It's not that I don't want to be perfect, I do. I try very hard to be perfect, but humans aren't perfect. We're extremely flawed, some of us more than others. That doesn't stop me from trying. My mother says trying to be perfect is a flaw in itself. You never get anything done because you want it to be perfect. Because you're not perfect, what you do cannot be perfect. As such, you do things half-way then stop. Because you know. You know what you do will never be perfect. It'll never live up to what you imagined it to be, so you don't finish it.
I have an amazing father who is so good at what he does, and it just so happens that we share the same passion– Art. And I'm always scared of showing others what I've accomplished because what he creates is so beautiful, creative, awesome. Even perfect sometimes. I will never match his skill any time soon. I'm afraid that I'll live in his shadow with everyone comparing me to him. I'm afraid that I'll never be as good as him. I'm afraid that my art career will not go as well as I had hoped. I know it won't be easy. Nothing is easy. But I'm afraid that I'll not be good enough for anyone else to care about what I create. I know that I'm improving, but I wonder if it's enough sometimes.
I understand that I have to finish things, then move on to make better things. But sometimes.... Sometimes that little voice at the back of my head says that I'll never be as good as my father, so why bother trying. If I finish something, that little voice picks out the flaws in the painting, and I get upset.
I know almost everyone struggles with this problem at least once in their lives. I know I'm not alone in my insecurities. Still, at times it's difficult to cope with those sentiments. However, I'm trying to overcome this. I think I'm making progress. I've finished lots of projects this year. I'm trying to not be so hard on myself. I'm trying to remind myself constantly that it's okay to finish something imperfectly, so long as you did your best. I'm slowly coming to accept the fact that I may never be truly satisfied with what I accomplish. Wanting to be perfect is a good sentiment to have because you want to keep improving, but it can also kill your creativity. I guess it's a fine balancing act between the two. Funnily enough, though, I only feel the want-of-perfection in my Art. In all other things, I'm quite fine with "that's okay" and "you passed". I don't know why that is, but it is.
I guess that I have to learn to accept the flaws in what I create and learn to finish the current project(s) I'm working on then move on to a new project. "The world does not reward perfectionists, it rewards those who get things done." I'm taking that quote to heart, and I'm taking my artistic journey a day at a time. :)
Showing posts with label miscellaneous. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miscellaneous. Show all posts
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Great Resource for the Artist
I have a post titled "101 Websites for Artist" (previously called "References for the Artist: Master List"), and I really think you should check it out. It has got links to websites that provide free images, many links to tutorial sites, a link to the pdf file of one of Andrew Loomis' book titled "Creative Illustrations", great Tumblr blogs for illustrators, and lots of other cool stuff.
Check it out. Tell me how you like it. And if you know of a website that deserves to be on the list, leave me a comment. :) Anonymous commenting is enabled.
A Recommended Artist post will be up tomorrow, so keep an eye out for that. (edit: I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise. An emergency cropped up at home. But I'm back.) And as always, I'm open to suggestions, questions on Art, and recommendations. You can contact me at or at or <stephanie_jennifer@ymail.com> or <stephanie@everythingis-art.com>
Check it out. Tell me how you like it. And if you know of a website that deserves to be on the list, leave me a comment. :) Anonymous commenting is enabled.
A Recommended Artist post will be up tomorrow, so keep an eye out for that. (edit: I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise. An emergency cropped up at home. But I'm back.) And as always, I'm open to suggestions, questions on Art, and recommendations. You can contact me at
Monday, 8 April 2013
Does Hard Work Beats Talent? Yes, It Does.
A certain someone e-mailed me two days ago. He told me that he enjoyed drawing very much but he didn't have talent. He said others told him that he could only draw if he had talent. I told him it's all about working hard and having the passion for it.
I gave him some encouraging words and a good link to an online drawing course. He thanked me for my help and said I gave him the best reply he had ever heard. Today, I chanced upon a video that touched upon the very subject he asked. To the certain someone that contacted me on the 6th of April, this video is for you. :)
As always, you can contact me via < stephanie@everythingis-art.com > if you have any questions, comments, or if you are an artist/know an artist that should be featured on my Recommended Artist segment.
I gave him some encouraging words and a good link to an online drawing course. He thanked me for my help and said I gave him the best reply he had ever heard. Today, I chanced upon a video that touched upon the very subject he asked. To the certain someone that contacted me on the 6th of April, this video is for you. :)
As always, you can contact me via < stephanie@everythingis-art.com > if you have any questions, comments, or if you are an artist/know an artist that should be featured on my Recommended Artist segment.
Monday, 1 April 2013
My 101st post: I got a custom domain
It's April the first, and I'd like to wish everyone a happy April Fool's Day. But this isn't a joke, I really have bought my own custom domain. I'm really happy about solving all the technical issues by myself through google search even though I'm not terribly good with computers.
This is a small stepping stone in my journey. Yes, I am slightly dramatic about it, but it's how I really feel. It's loads of fun to keep this blog running, and it also a source of inspiration and confidence to me. From setting it up last year, having to abandon the blog for 6 months to take care of my grandmother, and getting back on track. It's not been easy. Life isn't easy.
I see myself going somewhere now. I have a shorter-term goal that I'm striving for– that is to get myself into Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 2015. I'm working to build up my portfolio. I recently had a breakthrough with a quote I found online; "The world does not reward perfectionists. It rewards those who get things done." And, I had a breakthrough. I've had a few other moments like that throughout my life where something in my brain clicks and all the little pieces fall in place and I just get it somehow.
I understood that I could not keep striving to be perfect. I had to keep doing. If I left my paintings half done because I thought they weren't that good, I would never have a portfolio. It is much wiser if I finished one piece, then moved on to do an even better one. Get one thing done, before moving on to the next. That's how my portfolio would grow and not just be half-done works.
So this blog is a chronicle of my progress. I'm hoping to expand my online circle of friends. Get more involved. Do a video or two. Show my Art more often. Get connections. Strive for perfection. This is my journey, and I'm glad you're able to be a small part of it.
This is a small stepping stone in my journey. Yes, I am slightly dramatic about it, but it's how I really feel. It's loads of fun to keep this blog running, and it also a source of inspiration and confidence to me. From setting it up last year, having to abandon the blog for 6 months to take care of my grandmother, and getting back on track. It's not been easy. Life isn't easy.
I see myself going somewhere now. I have a shorter-term goal that I'm striving for– that is to get myself into Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 2015. I'm working to build up my portfolio. I recently had a breakthrough with a quote I found online; "The world does not reward perfectionists. It rewards those who get things done." And, I had a breakthrough. I've had a few other moments like that throughout my life where something in my brain clicks and all the little pieces fall in place and I just get it somehow.
I understood that I could not keep striving to be perfect. I had to keep doing. If I left my paintings half done because I thought they weren't that good, I would never have a portfolio. It is much wiser if I finished one piece, then moved on to do an even better one. Get one thing done, before moving on to the next. That's how my portfolio would grow and not just be half-done works.
So this blog is a chronicle of my progress. I'm hoping to expand my online circle of friends. Get more involved. Do a video or two. Show my Art more often. Get connections. Strive for perfection. This is my journey, and I'm glad you're able to be a small part of it.
Tuesday, 26 March 2013
DAISO in Singapore
In another post (Art Stores In Singapore) I wrote saying that one could get some steals– as in cheap items or bargain, not actually taking illegally– from DAISO. I misspelled the shop's name, an oversight on my part, and my error was pointed out by a kind Anon. I rectified the error but found that people had followed the mis-spelled "DIASO" label on that post. To make up for that error, here's a post on all the DAISO shops in Singapore.
DAISO's inventory differs with each store so what you can get at one store, you might not be able to find at another. The inventory also changes very quickly, to the extent that what you bought last month, you might not be able to find ever again at any of the DAISO stores due to discontinuation.
Here's what I've seen/bought from DAISO.
Resin. Apparently they sell resin in little 5g tubes. Still expensive, but good for people who just need small quantities for their own projects.
Notebooks, and they still stock notebooks with white pages. Those are hard to come buy in other stores because they're difficult to clear. Most stores stock the ruled ones (those with lines) because that's what most people use. I like to use the un-ruled notebooks as diaries because I sometimes draw in them and my handwriting changes with my mood.
But don't make the mistake of buying too many too soon. I use one notebook in 2-3 months that's why I buy 3-4 notebooks at one go.
And they stock lots of other kinds of notebooks. Glittery ones. Plain ones. Cashier notebooks. Receipt notebooks. Ones with pretty covers. Small ones, big ones, thin ones, mini ones. They literally have 2 aisles in each store dedicated to just notebooks.
They sell Japanese pen-brushes. It's like a pen, but with a bendy, slightly broader nib. The packaging says "Waterproof Ink" or sometimes "Indian Ink" but I think they use permanent marker ink. Try smelling one of them if you find one and you'll get why I think so. I have one of them... but I misplaced it... *fumbles around the house to find it* I have no clue where I last saw it. So, moving on.
