Caricatute theme - Seed of Love

Client's brief:-
" I kinda like the one you did on of planting seeds of love (http://www.caricature.com.sg/2008/05/caricature-theme-seed-of-love.html) but in color marker and the couple are smiling sweetly. Possible a stork (bird) carrying a newborn baby. "

Thus, this is the colour version of 'seed of love'.
Which one do you prefer?

Caricature theme - traditional Chinese Kua

A different type of Chinese traditional wedding gown - the "Kua'
A good switch from those which I usually draw.
They wanted to hold a wedding flower ball. I draw them pulling it from both ends.
Added in a double happiness "喜喜". in the centre, so that it won't looked too empty, given the format is landscape.
Notice the magic of using smiling photos?
It helps the caricature a lot. It will spice up the whole drawing.

Illustrations for CNB (Central Narcotics Bureau, Singapore) - Essay 1

An essay for you to read. 2 illustrations per essay. 18 winning essays of an anti-drug competition, in total. Long way to go.....

Asey Koh
Ai Tong School, 6C

Her name was Tanya and she was my best friend. We had known one another since ten, and had stuck together ever since. I had always looked up to Tanya as an elder sister. She was tough, cool, and sophisticated. I was doing quite well in primary school, but when I entered my teens, I buckled under pressure, and started failing my subjects. As I was good at tennis and the star player in our school team, the principal was more lenient with me. He told me he would let me stay in school, but gave me an ultimatum for the coming semester—buck up or ship out.



I will never forget the day I discovered Tanya’s secret. It was the day after my examinations, and I was feeling very depressed. I headed to the carpark near my house, our usual rendezvous. When I found Tanya, I cried out my heart to her, all my frustration and anger. When I was done, she smiled at me and said, “Do you want to know my secret? Why I’m always so happy?” I nodded my head vigorously. Being a rebel, Tanya had been kicked out of school long before I started to have my problems. Yet she was always carefree and bouncy. I leaned closer to her eagerly, hoping she would impart some good words of wisdom, but instead, she fished out a plastic bag from her back pocket, revealing small pills, almost like medicine. A spark of suspicion caused me to gasp, “Is that a … drug?”

“No, no!” Tanya laughed. “This is called ‘yaba’, a sort of sweet. It’s new in the market.” At first, I was dumbfounded. Tanya’s source of happiness lay in … candy? A small voice at the back of my head whispered that I had nothing to lose, so when Tanya handed me a pill, I popped it into my mouth. I was overwhelmed by a feeling of pure ecstasy. I was floating over the clouds, soaring, flying! I went home happy that day, deliriously so, a packet of pills nestled in my jacket.

Within a week, I started to experience what Tanya called the “side-effects”. I was starting to feel extremely tired at school, and I had to take two pills of yaba a day just to feel better. Then came the time when I ran out of my daily supplements. The side effects hit me in full force. All at once, I was getting angry at everyone, feeling anxious for no reason, and having thoughts of suicide.

It was getting worse every day. I started to have hallucinations, and finally when I met Tanya, I asked for another packet. Tanya refused to give me any more pills. “What do you think I am doing? Running a charity? Come back with some cash!” Tanya, I found out, was in cahoots with a gang. This group of rebellious teens made money by selling the “sweets”.

By now, I had already guessed that yaba was actually a drug. However, I didn’t care. Yaba was what I lived for. It was my elixir of life. I would perish without it. So I joined Tanya. I sold yaba to anyone interested in it.



The day of judgement came when a youth around twenty approached me nervously, asking for yaba. He handed me the money, and I handed him the drugs. The young man’s nervousness fell and away, and he pulled out a pair of handcuffs. I was tricked. The man was a policeman in disguise, and all he wanted was for me to confess by handing him the drugs. I was guilty. So I was sent to a girls’ home and a drug rehabilitation centre to undergo treatment.

