Art Riot

2014-01-15T10:16:00.000-08:00

Last week, Big Umbrella Studios was invited to present their silkscreen printing workshop at NightLife at the Academy of Sciences. I got to walk around and see a lot of neat stuff. I had forgotten how much I like dinosaurs and skeletons. The fish were interesting because each one had a distinct body proportion.

"Cave & Waterfall"

2012-01-24T02:40:00.000-08:00

"Cave & Waterfall" Sketch studies. Mixed media.

Fun Little Sketch Studies

2012-01-22T01:49:00.000-08:00

Fun little sketch studies. Mixed media.

Desolate Tree: 5min. sketch

2012-01-09T23:53:00.000-08:00

Desolate Tree: 5 min. mixed media sketch

All it takes is to doodle something to put me in a good mood. Looking at it now, that is one HUGE tree.

"A Flower in Bali"

2012-01-09T04:43:00.000-08:00

"A Flower in Bali." Mixed media.

Jungle Ruins: A Study

2012-01-07T03:52:00.000-08:00

"Jungle Ruins: A Study" Mixed media on watercolor paper.

Mermaid

2012-01-03T02:58:00.000-08:00

"Mermaid" mixed media

wanderture

2011-12-30T03:00:00.000-08:00

"wanderture". mixed media.

Costume Designs

2011-12-30T01:52:00.000-08:00

I am not dead yet.

As soon as I proclaimed that I wanted to draw and paint every day, I was bombarded with having to move my belongings for house inspections this month. The unit I am currently living in is being sold. So after weeks of moving my stuff in and out of the garage, I am now sitting in the midst of stacked boxes, random piles of art supplies and paperwork, and mounds of dirty dishes and clothes.

BUT, I have still been drawing everyday. I always want to keep my promises. So I will be uploading the complected artwork and sketches this week. So today, for something completely different: costume designs. I wanted to render them in color for next time. Didn't realize how much I really enjoy thinking about fabric cuts, fashion history, texture and ornamental details.

[QS]: Cipanas

2011-12-13T01:02:00.000-08:00

"Cipanas" ~ quick study. 7"x9" Acrylic.

For this piece, I wanted to mimic soft pastel with acrylic paint. I've come to admit it - I am an animation background painting impressionist. It is difficult for me to mute; I love color.

Having worked digitally for the past couple of months, I found myself stiff in my traditional skills. It is my goal now to do a personal painting for myself every day. I have to start someplace.

Last month, I went to Indonesia. Under the grime of the city, there were still places where I was able to find solace. Wherever I looked, though the river was filled with mud now, there was still timelessness and beauty. Underneath the usual grey overcast sky, the sun shone. Perhaps these buildings were old barracks from the Dutch colonies, but the people made use of them now. If anything, this land and its people taught me, that the soul is unbreakable.

2011-11-28T12:37:00.001-08:00

Looking for 2d concept artists/ visual development artists that can do set & prop designs to collaborate on an animated film. The film is dark, beautiful, more realistic with some stylization. Needs to have solid portfolio and weekly availability. Email me your portfolio link if interested: eve@eveskylar.net

2011-10-31T01:04:00.000-07:00

Sutro Bath study in watercolor. 9"x12"

WITCHES OF WONDER TONIGHT AT BIG UMBRELLA STUDIOS - 7PM!

2011-10-14T17:12:00.000-07:00

"Who Monitors the Birds?" Acrylic on wood panel. 11.25" x 20.25"

"Avalon" Acrylic on wood panel. 11.25" x20.25"

Witches of Wonder at Big Umbrella Studios - opening tonight 7pm! FB event here.

Starring:
Helice Wen
Xiau-Fong Wee
Renee Castro
Holly Ellis
Patrushka
Eve Skylar
MJ Lindo
Tiffany Star
Tonya Van Parys
Laura Gonzalez
Sarah Woodward
Queena Hernandez
Tess X
Lila Arts
Malyssa Harelson
Leilani Bustamante

Trees at the Japanese Tea Garden

2011-10-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

[QS]: live painting @ the Japanese Tea Garden, SF

This weekend, Monkey and Seal had open studios in partnership with Big Umbrella Studios and ArtSpan. I had a great time talking to people about art and my painting process. I found an awesome new homes for a couple of my paintings.

Sunday morning, I went with Alexis to the Japanese Tea Garden. Alexis pointed out to me this gnarly tree joined at the base. It was very impressive and had a lot of textures. It was inspiring to see. The above quick study painting is from my vantage point, while Alexis painted the other side.

I took liberties with my color palettes. I would like to go back and add more details to some of the foliage found on the ground, but overall, I had a great time. Thanks Alexis!

ArtSpan, Witches of Wonder, and Indonesia

2011-10-08T21:37:00.001-07:00

Acrylic Live Painting on Watercolor Board

Today I was working the booth at Big Umbrella Studios all day for ArtSpan: Open Studios weekend. I got to hang out with my cool friend Mark, meet new artists and art lovers. I had a wonderful film production meeting in the early morning and I even got to paint for myself in the afternoon. It's been a great day!

The rest of this month will be crazy. Both film productions have picked up speed, so I'll be doing a lot of concept art from now on. I also have a group show next week Oct. 14th for Big Umbrella Studios' "Witches of Wonder," alongside the talented Ms. Xiau Fong, Renee, MJ to name a few.
Also, I will be going to Indonesia early November. I'll be sure to take lots of reference photos for more landscape paintings. I've been wondering how to best carry paint supplies on my trip. Any suggestions?

APE

2011-10-02T12:13:00.001-07:00

We're at APE today booth 532!

8th & Brannan, SF - Concourse Exhibition
until 7pm

Amazing artists all under one roof!

Sorry it's been awhile . . .

2011-09-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hello dear readers, it's been quite awhile since I posted. I've been working on an awesome film. Busy- but extremely happy. As well as a couple of shows back in June, July, and August. Sorry for the long absence. In the meantime, please enjoy some of my process for a painting I did for July's "Opposites" show at Wonderland SF. I'm an artist that enjoys seeing development and creative process in other artists, so hopefully this gives a bit of useful insight into how I work.

The piece is titled "Grey Terminal." It was done on wood with acrylic and NICKER Poster colour. I usually start out with loose sketches and tighten them up into a quick value study. You can see in the original sketch, I was planning to have some elaborate structure on the left top corner, but I edited this out. I wanted the focus to be on the little hut surrounded by overgrown abandoned industrial mountain.

For this painting, I struggled with the colors in portraying that one minute right before sunrise, I ended up going with a mix of the last two. I liked the purple blue in contrast with the yellow-orange morning light.

The Final painting: ":Grey Terminal"

I hope to be posting more often from now on. I'll be at APE Oct.1 & 2nd at booth #532. I also have a couple of new paintings to show at Big Umbrella Studios for the October 8th show.

Thanks for reading!

"The Evilest Place on Earth" @ Big Umbrella Studios Opening 11th and 12th

2011-08-09T01:47:00.000-07:00

"Next Stop . . ."
Acrylic on wood panel

This is my piece for Big Umbrella Studios' "The Evilest Place on Earth" Show Opening

this week: August 11th and August 12th from 7-11pm
Big Umbrella Studios, 906.5 Divisadero St (x McAllister)

Showcasing alongside: Alex Pardee, Skinner, Rick Kitagawa, Raymond Sanchez, Grant Gilliland, and many more awesome talents.

The "evilest place on earth" is not necessarily a location, but a state of mind.

Wonderland SF Tonight: "Opposites"

2011-07-19T00:28:00.000-07:00

"Grove of the Machinae" acrylic on wood panel 11.25"x10"
Have you ever looked inside the engine of a car? Or dissected an animal? Or counted the rings of a tree? There is patterned chaos and planned geometry in both man-made objects and cities as there is to nature.

"A Stroll Through Hyde Park" acrylic on wood panel 11.25"x24"

When I was painting this piece, a song by my favorite band Autumns came up: "A Suicide at Strell Park." I thought it would be fun to do a play off the sound patterns in the title while maintaining the confrontation between two "opposing" beings in the same environment.

For the style, I was inspired by my friend James Ganyan Garcia, who can ring color and brush stroke so beautifully. I decided to paint looser and attempted to hit color and value without dabbling. The effect on my style is very interesting, almost becomes "impressionistic fantasy."

right corner closeup of "A Stroll Through Hyde Park"

close up. i love robots ans trees.

"Grey Terminal" acrylic and NICKER Poster paint on wood panel. 11.25" x20"
The concept behind this was from phrase, "the sun rises equally on our tomorrow, even upon our sorrows." OP fans probably know this quote.

I wanted to capture the moment, the 1 second at the start of sunrise, just a strip of light, before everything is illuminated. Where dark and light meet, old and new.

wall mural. I've been up for more than 36 hours by this point. It was a very long day, but I had fun painting alongside Xiau-Fong.

