The Clouds Have Spoken

Blessed with a rooftop and an unobstructed view of sky, the blue stretch of heaven above me is transformed into a tableau of creatures whose stories are waiting to be told. Here are some select shots of these creatures, classified under what I call Cloud-scapes.

The Dancing Pair brought me into the ballroom where Beauty waltzes with the Beast towards the sunset under the loving gaze of the inconspicuous quarter moon.

In Between

acrylic on 9" by 12" Canson watercolor paper

Fiery Mirage

acrylic on 9" by 12" Canson watercolor paper

Let me know your thoughts. Leave your comments below. Thanks.

Second Chances

There is a story behind this piece (well, a lot of my pieces are). But this one is a classic example of if-it-doesn't-work-the-first-time-set-it-aside-and -get-back-to-it-later.

I started the green background a year ago. It was one of my attempts to create an abstract piece that appears more spontaneous and less structured. This was painted on a 12" by 18" Canson watercolor paper. However, I realized 30 minutes after, that the piece is not going to work. It lacked structure (what I'm attempting for in the first place) and direction as well. At some point, one part of the piece looked like a gay Lochness monster (no offense to the LGBT group). Since the work was going nowhere, the painting was set aside and waited until my mind finds clarity to decide on what to do next.

A year later, I revisited the painting. I cut the piece into two, figuring that each part can survive alone. A technique has been playing on my mind before the semestral break and I'd like to try it out. The portion which has the Lochness monster didn't survive. Surprisingly, the technique worked well on the other portion, which is the one above.

There are still other pieces waiting for my attention. I hope to get back to them one day and they will be given proper time under the sun, just like this abstract art I called Second Chances.

Timorous Faith

                            Medium: Acrylic

                            Paper:  9" by 12" Canson watercolor paper

I am interested what you think of this second abstract I made. Kindly leave your comments below. Thanks.

Dexter's Madness

Last September, one of my favorite TV series, Dexter, had just ended. Its ending may not appeal to everyone but it bears some rumination. For one, the famous TV serial killer didn't die and was not killed by lethal injection. Instead, he staged his own death to pave self-exile from the people he loves dearly. The absence of intrapersonal communication and hallucinations of Harry magnified the impact of his self-exile. These acts are his way of self-examination that prevents him from giving in fully to his dark passenger.

The audience would expectantly clamor for justice to be served. Death by lethal would be appropriate for Dexter. But death itself, is liberation.

Dexter chose the punishment he deserves; a desolate life fit for the dead. For a living person, that is worse than death.

As I dabble in abstract art, this piece, I called Dexter's Madness, is my tribute to the end of the famous TV serial killer.

Busy as a Butterfly (Bee)

While working as VAL at Joel Locaylocay's Photography, the butterflies and bees at locations have captivated me. These creatures have always been busy, alighting from one flower to another, oblivious to any two-legged creature walking around. Somehow, they have found ways to tolerate any human beings.

Perhaps, I could be wrong. They might be talking about us, like wondering why a woman with a camera is down on her knees while taking a picture of their fellow butterfly, resting on a half-foot tall weed.

Much as they held me in awe, a lot of questions ran through my mind as well.

Do bees experience paranoia or distrust, considering the number of people loitering in the garden?

Do butterflies really feel fragile and afraid a human hand might crush them to pieces?

Do these creatures ever get tired while working in the same garden everyday?

If the answers to these are all yes then, I should take a leaf from their books. Despite being haunted by the daily grind, they still manage to emanate beauty, serenity and peace, that soothes even the most troubled soul in the garden.

Daybreak*

As much as I adore dusk, the breaking of dawn is still my favorite. It is always mesmerizing how the rays of sunlight creep into the horizon, chasing away the dark night. It is an added bonus if a sliver of a serene quarter moon plays a supporting role in this montage.

The view doesn't always last very long. In fact, it is often over, sooner than you like. But the experience left me a lasting mark of awe in my soul, a reminder that there will always be beauty in my life.

*Disclaimer: No blood-sucking sparklies were harmed in this shoot.

Worm's Eye View

When I hit rock bottom, I had an epiphany about friendship; that it is a relationship built on trust and earned not by a click on the mouse, as in Facebook. True friends may force you to see your mistakes yet, they stick around, even if you are being a sniveling pain in the ass. Most importantly, friends administer tough love in a kind and compassionate way, and not by an acerbic tongue.

