Dan Bell

It was difficult to find Casting Director Dan's photos online, so I asked him for it and he gave me a few... and the photos reminded me he's currently going after Gandalf look... But it's really no fun drawing Gandalf or Santa with beard cover half of his face.

So I had to dig harder again online for his younger looks... and I ended up watching Wayne's World and screen captured him. 

I liked this look from the film the most, and I added his glasses from his current photo and gave him stubbeard. I think he can still rock this look if he's willing to trim his Gandalf beard.

Katie Taylor

Drawing Casting Director Katie was quite a challenge because we had very few interaction with very few minutes each time, so I had to study her from all her photos like an investigator trying to analyze somebody... 

It was fun drawing her big deep blue mischievous eyes with her stuntwoman energy waiting patiently for show time!

Cathi Carlton

The most fun part drawing Casting Director Cathi was when drawing her ruleless hair. It's so casual and chill with blond Goddess attitude and volume... my brown color pencil was dancing bold and fast when outlining her hair, it got carried away I had to stop my hand.

I liked that contrast with the delicate details on her face. 

Carol Scott

My print agent Carol Scott at cesd. Her cotton-candy like soft and sweet "Hi Honey" greeting over the phone always makes me conscious of my manly voice. Maybe I should call her more.

Tibet Series - Wool Vendor

This was one of my favorite street vendors in Tibet. I love these two beautifully dyed wool blankets handmade by local Tibetan. I also love how these wool products happened to be presented in three tiers. On the top was the fully processed wool blankets, in the middle were the semi-processed wool thread bundles on the table, and on the ground were sacks of raw wool that looked like they just got shorn off of the sheep. 


The vendor was the happiest vendor I've ever seen, she's proud of her wool. So were the sheep.

Tibet Series - A Thangka Artist at Work

This is one of my favorite photo moments. I was walking in an alley and saw this Thangka artist working on his Thangka on the floor with his full concentration. It's very interesting to watch him because that full concentration was very beautiful, and the energy's attractive. While I was watching how this artist was fully into his art, his kid was watching me watching them with a playful hide and seek look. He was very cute and very well-behaved. He's playing quietly in between piled up furnitures and behind the Thangka canvas without disturbing the artist in any way with any sound. I wondered what was so fun behind there.

Tibet Series - She's a Professional

This older Tibetan lady was a professional, she's cleaning miles long (I might be exaggerating) prayer wheels under harsh sunshine in July Tibet. The partial row of sparkling clean prayer wheels caught my eyes from afar, and so I approached closer to see if she missed any spot...


After the inspection with my critical eyes, I was amazed with her dedication on offering her services because she's so focused that she didn't miss any spot under that kind of heat. And when I asked her if I can take pictures of her, she turned in a model in a snap. She immediately opened her beautiful smile with perfect white teeth, leaned her upper body just slightly enough to give a bit of nice turn-around movement kind of angle, she knew her pose, she's a professional.

Tibet Series - Happy Groceries

There were a lot of Tibetans selling groceries on the wheel. But this particular Tibetan woman was the happiest of all. I'd seen her interacting with customers and without, and she forever had that genuine pleasant happiness on her face. She made me want to buy her happy groceries. 


The grocery part was done in watercolor, and the rest was pencil on March 5th, 2011.

Tibet Series - Beggar Kid

This stranger kid came into my face while I was eating my breakfast. I had no clue what he wanted from me since he came so near to my face where I could only see him in headshot close of distance. Plus he confused me with his neat and clean wardrobe like a kid model just stepped out of a print shoot for Gap. His face was white and clean except a string of snot coming down his nose. I couldn't understand his non-stop mumbling for quite a while until I leaned back a bit with wonders, then I saw the whole picture.  


The whole picture of how he's actually a beggar kid, moving his hands up and down signaling me to give him money while his filthy little fingers held a stack of bills that he could barely keep together. All the sudden I grew enormous sympathy towards a woman who's passing by trying to sell newspapers table by table. She only had one note in her hand...

Tibet Series - Golden Yak Butter

I guess I'm numb to packaged goods in our modern society, and this trip to Tibet I was easily fascinated by raw materials and goods with organic forms. This tiny shop with only one person turn-around space was filled with all kinds of packaged products like liquor, cigarettes, instant noodles and varieties of snacks and sodas. And the only product that was sold without any packaging and wrappers was these blocks of rich bright yellow yak butter that were bigger than the owner's head. 


I found all the beautifully printed wrapped goods looked rather dull comparing to the exposed blocks of yak butter. That organic form and human touched texture on those yak butter evoked my shopping interest. How nice it is to be able to see, smell, touch and ask exactly the part you want to buy.


The shop owner was not that happy because she saw how I was eyes wide opened by those yak butter but knowing only locals would buy them. I could feel her, she wanted to charge me for taking photos of her golden yak butter.


