North India Trip Part 2 : Ladakhi People

I just got my films developed and scanned by the photo lab today. It has been almost a year since I last shot film. Before my India trip I had my Nikon F3 and Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AIS lens serviced and cleaned from fungus so I could make use of them once again after so long lying in my room. Not to mention most of the films in my stock are expired. I did not quite mind them expired but I had my fingers crossed on the results I was about to see on the final scans.

As much as I was expecting, just like how unpredictable and unexpectable India could be, the 4 rolls of films I shot throughout the trip turned out somewhat not too well. It could be due to the missetting on my camera or the insensitivity of the expired films. I could not blame entirely on the expired films as there was one and only portrait shot of a Ladakhi man that turned out exceptionally perfect, perfect exposure, unlike the rest of the hundred over shots that turned out dark, grainy and almost beyond repair.

After some correction work on the lightness and colour done to the potential shots which I thought could be salvaged these are the portraits of local people I met while visiting the monasteries around Ladakh in northernmost India.

They certainly look very different from the typical Indian, don’t they?

Check out the rest of my India trip photos on my flickr.

North India Trip Part 1 : Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal, needless any introduction, is the iconic landmark of India. This being the my second time in India I decided to visit this famous mausoleum which is located in Agra in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Here are some of the photos I took at sunrise.

Snail’s eye view of the Taj Mahal.

Spotted and captured a very excited tourist who interestingly posed with the famous building.

Sunset view from the hotel rooftop. The Taj Mahal is on the far right.

Check out more photos on my flickr.

We have migrated

Happy New Year to all!!!

It had indeed been a wonderful 2011 and as we welcome 2012 let us expect more exciting things. So this is what we at our studio is riding on this journey toward a better year. More changes are going to take place and more exciting projects to are going to come our way and yes, it is going to be a more fruitful year!

We are in the midst of a rebranding process internally which we hope to be able to be fully set up with a new brand identity in the next few months or so. It will be a transition period for us, things might not be in proper order but please be patient with us. We hope that you would continue to support us by tuning in and we hope to inspire you with our arts and design.

To all our existing clients, thank you so much for your support throughout 2011. We will strive to serve you better. To our potential clients, we surely hope to work with you and show you how we can better your business with our visual communication creativity.

Meantime, in line with our internal rebranding exercise, this blog has been migrated to a new link at liyincreative.wordpress.com (until further notice).

Have a happy 2012!

Merry Christmas Greetings!

This is the recent Christmas eCard design I have done for a client.

The concept is based on the meaning of Christmas – God’s begotten Son, Jesus Christ who was born into this world as God’s gift to mankind, thus the nativity scene that is subtly represented on top of the gift box ribbons. It was a joy to the world. It was a silent peaceful night where the magi followed the direction of the star in the east to where Baby Jesus was born. And angels were rejoicing.

Initial sketch of the idea.

Adaptation into the letterhead.

Have a meaningful, joyful and merry Christmas!!!

***Updated 11 December 2011*** Check out the animated version of the eCard here.

 

Lunch & Learn Logo and Goodie Box

Lunch and Learn logo design.

Initial sketches of the logo.

Lunch and Learn goodie box.

Initial sketches of the goodie box.

Sketches of illustrations to go on the sie panels.

The inner tray of the goodie box.

Initial sketches of the reuse icons on the inner tray.

Closer look.

Lunch and Learn invite.

Amazing Kids Caricatures & Graduation Ceremony 2011

This year I was once again given the honour and opportunity to churn out  a set of 22 caricatures of the pre-school students and their teachers of Amazing Kids Literacy Centre, Malaysia for their graduation day. The graduation ceremony took place last month. The caricatures were compiled and made into a graduation poster like a movie-like poster with the kids are the stars of the big day. Each graduate received a piece of the framed poster. One of the kids was awarded as the Amazing Kids of the Year and she was received a specially designed Certificate of Excellence.

The graduation poster.

Photos of the graduation day.

The teachers and the graduation poster.

Students’ caricatures hung on the strings in the centre.

A quick preview of all the 22 caricatures.

The certificate for the Amazing Kid of the Year.

Here are some of the initial rough sketches of the caricatures before they were scanned and transfered over into my iPad for tracing, inking and colour rendering.

And the printouts of the graduation poster, certificate and some of the caricatures.

The progress of making and completing the caricatures was a major leap from what was done for last year’s graduation.

Do check out the individual caricatures in my flickr.

Amazing experience!

Taiwan trip photos

For more photos from my Taiwan trip please check out my flickr set.

For those planning a trip to Taiwan, FrugalDad.com has coupons for Travelocity.

Greetings from Taiwan!

Hello peeps! Greetings from Taiwan!!!

I am on a week of holiday right now and today is my fourth day here. I am traveling alone with my Lonely Planet guidebook. It has been wonderful so far. I have visited Taichung city and currently in some highland place in Nantou called Chingjing. It can be a bit challenging for me sometimes as most information on signboard and menus are in Chinese. But most local people are friendly and helpful enough when you ask.

I am not in a mission to cover as many places possible in such short trip. Just taking my time to relax and enjoy the country before I am back to the grind again right after this break.