Oil pastels and normal pastels, acrylics, inks, oils, paintbrushes, Chinese brushes, coloured papers, sketchbooks. Yes, they sell art materials. Do keep in mind though, that you're paying just $2. They will not last long, nor have the same quality as artist grade (or even student grade) materials.
The pastels I've tried- both oil and the normal type. They usually come in sets of 12, with an A set, and a B set of different colours. I like them. They're good for experimentation pieces.
A used set of oil pastels. They've got a good consistency. Well worth the $2.
Crafty stuffs, like scissors, erasers, pencils, pens, markers, and craft punchers. There are lots of different kinds to choose from. Do keep in mind what's worth the $2 and what's not. For example, I wouldn't buy erasers from DAISO. I can get a high quality art eraser from Art Friend at under $2, so that's just not worth my dough. I bought this awesome mechanical pencil that stores thick leads which are great for me to bring out to sketch en plein air, and it was an excellent bargain because pencils with thick leads usually cost $15 and up in Art stores.
The pencil come with 4 leads and a box to keep them in. The back end of the pencil
(essentially, the cap) doubles as a sharpener for the lead. Genius, isn't it?
I mostly go to the IMM branch. To get to the pens and notebooks you turn right after entering the store. The craft section of that store, where all the acrylics, papers, sketchbooks are located near the cashier side. It gets crowded there during the weekends though. The Orchard branch is a little squeezy, but I found lots of interesting things there. And the other ones I've been to was the Bukit Panjang and Rivervale Mall one. They're both small, and not very well stocked in their craft department.
And of course, the list of all the DAISO branches around our island:
2 Jurong East Street 21
#03-50 IMM S609601
Vivocity
1 Harbourfront Walk
#03-06 Vivocity S098585
City Square Mall
180 Kitchener Road, #04-05/06/07/08/09/10
Singapore 208539
Plaza Singapura
68 Orchard Road
#05-01/02/03 Plaza Singapura S238839
ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn
#B4-47 ION Orchard S238801
Rivervale Mall
11 Rivervale Crescent
#02-01 Rivervale Mall S545082
Parkway Parade
80 Marine Parade Road, #03-26B Parkway Parade, Singapore 449269
Sembawang Shopping Centre
604 Sembawang Road
#01-18 Sembawang Shopping Centre S758459
Kallang Wave
1 Stadium Place, #02-11 Kallang Wave, Singapore 397628
City Square Mall
180 Kitchener Road
#04-05/10 City Square Mall S208539
Tampines 1
10 Tampines Central 1
#03-17/18 Tampines 1 S529536
Chinatown Point
133 New Bridge Road
#B2-02 Chinatown Point S059413
Bukit Panjang Plaza
1 Jelebu Road
#04-03/04 Bukit Panjang Plaza S677743
Daiso Industries Co.
27 Penjuru Lane
#01-02 S609195
I would love to hear from you. Leave me a comment telling me about what you've bought at DAISO that you thought was super worth it. :)
The information on this page is correct, to the best of my knowledge, as of 11th Sept. 2014.
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Naming Your Painting
Is it just me, or is there something going on in the Art scene whereby the artist can't be bothered to name his/her Art piece? It doesn't make sense to me... You've spent hours on the project, from visualising it, planning the composition, the colours, the medium in which you're going to be executing it, starting the project, and actually finishing it, at times even going through the trouble of framing it. Then you don't give it a name. How does that even.....
*le sigh*
We're humans. We like to put labels on things, to give names to things. We give names to streets, to buildings, to children, to objects, to animals, to books, to music, to out pets. It makes it easier to identify things that way. Then why can't an artist take some time out to name his/her Art?
Imagine two people, Julian and Tim, talking to each other at Starbucks.
"I went to last Saturday," says Julian.
"How was it?"
"It was pretty good. The artist works in oils. I really like the way he mixed the colours."
Tim takes a sip of his mocha. "Which piece did you like best?"
"Oh, it was the one with mostly red hues. It was a portrait. Of a lady... She was sitting next to a table..."
There's a moment of silence. Julian shifts in his seat, scratches his head then adds, "There was a vase of roses on the table, if that helps."
Wouldn't it have been much easier if the artist had given the piece a title? Then Julian could have just said, "Kate, Roses in Red".
I don't even mind if you give the Art piece a generic name like, "Still Life #5", or "Floral Study #2", or name your portraits after the person's name, or your landscapes after the place you're drawing. Just give it a name to help viewers identify it.
What will be better though, is if you title your piece to add a deeper meaning to the art work. For example, a coloured pencil artist drew a still life of marbles and titled it, "I Thought I'd Lost Them". It made it really memorable because there was humour in the title. Another example was a digital artist who made a drawing for a book cover. The client wanted the main character to be looking at a horizon of a ruined city. The artist titled the piece "Envisioning the Future". That made me think of a story of the piece. It made me spend more time with the painting.
A title helps others identify your Art. It can also help add meaning to it. A title can be something that makes the painting stand out from all others. A title is important– almost as important as the art piece itself. So after finishing your next piece, sit down for a few minutes and think of a good title for it. An original title, a creative one, one that adds meaning to the art itself. One that is worthy of the wonderful creation you've just made.
*le sigh*
We're humans. We like to put labels on things, to give names to things. We give names to streets, to buildings, to children, to objects, to animals, to books, to music, to out pets. It makes it easier to identify things that way. Then why can't an artist take some time out to name his/her Art?
Imagine two people, Julian and Tim, talking to each other at Starbucks.
"I went to
"How was it?"
"It was pretty good. The artist works in oils. I really like the way he mixed the colours."
Tim takes a sip of his mocha. "Which piece did you like best?"
"Oh, it was the one with mostly red hues. It was a portrait. Of a lady... She was sitting next to a table..."
There's a moment of silence. Julian shifts in his seat, scratches his head then adds, "There was a vase of roses on the table, if that helps."
Wouldn't it have been much easier if the artist had given the piece a title? Then Julian could have just said, "Kate, Roses in Red".
I don't even mind if you give the Art piece a generic name like, "Still Life #5", or "Floral Study #2", or name your portraits after the person's name, or your landscapes after the place you're drawing. Just give it a name to help viewers identify it.
What will be better though, is if you title your piece to add a deeper meaning to the art work. For example, a coloured pencil artist drew a still life of marbles and titled it, "I Thought I'd Lost Them". It made it really memorable because there was humour in the title. Another example was a digital artist who made a drawing for a book cover. The client wanted the main character to be looking at a horizon of a ruined city. The artist titled the piece "Envisioning the Future". That made me think of a story of the piece. It made me spend more time with the painting.
A title helps others identify your Art. It can also help add meaning to it. A title can be something that makes the painting stand out from all others. A title is important– almost as important as the art piece itself. So after finishing your next piece, sit down for a few minutes and think of a good title for it. An original title, a creative one, one that adds meaning to the art itself. One that is worthy of the wonderful creation you've just made.
Thursday, 21 March 2013
Prismacolors in Singapore: Art Mark
Update: I currently DO NOT stand by the quality of customer service that Art Mark provides as I've received e-mails from people whom have visited the shop and have had a bad experience with them. Read my post alternative places to purchase Prismacolors here.
So, you're looking for places in Singapore that sell Prismacolor colored pencils. The short answer is, Art Mark...
They stock all sorts of Prismacolor sets; Verithin, Premier sets of 12, 24, 48, 72, 132, and even the latest set of 150. I even saw a set of 23 colors Isn't that an odd number? They also stock NuPastels, colorless blenders, and open stocked Premiers, Verithin, Col-erase pencils, mixed media sets, and even Prismacolor markers. What I'm saying is that Art Mart is pretty much the go-to store for Prismacolor products.
What really excites me, though, is that they do have a small number of US made Premier pencils in open stock. I bought a "Ginger Root" for SGD $2.80. Slightly pricey- I thought they went at a dollar plus. But worth it for the quality assurance. Not all colors are made in the US of A though. I tried to get an "Orange" from the US batch but alas, they were out. You have to look out for the USA or MEXICO stamp on each pencils. An easy way to tell which is which is by the color of the printed words on the pencils. Gold lettering are US made pencils, the silver letterings are from the Mexico batch. I also think that they have a different pricing system for the different batches.
One of the things I do not like about their store is that prices are not stated. They have a pricing book from which they scan the prices from. So if you want to know the price of something, you'll just have to ask.
They're located at #04-35, Bras Basah Complex, Blk 231, Bain Street, Singapore 180231. Give them a ring at (65) - 6338 0820. Or visit their website; http://www.artmark.com.sg/
Please note; I am not affiliated with Art Mark in any ways, and I do not receive any commission from any sales, nor are they paying me to write about them on this blog. I just want to get this information out to the public.
If you'd like to see a list of stores to get your art materials in Singapore, click here.
If you have any questions, write to me at < stephanie_jennifer@ymail.com > and I'll try my best to help you.
I hope you found this post helpful and would love to hear from you in the comment section below. :)
So, you're looking for places in Singapore that sell Prismacolor colored pencils. The short answer is, Art Mark...