The artists for Wonderland SF's "Opposites" were asked to paint on the walls. What would a picture look like when the image extends beyond the given canvas? I wanted the object in the image to be viewed differently when it is outside of the canvas. The overlooking rundown architectural structure in the painting becomes a moving machinae jellyfish. I believe that cities, albeit geometrical, has a life, mimicking the chaos and organic patterns also found in nature.

I'll be debuting these new series of paintings at Wonderland SF's "Opposites" opening reception this Wednesday, July 20th 6-10pm at 2929 24th St., SF 94110. (415) 641-4600

For the FB events page, please click here.

Venice in thirty minutes

2011-06-26T23:28:00.000-07:00

Venice color study in thirty minutes. When I was in Italy years ago, what struck me was the heat and how the buildings reflected a lot of color because of it.

The Undiscovered Painting Series . . .

2011-06-11T22:24:00.000-07:00

Our TWO gallery openings tonight! Wonderland SF and OZ Gallery

2011-06-03T03:28:00.001-07:00

Hello!

Tonight Rick and I will be having two simultaneous gallery openings. We're very happy and honored to be a part of Wonderland SF's 1 year gallery anniversary and also have our humble split-feature show at OZ Gallery. We hope to see you there.

Check out:

Wonderland SF
2929 24th St.
reception 6-10pm
FB event, click here.

then hop on over to

OZ Gallery
3224th 1/2 22nd St. , SF
reception 8-11pm
FB event, click here.

RAW Gallery - this Friday, May 6th @ Oakland Art Murmur

2011-05-04T00:28:00.000-07:00

RAW Gallery, curated by Carly Ivan Garcia and Ken Harmon.

Friday, May 6th 6pm - 10pm
May 7th & 8th 12am-5pm
Oakland Art Murmur: 20th & Telegraph, Oakland

For more info, by Cindy M. of Dig In Magazine, click here.
For FB events page, click here.

"Shima Uta" (Island Song). 9"x18" acrylic and gouache on wood.

Close Up

Atarashii Sekai ga yondeiru ~ New World (or The New World is Calling Me)
9"x18" acrylic and gouache on wood.

Close Up

I'm very excited to have two pieces up - they are inspired by Okinawan folk music. Thanks to Rick who found, cut, and sanded down discarded wood for me to paint on. This show means a lot to me. Thank you C.I.G. , C.M, and to everyone who's been so supportive! :)

Stuff

2011-04-22T17:17:00.001-07:00

Summer 2011 Upcoming Shows: May & June

2011-04-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

* May 6 - I'll be showcasing alongside some of Bay Area's finest, Carly Ivan Garcia, Shepard Fairey, Lyrica Glory, and Michael Cuffe, to name a few. Thanks C.I.G & C.M.!

RAW
Oakland Art Murmur 2011
6-10pm - 20th & Telegraph, Oakland, CA.

* May 28 - the fabulous Irene Hernandez-Feiks of Wonderland SF, is having her 13 year anniversary show. I will have a couple of new paintings for the show.

Mezzanine SF: 444 Jessie Street @ Mint, San Francisco,
California 94103 - 8pm -2am

* June 03 - Split collaboration show with my fellow artist and partner in crime, Rick Kitagawa at OZ Gallery TBA.

Figure Drawing Workshops at Big Umbrella Studios

2011-04-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday night, I went to Big Umbrella Studios' Figure Drawing Workshop. Since I mostly do environment and set design for work, it has been way too long since I practiced the figure. I was thoroughly humbled that I was so rusty at it. I ended up experimenting with a brush pen (from my friend Audri) and pastels. It was fun and I'll definitely be back for more. The next workshop is April 21st, 7pm-10pm: For the FB event page, click here.

Rise Japan Vol. 02 ~ Artists Help Japan!

2011-04-06T01:08:00.001-07:00

"ししがみ" (The Forest Spirits)
9"x12" NICKER Animation Paint on Watercolor Paper. SOLD.

Close up

with black matte and frame

My original painting "ししがみ" (The Forest Spirits) will be up at RISE JAPAN Vol.02: this Thursday, April 7th at ARC Studios & Gallery! (SOLD).

It features beautiful artworks donated from about 100 artists nationwide, mouth-melting chocolates from Hooker’s Sweet Treats, the most popular Japanese plum wine from Choya Umeshu, everyone’s favorite Sapporo beer, music CDs from Mellow Orange Music and Braza! and many more!

100% of the proceeds from our fundraiser event will be donated to
Give2Asia: Artists Help Japan – Earthquake&Tsunami 2011
http://give2asia.org/artistshelp
http://artistshelpjapan.blogspot.com/ (blog)

Check out the list of artists and RSVP, click here.

Humanitarian Asians and Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Fundraising Hour for Japan

2011-04-04T01:27:00.000-07:00

Very proud and happy to announce that the Humanitarian Asians and Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Fundraising Hour for Japan (where my live painting for Hyphen was held for auction alongside other prizes) raised $9,041 for the cause before any of the matching funds! Thank you to all the organizers and supporters for such an amazing fund-raising!

QS: Floating Islands

2011-04-04T01:25:00.000-07:00

Acrylic and Copic marker on paper (mixed media)

This was done during last week's Big Umbrella Studios' Drink N' Draw. I started out with random shapes with Copic marker on Acrylic paper. Then I defined the islands with a 3/4" flat brush. To correct some of the values without losing the color, I used thin layers of Copic warm dark grey on top of the acrylic. Lastly, I used digital to create the some atmosphere behind the massive islands. All in all, a fun speed painting combining mediums.

Live Painting at Hyphen magazine's "Throwback"

2011-03-24T05:05:00.001-07:00

Live painting ~ 2.5hrs. "アカルイミライ" 24"x18." Animation poster paint on watercolor board.

Close up image.

Last Friday, I was invited to paint live for Hyphen magazine's "Throwback" Issue Release Party at Vessel SF. I had a lot of fun! The piece above was painted live throughout the event in about 2.5 hours.

In light of the earthquake and resulting tsunami that hit Japan last week, the original artwork is donated to Hyphen magazine to help raise funds for the Japan relief efforts. It is titled "アカルイミライ" (Loosely translated as: "Bright Future"). Hang in there Japan; let's endure and rise again.

Hyphen partnered up with JCCCNC and donated a portion of the event proceeds. The piece will be on silent auction at the Humanitarian Asians and Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Hour of Japan fundraiser. Proceeds will go directly to help the people affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Norther Japan.

[updated 03.31.2011] If you're interested, you can acquire the piece tonight at the silent auction: March 31, 2011 at Recess (443 Broadway Street, SF) from 5-9pm. 21+ only.

In conjunction for the event, I was interviewed by Hyphen's staff writer, Mic Nguyen. Thanks Mic! For the full published interview, please click here:
http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/blog/archive/2011/03/interview-artist-eve-skylar

Thank you readers and friends for your continuing support. A BIG thank you to Martha, Rick, Roz, and Hyphen magazine!

"Sketch for Japan: An Artist Fundraiser"

2011-03-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

"Rise Again Japan" Animation Poster Paint on 9"x12" Watercolor Paper.

"Peace and Resilience." Animation Poster Paint on 9"x12" watercolor paper.

I am very touched by the proactive solidarity for the Japan relief fund. The two new pieces I recently finished were donated to the "Sketch for Japan: An Artist Fundraiser" organized by Warholian.com in partnership with Rise Japan. All proceeds will be directly donated to Give2Asia: Artists Help Japan-Earthquake & Tsunami 2011 - a fund that is directly distributed to the people in the northern region of Japan.

The fundraiser was held tonight at Project One. An awesome chance to score original art for $50 and under.

The "Rise Japan" Fundraiser, presented by Surreality in Reality x Gallery Heist x Kokoro Studio will be on April 2nd April 7th (time TBA):

Saturday April 2nd, 2011 | 7PM - 12AM
(2 Locations):
Gallery Heist: 679 Geary St, SF
Kokoro Studio: 682 Geary St, SF

Check out awesome art and support the Japan relief fund. Thank you to the participating artists, organizers, and supporters!

Live Painting Tonight at Hyphen magazine's #22 Release Party @ Vessel SF 6-9pm!

2011-03-16T23:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight I'll be painting live at Hyphen magazine's #22 "Throwback" Release Party at Vessel SF 6-9pm. Come rain or come shine. Please join me tonight as I paint my heart out.

Hyphen magazine has partnered up with JCCCNC (Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California). Portion of Proceeds from tonight will be donated to the "Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund" to aid the earthquake and tsunami survivors in Japan.

I'll be painting live throughout the event from 6-9pm and will donate my painting to the post-event raffle afterward. I'll be using my ultimate secret technique: "Ghibli" animation poster paint and watercolor board. :) You can watch me from start to finish or dance to the awesome live DJs.

Party info:

WHERE: Vessel | 85 Campton Place, San Francisco
WHEN: Friday, March 18 | 6 - 9 pm
21+ | $10 Cover OR $5 for groups 5+
* Cover includes both admission to Hyphen and guest list entry to Vessel's party at 10 pm

Open to everyone.