This illustration was done in just pencil and yellow art markers. On Feb. 25th, 2011.

Tibet Series - A Real Noodle Shop

I just love how this noodle shop is unassuming.


This is a shop in a busy market in Lhasa, and it caught my attention because there's no any kind of advertisement. There's no store sign indicating what they're selling, and the owner's not even in sight. But standing in front of the shop, you see it clear; that one and only display case in the storefront filled with all kinds of noodles without any unnecessary packaging. It's truly what-you-see-is-what-you-get. And the rest of the shop filled with equipments and tools and ingredients, you can be sure they're professional because they only make noodles.


This is the kind of shop I'd go for my noodles. All the makings are directly from the shop itself, and I don't need to pay more for packaging that I can't eat that'll end up in the trash and become pollution in our landfills.


While I was appreciating this raw noodle shop, I noticed there's this very chilled Chihuahua sitting on the storefront step without making any movement for the whole time I was looking around. He had a Tibetan style collar around his neck claiming he's local, and he looked at me in a way as he ok'd my visit but not happily. I think he's cuckoo in the head, he thought he's a Tibetan mastiff.


This illustration was done in art markers on Jan. 14th, 2011.

Tibet Series - Yaks See Me

A mom and her kid. They walked peacefully and I was following them quietly... Boy, they had good hearing, they both turned and looked at me with a hateful stare like they're the celebrities and I'm a paparazzi. So, I sensed the tension but at the same time quickly clicked, clicked, clicked taking their photos and ran away.


I wished I can ask them couple of questions, like where they're heading? What for? Where's the dad? What's it like to be a yak? But with that stare, they probably would tell me to get the f**k out of their sight if they could speak. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to talk to animals? So that we can know things directly from their perspective.


I started this illustration with washed-out India ink to create that grey background, and then drew the yaks and trees with color pencils. This was done on Dec. 17th, 2010.

Tibet Series - Debating Monks

I was impressed with all the debating monks in the debating courtyard of Sera Monastery. Because they had to concentrate on debating while being watched and photographed by a huge circle of tourists all along the courtyard walls standing or sitting or walking around with the camera in hand like visitors in a zoo. 


Gosh I felt bad for the monks couldn't be left alone! But I couldn't stop myself and my camera moving closer and closer to them. I hope they didn't notice me. Especially this group had a lot more monks involved, and they're so focused that the whole time I was watching them, I didn't see anybody look away towards tourists. The kind of focus drew me in, I liked that energy right there. The kind of focused energy made all noises around them disappear. 


This illustration was done on Dec.11, 2010.

Tibet Series - Walking Prayer Flags

Was it a pure coincident or the Tibetan Gods were trying to tell me something? I was just walking on a street filled with passersby, and this very quiet group of pilgrims sitting at a door front made my eyes shift back at them... because five of them wore the colors of blue, white, red, green and yellow, just like the prayer flags in my "Talking Prayer Flags" post. 


This combination of colors really got me for some reason, I guessed the Tibetan Gods were trying to tell me that I was a Tibetan in my previous life. This illustration was done mostly in brown-color erasable pencil on Nov. 29, 2010.

Tibet Series - Religious Goats

For some reason, there were a lot of goats walking around temples. And I always happened to see them in pairs, very interesting! Unlike other goats, Tibetan goats acted serious as they knew their very own destiny. Even the direction they're headed, they seemed to know better than people. 


I liked this weathered yet peaceful scene with absolute quietness at Drepung Monastery with nobody in sight but two goats heading to somewhere important on their own. Their sincere in walking leading by their instinct made me want to follow them. But I got caught up in watching them until they disappeared in my sight, I forgot about the following.


This illustration was done in Pantone art markers on Nov. 23, 2010. 

Tibet Series - The Chosen Ones

When I first saw these rock paintings at Drepung Monastery, I thought that's interesting how even non-living things like stubborn rocks can be chosen and became alive. 


These three huge rocks were positioned next to each other in such a harmony, as if they were placed there on purpose by the monks. It didn't make any sense compared to the surroundings, but I liked to think it's some result of supernature.


I believed the rocks were empowered by the painted Tibetan Gods, and they were glowing in slight red, blue, and yellow. Them and the prayer flags around were the only ones alive in color, us and goats turned black and white.

Tibet Series - Sleepless Potala Palace

Potala Palace was not only magnificent in the morning but also quite dazzling at night, definitely not less than Las Vegas. The only difference was Potala Palace's dazzling felt like an energy coming from inside out so powerful that made the walls so solid bright and shine in every inch. 


It was dark at night and I was standing on top of a building, and Potala Palace looked like a gigantic lighthouse in the middle of an ocean.  I was not a pilgrim, but even I felt I found the way when I saw the glowing calling.