They stock all sorts of Prismacolor sets; Verithin, Premier sets of 12, 24, 48, 72, 132, and even the latest set of 150. I even saw a set of 23 colors Isn't that an odd number? They also stock NuPastels, colorless blenders, and open stocked Premiers, Verithin, Col-erase pencils, mixed media sets, and even Prismacolor markers. What I'm saying is that Art Mart is pretty much the go-to store for Prismacolor products.
What really excites me, though, is that they do have a small number of US made Premier pencils in open stock. I bought a "Ginger Root" for SGD $2.80. Slightly pricey- I thought they went at a dollar plus. But worth it for the quality assurance. Not all colors are made in the US of A though. I tried to get an "Orange" from the US batch but alas, they were out. You have to look out for the USA or MEXICO stamp on each pencils. An easy way to tell which is which is by the color of the printed words on the pencils. Gold lettering are US made pencils, the silver letterings are from the Mexico batch. I also think that they have a different pricing system for the different batches.
One of the things I do not like about their store is that prices are not stated. They have a pricing book from which they scan the prices from. So if you want to know the price of something, you'll just have to ask.
NuPastels
Open stock Premiers
Verithin, Col-Erase
Look out for the "USA" embossed on the end of each pencil.
Side by side comparison of "Ginger Root".
Top, Mexico made- silver lettering. Bottom, USA made- gold lettering.
They're located at #04-35, Bras Basah Complex, Blk 231, Bain Street, Singapore 180231. Give them a ring at (65) - 6338 0820. Or visit their website; http://www.artmark.com.sg/
Please note; I am not affiliated with Art Mark in any ways, and I do not receive any commission from any sales, nor are they paying me to write about them on this blog. I just want to get this information out to the public.
If you'd like to see a list of stores to get your art materials in Singapore, click here.
If you have any questions, write to me at < stephanie_jennifer@ymail.com > and I'll try my best to help you.
I hope you found this post helpful and would love to hear from you in the comment section below. :)
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Pencil-Pen Wrap (SOLD)
[SOLD!]
As promised, I now have a pencil (or pen, if you like) wrap on sale now. My mum made it with love and I hope it'll find a good owner soon. It is 31cm by 24cm (12.2" by 9.5") when opened, and 31cm by 15cm (12.2" by 5.9") when the flap is closed. Fallow coloured exterior with white interior. You can comfortably fit 20 pens or pencils in the wrap- perfect to take art materials out to draw en plein air.
SGD $12.90
As promised, I now have a pencil (or pen, if you like) wrap on sale now. My mum made it with love and I hope it'll find a good owner soon. It is 31cm by 24cm (12.2" by 9.5") when opened, and 31cm by 15cm (12.2" by 5.9") when the flap is closed. Fallow coloured exterior with white interior. You can comfortably fit 20 pens or pencils in the wrap- perfect to take art materials out to draw en plein air.
[SOLD]
(does not include postage fees)
If you're interested in purchasing a pencil wrap like the one above, I can be contacted via stephanie_jennifer@ymail.com
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Lightfastness: Is It Really That Important?
I wrote a couple of days ago about the Derwent Studio coloured pencils, (as seen here) and the whole incident lead me to find out more about lightfastness. From what I gathered, a company called "ASTM" is in charge of setting standards to do tests on products, that includes artist's materials.
The lightfastness system is calculated by doing colour swatches on acid free paper, then exposing that paper to direct sunlight for about three months. That's over hundreds of hours of direct UV light. The lightfast ratings are then determined by which colour is still left standing after all those hours in sunlight. There are different ways to rank them, one is the blue wool scale method. The lightfast scale usually goes from 1 through to 8. 8, being "here's a gold star for you, you're one hulk of a colour". 1, being "kill it! kill it with fire! don't let it near your paper or it'll ruin your art work!" .... Or something along those lines.
Now, try to let that sink in for a moment. Hundreds of hours in direct sunlight. I sat there wondering; which artist who has spent countless hours on a painting would just leave their art work in direct sunlight. Well, what about an art collector? If you give someone an art work, I'll like to think that they would take care of it. If the product is paid for, then there's no question that the buyer would take good care of it.
So is the hundreds of hours in direct sunlight justified? Are we just being paranoid? Is it a way for companies to make some extra bucks from artists? "My naples yellow has a better lightfast rating than any other in the market." Sounds like a good promotional slogan to me.
And, if a colour can stand up to hundreds upon hundreds of hours in direct sunlight, I started to wonder... what is in the paints/pigments to make it such a hulk colour? Is it dangerous to us humans? When humans stand a couple of hours in the sun, we het sunburnt. Indeed we are quite weak when pit against Mother Nature. Shouldn't colours, to a certain degree, be like that too?
Pigments are made from natural materials, with more synthetic and stable colours being added to the market and replacing fugitive colours each year. I'm all for more stability, replacement of fugitive colours, and the addition of new colours. But do we really know what goes into the tubes, sticks, and leads that we buy?
Is lightfastness really that important? If we are not going to put our paintings into direct sunlight for countless of hours, is it alright for an artist to use student grade materials to create Art? I think that's a personal question. One artist said, if it's to just experiment, that's fine. But if you wanted to sell it, you'd have to use artist grade materials. Another said that he has been using student grade materials from the very start of his career. He liked the consistency he could get with the student grade acrylics, and never had any complains from clients. He said he used what worked best for him, and that was that. Maybe it's what they add to the colours to make them lightfast that made the artist grade colours more sticky...
Has "artist grade" become sort of a stamp of worthiness that represent one has become a "real artist"? You're only as good as the tools you use, goes the age-old saying. But, if an artist really is that great, the materials he uses shouldn't be a problem. I've seen my father use a $2 box of 12 oil pastels for a self portrait. It was really expressive, and he had no problem using something so cheap as a medium. I guess it all boils down to personal choice. What works, what doesn't, what materials you would or would not use. And like all other things, the importance of lightfastness is up to an artist to decide.
What do you think? Is lightfastness really that important? Would you use a colour that has a lightfast rating of 3 or 4– or do you only use materials with a rating of 5 and up? Leave me your answers in the comment section below.
The lightfastness system is calculated by doing colour swatches on acid free paper, then exposing that paper to direct sunlight for about three months. That's over hundreds of hours of direct UV light. The lightfast ratings are then determined by which colour is still left standing after all those hours in sunlight. There are different ways to rank them, one is the blue wool scale method. The lightfast scale usually goes from 1 through to 8. 8, being "here's a gold star for you, you're one hulk of a colour". 1, being "kill it! kill it with fire! don't let it near your paper or it'll ruin your art work!" .... Or something along those lines.
Now, try to let that sink in for a moment. Hundreds of hours in direct sunlight. I sat there wondering; which artist who has spent countless hours on a painting would just leave their art work in direct sunlight. Well, what about an art collector? If you give someone an art work, I'll like to think that they would take care of it. If the product is paid for, then there's no question that the buyer would take good care of it.
So is the hundreds of hours in direct sunlight justified? Are we just being paranoid? Is it a way for companies to make some extra bucks from artists? "My naples yellow has a better lightfast rating than any other in the market." Sounds like a good promotional slogan to me.
And, if a colour can stand up to hundreds upon hundreds of hours in direct sunlight, I started to wonder... what is in the paints/pigments to make it such a hulk colour? Is it dangerous to us humans? When humans stand a couple of hours in the sun, we het sunburnt. Indeed we are quite weak when pit against Mother Nature. Shouldn't colours, to a certain degree, be like that too?
Pigments are made from natural materials, with more synthetic and stable colours being added to the market and replacing fugitive colours each year. I'm all for more stability, replacement of fugitive colours, and the addition of new colours. But do we really know what goes into the tubes, sticks, and leads that we buy?
Is lightfastness really that important? If we are not going to put our paintings into direct sunlight for countless of hours, is it alright for an artist to use student grade materials to create Art? I think that's a personal question. One artist said, if it's to just experiment, that's fine. But if you wanted to sell it, you'd have to use artist grade materials. Another said that he has been using student grade materials from the very start of his career. He liked the consistency he could get with the student grade acrylics, and never had any complains from clients. He said he used what worked best for him, and that was that. Maybe it's what they add to the colours to make them lightfast that made the artist grade colours more sticky...
Has "artist grade" become sort of a stamp of worthiness that represent one has become a "real artist"? You're only as good as the tools you use, goes the age-old saying. But, if an artist really is that great, the materials he uses shouldn't be a problem. I've seen my father use a $2 box of 12 oil pastels for a self portrait. It was really expressive, and he had no problem using something so cheap as a medium. I guess it all boils down to personal choice. What works, what doesn't, what materials you would or would not use. And like all other things, the importance of lightfastness is up to an artist to decide.
What do you think? Is lightfastness really that important? Would you use a colour that has a lightfast rating of 3 or 4– or do you only use materials with a rating of 5 and up? Leave me your answers in the comment section below.
Monday, 18 March 2013
Copyright Laws
With the introduction of the world wide web expanded what people could view. You can now search whatever you want in an instant. Pictures, videos, comments, essays, how-tos– all brought to you in less than a second. With that, however, came the headache of copyright laws.