When I was there, I was told that I was right. Yaba was an infamous drug, which had many other names. It was actually called methamphetamine. I cried then. I wept for hours, but not because of I had been caught. Those were tears of joy. I was finally free. I was free from the grip of vice that drugs had held me with. I realised that when I was experiencing the strong, passionate emotions of hate and regret, I had to escape from the truth. That was what had caused me all the pain. My own insecurities and how naïve I was.

That was three years ago. I am now an ordinary citizen with a good, stable job. I never saw Tanya again, but I hope that she has turned over a new leaf and is starting anew, like me. The price for taking drugs is too high to pay. I found that out the hard way.

Rejected sketches......

These sketches are (36) illustrations for 18 essays, 2 illustrations, are all rejected by the client.
Spent so much time to do them up. Nearly jumped up when the 'middleman' Outlook Editorial and Research (OER) emailed me ,when I was in Kuantan few weeks ago.
"The gist of it is that they have a different style in mind, so they sent us some illustration samples from their other publications to show the style that they are looking for. I don't understand why they did not provide us with this from the start, or why they didn't give us this feedback once they saw the initial pencil sketches." as said by OER in their email.

In fact, I was so angry. First, this client saw my portfolio. They knew my style, and chose me for their job. Next, I did the book cover illustration for them. They accepted it happily, meaning the style was accepted too. Now, they saw first done up illustration, and said wanted a different style. What was really ridiculous was that the sketches was sent in different batches, over different time. At this stage, then they said that they have a different style in mind. Faint...............

My guess for this sudden change was that, there was another party came in to takeover the job, just like the job for BCA. Are all gxxxxxx staff do things like that? Grrrrrrr........






































Second batch of revised sketches, but still didn't reflect to me on the style they want.






Did this lineart, scanned in and coloured in.

Style I have chosen is flat tone (with minimal shades, original quote was flat tone; added in shades to make it look better, but no surcharge) for the character, and waterbrush strokes with organic edge for the background.
As mentioned above, of course rejected. They said this style was outdated! The reason for me to choose on this style was that there were a lot of scenes in these essays which required expressions. Easier to express in this more realistic style.


Gave them detail style, they don't want. I think of another simpler style.
Guess what?
Email received from OER:-
"Thanks very much for the illustration. We really like it, and more importantly, the client really likes it (client says: "Great! this looks very nice. I'm happy to go with this style.")."

Happy? Yes, but nearly vomited blood.
Tell me earlier, and would have saved all parties lots of time, and effort on my side.
Anyway. We got the green light to move on.

Caricature for Seletar Club

The client saw one of the buggy theme caricatures on my website (but I can't find it! Hahaha.... no time to search for it thoroughly), and requested a similar one, but without the dog, as in the original sample. Changed the design a bit to fit his expression.

Family caricatures - a day at the beach

Client's brief:-
"....I prefer the beach related theme. I like to see the people in action in the sun. A hawaii theme like the hunks(my husband and son) in colourful beach shorts and coconut husk bikinis and straw skirts for the gals doing something together looks fun? windsurfing, speedboating with water skiing are fun too. Anyway, I will leave you with the brillant ideas. I am running out of ideas. Just something with the sunshine, action and colourful....
I think it will be fun."


No space for the windsurfing, speedboating etc, as it will be too spread out. I have to 'tie' them close together. With the Hawaiian mum, the most ideal part will be at the shoreline.
The hunk dad will be the one who bring all of them together. The son climbing on to the dad's shoulder with a watergun. The daughter with a pail and spade.

Feedback from the client:-
"Jit Leong-

Thanks for drawing the family portrait for me. My family likes it very much esp. my children and my hubby actually thinks it is a very special gift. It is now hanging in my living room and it is definitely good memory for us on our 10th wedding anniversary.

