We’re aiming for a caricature of Karen (our outgoing lunch-buddy) doing a flying pose (Karen-pose.jpg) using 2 mini-fans on each hands (Karen-minifan.jpg) <– if possible try to put the word “Loveworks” on the fan, or write it next to the fan.

For her face, pls use this photo (Karen-face1.jpg), preferably with less pimples :D

We thought it’d be funny if you can show her flying from Sarawak (probably can draw an island shape, and write “Sarawak” + “Chilly Crab” or draw a crab
to Cambodia (some shape that can represent SiemReap.jpg + write “Cambodia” )

Why? Karen spent a few weeks last year doing charity work in Cambodia, and she helped out with some fundraising by selling the ‘loveworks’ minifans. We like to tease her about Malaysia, that they like to claim stuff as their own, like Chilli Crab (which is being contested by S’pore), and that she can’t survive in Malaysia, and need to find a ‘new home’, hence the “flying away” story.
I say “comforting” because the kinds of emails I get from clients usually go like -

CAN U DRAW ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND. HOW MUCH? THX

So I acted on (the very clear and detailed) instructions and gave them everything they wanted :) Karen said she loved it and that’s enough for me!

Muhammed Tork wrote me all the way from Egypt:

“i’m a computer guy working as systems administrators spending around 12 hours doing my work in front of a pc in server’s room :)”

I never for a second doubted this as he answered my emails within seconds, in spite of the time difference!!!

He sent me this pic:

Hey, the background looked familiar…

Corresponding with Tork made me recall my trip to Cairo during spring break 2006. I really loved it, even though it didn’t seem the best place for girls to be trying to make their own way around… chinese girls in particular. It wasn’t just about the male-dominated society, my friend and I were assaulted by a pack of Egyptian schoolgirls, who surrounded us and pulled at our hair! (Tork tells me things have changed for the better now.) We drank fantastic fresh mango and strawberry juice and shisha-ed the night away. After crawling into the depths of the Great Pyramid, I was cursed with severe conjunctivitis and spent the rest of my holiday bed-bound in temporary blindness… Still, I wouldn’t hesitate to go back!

Tork loved the drawing and said so did his family and friends. That’s about all an artist can ask for really (ok that and a bit of money). I really enjoyed drawing his cheekbones, smile, and squinty eyes!

Don’t you love his smile? :)

I’ve never been a girly girl. So when the Benefit Cosmetics people engaged me to caricature their customers in conjunction with the launch of their new face powder, it was like being teleported to another planet!

I was quite apprehensive because I find it really hard to caricature women (sensitively) in comparison to men. I think it’s because generally, men don’t mind having their looks made fun of, whereas women just wanna be pretty… which is the reason they buy cosmetics in the first place.

On top of that, I’d be drawing live in ink (instead of pencil) for the first time, so there’d be no trusty eraser to save me… and each drawing needed to take 5 minutes max.

On the day itself, Benefit Cosmetics had set up a promo booth for their new product a short distance from their usual counter at Takashimaya. The idea was that customers who had purchased above $70 or so were entitled to a free caricature. (I was sitting on the white stool you see in the photo, holding a clipboard.)

I didn’t manage to take photos of everyone I drew as it got quite hectic at times, but I think it must’ve been 20 something people over the course of two days (19 and 20 Feb 2010). There were quite a few wealthy chinese tourists who bought a whole bunch of cosmetics. In fact, one of the counter girls told me that she had attended to Vicki Zhao Wei earlier in the week!

Gotta love her husband’s eyebrows :)

At the not-so-hectic times, I also practiced drawing the counter girls.

All in all, I was really glad for the opportunity to draw for Benefit as it helped me be more confident in drawing women and drawing in pen.

Aji means the world to his sister, Bhavna, and she wanted to get him a sweet birthday present! Suggestions she gave:

1) he loves transformers. perhaps you could draw him wearing a transformer t-shirt/boxers. (you dont have to, but boxers would be funny)

I think I managed to incorporate everything except the iPhone – the picture would’ve looked a bit too busy otherwise.

I like how the drawing urned out, especially the shading, and I felt that it was important to capture Aji’s captivating smile…

Also, I wasn’t sure if it was “cheap” to use a photo of a tiger beer bottle instead of drawing one, but I liked how the effect turned out!

Happy Birthday Aji!

This is from the set of drawings I did for the medical products company that wanted to reward its good-performers with caricatures. The last one I posted was Paritosh the Cowboy. This one doesn’t have a theme though, it’s just… Jeff, the Guy from Finance.

A medical products company wanted to reward its high-performing staff with individual caricatures. The caricatures had different themes, such as “struggling warrior”, “we are the champions”, etc. The theme for Paritosh was “come from behind cowboy” (!!!)

Unintended references to Brokeback Mountain aside, I really liked how Paritosh’s one turned out! In particular I like his nose and face shape… and of course I enjoy drawing the mole, being a mole connoisseur myself…

I really like this one!

Firstly, some people’s faces are just easier (and more fun) to caricature than others.

Secondly, I really enjoy drawing muscles. My client specifically wanted me to draw his friend’s head on ahhhh-nuld’s bah-day and very helpfully provided this pic:

A friend of a friend who’s part of the Singapore Film Society organised the Japanese Film Festival some time back and wanted to flash a picture to the audience before every screening, to convey the message: Please occupy the seats between you and the next person instead of leaving them empty!

He had the exact concept in mind already, so all I had to do was draw it. I did it on my tablet PC and enjoyed playing with the shades of grey and dabbing on the blood very much!

I didn’t really enjoy surfing for pictures of Jason from Friday the 13th though. Call it a job hazard.

My good friends Shin Bin and Wan Lin decided to make use of all those music lessons they’d had growing up and form a clarinet-piano duo! Naturally, to be serious about it, they needed a stack of business cards, so they asked if I could draw them, draw them…

They’re called the Tan Tan Duo because their surnames are both Tan. This is very convenient, because in mandarin, this translates to “play, play more”. SO WITTY!!!

I’m very happy with how this turned out. Now they have a nicer business card than I do! Apparently they managed to give away a whole box at the wedding they made their debut at, so good on them. Do drop them a line if you’re ever in need of classy music for events :)