Don't get me wrong, copyright laws existed long before the internet did, but with the internet, it became much more difficult to have control over your ideas, creative products, and art works. I search the internet a lot. I do something called "site-hopping". I search for one thing on google, click on the first few links, then from those pages I go to other sites. That's how I get to know more artists. Somedays, I come across lots of brilliant art works, other days I'm not really inspired.
Just yesterday, as I was site-hopping, I found out two artists saying that they've had people steal their art. The first was a pencil artist. Someone had stolen her identity and was selling unlicensed prints of her work. The other was a photographer and complained that artists were using her photographs as reference for the drawings. They were both very upset.
But it's the internet. You don't have 100% control over who does what with your work. If you put it up online, it's fair game, right? WRONG.
Copyright laws cover lots of things, that includes photographs. You can't just be like, "You know what? I'm going to draw a horse today." and go online, find a picture of a horse and draw it. You could draw it for practice, sure. But you should not sell it. You might get sued if the photographer finds out that you drew using their photo.
But sometimes, we just want an easy way out. Why set up your own still life to draw from when you have this beautiful still life photo found on Google right in front of you? Well, artists take time to finish their works of Art. Photographers are artists too. How would you feel if someone drew an identical painting of one of your art pieces. I'll be flattered, sure. But it's my art piece. I took time to compose it, to pick a colour palette for it, to decide how I was going to execute it.
Can I make a painting from a photograph? Short answer, no. Not 100% of it. If you used less than 10%, then you'll be alright. (Say, for example, you used the hand of a picture of a model.) The photographer still owns the rights of his photograph.
For an excellent overview of how copyright works for artists, follow this link:
http://www.rightsforartists.com/copyright.html
It's not really worth it if you pour your heart and soul into a drawing/painting then having the owner of the photograph you drew from sue you for copyright infringement. There are many resources of free images that artists can use legally. For a list of them, click this link:
http://everythingis-art.blogspot.sg/2013/03/reference-for-artists-master-list.html
Don't get me wrong, copyright laws existed long before the internet did, but with the internet, it became much more difficult to have control over your ideas, creative products, and art works. I search the internet a lot. I do something called "site-hopping". I search for one thing on google, click on the first few links, then from those pages I go to other sites. That's how I get to know more artists. Somedays, I come across lots of brilliant art works, other days I'm not really inspired.
Just yesterday, as I was site-hopping, I found out two artists saying that they've had people steal their art. The first was a pencil artist. Someone had stolen her identity and was selling unlicensed prints of her work. The other was a photographer and complained that artists were using her photographs as reference for the drawings. They were both very upset.
But it's the internet. You don't have 100% control over who does what with your work. If you put it up online, it's fair game, right? WRONG.
Copyright laws cover lots of things, that includes photographs. You can't just be like, "You know what? I'm going to draw a horse today." and go online, find a picture of a horse and draw it. You could draw it for practice, sure. But you should not sell it. You might get sued if the photographer finds out that you drew using their photo.
But sometimes, we just want an easy way out. Why set up your own still life to draw from when you have this beautiful still life photo found on Google right in front of you? Well, artists take time to finish their works of Art. Photographers are artists too. How would you feel if someone drew an identical painting of one of your art pieces. I'll be flattered, sure. But it's my art piece. I took time to compose it, to pick a colour palette for it, to decide how I was going to execute it.
Can I make a painting from a photograph? Short answer, no. Not 100% of it. If you used less than 10%, then you'll be alright. (Say, for example, you used the hand of a picture of a model.) The photographer still owns the rights of his photograph.
For an excellent overview of how copyright works for artists, follow this link:
http://www.rightsforartists.com/copyright.html
It's not really worth it if you pour your heart and soul into a drawing/painting then having the owner of the photograph you drew from sue you for copyright infringement. There are many resources of free images that artists can use legally. For a list of them, click this link:
http://everythingis-art.blogspot.sg/2013/03/reference-for-artists-master-list.html
Sunday, 17 March 2013
Small Updates to everythingis-art
I've made small updates to the site, but first, some exciting news.
I was contacted by the Singapore Memory Project to add my blog to their site. They left a comment on my blog saying;
Now, for the updates...
I've changed the tabs above. (The red bar up there. ^^^)
"My Pages" hasn't changed much. I'm hoping to do reviews on more art books, art magazines, sketchbooks, pens, pencils, coloured pencils, and other art materials in the future, so that's where you'll find an overview of all those.
In the past, if you clicked the "Recommended Artist" and "Painting of the Day" you'd be brought to a list. Now, they're linked to their respective labels so you can just scroll through everything to find something you like. That's the major change. I'm hoping it'll be easier for you, Dear Reader, to find something that inspires you that way.
If you'd like to see the lists of all the artists that I've featured, click on "The List" tab.
The "Contact Me" tab contains my e-mail, but I've also added my Tumblr urls, and my website address.
I've also gone through all the posts on this blog. I've gone through where all the links go to. Fixed all the dead links. Updated the labels on every posts. Re-uploaded photos that would not load previously. Increased the sizes of all pictures for easier viewing. Added more information to the links that give me the most traffic. And pretty much made everything easier for you, Dear Reader to view this blog.
I've many plans for the site. My father is currently working on a large painting and I'm planning to do a blow-by-blow blog post of his process from start to finish. I've managed to convince my mother to bank in on her sewing talents and sew some bags, pouches, and pencil wraps for artists to be sold on this blog. Really excited for that. And I'm hoping to do more review on books and art materials. I'm also going to be building my portfolio so you'll be seeing more of my works on here. Some tutorials, perhaps?
It's going to be a busy, busy year. :) I'm really hyped up, especially after representatives for the Singapore Memory Project contacted me. I hope you come back to visit often. And as always, leave me a comment in the comment section below. I'd love to hear what you think about this blog.
P.S. I did purposely make all my sites have an accent of red.
I was contacted by the Singapore Memory Project to add my blog to their site. They left a comment on my blog saying;
Dear Sir/Madam,
On behalf of the National Library Board (NLB), we would like to invite you to pledge your blog to the Singapore Memory Project as part of efforts to collect memories that are already manifested in existing online channels.
The Singapore Memory Project (SMP) is a national initiative to collect, preserve and provide access to Singapore’s knowledge materials. Spearheaded by NLB, the SMP aims to build a national collection of content in diverse formats (including print, audio and video), to preserve them in digital form, and make them available for discovery and research.
By pledging your blog to SMP, you are affirming that every memory matters. Whether your posts are an account of your daily life, or an expression of your thoughts, the SMP hopes to find a home for your memories so that it can help build towards an understanding of Singapore. You will also receive a badge that you can display on your blog in recognition of your contributions.
Contributors to this blog pledging initiative will be listed on Singapore Memory portal’s blog pledging webpage. All blogs pledged to SMP will archived using NLB’s web harvesting software, in addition to images of each blog’s landing page.
If you are keen to pledge your blog to SMP, simply fill up our response form at this following URL: http://singaporememory.simulation.com.sg/Public/Pledge.
You may find out more about this initiative at http://www.iremember.sg/?page_id=2822.
We are looking forward to your contribution.
Simulation Software & Technology (S2T) Pte Ltd 583 Orchard Road #14-02 Forum The Shopping Mall S(238884), Singapore |w: www.simulation.com.sg
I'm honoured to be chosen by them and of course accepted the offer.
Now, for the updates...
I've changed the tabs above. (The red bar up there. ^^^)
"My Pages" hasn't changed much. I'm hoping to do reviews on more art books, art magazines, sketchbooks, pens, pencils, coloured pencils, and other art materials in the future, so that's where you'll find an overview of all those.
In the past, if you clicked the "Recommended Artist" and "Painting of the Day" you'd be brought to a list. Now, they're linked to their respective labels so you can just scroll through everything to find something you like. That's the major change. I'm hoping it'll be easier for you, Dear Reader, to find something that inspires you that way.
If you'd like to see the lists of all the artists that I've featured, click on "The List" tab.
The "Contact Me" tab contains my e-mail, but I've also added my Tumblr urls, and my website address.
I've also gone through all the posts on this blog. I've gone through where all the links go to. Fixed all the dead links. Updated the labels on every posts. Re-uploaded photos that would not load previously. Increased the sizes of all pictures for easier viewing. Added more information to the links that give me the most traffic. And pretty much made everything easier for you, Dear Reader to view this blog.
I've many plans for the site. My father is currently working on a large painting and I'm planning to do a blow-by-blow blog post of his process from start to finish. I've managed to convince my mother to bank in on her sewing talents and sew some bags, pouches, and pencil wraps for artists to be sold on this blog. Really excited for that. And I'm hoping to do more review on books and art materials. I'm also going to be building my portfolio so you'll be seeing more of my works on here. Some tutorials, perhaps?
It's going to be a busy, busy year. :) I'm really hyped up, especially after representatives for the Singapore Memory Project contacted me. I hope you come back to visit often. And as always, leave me a comment in the comment section below. I'd love to hear what you think about this blog.
P.S. I did purposely make all my sites have an accent of red.
Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Why I've been MIA for a bit....
... Okay. I know it's been more than 6 months. I have very good reasons though.
My Grandma died.
