Lucia Black

Concepts of Lucia Black, who randomly came into existence one day during my Natural Resource Management and Planning class.

LUCIA BLACK (CONCEPT 1)

Pen on notebook paper 6.5" x 8.75" (2006)

Revisited this character a year later for further development...  I can already foresee her personality as mischievous, spontaneous, eccentric, witty and unconventional.  More updates to come later...

LUCIA BLACK (CONCEPT 2)

Micron pen on paper 8" x 10" (2007)

LUCIA BLACK (CONCEPT 3)

Micron pen on paper 8" x 10" (2007)

In transit...

Having no other book to read but the final installment of Harry Potter during a flight from Vietnam to Australia shortly after its publication date can yield side effects.  For instance, when sitting through a long lecture in Sydney, no other doodles come to mind but the following:

HAPPINESS WOULD COME...

Pen on paper 8" x 5" (2007)

Don't get me wrong.  The lecture was nothing short of boring and focused on nurturing parental acceptance and guidance towards children with autism.  If anything it was extremely insightful and interesting.  My mind just tends to multi-task and I find that doodling increases my engagement and focus.  I have to admit that questions raised by certain parents sparked some personal concern. Instead of inquiring more about meaningful or effective ways to support their child during moments of discrimination, hatred or condescension, they only seemed distressed about whether their child could reproduce! Anyhow, enough judgment for now.

INTERTWINED ROOTS...

Micron pen on cold pressed paper 8" x 11" (2007)

Not much to say about this piece except that I was stuck at the Incheon International Airport in South Korea for 18 hours and I terribly missed trees. On a side note, I'm starting to really appreciate not carrying around a pencil at all.  If you mess up, then you mess up,  That's the pure joy of doodling without having to worry about the end product.  Art is a process rather than a product, and it's the challenge of stretching the limits of your imagination that is more rewarding. 

Post-it notes make good drawing pads...

Someone said the central figure reminded them of asparagus, which I found highly amusing. In tribute of this quirky remark, this quick doodle will henceforth be known as "Asparagus Girl."

ASPARAGUS GIRL

Pencil on paper 4.25" x 4.25" (2007)

A Taste of Whimsy

Prior to 2003, there hasn't been a moment where I've really let loose and personally trusted myself to let my imagination go wild. However, after some encouragement from a very close and special friend, Julie, I finally decided to take the plunge and IT FEELS SO LIBERATING! No references, no rulers, no nothing...

(TITLE TO BE DETERMINED)
Mechanical Pencil on Paper 11" x 14" (2006)

It would be nice to revisit this piece in the future to further develop it. I imagine that this sanctuary would be nestled on top of a alpine mountain peak...with the sun rising beyond the horizon, the ocean sprawled out in the distance and clouds encompassing the bottom perimeter of the structure.

Intertwined Dragons

During a dreary, overcast day of confinement at a relative's house...with nothing but my notebook and college text books, I was left with little to do but...um...draw, I mean...study...

INTERWINED DRAGONS
Mechanical pencil on notebook paper 8.5" x 11" (2005)

This original design was intially drawn as a shield concept for my beloved friend, Julie. It was revisited two years later when I woodburned the drawing onto keepsakes box for my (now) ex-boyfriend as a Christmas gift.

Redrawing the design based upon the original (displayed above). The wooden box was premade and can be purchased at Michael's Crafts. If I had more time, I would've made one myself. Alas, spare time is a commodity I cannot easily waste nowadays.

Still not quite finish redrawing the design...but almost there.

Going over the lines with a woodburning pen (also purchased at Michaels). It is the same tool I used as a soldering iron during High School in order to melt metallic surfaces when creating stained glass pieces.

For the interior, the intent was to create a mixed-media collage consisting of photos and objects that best reflect or symbolize the people, experiences, memories and interests that we found significant in life.

A "nearly finished" snapshot of the interior before metallic trinkets and other objects were added to the collage. Three layers of varnish and glaze were used to coat the interior and exterior surfaces of the box for added protection against wear.

Frontal view of the finished product.

Frontal view of the finished product. The text has also been woodburned onto the surface. Sorry for censoring out the last three lines---they basically consisted of a personal message to the recipient that I suppose I don't necessarily mind sharing here. Oh well, too late.

Japanese Obitsu Dolls

I know, I know, dolls are beyond creepy (especially when you happen to stand in a room filled with them *shudders*). Even though I am generally not a fan of dolls, the process of doll-making triggered an insatiable urge to experiment. When I was 9 years old, I had sewed a couple fabric dolls and stuffed animals...but I had never worked with other mediums such as resin, plastic, etc. Hence, I decided to venture into the world of Japanese ball-joint dolls---simply because this type offered a wide range of flexibility in creating custom dolls. Most of the popular ones measure 60 inches in height and can range anywhere from $300 to the thousands. However, there is also the option of creating one...which is much cheaper. Unfortunately, not many people take this risk. Since the separate body components of the 60" dolls are ridiculously overpriced, I decided to go with the less-popular 21" body. I mainly found all of the neccesary doll parts on eBay for pretty reasonable deals. The body came preassumbled...but the head requires a considerable amount of rendering.

