Going back to Miri, yes, again!

This is the 5th time this year and that broke my past records of going back once or twice a year in the past, especially during those years when I was under employment, as most of you know it is not easy to take leave from work and go away as often as you want to.

When I was asked about for what particular reason or occasion that I am going home this time I said none, do I even need any? Miri is my home. It is good to be with family. Just a couple of days ago I found out that both my youngest sister and mom’s birthdays fall on this week! NOW, I have a good reason for coming home! Yes, their birthday presents are all prepared, will wait til the celebration day.

Coming back home does not mean I am on holiday, yo, work continues still. It is about working at the comfort of my home-sweet-home environment without having to worry what’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner today. But I prefer my workstation in PJ with my cat, Bebe around and watch her nap and do all the funny little stuff she always does.

Filed under: Journal, Personal, Photography , Aircraft, Book, Digital Photography, Flight, KLIA, Lamy Fountain Pen, MAS, Miri, Moleskine, Sarawak

My Wheatgrass Project : Day 1 – 13

Been a really hard at work this month and seriously need a good break but not so soon until all is over and done. I can only afford a short one for now, today, so I decided to do something to break the ice before getting back to work again.

This is it! I am taking some time off to talk about this project I am curently embarking on – Wheatgrass Project… LOL. What on earth would I want to grow wheatgrass?! Not something I thought of doing but it all started when I visited the petshop in my neighbourhood recently and stumbled upon this box of instant DIY wheatgrass growing kit. I thought it was funny as it is meant for cats! I do not know what struck me at the time but the next thing I thought to myself was, why not?? Why not give it a try?! Life is too short not to try something new, right? I mean, I have seen my cat, Bebe, eat grass outside the house compound before but I really have no idea how much she would approve this idea of home-grown wheatgrass! If she is not going to eat it I will keep it to myself then! Nothing to lose, really.

Day 1 : Preparing the ground and welcome the seed of greatness

Got the ‘ground’ ready in the plastic tray and down all the wheatgrass seed.

Filed under: Art + Design, Personal, Photography, Typography , Cat, Digital Photography, Feline, Growing Plant, Growth, Nokia 6300, Personal Project, Phone Camera, Typography, Wheatgrass

If I do not have a camera handy I shoot anyway

With my Nokia 6300.

On the day when I was out for have a brief meeting with client these were a few spot-on shots I could not resist to take even when I did not have a camera with me at the time. My camera phone (or is it phone camera?) is a good backup but minus the low megapixel and bad image quality, though.

A slumbering money changer in KL Sentral.

Even when there was a customer around?

On the train on my way back to PJ I took this shot of a man holding a packed lunch.

The power tower (or whatever you call it) shot when I touched down PJ. Got out of the usual route a bit just to get a bit closer to this gigantic thing. Funny how I had this visual in my mind at that time that the electricity from this thing was going to come right down and give me a good shock! Something like in those sci-fi movies.

The lady who has always been in this place collecting recyclable materials like aluminium cans, papers, plastic bottles and stuff. I even has a particular spot at the basement of this building where she works on the materials she collects from the big dumpster. I have so much respect for her diligence. Each time I walk through this place to and from the LRT station I see her there.

If not for people like her much more recyclable materials would have been wasted unnecessarily.

The above photos were digitally processed in order to be more presentable.

Filed under: Personal, Photography , Cameraphone, Digital Photography, Money Changer, Nokia 6300, Petaling Jaya, Phone Camera, Recycle, Selangor

Sketch : My desk (3 October 2009)

A bit disorganised lately…

It’s alright if you can tell what are those stuff on my desk. It’s messy, anyway.

Medium : Derwent drawing pencils

Filed under: Illustration, Personal, Sketch , Derwent Drawing Pencils, Desk, Illustration, Messy Desk, Sketch, Sketching

Journal, 2 & 3 October 2009 – Don’t be a thermometer but be a thermostat

Be not like a thermometer that is changed by the temperature of the surroundings.

Be like a thermostat that changes the temperature of the surroundings.