There's no nicer way to put it. You can say she pushed the daisies, kicked the bucket, went to a better place, entered the light, or any other way that you can imagine, but the simple truth is, she's gone.
I know this is an Art blog, and I strive to keep it that, not a diary, but a place where artists and art lovers can view and enjoy good quality Art. Personal things go in my own diary. But I have reasons for writing this. It's a way of letting you know that I still care for this blog, but I had more important matters to tend to.
I lost my grandmother to cancer. I want people whose family members have the sort of cancer my grandmother had to be informed. I want my grandmother's journey with cancer to be known.
My Grandma had cancer of the ovaries more than a decade ago. They gave her radiotherapy to shrink it, then took her ovaries out. The cancer went away, but it also took away the chance of her having another child. My mum was her only child, as am I the only child to my mother.
Approximately 8 years later, the cancer relapsed with her getting liver cancer. I remembered it hazily. I was just a kid then. My relatives never got on quite well, so with the hospital trying to rush her for surgery, and my mother being stressed out by the whole incident, I guess no one bothered to tell the kid (me) what was going on. I didn't know she had cancer. I didn't know she ever had cancer before.
I remember her being wheeled into the operating theater. The only connections I could make in my little kiddy brain was that to movies whereby the patient would be wheeled into the operating theater, being really sick and all. In the next scene, a doctor would come out of the operating theater and tell the family that the patient had passed on. I wondered then, if my grandmother was sick enough to die on the operating table.
She looked really yellow. Through research online, I found out that eating too much papaya could do that to you. So could cancer of the liver. The nurse wheeled her in, and there I was staring at my grandmother, almost too short to see her without standing on my tip-toes. I cried. I thought she was going to die...
My Grandma died.
There's no nicer way to put it. You can say she pushed the daisies, kicked the bucket, went to a better place, entered the light, or any other way that you can imagine, but the simple truth is, she's gone.
I know this is an Art blog, and I strive to keep it that, not a diary, but a place where artists and art lovers can view and enjoy good quality Art. Personal things go in my own diary. But I have reasons for writing this. It's a way of letting you know that I still care for this blog, but I had more important matters to tend to.
I lost my grandmother to cancer. I want people whose family members have the sort of cancer my grandmother had to be informed. I want my grandmother's journey with cancer to be known.
My Grandma had cancer of the ovaries more than a decade ago. They gave her radiotherapy to shrink it, then took her ovaries out. The cancer went away, but it also took away the chance of her having another child. My mum was her only child, as am I the only child to my mother.
Approximately 8 years later, the cancer relapsed with her getting liver cancer. I remembered it hazily. I was just a kid then. My relatives never got on quite well, so with the hospital trying to rush her for surgery, and my mother being stressed out by the whole incident, I guess no one bothered to tell the kid (me) what was going on. I didn't know she had cancer. I didn't know she ever had cancer before.
I remember her being wheeled into the operating theater. The only connections I could make in my little kiddy brain was that to movies whereby the patient would be wheeled into the operating theater, being really sick and all. In the next scene, a doctor would come out of the operating theater and tell the family that the patient had passed on. I wondered then, if my grandmother was sick enough to die on the operating table.
She looked really yellow. Through research online, I found out that eating too much papaya could do that to you. So could cancer of the liver. The nurse wheeled her in, and there I was staring at my grandmother, almost too short to see her without standing on my tip-toes. I cried. I thought she was going to die...
Sunday, 29 July 2012
Places to Sketch/Draw in Singapore: Part 1
As promised, a post on the places in Singapore that might/could/maybe be of interest to all you artists and tourists alike. This is Part 1, showing the more tourist-y side of our island.
A little bit on the History of Singapore. It'll be short, and very interesting. I promise.
We used to be part of Malaysia back in the days. Long before Sir Stamford Raffles took interest in out little island. We used to have Sultans (kings/lords) that ruled the villages, with animals many animals. Even tigers! Our last tiger was killed in October 26, 1930, so no worries about that.
Tidbit:
Sir Stamford Raffles first stepped on our shores in 1819, and decided that Singapore (at that point in time called "Singapoura" meaning Lion City in Malay.) was to be a strategic location for trade. Singapore, along with Malacca and Penang became the Straits Settlement in 1826. On 1 April 1867, the Straights Settlements became a Crown Colony and was ruled by a governor under the jurisdiction of the Colonial Office in London.
Tidbit:
This brings me to my first location: The Landing Site of Sir Stamford Raffles, or the Raffles Landing Site as it is known.Why? Because of its historical importance. And also because it's just beside the Singapore River. However, I do think that another fella', namely William Farquhar was much more involved in turning our swampy island into a metropolis city than Sir Raffles. But, the Sir got a statue, and he didn't. So...
Here's a picture of the very cool looking Sir Raffles for you:
The Singapore River is next. It's water is sort of greenish looking. No, you cannot swim in it. And no, fishing is not allowed, unfortunately. As Singapore's growth was based around its free port, the Singapore River was essentially where most, if not all, business happened.
After WW2, Singapore wanted independence. Britain lost its credibility when they failed to protect us. I understand that the going was tough then, and that troops were needed to protect Britain. But, we fought really hard to gain independence after the World War. We wanted to be in control of our own future. We were given independence in 1945, making our country one of the youngest nation in the world. Every year, we celebrate our nation's birthday on August 9, the day which we officially gained sovereignty. You can join the National Day Parade on August 9 at the Floating Platform.
Near the River, we have our iconic Merlion. Half lion, half fish. (Or mermaid, depending on what you choose to believe.) I've been staying in Singapore for 11 years, and have visited the Merlion countless times, yet I still can't quite decide whether I like or hate the design...
I'm not suggesting that you draw the Merlion itself, but rather draw the tourists and locals that are there. There are usually hoards of people there every single day, and I think it'll make for the perfect place to sketch people.
Tidbit:
Quite conveniently, if you head on down to the Marina Bay Sands that is just at the opposite bank of the Merlion, you'll get to see the skyline of Singapore.
Also, don't forget to check out the Esplanade Theater just down the corner. I challenge you to draw inspiration from the design of the Esplanade and paint or sketch an abstract/semi-abstract piece of Art.
That's all for Part 1. Now you know the tourist-y places in Singapore, look out for Part 2 of this segment for more places that you should visit if you come to Singapore.
A little bit on the History of Singapore. It'll be short, and very interesting. I promise.
We used to be part of Malaysia back in the days. Long before Sir Stamford Raffles took interest in out little island. We used to have Sultans (kings/lords) that ruled the villages, with animals many animals. Even tigers! Our last tiger was killed in October 26, 1930, so no worries about that.
Tidbit:
Tidbit:
Here's a picture of the very cool looking Sir Raffles for you:
The Singapore River is next. It's water is sort of greenish looking. No, you cannot swim in it. And no, fishing is not allowed, unfortunately. As Singapore's growth was based around its free port, the Singapore River was essentially where most, if not all, business happened.
Near the River, we have our iconic Merlion. Half lion, half fish. (Or mermaid, depending on what you choose to believe.) I've been staying in Singapore for 11 years, and have visited the Merlion countless times, yet I still can't quite decide whether I like or hate the design...
Tidbit:
Quite conveniently, if you head on down to the Marina Bay Sands that is just at the opposite bank of the Merlion, you'll get to see the skyline of Singapore.
Done by: Marvin Chew
Also, don't forget to check out the Esplanade Theater just down the corner. I challenge you to draw inspiration from the design of the Esplanade and paint or sketch an abstract/semi-abstract piece of Art.
That's all for Part 1. Now you know the tourist-y places in Singapore, look out for Part 2 of this segment for more places that you should visit if you come to Singapore.
Saturday, 28 July 2012
Art Stores In Singapore
As most (I hope) of you know, I live in Singapore, one of the ever busy metropolitan city in Asia. We're right under Malaysia. Below you can clearly see that Singapore resembles a diamond shape, and that we're surrounded by the sea, thus making us an island. With a population that has just passed the 5 million mark, it is a very crowded and busy island.
[You might also be interested in the following post... 101 Websites For The Artist: A Masterlist]
Overjoyed.
Situated at Little India, which by the way is a brilliant place to go sketching in Plein Air, I recently found Overjoyed. They do door to door delivery for purchases over $150. I haven't visited them, though, so I can't say much about their store or customer service.
Everything Is Art
If you're an artist that would like to purchase Zentangle® products, you're in luck. Everything Is Art is a reseller of original Zentangle products. They sell original white and black tiles, Apprentice tiles, Bijou tiles, and Zendala tiles. They're also willing to sell Micron pens with purchase of tiles. Purchases will be sent to you via normal/registered mail, depending on your preferences.
See what products they have available via this link.
Art Friend.
History
They opened their original outlet in 1981 at Bras Basah Complex, and till' today, it still remains.
In the late 90's, they opened their Peace Centre branch. It is the equivalent of a book shop that is meant to serve the Art Institutions around the area, namely NAFA, LaSalle and SOTA. It has always been small and only carries the essentials. It briefly moved to IOI plaza and later, a shophouse across the road before going full circle back to Peace Centre.