The process was a little bit more time-consuming than I anticipated...mainly because the diameter of the head (where the circumferance is the largest) is equivalent to that of a quarter. For those who plan on working with resin anytime in the future, keep in mind that the material does not allow for easy cutting. All of my incisions were jagged because it was difficult to maneuver an exacto knife smoothly through the "rubber-like" texture. I needed to cut open the head in order to cut out eye slots and insert 6 mm eyes via super glue. I would have to say gluing in the eyelashes was probably the hardest part. They were so tiny, I could barely even get a firm grip on it to keep it in place before the glue dried. Eventually, I had to resort to a toothpick to achieve this task. Acrylic paint was used to define the facial details and glaze was added to the lips for a glossy look.


Nothing strikes more horror than a head on a stick (which happens to be a pen in this case).

Finished product (named Fuschia).

Depicted below is Nadine (who shares the same body as Fuschia). The heads aren't supposed to be exchangeable, but I haven't secured them in place yet. Unlike Fuschia, Nadine's face does not require eye incisons of any sort. It was just a pre-molded component that required facial details to be painted on. I was stupid and did not draw anything out in advance (not even outlines of the eye shape) before whipping out my 1 mm diameter paintbrush and attempting to "wing it." As a consequence, I think the eyes may be slightly crooked...

Finished product (named Nadine).

Quick Scribbles

Needed a break from studying past midnight...

GHOULISH WHISPERS

Pen on Paper 8" x 10" (2006)

Tattoos for Stefanie and Ann...

Tattoo design for Stefanie, a wonderful, childhood friend of mine. Her initial request was to create a butterfly concept with a tiger's face embedded within its wings. The butterfly signifies a delicate exterior; whereas the piercing gaze of the tiger represents subtle, inner stregnth.

TIGER BUTTERFLY TATTOO
Mechanical pencil on paper 8.5" x 11" (2006)

Tattoo venue: Laughing Buddha at Captal Hill. (Pictured above and below: Stefanie)

...and the following designs were for her mother, Ann--who has always been fascinated by the stars and moon. The final selection Ann chose was the top right design.

STARS & MOON TATTOO CONCEPTS
Mechanical pencil on paper 8.5" x 11" (2007)

Le loup, L'oiseau et La Marmot

Rough, random sketch done within my temporary lodging quarters near a small midieval village named Embrun. This historic commune is nestled within the southern Alps region (Hautes-Alpes) of France. The scenery there is breathtakingly stunning...with magnificent mountains sprawled out on the terrain. I instantly fell in love with the area, and often find myself pining to relive the experience every now and then. Mediocre attempts of conversing with friendly strangers and going on phenomenal hiking trips with newfound friends consumed most of my days. It's nice not to be able to rely on English (or speak it at all) even though I'm sure I had a horrible French-American accent; nevertheless, everybody I met was extremely patient, amiable and incredibly caring. My awkwardness of feeling like a foreigner (I was the only non-French native /Asian person in the area) was quickly distilled by the warmth and lively spirit of those around me.

LE LOUP, L'OISEAU et LA MARMOT

Pen on scrap paper 5" x 10" (2005)

Our hiking group (where there is a constant flux of participants)

Arduous hike, but definitely worth the trek once we reached the peak.

Possibly one of the sweetest boys I've ever met!

Visiting another nearby village: Briançon

Portland Studios

Inadvertently stumbling upon Cory Godbey's site has led me to Portland Studios. What a dream job!

I am simply in love with Justin Gerard's artwork (another member at the Portland Studios).

"Samurai Hamster" by Justin Gerard

"Where the Wild Things Are"

(Note: orange text = link, so click away!)

Venture into the world of "Terrible Yellow Eyes", a gallery and blog established by Cory Godbey as "a collection of works inspired by the beloved classic, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak."

This reminds me of the Totoro Forest Project (minus the art auction that supports the preservation of Sayama Forest in Japan). You'll notice that some of the contributing artists involved in the Totoro Forest Project also share their admiration for Sendak's creations at "Terribly Yellow Eyes." These art pieces are currently displayed at the Nucleus Art Gallery in California.

To view all of the work online, please visit: http://www.gallerynucleus.com/gallery/pieces/214?page=all

"Where are they now?" by Pascal Campion (very nice guy by the way...)

"That night, a forest grew" by Jason Caffoe

"Through Night and Day" by Joel Furtado

Aliens?

Random sketches of supposed aliens? I wasn't quite thinking when I drew these...nor had I mapped out anything in advance. If anything, I'd say these creatures somewhat resemble ants (minus 2 out of 6 legs). Either way, it would be nice to develop a background story behind the main character (depicted below with the gigantic lollipop). Don't know if that will happen though...

Pencil on paper 11" x 14" (2004 - unfinished)

Who doesn't love violins?

VIOLA (original character design)
Pen on Paper 8.5" x 11" (2003)

What happens when there are too many Ghibli fans?

