table, below. The kind and humble member gave me a sweet compliment on the sketch. Not me, it was her ; she was an amazing artist! Each member chose an interesting spot and a view. All of us enjoyed socialisation and looking around other's great efforts in sketches. Group activities are wonderful. Mutual encouragement is so nice. Our group is closed on net = don't need to worry about exposure. Any subject will do. It's up to each member.  

The projects are steadily ongoing, which include the workshop for children at Eastwood Library. Sydney Sketch Club always gives me a break, refreshing and an experimental attempt. I've been searching for my own colour use in landscapes, apart from realism. This Harbour Bridge sketch may give me a clue to find who I am. I'm not ashamed of my messes in sketches. Of course, sometimes, I feel a bit embarrassing to show them in "show and tell" in a sketch club. But it's the process of growing as an artist. I appreciate members' cheers and encouragements. 
Friends, Happy Painting and Enjoy Friendship with same heart people. 

Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sketch Club

Workshop for Children at Eastwood Library

Hi, kids, let's have fun in spring school holidays in City of Ryde! I’ll run a watercolour painting workshop.
When: Wednesday 3 October 2018
Where: Eastwood Library, Time: 10.30 - 11.45am
Ages: 8yrs+ , Cost: $10.00, Online Booking :
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/childrens-watercolour-workshop-ages-8-yrs-only-tickets-48636850128
Do you want to play with crayons, salt, bubble wrap and watercolour paints? If so, come over Eastwood Library.   

Ryde Council has more fun events for you! Here, we go! 
Thank you very much for the librarian team. Ryde Council uses "My Dog Socks" images for the posters and online. 
See you there! 

Workshop for Children at Eastwood Library