They once had a branch in Buona Vista, but that branch moved to Clementi. They also opened in Takashimaya, but that branch closed down and will be relocated someplace else soon.
Currently, they're located only at Plaza Singapura (their newest branch. see a review I did of it via this link), Bras Basah, Clementi, and Peace Centre. (To the boss of Art Friend; if you're reading this, might you consider opening a branch nearer to the East side of Singapore..?)
Good to Know
They stock Bristol boards, and have just started stocking Arches paper. I also really love the Fabriano paper that they have.
They're the sole distributor of Derwent, my favourite brand of pencils and pens- Coloursoft, Inktense, and Graphik pens.
They do free delivery if your total purchase amounts to more than SGD$150.
Membership is free if you spend over $100 in a single receipt or $10.70 for a 2 year membership. Renewal is waived if $600 is spent within the two years or if $5.35 is paid.Membership allows you to get 10% off all your future purchases.
They sell a very large variety of things; from craft products, to papers and pads, sketchbooks and canvases, easels, paintbrushes ad paints, coloured pencils, dyes, scrapbooking papers, pens... You name it. Link to all the branches' address: https://artfriendonline.com/OnlineUsers/locates
Related: List of Prices of Art Materials In Singapore
Straits Art Co.
They don't have a website, so if you ever need to contact them, dial 6338 1710. Located at North Bridge Centre #01-27, 420 North Bridge Road, (S)188727, it's right near Art Friend, so if you decide to visit Art Friend at Bras Basah, drop by there too. They stock Van Gogh watercolors, a huge range of soft pastels, artist grade oils and acrylics, and easels too. What makes them unique though (and this I'm very sure of,) is that they're the one and only store on the island that sells clay heads. You know, those clay statues that art schools use for sketching practice. They're also the sole distributor of Golden brand paints. However, the prices are pretty steep, so you might want to just drop by for a look see, look see first. They also stock sets of Prismacolors.
May I add though, that due to its smaller shop size, its staff to customer ratio is very high and they are extremely knowledgeable on their products, and very willing to guide you to the right products for your needs. So, if you're an artist in Singapore, ready to take the plunge to artist grade materials yet are a little lost as to what to buy, head here.
Art Studio & Gallery.
They have three locations! Bedok North, Bugis, and their newest one at Simei in East Point Mall. I went to the one at Simei. They sell brands that I am not familar with, and I think it's the start to a brand new adventure (and also my wallet crying). They also provide art classes and art jamming sessions within their store. Check out my review of the Simei store here.
Visualtroop.
Visualtroop is an online platform and marketplace that brings artists’ works alive through everyday products. Artists submit their works to the site so that the works can be printed onto shirts, tote bags, notecards, and art prints. Artists still retain the rights to their works and get 15% from products sold. It's an awesome way to make merchandises if you’re an artist, or support an artist by buying awesome merchandises.
The site is well designed and easy to navigate. I love the “Quick View” function that the site has. Local shipping is made via Singpost. Charges vary depending on whether you choose regular or registered mail but they're very affordable. International shipping starts from $6 to $50, depending on what you order.
I actually wrote a full review about them. You can check that review out if you click on this link.
You can visit their site by clicking right here.
Art Mark.
It's situated at #04-35, Bras Basah Complex, Blk 231, Bain Street, Singapore 180231. They are the only shop in Singapore to have open stock Prismacolors. It's the place where I get my Black Grape and Ginger Root when they're all used up. Although, I feel, you're better off buying paper from Art Friend at the 2nd storey.
A head's up though; they have bad customer service and are unhelpful when you ask questions about products. I only visit them to buy open-stock Prismacolors, that's all. And until they improve in that area, I'll continue to recommend Straits Art Co, and online shops for purchasing boxed sets of Prismacolors.
They also sell sets of Caran D'ache, (which I'm still saving up for) and the 132 Premier Prismacolor set. Link to their website right here; http://www.artmark.com.sg/
Krafers Paradise
They're located at City Square Mall, #04-19/20/21 Farrer Park. So it's really close to Farrer Park MRT station. I did a review of their store via this link.
Maple Treehouse
Located on the 5th floor of IMM. www.mapletreehouse.com (Not visited yet, so I can't comment on how the shop is like.)
Tinkle Art and Crafts
They have a showroom but operate mostly as an online store. They also offer craft classes, and why I'm listing them here is because they sell a lot of silicone molds and resin, and a lot of people ask me where they can get them. So, here you go. :) You can view their webstore here: http://www.tinkleartncrafts.com/
Spotlight
Located at Plaza Singapura, on the 5th floor. This shop sells lots of craft and sewing things. They do stock many things. However, their art-related materials seem to be more expensive, so I'd recommend doing a price check and comparing it with prices from other shops. It's a great shop for scrapbooking, fake flowers, halloween costumes, and little craft things though.
Made With Love
Located at Orchard 313. Made With Love stocks lots of scrapbooking materials... Lots of patterned papers, stickers and stamps.
Paper Market
Again, this is another store for all your scrapbooking needs. Lots of pretty papers, and stamps, and stickers.
Golden Dragon
My mum loves this place. They sell all sorts of beads, zippers, ribbons, yarn, and felt. And also pieces of cloth and other things for needlework and craft. They open from 10am to 8:30pm from Monday to Saturday, and 12:30pm to 7:30pm on Sundays and Public Holidays. Located at 101, People's Park Centre, Upper Cross Street #02-51 Singapore 058357, do drop by to visit them some day.
Graf Von Faber Castell
Located at ION Orchard, #04-13, Singapore 238801. This is an outlet that sells all sorts of Faber Castell products– I especially love their Polychromos. Polys are available open-stocked from here but only if you buy a minimum of six pencils of the same colour. (Which is silly, if you ask me... but oh well.) If you're so inclined to give them a call, you may do so at (65) 6339-6388.
Royal Art
They're located at 91 Bencoolen Street, Sunshine Plaza, #01-72, Singapore 189652. They also have an online at the shopping portal Qoo10: http://www.qoo10.sg/shop/Royalart. (Not visited yet.)
BONUS: What about money saving stores?
At IKEA, you can find very cheap newsprint to practice sketching on. $6.70 for 40m long by 45cm wide, or so I'm told. They also stock ready-made frames. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to framing your art, just so you can hang it up, IKEA might be worth a look.
Link to stores are here: http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_SG/ikny_splash.html
There is a shop called DIASO where everything goes at $2. There you can find sketchbooks, electric erasers (at 2 bucks, it's a steal.) and many other things. Here's a small lined notebook I bought at DAISO that now serves as my sketchbook.
Related: A list of all branches of DAISO stores in Singapore.
[Related: Prices of Art Materials in Singapore]
So, there you have it. All the Art shops in Singapore with all their available links in one post. If I've missed any stores, do leave me a comment in the section below. :) And if you have any questions, write to me at < stephanie_jennifer@ymail.com > .
[You might also be interested in the following post... 101 Websites For The Artist: A Masterlist]
Overjoyed.
Situated at Little India, which by the way is a brilliant place to go sketching in Plein Air, I recently found Overjoyed. They do door to door delivery for purchases over $150. I haven't visited them, though, so I can't say much about their store or customer service.
Address: 89 Short Street, Golden Wall Centre, #B1-08, Singapore 188216
If you're an artist that would like to purchase Zentangle® products, you're in luck. Everything Is Art is a reseller of original Zentangle products. They sell original white and black tiles, Apprentice tiles, Bijou tiles, and Zendala tiles. They're also willing to sell Micron pens with purchase of tiles. Purchases will be sent to you via normal/registered mail, depending on your preferences.
See what products they have available via this link.
Art Friend.
History
They opened their original outlet in 1981 at Bras Basah Complex, and till' today, it still remains.
In the late 90's, they opened their Peace Centre branch. It is the equivalent of a book shop that is meant to serve the Art Institutions around the area, namely NAFA, LaSalle and SOTA. It has always been small and only carries the essentials. It briefly moved to IOI plaza and later, a shophouse across the road before going full circle back to Peace Centre.
They once had a branch in Buona Vista, but that branch moved to Clementi. They also opened in Takashimaya, but that branch closed down and will be relocated someplace else soon.
Currently, they're located only at Plaza Singapura (their newest branch. see a review I did of it via this link), Bras Basah, Clementi, and Peace Centre. (To the boss of Art Friend; if you're reading this, might you consider opening a branch nearer to the East side of Singapore..?)
Good to Know
They stock Bristol boards, and have just started stocking Arches paper. I also really love the Fabriano paper that they have.
They're the sole distributor of Derwent, my favourite brand of pencils and pens- Coloursoft, Inktense, and Graphik pens.
They do free delivery if your total purchase amounts to more than SGD$150.
Membership is free if you spend over $100 in a single receipt or $10.70 for a 2 year membership. Renewal is waived if $600 is spent within the two years or if $5.35 is paid.
They sell a very large variety of things; from craft products, to papers and pads, sketchbooks and canvases, easels, paintbrushes ad paints, coloured pencils, dyes, scrapbooking papers, pens... You name it. Link to all the branches' address: https://artfriendonline.com/OnlineUsers/locates
Related: List of Prices of Art Materials In Singapore
Straits Art Co.