With thanks and regards,
Kerry"

Caricatures for Carl Zeiss S.E.Asia

The client 's request:-
"1) The gentleman likes fishing and can draw him catch a big fish
2) His wife can be helping him to pull the fish in
3) We need with Photo Mat and wood frame (like the previous one you did for us in March this year)"

Searched on Google Images for quite some time, and can't find any good images of showing the interior of the fish mouth. Thus, got to put in my imagination here.
Since it is based on imagination, I got to put in more effort in the execution part, to make it looked convincing. Put in some motion strokes on the fish head to show it being pulled out of the water.

Caricature for Air Products Asia

Client's brief:-
".....order for a caricature in color with theme - background and body of the person in the attached file. Theme would be something to do with golfing as that is his favorite sport. He's a Japanese and have been in Singapore for 10 years, will be returning to Japan next month....."


Golf again, but I change the posture and setting.Using the sand blast to show the power of the swing and hit effect. Enhanced withthe marker strokes to show the motion.
Looked quite good and fresh to me.
Can explore more on this effect next time.

Rates adjustments

Just adjusted the rates of my services.
Same reason - cut down my workloads.
Not to show off, but the jobs are flooding in till I can't breath.
Mentally very stressed.
Thought after the previous adjustment, it should cut down my workloads, but it didn't.
After I moved out from my shop, and work from my SOHO, thought it could be a challenge to get consistent orders. Orders should be lesser, but it was the reverse. I am getting even more orders now.
Wilfred told me it will be a challenge to your competitors instead, as I have too much jobs till cannot handle, but to raise my rates. Hmmmmm......
One of my clients told me that when they need my service, they won't really care about my price.

Anyway, the only way I can think of, is to increase my rates.
Think it should cut down the demand.
This is a self-fulfilling market.
When the price is higher, demand will be lower.
This move may upset my potential customers, but will make my competitors happier.
One of them has been telling me throughout these years, that my rates are too low. (A strong hint to me that I am blocking their business?)
Now, they should get more jobs, as my prices are considered one of the highest, if not the highest, in local market. Of course, they are still considered relatively low, as compared to those caricature rates oversea.

Another reason for this move is that I am appointed another bigger task to work on in the coming months (and perhaps years). I have to setup a company (trading school), create a website (with SEO, registration, spice up the contents, video editing etc), blog, design logo, namecards, design advertisements and brochures, spice up the Powerpoint presentation contents etc etc. This will definitely take up a lot of my time.

Anyway, the rates have been adjusted. Let's see how it goes.

Caricature theme - Chinese traditional wedding

A Caucasian bridegroom and a Chinese bride in traditional Chinese wedding gown.
2 more such theme in the queue. Thinking of giving them a different design in terms of the
posture and gowns.

Caricature of Nicolas Anelka

Nicolas Anelka's caricature took me the longest time to do.
Noticed my pencil sketch has lots of lines? I was sculturing his face, and thinking of how to apply the shades when I am colouring.
To the layman, his features should be easy to draw. Bald head with moustache and beard.
Yes. I have other photos which I can draw out easily, but I chose this photo because it gaves me some challenge, and I think it should come out good - in terms of the shades and expression.


Many details lost here? Yes. I want to let the colouring to do the job.


I played on the lights and shades, gloss, highlights and shadow.
Took me quite a long time to do it, but it was worth the effort. The result was really satisfying.

Caricature of Carlos Puyol

This expression looks fun to draw to me.
Don't know how to describe, but easy to sketch and express it for me.

Of all the caricatures in this batch, I like this sketch most.
And looking forward to start working on it.
No special posture. Just a simple posture of stepping on the soccer ball and pointing forward.
I think it goes well with his expression.


Have some fun with my brush on his hair here.


Added various layers of shares to build up his hair volume.
Looks good, but different feel from my pencil sketch.

Caricature of Luca Toni

Luca Toni always makes this sign whenever he scores, if I am right. Saw him doing this sign in several photos I get online. Thus, I include it in this caricature.


In the above photo, his hair is short.
The photo the client sent me shows that his hair isn't short.


Wilfred told me that he has short hair now.
I made an 'U-Turn' immediately. Haha.... Medium length.