2011-03-16T02:02:00.000-07:00

Acrylic and Poster Paint on Canvas.

I found an old canvas from many years ago; it was one of my many first attempts at painting with acrylic. It was mainly flat saturated green with falling sakura blossoms. I had no color theory back then or sense of form. This week, I added the foreground element (vines?) and some strange waterfall. Not sure where it's going yet, but I wanted to push the fantastical scale. I like the idea of being able to "add on" to this canvas as I "grow" in insights throughout the years. The "evolution" of myself as an artist is being documented on this single canvas over the course of my personal history. Perhaps I'll find this canvas again, many years from now, and paint something completely different.

2011-03-10T02:46:00.001-08:00

The quickest path directly to your dreams is to do more of what you love.

Warhol Reimagined: The New Factory

2011-03-07T19:46:00.000-08:00

"The Artist Bard: Paintbrush +/ Spoon." 12"x9." Animation Poster Paint and Acrylic. Sold.

I wanted to juxtapose the role of the artist as both the product-makers and simultaneous consumers of culture; however hesitant or willing, the artist cannot escape its role as the bard of our times.

Next Thursday, March 10th, will be the opening reception for the group show I'm participating in - "Warhol Reimagined: The New Factory" I would like to thank my partner, Rick, the hardworking staff at The Warholian, and the gracious space at Project One.

Thursday, March 10th from 7pm-2am
at Project One: 251 Rhode Island, San Francisco, CA 94103. 21+ only.

To RSVP on Facebook, click here.

For inquires and or other concerns regarding the show, please contact The Warholian staff at: http://www.warholreimagined.com/contact/

Heart Owls in the Month of February as Winter Turns to Spring

2011-02-17T18:03:00.000-08:00

Heart Owls in the Month of February as Winter Turns to Spring. 9"x12" Poster Paint and Gouache.

I did a sketch of the above during Big Umbrella Studios' Wednesday's Drink and Draw and decided to try a different style and color palette than what I'm used to. As winter blues turn into spring greens, I limited my palette to the cool blue-green range as opposed to the warmth of summer hues. It was a challenge to control saturation by tinting. I found that using titanium white gouache rather than poster colour white made for better paint consistency. Part of the learning was to group the values closer to the higher end of the spectrum and reserve the darkest values for the foreground tree while keeping clean textures by using only flat brushes.

This piece is donated to the Benefit Auction for Buena Vista Elementary School at 111 Minna next Friday, March 18th. Please help the kids, by supporting the schools and administrations that nurture them. For details, click here. Or the Facebook Event, here.

Upcoming Shows

2011-02-11T19:34:00.000-08:00

Very excited to be in a couple of upcoming gallery shows:

Tonight February 11th - Wonderland SF . In the heart of the Mission District, curated by the talented Irene, "Just Because" is featuring 17 awesome artists, including Rick and myself.

March 10th - curated by Warholian.com, "Reimagined Warhol: The New Factory", I'll be doing an interpretation of one of Warhol's Campbell Soup Cans. Opening Reception March 10th at Project One gallery: 251 Rhode Island, San Francisco.

June - TBA OZ Gallery - split collaboration show with Rick

Also, some of my prints are currently being carried by Sweet Breams in San Mateo. They are a unique hubbub space for art and taiyaki. Be ready for some sweet goodness (click here).

[QS 9]: Mushroom Field in the Morning Sun

2011-02-05T23:03:00.000-08:00

Poster Paint 9"x12"

A House of Cards: An Art Opening

2011-01-19T04:29:00.000-08:00

Big Umbrella Studios presents:
A House of Cards: An Art Opening
this Friday, Jan. 21st 7-10pm

906 1/2 Divisadero Street, SF

Rick had asked me to contribute a painting for this Friday's show and it was the perfect opportunity for a break from work and paint for myself. The piece above is an exploration and departure from my usual environment-driven representative illustrations. The theme was "A House of Cards" and I remembered that I was always fascinated by the face of a card: its duality, repetition, and symbolism. It was a fun anthropomorphic portraiture.

In progress painting(s)

2011-01-17T05:24:00.001-08:00

2011-01-11T04:05:00.000-08:00

5" x 7" poster paint ~ 10 minute study

Gallery Show in June

2010-12-31T02:00:00.000-08:00

I met the gallery curator a couple of weeks ago for a show in June. I am fascinated by the space. The gallery carried rare signed glicee and original books of Yuriy Norshteyn. I was pleasantly surprised. His work inspired me into pursuing stop motion.

The curator expressed a love for animation and sculpture and gave me the permission to potentially do full installations as well as paintings.

I'm thinking of combining maquettes/stop motion puppets with animation background paintings. I am still thinking of a theme. So far I'm leaning towards the idea of "exploration/ discovery."

I have 5 months.

Swamp Treehouse Painting

2010-12-16T13:39:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, my Swamp Treehouse original gouache painting was showcased at The Mezzanine. I was surprised to find a folded napkin stuffed to the side of it. At first I though someone had defiled my work. There were people surrounding the work thorough the night, so I couldn't get to it to take the napkin down. Imagine my surprise and embarrassment, when I finally removed the napkin and read the words, "SOLD."

I have very fond memories and a deep attachment to this painting. This painting says, "Despite all that is lost, there can still be something magical."

Having to abandon my dreams of art at an early age, it is often very hard for me to let go of a painting unless I know it will be cared for. After meeting the buyer in person, I sincerely felt a connection. My painting was calling out to her! I'm very happy to have found the perfect home for my Swamp Treehouse painting.

Illustration Friday: Phenomenon

2010-12-16T01:03:00.000-08:00

Phenomenon: the act of creation.

Illustration Friday: Prehistoric

2010-12-10T00:18:00.000-08:00

The land is always much much older.

Illustration Friday: Savour

2010-12-02T22:23:00.000-08:00

Savour: Nothing like a nice hot cocoa on a rainy day.

Growing up, my mother was often very busy with work and barely had enough time for me or my sister. One of my best memories of her is when I came home after a cross-country practice in the rain. I was soaking wet and my mother ordered me to take a hot shower. When I finished, she had a warm hot cocoa with tiny marshmallows waiting for me.

To read more about the article I wrote "Savoring Time," click here.

Chillin' Production's Annual Holiday Show this Saturday!

2010-12-01T03:47:00.000-08:00

Another sketch for the Monkey and Seal post. Our artwork will be showcased at The Mezzanine this Saturday!

QS #08: A Tree Within a Forest

2010-11-17T02:30:00.000-08:00

A study of an old tree deep within the forest. Animation Poster color on 6"x9" Canson watercolor paper.

QS #07: Desert Rocks

2010-11-08T00:28:00.000-08:00

Desert Rocks: A study of color and compliments. Movement and rhythm vs. stillness.

QP #06: Study of Isles

2010-11-07T16:31:00.000-08:00

IP: study of isles

Today I woke up to the sound of rain drops against my window. By the time I jogged in the afternoon, the rain had stopped and masses of grey clouds parted. The warmth of the sun shone through in patches and it left behind a colorful spectrum.

QS #05: Snowy Mountain

2010-11-04T03:57:00.000-07:00

I really like working with the new poster paint. I am starting to understand how to mix the water in order to get the opacity or transparency that I want. This quick study was done in about 15 minutes on 6"x9" Canson Watercolor pad. I used a 1" wash brush for the entire piece. I like using a big brush on a small canvas; it forces me to see and think only in big shapes and only indicate detail through simple brush strokes.

QS #04: A rocky cave

2010-11-03T03:38:00.000-07:00

A rocky cave. Experimented with opacity/transparency, texture/blending, and glazing.

QS #03: Water Buffalo

2010-10-26T21:35:00.000-07:00

This is my second attempt at the Poster Colour Paint. I've given up on blending or glazing the colors as I normally do with watercolor or acrylic. Instead, I am treating it like gouache, and am much happier with the outcome. Part of the breakthrough came when I remembered my old painting instructor, Frank Lanza. He was a quirky old man, but incredibly talented and an unparalleled visionary. He taught me to seek color. He always said to the class, "You are not rendering. You are not copying. You are painting." Funny how it is years before I understand his meaning.

As students and beginners, we tend to copy exactly what we see. We do not feel the texture of the grass, or the heavy mound of the hills, the sway and growth of the trees. We did not voice any opinions about our piece. We had nothing to say. We did not even see color, we merely copied it. Only now, am I beginning to see.

The piece above is a painting of water buffalos. Outside of my old house in Indonesia, was a spinach farm. Early around 5am farmers were already working and praying in the fields. Perhaps it is only in my mind, but the morning light always appeared to be filtered through the mountain air. As a child, I once greeted a water buffalo. It was much taller than me. It had grandeur and the coat was a beautiful mauve, reddish brown.