I was really curious what kind of super lighting technology the Palace used, they probably wouldn't tell. Or could it be the work of all Tibetan Gods who live there? I believed the later.


This drawing was done in India ink and art markers and color pencils. I love drawing everything on marker paper, so the water-mixed ink wrinkled my drawing and I liked it.

Tibet Series - Talking Prayer Flags

It was 2007 I visited Tibet, but these drawings didn't come out until 2010. This first drawing "Talking Prayer Flags" was done on Nov.11, 2010 in my favorite Pantone art markers. 


I was strolling into busy and crowded Chong-Xei-Kon pedestrian market located in Lhasa, and what soon attracted my whole being was rather a quiet push-stand with peaceful looking yet lively feeling prayer flags. They made me stop and stare for a while. The sunshine happened to only shine on these opened prayer flags displayed in the front of the stand.


....blue sky, white cloud, red protecting god, green water, and yellow land, I felt the scriptures on flags were mumbling to each other... I hope they were not talking something bad about me.

Twinkie Byrd - I Am Can't

So after I landed La La Land last month, Twinkie was the first Casting Director I met in LA. And I remember my first impression of her was her cool afro like the picture you see here... I almost wanted to lean forward and touch it but I'm too short. Because I've always wanted to try out different hairdos especially like afro or dreadlocks, so that people won't miss me passing by. :)


I drew Twinkie in the shirt that I was in for audition as a hip I.T. Girl, and she really loved the shirt. So I thought before I can go back to Taiwan and find one for her, I can use my drawing skill to draw her with the shirt to have the satisfaction in the eyes.


Plus, I listened to one of her interviews last month on the 18th on blogtalkradio.com, and her advice for new comers to the "Ocean" (La La Land) is only true and honest. I'm glad that I listened to it. And I love her energy and laughs, I can even feel it when looking at her through this picture. 


'I Am Can't' is her soon coming book, I'm looking forward to reading it. Because I'm interested in knowing how she went through all those "no, you can't do it" and she's now very successful. 

Caricature Portrait - Chong Lee

I haven't drawn anybody for awhile, I did this yesterday for a friend Chong, the cinematographer for SF Stories movie. It was really fun/challenge drawing him because it took me several erases until I nailed it, and it's so interesting to me that as soon as the right feeling's captured on the face, every line and movement of the rest of the body just followed easily without suffering any further erase. It felt like as if the soul got in the character and my hand just started finishing what needed to be done. The caricature then felt alive to me.

Anyone want to have their caricature portrait done? Send me a message! I love to do caricature portraits that show the characters' personalities and emotions, no exaggeration on physical features other than big head and small body ;)

Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip Sunday Strip

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Commissioned ACEO

     

This was a commissioned illustration for Shelle, who's also an artist having her own store on Etsy. I had such a fun time illustrating her two beautiful daughters! I felt I've known them for such a long time after reading their pictures, understanding they gestures, knowing what they like and not, and then drawing them out from all I observed and what I felt. I love the process and I love how when each line and stroke matched what I felt about their personalities precisely.


Each took way more time than I thought, but what makes it worthy for me is always the feeling of the illustration delivered perfectly as how I wanted. And now I understand why a lot of artists are hungry. ;) 

       

Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip 11

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Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip 10

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Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip 9

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Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip 8

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Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip 7

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SF Stories Postcard for Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival

Now with the date, time, and location confirmed on PAAFF's website, I finished the postcard as well! 

(top image is front, bottom is back, click on image to zoom in!)

Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip 6

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Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip 5

This is a San Francisco local strip! I LOVE San Francisco, but not so much for its fog storm. (click on strip to zoom in.)

Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip 4

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Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip 3

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Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip 2

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Maddie + Eagul Comic Strip

Boy! I finally got to scan these comic strips I did months ago, but my brain kinda die on ideas so I haven't done more, but I'd like to share what I had! So, this is a comic strip about a girl named Maddie and a seagull named Eagul become friends. They have opposite personalities, they are different in every single way, they don't agree with each other, they drive each other bananas... I don't know why they are still friends.
(click on image to enlarge the strip!)

No Bait, More Fishes!

So I want to share another secret here from learning at the Pacifica Pier today, and boy! Pacifica Pier is truly an interesting place to fish because its ever-chaning fish crowds! My first post about fishing shows all big surfperches like Silver and Walleye and 2 little smelts, and they were totally after artificial sandworm. But there was one time we went and there was no big surfperches so we didn't catch any fish with sandworm but everybody else was catching baby surfperches, and we found out baby surfperches only chase after shrimp, and then we bought some shrimp from a guy at the pier and as soon as we dropped down the rig, they nibbled like crazy! 