It is ironic that I only understand the facets of friendship when I was at the lowest point of my life. Perhaps, from my view on the ground, I had a sneak peek on a person's mind. But, I'd like to think that someone has pointed me the reflection of the sky, that there's no other way for me but up.

And that someone are my best friends.

Calla Lily

This has been going on in my mind for the past few days. I plan to create a bigger painting of this subject, using acrylic. For now, as it is in planning stage, I used pastel on my sketchpad.

I'd love to hear suggestions and comments from all of you. Thanks.

A Star for Mario

When the Super Mario-themed shoot came up, either a star or  mushroom would be the obvious prop. This won't be difficult to find as Jotay planned to use stuff toys. However, I realized it was one of those the-things-you-crave-are-just-out-your-grasp moments.

I scoured the toy stores at SM for a yellow star or purple mushroom; only to find a red stuff star with a pair of blue eyes and a smiling mouth (My apology for the lack of image for the red star. It was saved in my phone. Right now, my laptop has trouble connecting with my phone). Considering the time limitation, I decided to improvise.

Pulling Myself Up

My life has taken me into a different direction the past years. I can say I had reached rock bottom a few times. Much as I'd like to say I have hit the ground running, I know I mostly crashed and burnt. Since I led a very private life, not many have known. And I'd like to keep it that way.

There are two things I learned from that plunge. One, it is very much tempting to stay at the bottom, to succumb to self-pity and self-loathing. Two, there is always a light beyond the web of negativity.

Even if it is merely a flicker, it is enough of a beacon to guide me through, out of my misery.

A Kaleidoscopic Montage

When I first came here at USC-TC, the very first thing that made an impact to me is the church up in the hill. (Believe me, my mother never stops telling it to any family or friend.) As years passed, I always enjoy looking at the church. For me, this is a foolproof beacon of the Talamban Campus. Once you see the cross on the hill, you have reached USC-TC.

Yesterday, I was looking at it while waiting for dusk to settle. It had been a long day, and a long night ahead, so I decided to enjoy an inexpensive R&R. And lo! I was treated to an extravaganza of colors by Mother Nature.

It was around 6:03 PM, when I took my first picture of the church. The sun has not begun its descent yet.

Someone's Watching

   Paper: Moleskine sketchpad

   Medium: Graphite pencil

Hidden Grief

A woman's pain is well hidden inside. It is masked by her purposeful stride, the confident shoulders, and engaging smiles. Her thoughts are seemingly witty, but in every pregnant pause is an excruciating wail she tries to bottle up, to see through the end of each day.

A Child's Gaze

Paper: Moleskine sketchpad

Medium: Graphite pencil

Gibbous

This is a poem I wrote months ago but I'd like to publish this again, this time, along with my first decent shot of the gibbous moon, during the wake of the July Super Moon.

By my window, I saw

A quarter moon hanging low.

So white against black

Its glows intense, knows no slack.

From whole, it waned.

Oblivion, it'll soon gain.

For seven nights, it'll rest.

Then, it'll wax to its best.

Food for Babe's Thoughts

A year ago, Joel Locaylocay Photography invited food blogger, Justinne Go, for a portrait shoot. Justinne majors in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of San Carlos and happened to be one of the former students of my good friend, Ising.

The shoot centered on making a head shot of Justinne, surrounded with real cupcakes and marshmallows. I was asked to make a box that would hold these pastries. The real kicker was Justinne's head would be at the center.

I found a box for a large cake at Caro and Marie at Mango Avenue. Using only the bottom, I drew an ellipse that best represents the measurements of Justinne's head, including the forehead, the nose, and jaw areas. Using a cutter, I re-traced the ellipse to make a hole. Scotch tape also kept the edges from fraying.

Where the head will be fitted

A Hand in the Dark

Not all hands that reach out in the dark are out to help. Some will pull you down lower than you have been while some will take advantage of your vulnerability. It is up to the person to wade through the web of misery to discern which hand to take. Mostly, this is also the time when a person realized her reason of existence.

A Wolf for Red

When Jotay asked me to make a wolf for the Red Riding Hood shoot, a lot of possibilities coursed through my mind. While scouring YouTube for inspiration, I decided to make a wolf sculpture made from papier-mache. The only drawback to that plan is the arduous task of hauling the wolf from my place to location. The stands and modifiers alone are already heavy.