They don't have a website, so if you ever need to contact them, dial 6338 1710. Located at North Bridge Centre #01-27, 420 North Bridge Road, (S)188727, it's right near Art Friend, so if you decide to visit Art Friend at Bras Basah, drop by there too. They stock Van Gogh watercolors, a huge range of soft pastels, artist grade oils and acrylics, and easels too. What makes them unique though (and this I'm very sure of,) is that they're the one and only store on the island that sells clay heads. You know, those clay statues that art schools use for sketching practice. They're also the sole distributor of Golden brand paints. However, the prices are pretty steep, so you might want to just drop by for a look see, look see first. They also stock sets of Prismacolors.
May I add though, that due to its smaller shop size, its staff to customer ratio is very high and they are extremely knowledgeable on their products, and very willing to guide you to the right products for your needs. So, if you're an artist in Singapore, ready to take the plunge to artist grade materials yet are a little lost as to what to buy, head here.
Art Studio & Gallery.
They have three locations! Bedok North, Bugis, and their newest one at Simei in East Point Mall. I went to the one at Simei. They sell brands that I am not familar with, and I think it's the start to a brand new adventure (and also my wallet crying). They also provide art classes and art jamming sessions within their store. Check out my review of the Simei store here.
Visualtroop.
Visualtroop is an online platform and marketplace that brings artists’ works alive through everyday products. Artists submit their works to the site so that the works can be printed onto shirts, tote bags, notecards, and art prints. Artists still retain the rights to their works and get 15% from products sold. It's an awesome way to make merchandises if you’re an artist, or support an artist by buying awesome merchandises.
The site is well designed and easy to navigate. I love the “Quick View” function that the site has. Local shipping is made via Singpost. Charges vary depending on whether you choose regular or registered mail but they're very affordable. International shipping starts from $6 to $50, depending on what you order.
I actually wrote a full review about them. You can check that review out if you click on this link.
You can visit their site by clicking right here.
Art Mark.
It's situated at #04-35, Bras Basah Complex, Blk 231, Bain Street, Singapore 180231. They are the only shop in Singapore to have open stock Prismacolors. It's the place where I get my Black Grape and Ginger Root when they're all used up. Although, I feel, you're better off buying paper from Art Friend at the 2nd storey.
A head's up though; they have bad customer service and are unhelpful when you ask questions about products. I only visit them to buy open-stock Prismacolors, that's all. And until they improve in that area, I'll continue to recommend Straits Art Co, and online shops for purchasing boxed sets of Prismacolors.
They also sell sets of Caran D'ache, (which I'm still saving up for) and the 132 Premier Prismacolor set. Link to their website right here; http://www.artmark.com.sg/
Krafers Paradise
They're located at City Square Mall, #04-19/20/21 Farrer Park. So it's really close to Farrer Park MRT station. I did a review of their store via this link.
Maple Treehouse
Located on the 5th floor of IMM. www.mapletreehouse.com (Not visited yet, so I can't comment on how the shop is like.)
Tinkle Art and Crafts
They have a showroom but operate mostly as an online store. They also offer craft classes, and why I'm listing them here is because they sell a lot of silicone molds and resin, and a lot of people ask me where they can get them. So, here you go. :) You can view their webstore here: http://www.tinkleartncrafts.com/
Spotlight
Located at Plaza Singapura, on the 5th floor. This shop sells lots of craft and sewing things. They do stock many things. However, their art-related materials seem to be more expensive, so I'd recommend doing a price check and comparing it with prices from other shops. It's a great shop for scrapbooking, fake flowers, halloween costumes, and little craft things though.
Made With Love
Located at Orchard 313. Made With Love stocks lots of scrapbooking materials... Lots of patterned papers, stickers and stamps.
Paper Market
Again, this is another store for all your scrapbooking needs. Lots of pretty papers, and stamps, and stickers.
Golden Dragon
My mum loves this place. They sell all sorts of beads, zippers, ribbons, yarn, and felt. And also pieces of cloth and other things for needlework and craft. They open from 10am to 8:30pm from Monday to Saturday, and 12:30pm to 7:30pm on Sundays and Public Holidays. Located at 101, People's Park Centre, Upper Cross Street #02-51 Singapore 058357, do drop by to visit them some day.
Graf Von Faber Castell
Located at ION Orchard, #04-13, Singapore 238801. This is an outlet that sells all sorts of Faber Castell products– I especially love their Polychromos. Polys are available open-stocked from here but only if you buy a minimum of six pencils of the same colour. (Which is silly, if you ask me... but oh well.) If you're so inclined to give them a call, you may do so at (65) 6339-6388.
Royal Art
They're located at 91 Bencoolen Street, Sunshine Plaza, #01-72, Singapore 189652. They also have an online at the shopping portal Qoo10: http://www.qoo10.sg/shop/Royalart. (Not visited yet.)
BONUS: What about money saving stores?
At IKEA, you can find very cheap newsprint to practice sketching on. $6.70 for 40m long by 45cm wide, or so I'm told. They also stock ready-made frames. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to framing your art, just so you can hang it up, IKEA might be worth a look.
Link to stores are here: http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_SG/ikny_splash.html
There is a shop called DIASO where everything goes at $2. There you can find sketchbooks, electric erasers (at 2 bucks, it's a steal.) and many other things. Here's a small lined notebook I bought at DAISO that now serves as my sketchbook.
Related: A list of all branches of DAISO stores in Singapore.
So, there you have it. All the Art shops in Singapore with all their available links in one post. If I've missed any stores, do leave me a comment in the section below. :) And if you have any questions, write to me at < stephanie_jennifer@ymail.com > .
Thursday, 12 July 2012
Stalk Me
Not literally. But you can stalk me online.
You can follow my main Tumblr at:
http://everythingis-art.tumblr.com/
My Art Tumblr:
www.stephanie-jennifer.tumblr.com
If you'd like to view my Art:
http://stephaniejennifer.webs.com/
And as always, you can always reach me at stephanie_jennifer@ymail.com . Leave me a comment. Send me an e-mail just to say hello, or ask me a question. I'd love to hear from you.
You can follow my main Tumblr at:
http://everythingis-art.tumblr.com/
My Art Tumblr:
www.stephanie-jennifer.tumblr.com
If you'd like to view my Art:
http://stephaniejennifer.webs.com/
And as always, you can always reach me at stephanie_jennifer@ymail.com . Leave me a comment. Send me an e-mail just to say hello, or ask me a question. I'd love to hear from you.
Saturday, 23 June 2012
My Workspace
This is my workspace. It's situated in our living room, facing a window whose view is of some sky, a part of a small hill and lots of high-rise buildings. I also have a study room, in which my mum does her day job in. I have my still life set up there and draw there at times too. However, most of the time I'm at my table.
Here's all the things I have on this small workspace.
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Book Review: "Colored Pencil Solution Book"
It's a brilliant book written by Janie Gildow and Barbara Benedetti Newton, covering subjects that are difficult to render in colored pencils.
The first chapter covers the basics. From what a good workspace should be like, different types of colored pencil brands in the market, erasers, sharpeners, different types of papers and their differences, fixatives, and what to look for when buying a colored pencil. The book offers a good run down on the basics, with the added tips of certain things to watch for. (For example a slip sheet to prevent smudges on your work while drawing.)
The next chapter covers composition. The chapter has a good amount of illustrations and examples to aid beginners in understanding how to identify what makes a good composition. Page 33 even has a small list to show how you can effectively judge a composition on whether it'll work or needs improvement.
After, I would have expected the authors to go right into demonstrations and the like, but they didn't. They covered basics, such as how to transfer a line study onto the actual surface you want to work on, layering, blending and burnishing, how to remove some pigment, and the use of solvent in an art piece. I really enjoyed page 46-47, as they explained how you can draw on a black background. (I'll give you a hint: think reverse grisaille.)
Pages 52-53 were interesting also. Showing how one can add interest to your work by using different strokes on your paper to provide excitement. The pages cover the vertical-line technique, juxtaposing colors, and the open crosshatch technique, which are all brilliant.
Chapter 4 then moves into color theory, talking about the color wheel, the temperature of colors, and values. The complementary wheel on page 63 is by far the first of such that I've seen and I'm hoping to try it out some day soon. Then the chapter goes on to talk about shadows and forms, and different ways to create impact on your work
The last three chapters are the chapters that are laden with demonstrations. All demonstrations have line drawings, which you, the reader can use, from the back of the book. All the demonstrations also clearly show what kind of surface the artist uses and what colors were used.
The 5th chapter covers "reflection and transparency solutions", and talks about metals, glass, water, semi-transparent subjects, mirrors, and the elusive single drop of water. Chapter 6 offers solutions to render textures, such as fabrics, indian corn, the smooth waxy surface of peppers, and velvety roses. While the last chapter, "problem subjects and fixing mistakes" is very interesting for the little problems that can cause big headaches when we don't know how to fix them.