And today all fishes we caught are big Jacksmelt and baby Silver Surfperches and Shiner Surfperches, and we've never seen big Jacksmelt there before. At the very beginning we were still using all the left over shrimp bait and we did catch Jacksmelt but very slowly, and there's this guy who came later and all the sudden he became the focus because he caught big Jacksmelt one after another or I should say three after another three...I'm not exaggerating, it's really like every other minute he'd catch something, and we didn't even see him put on any bait, and there we found that he used very shining fly rig! I was thinking if I'm a fish I'd like to check out the interesting shining bug in the water, too! So he had like probably 8 fly rigs on the line, and he caught the most fishes without using ANY bait! And because he didn't need to spend time cutting and putting bait on, he quickly unhooked the fishes and just throw them in cooler and his rig's already down in the water again in minute. How efficient! 


Top left was first Jacksmelt I caught, and top right was second one I caught.... I was counting at the beginning but I lost count after many because we got busy with all the tasks and taming the strong Jacksmelt to unhook took a while. Bottom left is all Jacksmelt and Surfperches we caught, and bottom right is Jacksmelt on grill as soon as we returned home! Chong and Raul also caught 2 Bullhead fishes (Pacific Staghorn Sculpin), but people at the pier told us not to eat those, so we put them back in the ocean, however, Raul found some people favor Bullhead fish on the internet! So maybe next time we catch it again, we'll try it!

SF Stories Goes To Philadelphia Asian-American Film Festival

Alright! SF Stories is going to Philadelphia Asian-American Film Festival (PAAFF) from October 21 - 24th! So the director wanted the poster to have a bit more visual impact compared to the first version that we used at LA Asian Pacific Film Festival (you can see them on my 1st blog post 'SF Stories Movie Posters'). 


And I looked at PAAFF's website, and I decided to use PAAFF's yellow on this new poster design to go with the festival. So this will be the new SF Stories Movie Poster. And this time we got to have some Film Festival Laurel Leaves!


(click on image to view details of Brad and the flies...or laurel leaves)

Childhood Act 3

Here are the rest two of my Childhood series! 'I Am Brave' on the left and 'Once Upon A Time' on the right. 'I Am Brave' idea came from me remembering seeing kids like to be encouraged, you give them positive compliment and you tell them they can make it, and they usually do. And once they succeed like the little blondie in the duck inner tube learning not to be scared of water, they gain confidence and start taking over control and overdoing it with their very big proud face and keep asking you to look after look after look, they are so ready to teach other kids. This character reminds me of the cute band manager Summer in movie School of Rock. I love that movie.

'Once Upon A Time' describes the redhead girl like to read stories to others and tell people what she knows before anybody even ask. She's also very particular about what she wears, the colors and coordination from head to toe, and she will tell you she picks them herself. It's funny how these characters are so alive to me, I feel I can hear their voices and how they talk, and each one of them has her own attitude and personality.

Now my OCD is over with this series, but I find another OCD coming up and that's I feel like drawing something non-cutesy nor nice to balance out this series... I don't know why I sound like a Libra but I'm not. 

Childhood Act 2

After three girly girls, I thought I had enough because I never draw cutesy babydolls just being cute, but I guess I have this Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder on colors and themes... I felt I need to draw something green and blue to balance out previous three lovely passionate hearty cozy fuzzy sweetie warm colors like that cherry 'Call Me Princess', peachy 'Let's Play In The Park' and creamy 'I Am Beautiful'. 


Here is the lime one named 'I Heal'. 


I once wish my hair is that big so that I can get dreadlock hairdo. By the way, these Childhood Act illustrations are ACEO size, which is 2.5 x 3.5 inches, ACEO stands for Art Cards, Editions and Originals. I learned about ACEO from Etsy when I opened the dogbatcat shop. I thought it's a great idea and a great way for people to collect art they don't necessary want to hang on the wall, so I followed.

Childhood Act

After some oil paintings, I felt like playing with color pencil! And 'Childhood' naturally came to me when I looked at my color pencil while thinking about what to draw. I think because color pencil reminds me of my childhood drawing time, that's one of the most common art medium in an art set given to children. I like how it has the pastel look but it's finer than pastel, and you can do more detail with it.


The top left I named it 'Call Me Princess', I believe many girls had done that... trying on mom's high heels walking around feeling they are princess. The top right I named it 'Let's Play In The Park', little girls like to act like grown ups taking their babydolls everywhere. The one on the left is called 'I Am Beautiful', putting on mom's lipstick showing off to everybody in the house how they can be as beautiful as mom.


Funny thing is that I didn't do any of the above... I watched my younger cousins did all that. I was a tomboy girl all my youth, and I remember seeing evidence (pictures) of myself wearing heavy makeup like a show girl when I was little, I was told it was my aunts' artwork from being bored.