We decided to use a 30 x 40 foam board instead and make a two-dimensional figure of the wolf. The strobe lights will add volume to the cutout, as the shoot was scheduled during late in the afternoon towards dusk.

I bought the last black foam board at BOSS Educational Supply at Park Mall and initiated my plans on how to make the wolf. A lot of the initial sketches were discarded as they didn't look wolf-like in the dark. As we planned to do the shoot at dusk, it is important that the shape could not be mistaken for any creatures.

Finally, I got a passable design. Jotay made a few suggestions until I sketched the right one.

Final Design of the Wolf

Frolicking with Pastel ... Again!

My art class,  two summers ago, introduced me to soft pastel. Initially, I mistook it as oil pastel. Our teacher, however, showed me the distinction. If interested, I discussed their differences in a previous post.

During my trip to Manila last summer, I saw a lot of artists who used soft pastel as a medium. They used brushes for application and blending. Simply put, they treated the pastel just like any acrylic or oil paints. Coming home, I decided to get my hands dirty and play with the soft pastel sticks I bought from National Bookstore. To start off, I searched for tutorials on YouTube and tried their exercises.

So far, so good. I was satisfied with my results.

The pastel is not as intimidating as paints. It's like coloring a kid's art book using crayons. And it can also generate other colors from existing hues. For example, the green-shade of the suckers (I hope I get the name right.) beneath the tentacles of the octopus are created from mixing yellow and blue.

It's Morphin' Time!*

With Dr. Ramon H. Brown in tow, chancing upon a butterfly, while mulling over the snobbish busy bee, made my Sunday morning a memorable gift. I always approach this creature with reverent silence for its metamophosis has truly been awesome.

Just like the transformation of a caterpillar, my life has gone through the same change: from a girl afraid of failure and struggling to fit in, to an independent woman who has a good sense of control. I still fear and strive not to be in the outside looking in. But now, I know these do not have to define who I am. Mustering courage, I can always soar, alone or not, among the flowers in the garden called life.

*For those who were born later than I was, this is the callout of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Zeo Rangers before they transform from ordinary kids to superheroes.

A Dark Crown for a Lovely Woman

My good friend, Jotay, had roped me into making props for his themed-shoots. That was almost a year ago. Now that the props are starting to accumulate in my room, I decided to share how they are made. Hopefully, someone will learn from my posts or I get constructive critiques.

I'll start on one of the recent props: the crown of the Dark Queen.

To give you a background, the shoot centered on one of our students, Amor. Jotay and she agreed to show her in a different light, something far from her usual exuberant self, thus, the Dark Queen.

Jotay asked me to make a suitable crown. I decided to make use of the teeming informations online. YouTube has been helpful. A lot of do-it-yourselfers have published their videos and with enough patience, one can get inspiration and useful ideas.

In this particular crown, I used a black headband I found lying in one of my boxes. Using floral wires, I shaped them into spikes and applied glue (via glue gun, so you have to be extra careful when trying this at home..) around them. The good thing about glue is they can be easily shaped and re-shaped, depending on your imagination and tolerance to heat. I suggest you wet your fingers with water to absorb the heat from the hot glue (but this may not be enough). A wet towel is an added precaution.

      

Once I have my spikes, I tied them around the headband, creating my desired design. More glue was added to serve as a base.

When the spikes were in place, I painted the whole crown with black acrylic. As a final touch, little silver flowers with black center were used as embellishment.

You can check the results of the shoot by clicking on this link  http://wp.me/p2IRxo-l2 and while you're there, don't forget to like the page. If interested for a themed shoot, you may contact Joel Locaylocay through the contact details on his page.

More to come....

Studying Men at 33

Reticence

After immersing myself in a hot tub for the past months, I decided to take up another goal in my figure drawing. This time, I am going to learn how to draw a male figure. I have started doing this in small scale last Christmas. It was only recently that I found the time to make one in a  bigger scale. 

The image above is an example of a figure study. Artists used this to learn techniques on how to draw and paint  human figures. This is usually done with a live model and preferably, nude. However, as I am not yet confident to draw a live male model, I decided to use images from books as references. Once I have gained mastery, I could ask someone to pose for me. 

Just like the previous art pieces I made, your suggestions and constructive criticisms are very much welcome and appreciated. Kindly leave them in the Comment section below. Don't be shy! :)