When I received a text message (last Friday) informing that I had won four free tickets to an advanced screening for Ghibli's latest masterpiece: Ponyo, I thought it was a scam. First of all, I had never entered any contest... Secondly, I was slightly concerned that this venue somehow got my cell phone number. Since the theater housing this event happened to conveniently sit across the street from my office building, I figured it wouldn't hurt to run over quickly and verify the validity of the tickets. It turns out they they were legitimate! The manager recommended getting in line no earlier than an hour before the screening. So I followed his advice (and intentional good will) that later proved to be an unintentional time underestimation. What I later saw was completely unexpected.

Hayao Miyazaki's watercolor concepts for "Ponyo" (Photo source: GhibliWorld.com)

Behold a line spanning more than 400 people that clobbered up the entire floor outside of the theater entrance; a seemingly endless sea of restless adults and children eagerly anticipating admittance. I was surprised that many people could even fit in the room! Doing a rough head estimate, there were probably close to 500 people present...and that was exactly where the problem laid. The screening room could only seat 400. At that moment, my spectacular excitement of arriving an hour earlier (as advised) became a not-so-spectacular disappointment. As you can all guess, we didn't make the cut...

Oh well, lesson learned: it never hurts to be too early. On the plus side, it was nice to see that many individuals appreciate the art and storytelling of Studio Ghibli. Thanks to those who waited in line with me! :-)

Now, if only I can get the Japanese theme song for this movie out of my head. There was one particular store in Tokyo that placed this folksy piece on repeat and I haven't been able to forget it. The U.S. version of Ponyo will be released tomorrow on Aug. 14, 2009 at select theaters.

Alki Beach

Little girl overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Panoramic view of Seattle overlooking Puget Sound (can you spot the Space Needle?)

My good friend, Sophia. Her warm-hearted spirit and enthusiasm is contagious!

1997-2003: LOST AND FOUND - ATTEMPTING TO ESCAPE UNORIGINALITY

Unfortunately, I have either recycled most of my past sketches or lost them somehow. A number were given to my friends... The remaining few are the lucky ones that survived all these years. I happened to find them while rummaging through a stack of old papers in my closet. Posted below are some more childhood/adolescent drawings and sketches. These were drawn during a period when I was still trying to find my own style. Clearly, I was nowhere near yet...but then again, I wasn't really trying and never had much time to draw. School was draining and inhibited my creativity...so I mainly relied on references. Only boring lectures seemed to send me on doodle rampages.

Oh those anime/manga years!

There are a plethora of qualities from this art form that I find captivating: the wide eyes, crazy hair, sharp features... Be prepared to throw tomatoes at my face, but I'm not necessarily immersed in the anime or manga world. For instance, out of all the anime drawings below, I haven't seen any episodes or games in which these characters derived from (except for Inu-Yasha, The Legend of Zelda, and three episodes of Evangelion-which proved too depressing for my taste). That doesn't stop one from appreciating this art style though!

LUNAR SILVER STAR STORY: ALEX (referenced)
Mechanical Pencil on Paper 8.5" x 11" (1999)

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: REI AYANAMI (referenced)
Color Pencils & Black Ink on Paper 8.5" x 11" (1999)

SENTIMENTAL GRAFFITI: NAGAKURA EMIRU (referenced)
Mechanical Pencil on Paper 8.5" x 11" (2000)

INU-YASHA (referenced)
15 min. sketch: Mechanical Pencil on Paper 6" x 6" (2000)

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: YOUNG LINK (referenced & unfinished)
Mechanical Pencil & Black-ink Pen on Paper 6" x 6" (2000)

PEACH GIRL: TOJI TOUJIGAMORI (referenced)
Mechanical Pencil on Paper 11" x 14" (2004)

All that could be retrieved from the Disney phase:

I wish I could find more disney sketches. My childhood dream was to work as a Disney animator...

JESSICA & ROGER RABBIT
Pencil on Paper 11" x 14" (1997)
...while hospitalized.

ETERNAL YOUTH: PETER PAN (referenced & unfinished)
Mechanical Pencil on Paper 6" x 6" (2003)

"THEY CALL ME THUMPER!" (referenced)
Mechanical Pencil on Paper 6" x 6" (2003)

2003 was finally the year I stopped relying on references but now, I faced another problem: my artwork seemed to be display a fusion of "anime" and"disney" influence.

If there was anything I wish I could've drawn better six years ago, it would've been male humans. For the life of me, any attempt of drawing men or boys leaned towards the feminine side (unless I'm looking at a reference of a male figure). In other words, I tend to draw girly men--a true let down to all men around the world. Sorry guys!

ORIGINAL CHARACTER CONCEPT SKETCH
Pencil on Paper 11" x 14" (2001)

ORIGINAL CHARACTER CONCEPT SKETCH
Pencil on Paper 11" x 14" (2001)

ORIGINAL CHARACTER CONCEPT SKETCH
Pencil on Paper 8" x 10" (2004)
Drawn at a restaurant in Vancouver B.C while waiting for food

ORIGINAL CHARACTER CONCEPT SKETCH
Pencil on Paper 8.5" x 10" (2003)
...during AP Biology

ORIGINAL CHARACTER CONCEPT DESIGN
Pencil on Paper 11" x 14" (2001)

ORIGINAL CHARACTER CONCEPT SKETCH
Pencil on Paper 11" x 14" (2001)