The shading of the nose was done using colours instead of lines. The lineart shows he has a broad nose. The shape is better defined when the shades came in.

Caricature of Edwin Van Der Sar

Edwin Van Der Sar has a slanted nose, but it is not obvious in this photo.



Ironically, I enjoyed shading his hair most, in this caricature, though the colours are not very close, due to the limited colour of the markers. The achievement of the ligh and shades using different colours and strokes gave me satisfaction. Reminded me of the David Beckham's caricature I have done years ago, but this one turned out better.

Caricature of David Villa

David Villa's mouth reminded me of the Bruce Lee caricature which I have done for my shop display in 2005. His frown was the most fun part to draw in this caricature.


Added in grey shades on his cheek. Like a bit addicted to the grey shares on faces recently. Haha....
Deliberately lengthened his left hand, to emphasize the index finger. Number 1? or pointing up? Nothing specific in mind. Just think he will look good in this posture.
My another artpiece of "different orientation" - looking to the left, running to the right.
This one more obvious.

Caricature of David Trezeguet

This batch of 6 soccer star caricatures pencil sketches were all done while I was in Kuantan.
only get to finish them these few days. Quite long hor?!
First reason was that the client just came back to me with the jersey colours.
Second reason was too tight up with other jobs on hand.

Sculpturing stage.
Besides emphasizing on David Trezeguet's wide opened mouth, I stretched his lips further out.
Saliva within the mouth.


Refining the caricature with the ink and brush outline.


Shading came in. The facial muscles were clearly shown now.
I have some fun time in adding in grey shades on his face (would look too brown otherwise, if I keep adding in darker biege) and bald head.
I like this posture too. Blends quite well with his expression.

Group caricatures for JP Morgan

This is the one.
Finally done! Can take a breath, before moving on.
This client initially wanted a single caricature with theme for the main guy.
Later, she dropped the idea. - will keep me in mind next time.
Thus, I took in the Ernst & Young order.
Then she called me in the afternoon, said wants to proceed.
But now 7 caricatures without theme.
Stressed. She increased it to 9 caricatures in her next call.
Even more stressed.

Anyway, I managed to finish this order on time. Job almost done.

Next is to get this colour artwork to print on a crystal plaque.
The client will present this scanned-in softcopy to her boss first.
The plaque will only be ready and given to him, in about a weeks time.
Will post up the photos when it is done.

Feedback from the client:-
"Hi Jit... tks for the picture !...
its cute.. guess only person who dun look alike real person is me (as u
used the D&D photo.. dun really look like the usual me !.. ) and Sasha (it
too me awhile to recognise her ... !!

Anyway, was nice and tks for accepting despite a rush job. Let me know
when its crystalised and maybe can we arrange to meet somewhere in town for
me to pick it up? We'll co-ordinate again then. Tks again Jit ! Cheers !"

Caricature for Ernst & Young

Collection on Thursday too. Order came in only yesterday.
Settle it first before I concentrate on the group caricatures for JP Morgan, due on Thursday.
Is this Thursday a big day? Why everyone need it on that day?
Anyway, less stressful now, since I have cleared that big group caricatures for G2 Army.

Client's brief:-
"pls draw a caricature of this guy on an A3 size (white) material. He will be transferred to another division and be expected to fly often hence we thought you can draw him sitting on a plane, flying off with Singapore landmarks as the background, such as esplanade and merlion."


The client sent me another email, requesting to add in a cigar in his hand.

This time, I didn't draw the character popping out from the window, but literally sitting on the plane. Can show his full body (bigger) and carrying a suitcase.

A little nice touch (inspiration as I was colouring the sea) here. I didn't extend the sea to the front of the plane, which I usually will do so. This will show the plane flying away from the Singapore island (and above the clouds) better.

Caricature for HSBC

Looked familiar?
Yes, I did his caricature last Saturday.
This order came in today, from HSBC too, but from another client. They will need it by this Friday, with it framed up. I got to clear this order before settling those bigger orders due on Thursday.
My gut feel told me that it could be for the same gentleman, before I opened the email came in with a compressed zip file attached.