Pen : Lamy Vista Fountain Pen Medium Nib
Ink : Noodler’s Ink Polar Black
Medium : Staedtler Karat Aquarell Watercolour Pencils
Brush : Goldie Artists’ Super Nylon 3, Rarhael Martre 6, Ashley Dagger No. 3/8
Material : Moleskine Pocket Size Daily Planner 2009 (Soft Cover)

Taking break from work. Drawing makes me feel more relaxed.

Filed under: Illustration, Journal, Message, Personal , Illustration, Journal, Drawing, Message, Lamy Fountain Pen, Moleskine Pocket Diary, Watercolour Pencils, Thermometer, Thermostat, Staedler Karat Aquarell

Journal, 26 & 27 September 2009 – Test writing with Sailor Sapporo Demonstrator fountain pen

I had a chance to use my Boss and friend’s Sailor Sapporo Demonstrator fountain pen last week for test writing. Very impressed I was with the flow of the ink through its beautifully engraved 14k gold medium fine nib. It writes extremely smooth. Gorgeous piece of writing instrument – transparent and sexy looking, just the right kind of pen for the Boss!

I will just stick to my cheaper Lamy’s.

Here are some of the photos I took of the pen with not my usual 105mm macro lens, but with a Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AIS, by reversing the lens. Camera, Nikon F3. Film, an expired Konica Minolta Centuria Super 400.

Filed under: Journal, Message, Personal, Photography , Film Photography, Handwriting, Journal, Macro Photography, Moleskine Pocket Diary, Sailor Sapporo Demonstrator Fountain Pen

Moleskine Daily Planner 2010 Hard Cover

Was shopping for a book at Kinokuniya Bookstore at KLCC today when I saw the Moleskine planners and desktop calendars for next year are already on sale. So I picked up a hard cover pocket size daily planner for myself. It comes with two cover versions – soft and hard. This year I am using a soft cover planner and for a change I decided to get a hard cover one. It comes with a useful address book insert that is thin enough to be slotted into the expandable inner pocket.

It is only September and I have already got this 2010 planner for myself. It means I am going to continue doing my illustrative journaling for next year. Exciting!

Filed under: Personal

Journal, 20 September 2009 – Joel Osteen’s book & J.Co Donuts

A day of book shopping and donut eating.

Live sketch at J.Co Donuts place @ Pavilion KL.

Pen : Lamy Safari Charcoal Fountain Pen Extra Fine Nib
Ink : Noodler’s Ink Polar Black
Medium : Staedtler Karat Aquarell Watercolour Pencils
Brush : Rarhael Martre No. 6
Material : Moleskine Pocket Size Daily Planner 2009 (Soft Cover)

Filed under: Illustration, Journal, Personal, Sketch, Urban Sketches , Become A Better You, Book, Drawing, Illustration, J.Co Donuts, Joel Osteen, Journal, Kuala Lumpur, Lamy, Lamy Fountain Pen, Moleskine, Moleskine Pocket Diary, Pavilion KL, Sketch, Urban, Urban Sketches, Watercolour Pencils

Beauty is in the details

I have always admired the craftsmanship of watchmaking.

Photos taken with Nikon F70D and Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 Micro on an expired Fujifilm PRO 400H. Light source from a tungsten table lamp and a reflector.

Filed under: Personal, Photography , Artistry of Watchmaking, EPOS, Film Photography, Macro, Skeleton Watch, Wristwatch

Napkin sketches at DainTi Hill Resturant

Napkin sketch of Royal Hot Milk Tea.

Photo taken with Olympus XA, on an expired Agfa Vista 200.

Napkin sketch of Pavilion Pedestrian Bridge

Dinner at DainTi Hill Restaurant, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

Filed under: Personal, Sketch, Urban Sketches , DainTi Hill Restaurant, Kuala Lumpur, Live Sketches, Milk Tea, Napkin Art, Pavilion KL, Pedestrian Bridge, Urban Sketches

Pen Gallery

The mind is a powerful tool.
Beyond what we can imagine.
Write. Sketch. Doodle. Mind map.
A good pen is always a good friend.

Check out which pen suits you best at www.pengallery.com

Filed under: Personal

My desk, 3 August 2009

Lack of update due to the workload lately. However, a very quick one here.