For the painting, I fell in love with mauve and will stick to it for the shadow color for now. I've now tried out Scarlet Lake Red, Sky Blue, Emerald Green, and Chrome Yellow.

QS #02: Experimental Poster Paint

2010-10-26T03:42:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I asked my friend Yoko to send me poster paint from Japan. It is the kind that animation studios like Studio Ghibli use for their 2d background paintings. The quick study above was my first experimental painting with the new medium. It is very fickle and does not blend well. My lack of training in it also created challenges in paint handling, control, and opacity. But it also produces subtle transparent and brilliant colors. I hate it and I love it. I will struggle with it, until I understand it.

The piece above was done with the following colors: mauve, burnt sienna, raw umber, olive green, viridian, and cerulean. I have 30 more colors in the box set to experiment with.

At some point when I was 4 or 5 I lived in Indonesia. I remember cold early mornings, spinach, rice paddies, dunes of greenery, and dirt road leading up to a small snack shop. I'm sure that road is gone by now. My old house is probably buried under a multi-floor shopping center district. The piece above is a bittersweet memory of a place that can only exist in a long forgotten past, like the skipping of a broken record playing in my mind.

Quick painting [QS] # 01: Japanese Garden in Acrylic

2010-10-24T04:25:00.000-07:00

Quick Study in acrylic on 5"x7" Fabriano watercolour paper. I saw this "Japanese castle in white and red" peeking from behind the tall surrounding trees. I was drawn to the contrast of values and the complimentary colors of green and red. Because the building was bright white, it reflected a lot of the sunlight so the leaves looked extraordinarily saturated with color.

Last Wednesday, Rick taught the silk-screening class at Big Umbrella Studios. Above is the tshirt design the students practiced with. I drew the original fish head with the light bulb coming out of its mouth. For the class, Rick re-created it and added his own flair: the spring and jack-in-the-box. The result is a fun collaborative hand-pulled silk-screened punk t-shirt. We printed only a small number of this design, but we have a couple more left. If you're interested in buying it, trading it, or bargaining it from me, let me know: eve@eveskylar.net

I've been doing a lot of drawing and 3d modeling for my freelance work, so I like to supplement my personal work with more paintings and explorations. I am inspired by Rick and my friend, Kelly, to do at least 1 piece a day. It's scary to commit to such a thing, but I'll give it a try.

I've been lingering on finishing up the Tyger Tyger story that I started around this time last year. At that time, I thought the story was too personal, perhaps not ready to be told - so I shelved it for a different day. But I'm starting to venture again. I'll be posting in-progress stuff here.

As always, thanks for visiting!

2010-10-10T06:00:00.001-07:00

A quick study: The Woodcutter Girl.

I was drawn to paint this young woman, whose eyes pierce through the cold of winter.

Quick Study: A Tree in the Snow

2010-10-06T23:55:00.000-07:00

A personal quick study. Snow is challenging for its variations of tone. Controlling saturation is also always a challenge. In the next pass, I will design the tree and introduce more color range and knock down the blue of the sky.

Paintings!

2010-09-27T01:43:00.000-07:00

Below is a 9"x12" acrylic study of two cranes in a shallow pond.

This weekend's group show opening was successful and fun. I had the fun opportunity to live paint with James Garcia of Kulayan Arts and Wednesday Kirwan of Gama-Go. I loved seeing how other artists work. We had different palettes and ways of working. It's nice to be surrounded by other artists who are full of integrity, honesty, creativity, and openness.

At the live-painting, I started off with a tree in the snow. I wanted to juxtapose the grey of the sky with the lush pink of foliage. James started with a beautiful tree against a textured blue background. We're hoping to finish these two collaborative pieces sometime soon and re-post the final.

Thanks to all of the artists and the friends and family who love and support them!

2010-09-19T02:00:00.001-07:00

Sometimes when I am feeling mediocre. I remember the people in my life that have supported me and believed in me even at times when I had stopped believing in myself. To them, and to myself, I owe - the remarkable. Until I get there, I'll put one foot in front of the other.

"The Distance Between" a group show opening next Saturday, Sep. 25th!

2010-09-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to James “Ganyan” Garcia of Kulayan Art-program and Irene Faye Duller from Underground*, my art will be in a group show with 3 other awesome artists from Sep 25-Nov.5th titled "The Distance Between."

“The Distance Between”

ShoeBiz Valencia

877 Valencia St. (& 20^th)

Sep. 25^th Opening Day, Artists’ Reception 5-7pm

(In celebration, 20% off or so on retail products Sep 25^th only)

Artist Line-Up:

James “Ganyan” Garcia

Brian Ignacio

Wednesday Kirwan

Eve Skylar

James Garcia

Brian Ignacio

Wednesday Kirwan

(The Artwork posted above belong to the respective artists. This is mainly to get a glimpse at how awesome this show is going to be and I am very much honored to be a part of . . .)

Although this show is not directly linked to the Kulayan Art-Program, you should definitely check out this awesome art-community resource. I wished I had support network as a growing artist. I hope to be a future contributor/ mentor to younger artists too.

[The Kulayan visual arts program, based in San Francisco, provides art workshops aimed at, but not limited to Pilipino and Pilipino-Americans. The curriculum explores issues of identity, the role of art in activism and community, and learning the skills to create successful art works individually, and in a group.]

I’m so excited to be painting some of new pieces for the show. Hope to see you next Saturday, Sep 25^th at 877 Valencia!

SF Zine Fest 2010

2010-09-07T00:55:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were at the San Francisco Zine Festival. Thank you Francois, Rick, and the rest of the organizers for putting on such a successful show. After more than six months of planning, meetings, and fundraisers, the exhibitors and guests enjoyed a fun-filled weekend of independent comics, DIY art, and free workshops to celebrate art and artists of all background and mediums. We sold out of our new Naricorn t-shirt designs and most of our line of illustration glicee prints. It was great to meet and talk with fellow artists and be inspired. We always feel so welcomed there. If you have never been, you should definitely check it out. If you have and if you loved it, you should consider volunteering for next year. www.sfzinefest.com

While Rick was being interviewed by a journalist, I was happily painting the little piece above. I couldn't think of anything for the 1 hr. live painting, so I wanted to do further color and value studies of a mushroom field. I started off with 20% warm grey marker to get the overall rhythm, then used a Staedtler 0.7 liner and black sharpie for the line drawing, and acrylic for the color.

Thanks for coming out to support us! Glad to be continually inspired by other artists and friends. I even got to see my hero, Joko. Thanks everyone!

Airship in Progress

2010-08-31T01:33:00.000-07:00

In progress: Airship with Ob Deck.

keep Painting!

2010-08-30T03:04:00.000-07:00

In progress new experimental painting that I'm currently working on. It's going to take me many more hours to get it where I want it to be, but I like where it's going so far. I wanted to try out the new Canson XL Mix Media paper brand. It can take gouache, watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink. It's great for sketches and studio technique experiments, but tears by the third lift. Fabriano 300 is ideally my preference. But if you're like me, if you can get your hands on anything to paint on, that's great. The main thing is - keep painting.

2010-08-25T17:30:00.001-07:00

Another sneak peek at the Rick and Eve collaborative illustrations to debut Sep 4-5th at the SF Zine Fest.

www.unicorn-studios.com

2010-08-24T05:14:00.000-07:00

Web graphic icons I illustrated for Unicorn Studios. www.unicorn-studios.com

Experimentations

2010-08-15T11:33:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend, Rick and I were featured artists at Market SF, a community centric event that allows artists to showcase their art, meet their patrons, and sell their work. We decided to collaborate on some live paintings and experiment with new techniques. Above is a sneak peek of the results from our collaboration; we will be debuting the full illustrations and offering the designs as glicee postcards at SFZineFest, September 4-5th. Hope to see you there!

2010-08-11T17:32:00.000-07:00

In progress airship designs for Ken Gray of Monkey and Robot. I'm exploring Victorian steampunk aesthetic. I have a fascination with flying machines and pirate ships. Adventure is out there!

Puppets and Maquettes

2010-07-25T02:24:00.000-07:00

I was finally able to upload images of my stop motion puppets and maquettes

I am really proud of how the eyes came out. I took crafting beads, soaked them in nail polish overnight to remove the waxy gloss, painted the iris and pupil in acrylic. I also attached each individual hair with gorilla glue for the eyelashes with tweezers. The eyes can be moved by a pin needle. I made several replacements, so the lids can close.

In-progress study in style and form. I sculpted this maquette out of plasticine clay with 1/16 animation wire underneath. I do not own the rights to this character. I was inspired by Wallice and Gromit's The Curse of the Were Rabbits. This bunny is enthusiastically clapping.

Little Yeti.

My interview with Shannon at Northern Focus: Life as an artist

2010-07-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

Last week, my interview with Shannon at Northern Focus came out. Below is a sneakpeek into my life as a visual development artist and stop motion animator.

NF: Were there any major events that inspired you to become an artist?