Few hour later, the client who ordered the previous caricature for this gentleman, called me to check whether another group of their colleagues placed an order with me. I got mixed up, thought this client was the client who ordered the above caricature, and told her "yes, but different theme." Anyway, the answer is correct.

She said what a small world. Both groups looking for a retiring gift for him. Both thought of getting caricatures, and both came to me. Indeed a small world! Think I encountered several such cases before, like the most recent orders from OCBC. Can't remember those longer than these, as they are not posted on this blog.

Anyway, this is their brief:-
".....who will be retiring
shortly and it is intended for the caricature to be part of his retirement
gift. Other info I can give is :

Age 53, but fairly craggy with it. Hair black

Smokes and drinks so we were thinking of a glass of red wine in one hand
and a cigarette in the other ( or maybe in the mouth ?)

Outfit should be the strip of the soccer team he supports Southampton FC
or 'Saints' to give them their nickname. I believe that this is broad
vertical red and white stripes, but will confirm this shortly.

Timing is such that I need to collect the finished article from you on
Friday if at all poss."

He must be a heavy smoker. Both wanted to feature him with cigarettes.

Caricature for Shell

Client's brief:-
"Theme : Neil standing next to the ferrari sport car or sitting inside. It would be nice to have his name "NEIL" printed on his shirt. As for the shell logo, can we have as the car's number plate?

Wordings : Happy Birthday Neil
Love from the babes : Vera, Becky & Eveline "


Searched online for Ferrari images, and found this model looked rather unique.
Chose this since the client didn't specify any specific model.

No place for the number plate. Thus I put the Shell logo right below the Ferrari logo.
Tilted the road up, to enhance the speedy effect.
As the rims looked unique, I didn't draw them spinning in motion.
The motion lines were only drawn within the rims.
Looking back at this completed artwork, I should have drawn the rims in motion. It would have looked better.

The client called me asking for quotes for her upcoming company's gift for 2 new coming staffs, after she received the drawing from the courier. Told her that I will be adjusting my prices pretty soon, to cut down my increasing heavy workload. Better place her orders fast before the change.

Next day, I received her sms:-
"Jit, thanks for e caricature. My boss like it very much. Thanks a lot."

Group caricatures for G2 Army

Did this within 1 day.
Really stressful, as I still have many jobs to clear in the coming weeks.
This was one of the biggest obstacles, collecting on Thurs, and this was not the only order due on that day. In addition, I have to allow time for framing.

Noticed the space at the top left corner?

The client wanted to include a physical badge in this drawing.
The badge only came in when I was about to finish colouring these faces.

Looked crisp and sharp, as compared to the top 2?
Of course. It was scanned in at high resolution, while the latter was snapped using digital camera.
The client wanted to printout the soft copy for the others to keep (after my proposal). At least, not paid up and didn't get to keep a copy as remembrance, right?


Framed up. Job done.

Feedback from the client upon receiving this framed artpiece:-
"Wow! Excellent!"

He dropped me an email subsequently:-
"Hey Jit,

Just want to express my thanks for the caricature piece you have done up for me. Its great artwork and my boss most certaintly appreciated it. My fellow colleagues agreed too. Thanks a lot......

Regards,
Kitloong
"

Copying openly?!

Went to Hougang Mall for brunch and saw some art activities at Hougang Central Hub.
My gut feel told me that there must be some artists doing caricatures and portraits here.
Guest what I saw?


I saw one of the caricatures done by me (my wife can't tell it was my drawing, but Ivan can tell) on this artist's table.
I don't think this was drawn by him, as this was one of the 100+ pieces of pencil caricatures I did for Sony's event as doorgifts, years ago when I was still drawing in Clarke Quay. I can recognise my own pencil strokes and style.
The chances of her getting him to draw a caricature was very slim. Then I saw my signature and website url on it. Next to the caricature, was his sketch of this caricature. Hmmmm..... copying openly?!
Told my wife. She said, " Wow, you are the idol of many people. They all copy your art!"
不招人妒是庸才!
Is it?
Should I be happy?