"Learn that all is not lost when you make a mistake." as the authors write. From repairing dents and nicks in your paper, to lightening your colors. The authors even share what to do if you've stained your paper with coffee or raspberry juice. The chapter ends with a few more demonstrations on difficult subjects. The anatomy of lace is broken down for you. (They're very good at rendering lace.) There's a mini demonstration on how to draw a basket, how to make stripped fabric look believable, and how to draw fringe.
All in all, I've learnt a couple of things from this book. Like, that layering in uneven patterns make for a far more interesting subject, how to draw on a black background, the complementary color wheel, (which I've never seen elsewhere before.) and the vertical line technique.
"Colored Pencil Solution Book" has a good coverage of the basics, and a beginner reading it will understand the materials needed, and the different ways colored pencil artists draw. For advanced artists, the book offers a few good techniques, and help on how to render subjects. (And I mean, how many book teach you how to remove coffee stains from your art work?) With an easy to follow layout and beautiful design, it's a good book to have in your shelf for reference.
The first chapter covers the basics. From what a good workspace should be like, different types of colored pencil brands in the market, erasers, sharpeners, different types of papers and their differences, fixatives, and what to look for when buying a colored pencil. The book offers a good run down on the basics, with the added tips of certain things to watch for. (For example a slip sheet to prevent smudges on your work while drawing.)
The next chapter covers composition. The chapter has a good amount of illustrations and examples to aid beginners in understanding how to identify what makes a good composition. Page 33 even has a small list to show how you can effectively judge a composition on whether it'll work or needs improvement.
After, I would have expected the authors to go right into demonstrations and the like, but they didn't. They covered basics, such as how to transfer a line study onto the actual surface you want to work on, layering, blending and burnishing, how to remove some pigment, and the use of solvent in an art piece. I really enjoyed page 46-47, as they explained how you can draw on a black background. (I'll give you a hint: think reverse grisaille.)
Pages 52-53 were interesting also. Showing how one can add interest to your work by using different strokes on your paper to provide excitement. The pages cover the vertical-line technique, juxtaposing colors, and the open crosshatch technique, which are all brilliant.
Chapter 4 then moves into color theory, talking about the color wheel, the temperature of colors, and values. The complementary wheel on page 63 is by far the first of such that I've seen and I'm hoping to try it out some day soon. Then the chapter goes on to talk about shadows and forms, and different ways to create impact on your work
The last three chapters are the chapters that are laden with demonstrations. All demonstrations have line drawings, which you, the reader can use, from the back of the book. All the demonstrations also clearly show what kind of surface the artist uses and what colors were used.
The 5th chapter covers "reflection and transparency solutions", and talks about metals, glass, water, semi-transparent subjects, mirrors, and the elusive single drop of water. Chapter 6 offers solutions to render textures, such as fabrics, indian corn, the smooth waxy surface of peppers, and velvety roses. While the last chapter, "problem subjects and fixing mistakes" is very interesting for the little problems that can cause big headaches when we don't know how to fix them.
"Learn that all is not lost when you make a mistake." as the authors write. From repairing dents and nicks in your paper, to lightening your colors. The authors even share what to do if you've stained your paper with coffee or raspberry juice. The chapter ends with a few more demonstrations on difficult subjects. The anatomy of lace is broken down for you. (They're very good at rendering lace.) There's a mini demonstration on how to draw a basket, how to make stripped fabric look believable, and how to draw fringe.
All in all, I've learnt a couple of things from this book. Like, that layering in uneven patterns make for a far more interesting subject, how to draw on a black background, the complementary color wheel, (which I've never seen elsewhere before.) and the vertical line technique.
"Colored Pencil Solution Book" has a good coverage of the basics, and a beginner reading it will understand the materials needed, and the different ways colored pencil artists draw. For advanced artists, the book offers a few good techniques, and help on how to render subjects. (And I mean, how many book teach you how to remove coffee stains from your art work?) With an easy to follow layout and beautiful design, it's a good book to have in your shelf for reference.
Saturday, 16 June 2012
An Artist's Basic Lighting Tutorial
There are very extensive Photography guides in the web, but a lot of them cater to avid photographers. You could always take a look through them. My little tutorial will, however, focus more on the "Lighting" aspect of photography. It will show you how lighting affects a picture.
Before the tutorial though, I have a few tips to share:
1. Use a tripod. Just, please do. It'll give your image more stability, and more stability equals to more information in your pictures, which in turn makes it easier to draw from them. And while you're at it...Use the timer on your camera. It will prevent the shake that happens when you take your pictures.
2. Aperture. Smaller stops (larger f numbers) produce a longer depth of field, allowing objects at a wide range of distances to all be in focus at the same time. So, the smaller the stop, the more details you get in your background. I would say it is especially useful in photographing still life.
3. Set your Sensitivity meter to 100. I don't know about your camera but mine has its "Auto setting" set to 100, and there must be a reason for that. Noisy images are hard to work with. "Noise" is the grainy speckles that come up on your pictures when you set the Sensitivity meter too high. I actually made the mistake of setting my meter to 800, the highest setting on my camera, and kept getting noisy images but not knowing why. The bigger the number the better, right? Not so much... Think of it as an age.... When you reach a certain age, you'll start getting wrinkles. (You go higher than 100 on your sensitivity meter, you start getting noise.)
4. To make white things look really white. Set EV conpensation up by 2 notches. I learnt this because I stumbled upon a very good wildlife photography book in my local library. Your camera sees white things as a middle value, namely grey. To compensate for that, you "add light" to your pictures to make them white. Focus on the object once, adjust EV compensation, then snap away.
5. Have strong lighting. (Unless of course a dreamy effect is what you're after.) Lighting greatly determines what kind of pictures you get, how much values there are in your picture, and whether or not you'll want that picture as a reference. Which brings me to my tutorial.
To show you the difference between good lighting and bad one, here are two pictures with the exact same composition, but with different light sources.
Before the tutorial though, I have a few tips to share:
1. Use a tripod. Just, please do. It'll give your image more stability, and more stability equals to more information in your pictures, which in turn makes it easier to draw from them. And while you're at it...Use the timer on your camera. It will prevent the shake that happens when you take your pictures.
2. Aperture. Smaller stops (larger f numbers) produce a longer depth of field, allowing objects at a wide range of distances to all be in focus at the same time. So, the smaller the stop, the more details you get in your background. I would say it is especially useful in photographing still life.
3. Set your Sensitivity meter to 100. I don't know about your camera but mine has its "Auto setting" set to 100, and there must be a reason for that. Noisy images are hard to work with. "Noise" is the grainy speckles that come up on your pictures when you set the Sensitivity meter too high. I actually made the mistake of setting my meter to 800, the highest setting on my camera, and kept getting noisy images but not knowing why. The bigger the number the better, right? Not so much... Think of it as an age.... When you reach a certain age, you'll start getting wrinkles. (You go higher than 100 on your sensitivity meter, you start getting noise.)
4. To make white things look really white. Set EV conpensation up by 2 notches. I learnt this because I stumbled upon a very good wildlife photography book in my local library. Your camera sees white things as a middle value, namely grey. To compensate for that, you "add light" to your pictures to make them white. Focus on the object once, adjust EV compensation, then snap away.
5. Have strong lighting. (Unless of course a dreamy effect is what you're after.) Lighting greatly determines what kind of pictures you get, how much values there are in your picture, and whether or not you'll want that picture as a reference. Which brings me to my tutorial.
To show you the difference between good lighting and bad one, here are two pictures with the exact same composition, but with different light sources.
Without Lighting.
With Lighting.
The first picture was taken on a cloudy day, without artificial lights. Of course, there are times when natural light works, however, today was not the day. The second picture is much better because it has a wide range of values, from white highlights to dark shadows. It was taken with a single artificial bulb on the left of the camera.
Friday, 15 June 2012
How to Adjust White Balance
Again, the link to the Photoscape website is as follows: http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/index.php
This is a tutorial video that I made to go along with this post.
Fullsize the video to see it clearly.
Fullsize the video to see it clearly.
A Homage to Fashion
For the first time ever, the Louvre will be hosting a catwalk fashion show in its premises. In the past, designers were able to showcase their creations in the museum's courtyard, but the show that happened on the 12th of June, just three days ago, was held on the inside of the building.
With a 120m long runway, models will adorn the brilliant pieces by Massimiliano Giornetti in the 2013 Resort Collection. Now, I've seen the collection in pictures, and I really like the neutral palette that is used. The frills and organic materials used are also a nice touch, but beyond that, it is a wonderful start to a breakthrough in the fashion world.
Might I say, though, to the people whom usually come by my blog for the Art, that Fashion is an art form too. Have you seen Fashion Illustrations before? God, they're gorgeous.
A link to a slideshow of the collection can be found here.
With a 120m long runway, models will adorn the brilliant pieces by Massimiliano Giornetti in the 2013 Resort Collection. Now, I've seen the collection in pictures, and I really like the neutral palette that is used. The frills and organic materials used are also a nice touch, but beyond that, it is a wonderful start to a breakthrough in the fashion world.
Might I say, though, to the people whom usually come by my blog for the Art, that Fashion is an art form too. Have you seen Fashion Illustrations before? God, they're gorgeous.
A link to a slideshow of the collection can be found here.
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