ES: As far as I remember, I liked to draw. I would purposely send letters to my sister, who shared a bunk bed with me when we were little, just so I could draw and decorate the envelopes. I think several other impressions came to mind. My aunt bought my sister and me a collection of Candy Candy manga. I didn't really understand the story at the time, but I was drawn to the pictures. I would come back to them every summer and I tried to draw the different characters, albeit not very successful. My father was in the printing business, though he deftly denies being an artist, I remember he copied a drawing of "Little Mermaid" for me. We were a poor family, so any sense of beauty or delight was intensified in my childhood.  

I think I started forming my true intentions as an artist during high school. Around this time, my sister was preparing for college. The family found out early on that she loved art over academics; so my parents saved money and hired a monthly tutor, who happened to be a "Disney animator." At the time, the title "animator" sounded foreign to me, but I wanted to be one more than anything.  

As a junior in high school, I gathered my homemade drawings and applied to Art Center College of Design and won a full-tuition scholarship for two semesters. There I met the passionate Jon Howard, who taught me that art was life itself. His passion for art was infectious. But by the time I finished high school, there was not enough money for me to go to college. So I took on a job and paid my way through city college. My parent's financial needs overrode their intentions; I was told that "art was something children do, but then grow out of." I don't think my sister and I were supposed to have taken art seriously. I had no direction. I wanted art, but I was told it wouldn't make money. So I was torn and took a middle road, Literature. At night, on the sides, I tried to absorb whatever art books my sister brought home. She taught me the basics of oil painting, and I practiced nearly every night.

NF: Did you major in art, illustration or stop-motion animation in college?

ES: I went to Academy of Art and majored in visual development, which is a cross-section multidisciplinary between 2D Animation and Illustration. I was a bit of an odd ball, along with the other Visual Development students, creating my own course of education. So I sampled a lot from Fine Arts, Animation, and Illustration department

I got involved in stop motion during my freshman year after I took Beth Sousa's Introductory Experimental Animation class. At that time, the stop motion animation department was being formed, but there were hardly any interested students, teachers, or resources for serious studies. Soon after I took a puppet making class with Cora Hoffleginger, I was hooked and began to teach myself from books about all the different kinds of puppets, armature, and materials.

NF: Your website mentions that in addition to you being an artist and illustrator you are also a stop-motion animator. What does being a stop-motion animator entail?

ES: Being a stop motion animator entails almost the same principles as an artist/illustrator, you still have to have good, functional, beautiful, design but on top of that--add motion. I think of animation as "fine arts in motion." With stop motion, every frame must be well composed, beautiful, and intentional. There is something poetic to be said of the hand being highly involved in molding a puppet, invoking a facial expression, and "animating" a puppet to life. A lot of films nowadays take the pacing and cinematic shots much too fast. We live in a culture of spectacle, of flipping channels, fast food drive-ins, and punch lines. A stop motion animator takes patience. Sometimes a months worth of work will only produce a minute of animation.  Being a stop motion animator also entails that you have a good relationship with your puppet. What that means is that, you know its every joint and what it's made of. Puppets wear down easily through multiple movements, and joints have to be replaced. It's also good to understand materials and its armature skeleton underneath, so you know what the full range of motion is for your puppet and its natural center of balance.

NF: You won an award for your stop-motion animation puppet at AAU. How did this project/creature come about?Was there anything that influenced you in the design, color or overall aesthetic of the puppet?

ES: When I was little, I wanted to be a zoologist or veterinarian, because I thought it was their job to hang out with animals all day. I would borrow those Eyewitness books from the library about different animals. At some point, I liked studying the animal skeletal system. My parents saw my enthusiasm and got me a book on Seaworld animals, I was really drawn to abnormal creatures. At some point, when my sister was attending Art Center, everyone was into Star Wars. The zoologist turned artist Star Wars creature-concept illustrator, Terryl Whitlatch, was teaching there. Fast forward 10 years later, she was now teaching at my Academy of Art, but I didn't have the requirements to take her class yet. So I studied her books and I wanted to challenge myself.  

This was my stop motion puppet project for class. I wanted to make something with fully articulated joints and movable armature. I knew I didn't want to do a human character, I wanted to do something mythical. I had to adjust some of the muscle structure and accommodated more of a big cat movement. Unfortunately, it was my first time making a puppet, so I was very limited in my knowledge on where to buy supplies. I went to a fabric store downtown and they only had two options for fur color, light blue or stripped white and brown. Since my creature was a snowy mountain creature, I went with the light blue, so he can somewhat camouflage himself in the mountains to catch his prey. I think in hindsight, he ended up looking quite similar to Sully from Monsters Inc. It was not intentional, but I did love that film and its very possible to have been subconsciously influenced.

My instructor, Cora, suggested that I make the face movable.

If you look up close, you can move his eyelids, parts of his mouth, and all of his horns. I am working on getting a bigger studio so I can actually film a short animation of this puppet.

NF: Is your piece, Into the Den, (above) part of a series of paintings or part of a larger concept of painting?

ES: Into the Den is part of a series of paintings entitled Skyace Wasteland or also known as the working title Tyger Tyger. All the paintings are actually pre-production concept art for an eventual graphic novel and animation slated for the near future. I wanted to experiment with Japanese and American style environment art since I am highly influenced by both.
The inspiration behind the Skyace Wasteland series actually comes from a deeply rooted personal history. My parents are survivors of the civil war, they witnessed many horrors, abandonment, and desperation as children. Through them, my sister and I live out their paranoia, pettiness, and at the same time, their awe-inspiring sacrifice. My sister and I grew up relatively alone. I think our imagination, humor, and art saved us. The character in the piece is a child that is surprisingly resilient and creative at the face of danger.

On behalf of Shannon at Northern Focus and myself, thank you for reading the interview.

4 More Days Till the Art Riot Begins July 10th!

2010-07-06T02:51:00.000-07:00

On Fourth of July, Rick and I headed over to SPACE Gallery with all of our paintings. There we met with all of the artists for the Alien/ation Show (except Rob and Yoko since they're both out of town). It was really cool to see all of the pieces in person. I can see the brush strokes, the attentive detail, and beautiful variations of color that you normally can't pick up from the computer screen. I was able to ask some of the artists questions and they were more than happy to answer them. And every artist works differently, so each approach is uniquely them.

Looking at the gallery with all the hung pieces was absolutely beautiful and exciting! It's coming down to the wire. Only 4 more days till Saturday, July 10th!

Rick and myself will also be participating in the Art Battle this time. I'm looking forward to it!

In the meantime, here is a sneak peek and interesting interviews by Hyphen magazine's Kevin Lin, with some of the featured artists:

Rick Kitagawa, artist and co-founder of Paper Hat Productions
Kim Herbst, artist and freelance illustrator in the game industry
Rob Sato, illustrator, now gallery artist

See you on July 10th! To RSVP, please click here.

Alien/ation: an Art Riot Extravaganza - July 10th!

2010-07-05T00:10:00.000-07:00

I've been juggling freelance work, my personal portfolio, and our upcoming gallery show July 10th. I was doing more of the event organizing than creating that I almost neglected my paintings. Thanks Rick, for the good kick in the pants.

Here's a little sneak peek that I'll be showcasing July 10th. Acrylics. 9x16.5". It's a bit more experimental that what I'm used to.

It's exploring the idea of alien/ation within the context of departure and arrival. One of my early memories is of a bright airport hangar and my extended family were by the big window, their faces were blurred by the shadows casted from the planes outside. I couldn't really see their faces, but I now remember them crying. I was too little to understand the full extent of the picture, the immensity of "leaving" a place and not being able to see these family members ever again. And I realize that if I were to visit now, that place, those people, everything I had captured in my mind, is different, it's gone.

Hope you can see the work in person and I can answer any questions during the artists' reception at our show. Our pieces are up on the gallery as of yesterday. Thanks Chris at SPACE Gallery! (1141 Polk Street, SF). For more information about the gallery, please visit our official Hyphen webpage here

and RSVP on our Facebook page here.

We look forward to seeing you July 10th!

Hyphen magazine's First Illustration Show: July 10th!

2010-06-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars! July 10th, Rick and I will be showcasing our paintings and illustrations among prolific artists in Hyphen magazine's First Illustration Show.

FEATURING ART BY:
Danny Neece
Eve Skylar
Jon Stich
Jorge Mascarenhas
Joseph To
Kim Herbst
Rick Kitagawa
Rob Sato
Yoko Furusho

ALIEN/ATION: An Illustration Show

Hyphen magazine has partnered up with Paper Hat Productions to bring you a group show of game-changing illustrators in an Art Riot Extravaganza! Live painting! Wicked Drinks! Live DJs! Tantalizing Cupakes! If you miss this, you'll be kicking yourself the next day.

Saturday, July 10th
5:30 pm - Artists Reception
7:00 pm - Art Riot Extravaganza

Space Gallery
1141 Polk St., San Francisco

$5 at the door OR
$15 includes a one year Hyphen sub (50% off!)