Anyway, this was the caricature ripped from my website.


Didn't went up to ask him why he used my caricature.
At least, he didn't use my caricature as display and get business for himself like that Eugene and 朱学伟. The latter was a student from China. He met me in Clarke Quay about 13 years ago, saw my portraits displayed there. He befriended with me, and subsequently asked me to lend him some of my portraits to photocopy, so that he can copy and learn some skill for me and draw for his colleagues. Seeing that he was quite a poor student, I allowed him to do so.
Few month later, I went to Kuantan for holiday. When I came back, I saw him sitting at my place, setting up a stall, displaying my portrait drawings, to get business for himself. Damn! I asked him why did he do so? He couldn't give me an answer.
Though I don't like people to copy what I draw, (as what some local professional artists are doing currently) which I can't help, I really despise people who displayed my works as their works. These people are the worst type! Even if they can get the business, but cannot deliver the similar quality or standard. How would they answer to their clients? It is like I am cheating their clients indirectly!

What a small world! This Singapore Arts Street 2008 @ North East is held from 21-29 June 2008. It is the second day, and this is the second time I come to Hougang Mall, and I saw my drawing here. Think he didn't expect to see me here. Anyway, I don't think he can recognise me, even when I stood in front of his table and snapped these photos.

Caricature for Gillette

This client told me that she was referred by her colleague in Gillette, but she didn't mentioned who.
Her request:-
"....pls draw him meditating at the same time thinking of Gillette products (shaver and toothbrush) (bubble), bald head and no bulging tummy......"

My wife walked into my study room, and saw me rendering his face (upside down angle). She said that he looks like Mr Bean. Is it? Maybe yes, from her angle.

Client's feedback upon receiving this artwork:-
"Oh, this is so cute!"

Caricature for HSBC

Client's request for this caricature:-
"Things I need in the caricature (colour)

Glasses on forehead
making faces
smoking
left hand moving around in the air
long nose
staring at the computer
HSBC logo "

Some problems here. Got to lift up the glasses, as he puts on glasses in the photo provided.
Given the angle he is looking, if I really follow the client's request, the monitor will be blocking his face. So, this point will not work. Got to put the monitor at the side, with teh HSBC logo in it.

Further exploring the new style here. Hopefully ,the client will be happy with the outcome.

My baby is finally back!

Nikon Service Centre finally smsed me, saying that my Nikon D80 is ready for collection yesterday. Finally! After 3 weeks+. They told me they have no stock for the shutter unit. Hence, I couldn't get it back for my Kuantan trip. Anyway, they told me that they have replaced the main PCB, shutter unit, AF sensor, with general servicing. That girl who served me, couldn't give me an answer for the fault. Either she doesn't know, doesn't bother to tell me, or doesn't want to tell me. Anyway, this baby was finally back. The total fee of $370 will be paid by Harvey Norman, under the 4-year extended warranty. Think I paid about $365 for the extended warranty. So, one more failure, they will have to lose out. And of there's any failure, please do so before my warranty expires.

Tested some shots in that service centre. Wow, back to life, and felt like a new camera to me. Everything was so clean and new, and the photos taken appeared crisp and sharp. Happy and contented.

Went to the PSA Building, opposite of Fuji Xerox Building where the Nikon Service Centre was, for my lunch at Ah Hua Bak Kut Teh.
Still very good service on the soup refill. First refill was after my first sip. Second refill came after my fourth sip, last refill when I almost finished it, and these refills not those diluted one.
The only complain was the small portion of Bak Kut Teh, and the quite a lot of bones. Maybe food prices went up too much over these few months. This lunch costs me $6.70, with the towel. Still the market price, but cannot filled up my stomach leh.