Working on some of the most interesting projects, with some wonderful clients, which happening at the same time. I am a bit shorthanded, though. I have always made it a habit to put down my thoughts and ideas on the paper first before working them on the Mac. Recently I have been trying out the mind mapping method in drafting out the brief from client – it helps me see the big picture of the whole idea, in colourful lines and patterns which also help me to remember better than when it is all in plain words.

“I do what I like and I like what I do”

Books, books, books! I been buying a lot more books than I did in previous years. I am still trying to find the time to read them. Can’t quite remember when was the last time I ever finished reading a book. I am rather a slow reader, but I am working on it!

Something to keep my sanity in order – my Moleskine diary. Something to organise my life, better than any electronic devices. My Palm was never been fully utilised.

I should not neglect my beauty sleep.

Ciao for now.

Filed under: Personal , Books, Design, DIP, Drawing, Illustration, Mind Map, Moleskine. Diary, My Desk, Projects, Sketch, Work in Progress

Journal, 15 July 2009

Talent is never enough, you know?

Tools and media :
Lamy Safari Charcoal fountain pen with Noodler’s Ink – Polar Black, Steadtler Karat Aquarell Watercolor Pencils, Daler-Rowney Aquafine watercolour pocket set + Daler Rowney White Acrylic, Moleskine pocket diary.

Filed under: Illustration, Journal, Message, Personal, Sketch , Diary, Drawing, Illustration, John C Maxwell, Journal, Moleskine, Talent is Never Enough

Journal, 14 July 2009

Flying back home day.

Tools and media :
Lamy Safari Charcoal fountain pen with Noodler’s Ink – Polar Black, Steadtler Karat Aquarell Watercolor Pencils, Daler-Rowney Aquafine watercolour pocket set + Daler Rowney White Acrylic, Moleskine pocket diary.

Filed under: Food, Illustration, Journal, Personal, Travel , 2009, Diary, Drawing, Food, Illustrative, Journal, Malaysia Airlines, Miri, Moleskine, Sarawak

Miri here I come home to you again!

Yes, I am going home to Miri tonight.
My pastor’s wife is sending me to KL Sentral this afternoon.
Going to check in my luggage at the MAS counter.
Then off to a meeting before going back to KL Sentral again by evening.
Going to catch the KLIA Express train and shoot my way to the airport.
My flight is at 8:40pm.
Be reaching Miri by 11pm.
Home sweet home… for 2 weeks.

Filed under: Personal , Miri, Sarawak

The things I spotted in Pudu

After months of keeping those photo prints of the people shots I took in Pudu that I had promised to send them the next time I came around finally I delivered my word, yesterday. Going from one place to another in that old part of the city I made it to the blacksmith brothers, a kopitiam lady boss and a kuih lady but failed on my way looking for two other ladies in the wet market when I lost sight of them and the market turned into a maze as I walked further in which finally I gave up my search. The kuih lady who saw her photo prints was so happy that she kept insisting me to accept some of the buns she was selling as a token of appreciation. Is not the joy of photography is to see and make people happy?

During my walkabout in Pudu, with no intention of shooting but could not resist taking pictures of some of the things I spotted. The only camera I had with me was a mobile phone, my humble 2-megapixels Nokia 6330. These were some shots I took.

The then and now mailboxes.

This Mr. Lim the tailor whom I came across sometime last year when I walked pass his little shoplot, with no guts I missed the opportunity of photographing him even though I had my SLR with me at that time. Months later whenever I happened to drop by Pudu I remembered of him, but failed each time trying to find the unfamiliar shoplot where I first saw him hoping to go up to him again to ask for his photos taken as i have now built up my confidence talking to total strangers I want to photograph. So, yesterday once again I walked to the same spot trying my lucky to see him there but once again I found no sight of him but finally as I was walking further a few streets away I spotted a tailor who looked like him but I could not be sure. There he was with just his simple old sewing machine at work I walked up to him, this time with guts to ask for his photos to be taken, we had a little conversation to warm him up a bit. To make sure he was the tailor I was looking for all this while he confirmed it. He moved out of the former shoplot since three months ago to this new one sharing a space with a printing shop. So, this is his new workplace, with a ‘NO P’ sign on the entrance door next to where he does his work.