SPECIALS
First 25 paid guests @ 7:00 pm get a free copy of Hyphen magazine + limited edition mystery swag

LIVE PAINTING:
Participating featured artists

DJs:
B-Haul (Dirty Dishes, Tasty) http://dirtydishesdjs.com/
Gordon Gartrell (Dirty Dishes) http://dirtydishesdjs.com/

EATS:
Vegan cupcakes by Black Orchid Bakery
http://www.blackorchidbakery.com/

RSVP on our Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=105553116160389&index=1

ABOUT HYPHEN & PAPER HAT PRODUCTIONS
www.hyphenmagazine.com
www.paperhatproductions.com

Commissioned Illustration: The Walrus and the Carpenter

2010-06-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

All pen and ink work above was done with a B-6 Croquill nib (thanks Charley for the pen).

Last month I was approached by Sean Wilkins to do a private commission pen and ink illustration of Lewis Carroll's "The Walrus and the Carpenter." I've obtained his permission to post these process photos for the blog.

I grew up with Lewis Carroll's books and was obsessed by his riddles, symbols, and creative energy. I was thrilled and I thoroughly enjoyed completing this project. I enjoyed rendering the folds on the Walrus' Victorian clothing and the shimmering shells under the boiling hot sun. It was a challenge to make the background fantastical, but while still employing subtlety. I ended up having to do a light wash for the sky, which unfortunately tends to warp the paper a bit. Overall, I really liked the final result and am really proud of how it came out. It was fun!

Thank you Sean!

Current Projects

2010-06-07T00:37:00.001-07:00

I'm currently balancing several projects in the works. I'm so inspired to be around many creatives, whose artistic directions are shaping my growth in art.

Alongside a small team of talent, I'm working on visual development pre-production boards for an animated film. I am constantly learning from my director, Paul, and also my colleague, Monico, whose range of visual expressions, I aspire to.

Second, is a commissioned pen and ink illustration of Carroll's "The Walrus and the Carpenter" by a private client.

And last, but not least, my partner Rick and I are collaborating with Hyphen magazine to curate Hyphen's First Illustrator Art Show this upcoming July! The artists were juried by Hyphen magazine and Paper Hat Productions, based on their talent and contributions to the magazine. The final line-up is intense! The theme being Alien/ation. Please check back for updates. In the meantime, check out these amazing artists!

Feature Artists: Yoko Furusho, Kim Herbst, Rick Kitagawa, Jorge Mascarenhas, Danny Neece, Rob Sato, Eve Skylar, Jon Stich and Joseph To.

Animal and Random Sketches

2010-06-05T03:32:00.000-07:00

I wanted to try out a new Tombo brush pen, my friend Charlie gave me. I love gestures and, when possible, the simplicity of lines.

It's fun learning how much pressure to put on the brush pen. My favorite one is the "monkey," because it was the last one I did tonight and I was more confident with the brush lines. The animal sketches above are from Weatherly books.

Tree Studies

2010-06-05T00:23:00.000-07:00

Tree Studies: Weird-shaped trees do exist! I love painting them.

Reflections after graduation

2010-06-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

"Come, my friends,
'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset,

Tho' much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To seek, to strive, and not to yield." [Ulysses]

One of my favorite poems and mantra from my Outward Bound days. I remember drifting underneath the Utah stars, memorizing this poem. I knew the words had power and I wanted to grasp it. I came across this poem again as a tiny scholar when I was madly studying for final exams at Long Beach City College in order to transfer to UC Berkeley. It is quite fitting to find it again, now, as a recent grad of Academy of Art. It has been a long journey towards my dreams. So many setbacks, so much time lost, but so many friends and experiences gained. I still find comfort in the words. Literature and art had fueled me with the passion and sustained me through the depths. Now the light is so much brighter and I am enjoying every moment of my new adventures.

To seek. To strive. And not to yield.

My experiences and two cents on graduation, portfolio, industry recruiters, and life as an artist

2010-05-27T03:03:00.000-07:00

Last week, I attended my art school's senior industry portfolio day, where big-name industry recruiters such as Laika, Pixar, Dreamworks, Illumination, Lucas Arts, and Blizzard were conducting one-on-one interviews on the spot. There were many recent grad students like myself who were vying to break into the animation/film industry. The students were filed into a small room and waited to be sent to the various industry representatives for their respective interviews. As soon as an industry stated what they were looking for ("we're looking for 1-2 concept artists"), all students with the "right" portfolio were called in. Sometimes the line to see a certain company snaked around the corner and your peers could hear your every exchange with the rep during your interview.

Although I am very grateful and I personally had a lot of fun, I also noticed a downside for my fellow artists. Unfortunately, these kinds of situations breed what Rick and I would call a "mentality of lack." What I noticed was that many of the students around me were thinking in terms of limitation. Many felt that this "one day" is the only one shot to their dreams, the "be all, end all" moment. Rumors started spreading around, "they are looking for only one artist, etc." Although it may be true for a company to state such a thing, it does not mean that perhaps they will not be looking next semester or even a month from now. I can see negativity in the students' demeanor. One guy in the elevator (whom I did not even know) randomly asked me, "so, . . . how many interviews did you get?" I (don't like thinking in terms of numbers) replied, "I don't know, I wasn't really counting" and he scoffed at me, "I was called into six of them." It saddened me to think that this "artist" defined his craft and himself by how many interviews he had.

It shocked me to see that so many of my talented peers, whom I aspire to, and consider my friendly rivals, were downgrading themselves. They defined themselves by how well their portfolio was received, or how many interviews they had, not by how far they have come, where they want to go, and what they need to do in order to get there.

Although it was intense, I had a lot of fun. I heard a lot of good feedback regarding my work and also how to improve it. I now have a direction to evolve my art. I was so happy to be able to speak with creative directors/ and artists from the all the different companies and had the opportunity to pick their brain and experience. Their knowledge, time, and feedback is invaluable. After all, some of these folks have worked in the field 5-20 years. Although I understand that everyone is looking for a job, would like a job, and would like to be recognized for their artwork, the one-on-one feedback from these creatives for even just one minute - was the most rewarding and important piece of the entire experience.

With all due respect and perspective, when these experienced artists of 5-20 years, see a "recent grad student's" portfolio, they probably come to similar conclusions: "I see potential, but needs polishing."

In these kinds of situations, an artist must have pride in their work for what it is, but also see into the future of their growth. One day, I will throw away everything that is in my current portfolio because I will have grown, my work may change, and I need to move forward and constantly experiment in new ways to best express the images in my head.

There were plenty of people who had talent and a kick-ass portfolio, but the people who really did well that day, who seemed as if they shone above the crowd, were people who believed in their own potential, accepted the situation as it were, and at the same time, had the generous heart to root for their comrades during such an intense situation. A couple of people came to mind, but I was thinking specifically of my friend, Nathan. He was giving everyone the thumbs up, reassuring his colleagues, really, genuinely, was wishing well to all of his "friends and simultaneous competitors." His personally was gold. And the industry recruiters could see that. I'm happy to congratulate him on his new work in the animation industry.

The way I like to look at it is this: There are jobs for each and every artist, it's just about finding the right fit, for both the company and yourself.

Your portfolio, your current skills, who you are as a person right now . . . it is what it is, but ultimately, it can be molded into anything. In the end, you are not defined by your art portfolio, but your character as a person and an artist.

In progress painting

2010-05-20T05:01:00.000-07:00

In our humble apartment. There is often not enough room to paint. So we make room on our floor. Not quite sure yet on what kind of mood I wanted, but I am drawn to the moments right after a rain. There are many variations of greys.

When I lived in Indonesia, I remember that I could "smell" the rain. My mom would give me an umbrella, much too big for my size. I would lift my feet and let the wind carry me a few steps.

This piece is dedicated to Martha Tian and Rick, to whom without their unending support, I would not be here painting this piece. Thank you both for giving me the key to unlock my potential.

Color & Time of Day Studies

2010-05-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

Exploring some color, temperature, and time of day.

2010-04-24T17:36:00.000-07:00

Re-working an old piece. Digital painting is so much harder than acrylics for me. I don't have as much control of the wacom as I do my #4 sable brush. I still have a long way to go.

YAY! Success! "Out of Place" Opening Night Art Riot Extravaganza!

2010-03-14T15:37:00.001-07:00

Thank you everyone! The "Out of Place" opening night Art Riot Extravaganza was extremely successful.We couldn't have done it without you! By 7:50pm, we had a line outside waiting to get in. The traffic was non-stop until the party ended at 12am. When we had to stop, the party moved next door. We had over 300 people!

We hope everyone enjoyed watching the art battle, vegan baked goods (they were sold out when I was about to buy some at 10pm!) , tantalizing drinks, and live beats from our DJ Zaion.