This is what I managed to sketch today on my iPad – a landscape of the farm just outside the hotel I am staying in Chingjing. The weather was beautiful today without the rain.

Heading off to Taipei city tomorrow.

Bye for now!

**Updated 26 November 2011**

This is the photo of me doing landscape painting with my iPad in Chingjing.

I am back from my awesome holiday trip since a few days ago and down with a flu since I will recover in no time

CouponCravings.com has coupons for those needing to update their electronic devices to make the most of your adventures.

Threadless Submission : A Star in Disguise

I have recently submitted this design to Threadless.

If you would like to see it printed on T-shirt please score for it.

Art prints of Kolkata

Sorry for the lack of updates on this blog lately. Have been busy. Lots of drawings to do, so little time, before I hit another break time again soon.

Meantime, I have set up an online store at Society 6 to have my art pieces available for purchase. Here are some of the drawings of Kolkata, India which I added into the collection. The drawings were done during my visit to the city last year.

Do check them out at my Society6 store.

Art Print of The Fruit of the Spirit

Art print with frame or on canvas, now available for purchase.

You may want to wear it too.

Check out my new Society6 page. More artworks/items will be added into the collection in the future.

 

 

2nd Attempt on the Caricature of Joel Osteen

Perhaps this looks better than the first one. I know I have exaggerated his teeth a bit but he’s the smiling preacher after all, right?

Caricature of Joel Osteen

He is one of the most influential people of people of our time. Also known as ‘The Smiling Preacher’ – Joel Osteen. There is no way that I cannot be inspired every time I listen to him speak.

Here’s a quick sketch of Joel’s caricature.

I will do a better one next time.

My wallpaper in memory of Steve Jobs

Til this day I still love the old 6-colour Apple logo since the day I got my first Mac way back in my college days. Apple’s Think Different commercial once again comes to live and reminds me how I should be thinking differently as a creative professional. Hope it does the same for you too.

Made on Mac and for Mac.

iSketch Steve

“This is the year of the iPad”… as the former Apple CEO said it. So this piece of caricature which I sketched of the man on my iPad 2 with Sketchbook Pro is my tribute to him.

In memory of Steve Jobs.

Relive the Apple dreams!

………

Featured in The 50 Best Steve Jobs Tributes From All Over The World.

The art print is available for purchase here.

Tribute to Steve Jobs

How would I not be saddened and shocked by the news when I read the news headline “Steve Jobs Dies” today? It was hard not to as an Apple fan myself I grew up with Apple computers. Remembering those days in my college my very first computer was an Apple Macintosh Performa 6400. I had never owned or touched a computer before then. Years later I got myself the first laptop – an Apple iBook, then years later a MacBook Pro 15” and then now doing most of my work on a Macbook Air 11”. My computing device just gets smaller and lighter each time for the convenience of traveling. Never have I once thought of switching to a PC and you can almost be certain that I am Windows illiterate.

Steve Jobs, the man that I have never met or known personally but his visionary leadership quality and innovative mind was what I truly admired. As my tribute to him, I have done a quick sketch of him (‘imperfect’, though) on my iPad 2 with Adobe Ideas app.

Mr. Steve, thank you for introducing me a new, clean and exciting way to draw! You will always be remembered.

On a side note, life’s short eat more apples cos apple a day keeps the doctor away.

……

Featured in The 50 Best Steve Jobs Tributes From All Over The World.

How would Leonarda da Vinci paint Mona Lisa if he was alive today?

How would Leonarda da Vinci paint Mona Lisa if was alive today?, originally uploaded by Liyin the Designer-in-Pajamas.

Painting with Adobe Ideas on iPad

Layer upon layer. My first vector painting with Adobe Ideas on iPad, originally uploaded by Liyin the Designer-in-Pajamas.

My first time using a vector app to paint. Just testing out the Adobe Ideas on my iPad. This is the result of a layer upon layer-of-strokes set at different colour opacity to achieve an acrylic look-alike painting. Best of all it is in vector.

My Starbucks tumbler 3rd design : Mermaid’s makeover

I was bored of looking at the same design on my Starbucks tumbler I had been using for the past few months since April. So, I decided go a bit crazy and have some fun tweaking the Starbucks logo this time. The Starbucks mermaid had a makeover! Dressed her up like in a Superwoman outfit, put on her some make-up and turned her into a clown face, crowned her with Mini Mouse’s headgear, coloured her hair, and made her play with some of the Angry Birds cast. Hope she’s having fun!

I am ready to take my tumbler out to the runway

Hari Raya Aidilfitri Greetings!

Time flies. Here comes again one of the most celebrated festivals in Malaysia – Hari Raya.

I am posting this Raya e-card design I have done recently for a client.

Here is the final piece.

Before it was this…

And the design adaptation from the e-card into letterhead.

 

So that is all the blog update I have for now before going away on a holiday (work-free this time – yay!) tomorrow.

Selamat Aidilfitri – Maaf Zahir dan Batin, to all who celebrate! Selamat Balik Kampung and Happy Holidays!