Well, here are some thoughts and humour to go with the shots I took of Mr. Lim.

‘P’ could probably mean ‘Photography’. Maybe it is just me.

I asked for his business card but he wrote his surname on the sewing machine board with a white fabric chalk or marker or whatever you call it. I thought what he did what really cute!

Perhaps, Mr. Lim should have a business card like this.

The last image I would like to show to the world is this one. I believe people are innovative in someway even without going through any kind of formal training.

Found this toilet at one of the coffeeshops. I was so reluctant to use it but I just had to go But I must say that they are quite innovative to make good use of the used parts to turn them into something cost-effective like this thing. Unfortunately, I did not find it quite work well for me as an user.

Filed under: Personal, Photography , Kuala Lumpur, Nokia 6330, Photography, Pudu

Artistry in Watchmaking

I see no value in the watch but value is in the artistry of the watchmaker.

It is not a timepiece. It is an art piece.

Filed under: Personal , Artistry in Watchmaking, Mechanical Watch, Wristwatch

Journal, 20 June 2009

It was an art material and book shopping day. Got myself two books on drawing and watercolour. And found myself an A3 sized portfolio bag I was looking for for quite sometime, by chance, in an art shop in KL!

On this page I decided not to redraw with black ink like I usually do but I went on to render it with watercolours over the pencil outlines.

I quite like the result of the watercolour effect without black outline.

Tools and media :
Lamy Safari Charcoal fountain pen with Noodler’s Ink – Polar Black, Daler-Rowney Aquafine watercolour pocket set + Daler Rowney White Acrylic, Moleskine pocket diary.

Filed under: Illustration, Journal, Painting, Personal , 2009, Daler-Rowney, Diary, Drawing, Illustration, Journal, Moleskine, Painting, Watercolour

Journal, 28 & 30 June 2009

Dinner at Kiku Zakura Japanese Restaurant, Mid Valley Mall, Kuala Lumpur. Loved the Cha Soba a lot.

Tools and media :
Lamy Safari Charcoal fountain pen with Noodler’s Ink – Polar Black, Staedtler Karat Aquarell watercolour pencils, Daler-Rowney white acrylic, Raphaël Red Sable #6 brush, Moleskine pocket diary.

My good friend got me a Belkin wireless router modem. Of course, it was for some reason we exchanged our wireless modems with each other some months ago when she wanted me to test hers which was an Aztech model. My Belkin works completely fine in her house until today, whereas hers that I was using in my house was alright in the beginning but eventually the connection problem had begin to persist more and more at a certain hour of the day and finally it came to a point that we decided to give up on it. So, my friend offered to buy me a buy one – a Belkin G Wireless Router Modem.

Tools and media :
Lamy Safari Charcoal fountain pen with Noodler’s Ink – Polar Black, Mixed media = Staedtler Karat Aquarell Watercolour Pencils + Daler-Rowney Aquafine watercolour pocket set + Daler Rowney White Acrylic, Raphaël Red Sable #6 brush, Moleskine pocket diary.

Filed under: Food, Illustration, Journal, Personal, Sketch , 2009, Belkin Wireless Router Modem, Derwent Inktense Set, Diary, Food, Illustration, Japanese Food, Journal, Kuala Lumour, Lamy Fountain Pen, Mid Valley, Molekine, Moleskine, Noodler's Ink, Personal, Polar Black, Sketch

Journal, 3 & 4 May 2009

Overdue May journal pages.

PappaRich – a place with really delicious Malaysian traditional delights. I am totally in love with the steamed bread with butter and kaya.

Tools and media :
Lamy Vista fountain pen with Noodler’s Ink – Polar Black, Derwent Inktense watersoluble colour pencils, Daler-Rowney white acrylic, Dalon brush, Moleskine pocket diary

Filed under: Food, Illustration, Journal, Personal, Sketch , 2009, Derwent Inktense Set, Diary, Food, Illustration, Journal, Lamy Fountain Pen, Moleskine, Noodler's Ink, Polar Black, Sketch