If you enjoyed the Art Riot Opening Night Extravaganza, March 12th, "fan us" on the Paper Hat Productions facebook and Rick and I will keep you updated for the next show. And if you have photos from the event, please post them or share a link here. If you do not have Facebook, you can always keep updated by checking our official Paper Hat Productions website. (We're already deciding on our next theme and possible dates).

We want gallery openings to be an outrageously fun community event.

Thank you Rick for all of the crazy times we had in curating the show. A huge thank you to our Media Sponsors Hyphen magazine, Asian American Theater Company, SF Zine Fest, Joel Hornsby, and Chris at SpaceGallery Sf. Thank you buyers for supporting upcoming talented artists. And finally, to the artists, the friends and family that support them, and you, our beautiful guests ~we really couldn't have done it without you!

---
Here are the results from the Team Art Battle:
Two artists, who never worked with each other before, were paired up randomly to work on a collaborative piece. The audience-picked theme was "Chaos." In 1.5 hours, this is what they come up with:

Team: Eve Skylar & Xiau-Fong Wee

Team: Francois Vigneault & Lavit Sea
Team: Haruka Seki & Jonas Madden-Connor

If you are inquiring to buy or would like to find out more, email info@paperhatproductions.com

Thank you again!

My Gallery Show Opening this Friday! 8pm @ SPACE Gallery

2010-03-11T02:11:00.001-08:00

Current painting that I am working on. This week has been quite hectic; I've been looking for some downtime to do art just for myself. I'm currently working on a freelance project on top of curating the gallery that's coming up. Busy, but super happy!

We hung our work up in the gallery last week. It's so awesome to see all of the pieces in person.
It's 1 more day till show time and we're already getting some inquiry from buyers.

I'm looking forward to live music by DJ Zaion, tasting all of the vegan baked goods by Black Orchid, and collaborating with the artists during the team art battle. Not to mention seeing all of my friends and meeting new ones!

If you are free this Friday, March 12th, come check out my art and other talented artists' works at SPACE Gallery, 1141 Polk Street (next to the Hemlock, in between Post & Sutter).

Artists' Reception 7-7:30pm
8:00pm the Art Riot Extravaganza begins!

ps. if you are an artist looking to get into our summer/fall gallery show, show up and come find me or Rick during the event and pitch your stuff!

Live Painting at 111 Minna for Hyphen's Release Party

2010-02-27T03:13:00.000-08:00

Thank you Hyphen magazine!

After 2 hours final (above) and in-progress about 40 minutes in (below). Since it was low lighting, I had a bit of trouble seeing the values and color on my palette box. In the end, I think it worked to my advantage, as I had to focus mainly on design and shapes and disregard color.

(Photo above taken by Derek Lieu ~ Thanks Derek!)

Friday night, Rick and I boarded the bus at 9pm with our easel, table, and acrylic paints for Hyphen Magazine's live painting at 111 Minna, SF.

With live painting and any engaging creative act, it is a constant feedback between the artist and its surrounding. There is often a lot of pressure to make something "amazing" in a couple of minutes. I don't know how many of the guests stayed for the entire night to see its progress, but the earlier guests only saw a blank canvas and some incoherent squiggle marks. Some audience members also approached with, "what the hell is that?" "where are you going with this?" And often, the artist themselves are unsure.

When music came on, the paint and canvas connected. There were a couple of moments of crippling self-doubts, and I had to reign myself in and trust the movement and life of the art to come through.

Not quite what I had envisioned, but after 2 hours, this is what I came up with. I had in mind that any trailblazing journey included both the dark ugly mystery and beautiful moments of spontaneity, the organic and the mechanized, the thrill of adventure and the knowing of being able to surpass whatever obstacles may come.

There's a lot of visible mistakes, but not too bad for the first live painting ever. Thank you to everyone who came, supported, or otherwise were there in spirit. The art made was highly influenced by the surrounding music, DJ, dancers, and comments, and questions that were remarked throughout the night. Think of it as a collaborative art piece made through interactions and experiences specific to the moment.

Thank you Hyphen magazine, Rick, new and old friends alike! Hope you had fun.

Featuring Zaion, Shing02, & Lavit Sea

2010-02-22T01:04:00.001-08:00

We're very excited to have Zaion on board as our DJ. He is an awesome musician, DJ, and producer. He is a world traveler and therefore incorporates the different sounds and spaces into his mixes. He has a great sensitivity to transitions and beats. He recently worked on a collaboration with Shing02 and Lavit Sea on Organ Trip. Shing02 is a well-known rapper/musician in Japan/Oakland/and LA. Followers may be introduced to his work from the opening of Samurai Champloo; he's a tremendously noteable MC/rapper-songwriter/a-capella in the US and abroad. You can check out more here.

Lavit Sea, who was one of the art contributors for Organ Feat, recently also did Shing02's CD cover. His insights, subject matter, and mediums have a very ethereal quality to them. They are beautiful, honest, and engaging. He is also one of the featured artists for our "Out of Place" March 12th Gallery Show.

I feel so lucky to be surrounded by creatively talented people! I hope you can come out March 12th to SPACE Gallery, 1141 Polk St. SF at 8pm! It'll be a non-stop powerhouse show.

If you have Facebook, you can RSVP here.

Show at SPACE Gallery Opening Night Extravaganza March 12th!

2010-02-05T23:00:00.000-08:00

Rick and I are curating a gallery show!

March 8- March 21st at SPACE Gallery

March 12th Opening Night Extravaganza

8p-whenever, however long you can hang with me in drinks . . .
Featuring 9 cutting edge San Francisco based artists who are borderless in terms of subjects, styles, and imagination
Live Team Art Battle
Live Painting
Live Music by DJ Zaion
Vegan Baked goods by Black Orchid
Wicked drinks by SPACE Gallery
chance to win one-of-kind, original art, just by coming out to drink with us!

I will try to update you on our process, so you can get an insight into the minds of curating -- what will become one of the biggest art riot extravaganza event!

Currently, Rick is working on the official website and I'm working on a logo. We are projecting to go live by Saturday morning.

We're so excited to feature the awesome comedy improv troupe -- Hobofish. If you haven't seen their live performance, it's a once in a lifetime treat. We're in the process of booking a DJ. A couple of promising prospects. We'd like to do a shout out to a talented DJ and music producer: Zaion. The music and the photography on his website is absolutely serene!

In the next couple of weeks, I'll be featuring the different artists and events ! Stay tune for more.

Hopefully you'll be able to make March 12th. Come celebrate my birthday weekend AND my gallery show!

Animation on Display recap!

2010-02-01T23:44:00.001-08:00

Animation on Display was surprisingly successful. Despite our booth being a lot different than most commission-base manga/ anime style characters, we were positively received. On the first day, we had the challenge of setting up in a new space. Rick's work and mine differ so greatly in style, we had to think about what would be most complementary. We made the mistake of displaying the puppet on its side, so it largely blended behind all of our work. So the next day we faced him forward and it definitely made a difference in the number of interested parties. Funny I just noticed that in the picture below, Rick's shirt color matches the puppet.

Second Day
First day

Although, we were still very profitable, it was difficult to secure sales. Many people stopped by, but as soon as we said hello, they would run away. They also gravitated towards mainstream anime images: Naruto, Bleach, One Piece . . .

I also concluded that most anime-type conventions are mainly for cosplay, not so much to buy merch, especially of non-recognizable characters. People kept wanting to hire me to do $3 drawings of Naruto and such. I do have a strong principle in terms of infringing on copyrighted materials. I highly encourage commission work, but only if 1) it is original art 2.) the artist is paid their respected dues, at market value. Granted we were among "students" and "hobbyist," but it's a disservice to the artist to be paid $3 to produce 1) one of a kind 2) original 3) rush job 4) client dictated art. I hope our neighbors will raise their prices next year, they deserve it.

All in all, it was fun to table with Rick, meet some good contacts, cool people, and make some money off our art, be able to pay rent, people watch, and relax for the first time in ages. Thank you to everyone who supported us! If you missed our show, you can follow our hour by hour live blog or buy prints and ties from our etsy store. Thanks again.

Animation on Display this weekend: Jan. 30th & 31st at Hotel Kabuki, SF

2010-01-27T01:09:00.001-08:00

Hello! If you missed my stop motion puppet at the AAU Spring Show 2009, it will be displayed at the Animation on Display Convention this weekend Jan. 30th & 31st, at the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco!

The above puppet won an AAU Honorary Distinction Award. It has fully articulated joints and it is fully moveable. From head to tail it is 4 ft. in length. Inside, is a custom built wooden armature coated with foam rubber latex. I'd be happy to share my process at the table.

Our booth, Monkey and Seal will be located at the Artist's Alley showroom titled "Shadowlands."
It will be our first time showcasing at this event. I'm sure it will be a learning and fun experience.

The convention will have industry and guest panels with topics covering stop motion, voice acting, direction of manga/comics, cosplay, and of course, art and animation. They are also celebrating the 25th anniversary of Robotech.

So come out and hang out with us. Message me.

2010 with a Bang!

2010-01-12T01:27:00.000-08:00

On to the new year!

2010 is the dawn of a new era for my art and collaborative project Monkey and Seal. With my partner Rick, I will be showcasing and selling my art at the Animation on Display this upcoming Jan. 30-31st at Hotel Kabuki, SF. Get ready for two days of anime, animations, illustrations, cosplay, toys, comics, and the latest industry releases. We will be located at the Artist's Alley under the booth: Monkey and Seal.

Furthermore, we are curating a gallery show this coming March. We're going to have live art, music, an improv comedy show, an art battle, possibly vegan cupcakes, delicious booze, and other goods. Paper Hat Productions present "Out of Place," an art riot extravaganza. Coming to you this March.

A new beginning

2009-12-21T01:03:00.001-08:00

Joko's was a fitting and worthy finish. I wanted to tell him, that his beginning perspective class that I took about 2 years ago, actually kept me going in art. I hope I was able to convey how grateful I was. Thank you to my patrons who made it financially and physically possible for me to attend this semester. Thank you to my colleagues as well, for all of the constant encouragements and truthful crits. From now on, I'll just keep walking forward. This is the end and a new beginning for my art.

Concepts and in progress paintings

2009-12-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

These are the pieces I am currently working on. Time is ticking and I need to get faster at painting. I'm still learning the properties and reactions of acrylics. I have about 24hours to put everything together for the presentation. gak!

Overall, I'm learning in huge leaps in Joko's. I'm super grateful.

I'm also working on a couple of collaborative projects in the works.One is art directing an independent revolutionary film, a secret event in March, and a potential online collaborative project. I can't disclose too much at this stage, except I'm working with really awesome artists and visionaries. I can post more once I get the go-ahead.

Last push to the finish. Wish me luck.

Skyace Wasteland: a painting process

2009-12-13T17:25:00.000-08:00

Rick and I are cooking up a secret art event in March. It's going to be art riot! So please keep your mid March dates open!

Process Post: Skyace Wasteland

When I was 10 I wrote a short novel about a skyace pilot who stands for the downtrodden. This character keeps haunting me and showing up in my works. She knows the ways of the world, but is not stung by them. She is resourceful, imaginative, intuitive - a survivor. Simultaneously, I am haunted by the images of Chernobyl - the nuclear power plant disaster of 1968 that turned countless cities into metal wastelands. This painting is the fourth illustration of the Tyger Tyger series.

This illustration was painted in acrylics. I had in mind an old rundown power plant wasteland with a wooden railroad going through the mountain passage. I wanted to get the feel of "after a rain" so I painted cool lighting without any direct sun light. Below is the in-progress step-by-step painting process.

The relatively finished piece above. The thumbnail below. In the thumbnail, I mainly wanted to design the shapes and rhythm of the piece before any details. The plane wings point downward, with the vertical power plant columns on the right holding the main mass of the painting, and the railroad points upwards back towards the plane. My line drawings are general very rough and loose so that I have room to build upon it or completely scrap it, if need be. Interesting forms come out from random lines - a reigned chaos.

So below is my initial setup. I have my thumbnail on the corner of my in progress painting. A book of clouds above so I can reference color and shape. Each storm cloud have different shapes. Clouds are fun to paint.
I generally try to paint from background to foreground, meaning sky, ground, then whatever is in front. I do the biggest shapes first, the plane being the smallest is last. Although I broke my own rule by painting the hazmat sign first before the shape on the left. It was just too tempting. I like how old signs have rust color and peeling paint job. I actually lost the original shape of the mountain behind the powerplant.

This is how the piece looks after about 8 hours. From here, I worked the mass on the left and clarified the plane. This piece was fun to paint.

Thanks for visiting!

1015 Folsom Handmade Ho-Down: Urban Craft Fair past Thursday

2009-12-06T18:09:00.001-08:00

Rick and I just finished Handmade Ho-Down, an urban craft fair at the renowned 1015 Folsom St. this past Thursday. Rick was one of the main organizers and founders of the event. The event hosted live DJs, live spray-painted art, mixed drinks, and 55+ artisans and vintage dealers. By around 5:30pm, we had a line of people going around the building waiting to get in.
--

Our little apartment turned into a production studio for the past couple of months. On top of keeping up with work, personal projects, and school, we were also making art for the show. We lived off ramen, pizza, coffee and take-outs for all the late night 5am sleep time, but it was super fun and well worth it! We had a table showcasing our illustrations, prints, silkscreened ties, buttons, and more. We are very grateful and thrilled to be so well-received. I sold out of 2 line of prints, Rick sold many of his ties and also sold out on a line of prints. All in all, it was festive and successful! I hope people enjoyed our art.

Here is a snapshot of us at 11:45pm, after having slept about 2-4 hours per night for the past two months, we were pretty dead, but happy. We can't wait until our next show. Our collaborative design studio, MonkeyandSeal will be present at the San Francisco Center for the Book's Holiday Fair with more art. Thank you for all of your support!

(photo was taken by Natalie Schrik, official photographer for the Handmade Ho-Down 2009).

Tyger Tyger part II

2009-12-05T16:45:00.001-08:00

Two more paintings for the Tyger Tyger series. I really like the two very different color schemes and mood. These were in acrylics on 9" x 15".

Still working on this one . . .

Tyger Tyger

2009-11-20T22:12:00.001-08:00

Hooray for acrylics! I think I found a new medium that I like. It's still hard to mix the colors that I see in my head. And it's a challenge not to overwork it because the colors will just get duller. Still learning the right balance between realism and animation layout style in my paintings. The story to this piece is almost at the tip of my tongue, if I can only capture it . . .

IP illustration

2009-11-19T00:57:00.000-08:00

IP - acrylic and gouache painting. The colors came out way darker than I had imagine. Then again, that's what being an artist is all about -- it's the push and pull between the image I see in my imagination and the fleeting attempt to capture such an image. I like these pipes so far (below). I definitely love environments more than characters. I can tell by which section of the illustration I spend the most time on.

90 thumbnails

2009-11-16T18:38:00.001-08:00

90 thumbnails. I really like the thumbnail process. It allows me to explore many directions the story can go without having to fully commit to a sequential order or a specific style. Below are some of the ones that I really like. Interestingly, many of my peers picked out the thumbnails that had more action-packed scenes while I preferred the quieter, more somber scenes. Below are some of the ones that I am considering to paint in gouache or acrylic. Some are more simple like the girl walking through a snowy forest and others a little more complex.

Added: Wed 4am - underpainting

Violin Repair Shop

2009-11-03T23:00:00.001-08:00

"Violin antique repair shop"- value study for animation layout. This piece was inspired by Cremona, Italy, the world-renown violin-making town. At the time I was brainstorming my idea, coincidentally I was also watching someone conduct Brahm's Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 - the piece that took him 14 years to finish. Another inspiration was that I was told, my grandfather played the violin. I unfortunately never got to hear him play, but he did leave A LOT of his classical cds and I have "borrowed" them from my parents since I moved out to SF. I grew up on Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Mozart, Ravel, Pachebel, and Beethoven. If I had many lives, one of them would be a conductor or a professional musician for a traveling symphony.

In my research for material, I came across the Stradivarius violin, supposedly unparalleled in craft(wo)manship (which is hopefully what you see above). In my mind, I had imagined the room having old lived-in Italian wooden furniture. I really like the curvature silhouette shape of the violins. At first I was going for a lonely 3am working time period in my piece, but Rick had mentioned that the mood was creepy with the broken strings and sharp tools. I can definitely see that too. I still need to adjust some of the values, but for the time being, I'm really happy with the way they came out.

The Minotaur and Ferry to the Underworld

2009-11-01T08:40:00.000-08:00

The Minotaur - I have always been disturbed by the story of the Minotaur. In many illustrations, he is often portrayed as a powerful raging monster holding battle weapons, mainly axes, but I wanted to focus more on his solitude and imprisonment. The Myth, in brief, is that King Minos, refused to give up a prized white bull to Poseidon, so Poseidon made the Queen fall in love with the bull and she conceived the Minotaur. Out of shame at his "son's" grotesque figure and his own failure to the gods, the King imprisons the Minotaur in the Labyrinth. The myth's theme is ultimately about punishment for disobedience to the gods, but at the price of many innocent sacrifices. They end up feeding sacrificial children to the minotaur- as if one's "sin" begets exponential monstrosity. To me, most people overlook the many innocent sacrifices: the poor queen, the minotaur, the children, all due to the conscious mistake of one man.

The myth is full of power, secrecy, and silencing of a being's existence - essentially, the minotaur is a very sad, doomed character. In the piece above I wanted to play with storytelling aspect and design of light and shadow pattern.

In "ferry to the underworld," I wanted to focus on simplicity of design and mood with color. I reduced the architecture of the buildings and the ship to their essential silhouette shapes. This piece was done with prussian watercolor on Fabriano paper.

Work in Progress - Egypt

2009-10-25T19:34:00.000-07:00