Three Cows On A Hill

Did this doodle a week ago. Didn't have time to upload it then, so here it is. A very simple piece done imaginatively. And fast.

The Journey

This piece of painting was completed last night. Not a very big one, just 10in by 7in. It is done on 140lb Langton watercolour paper made by Daler Rowney. The scenery shows a snowing mountain with storm approaching (or abating, depends on how you look at it) and four climbers making their way up (or down?) the cold terrain. The slant in the atmospheric skies mark strong winds familiar to climbers and the muted sunlight from right casts shadows on the white landscape. A cottage can be seen at left. This painting is intended for a friend and former whom I am going to see this afternoon. I had intended to paint her a painting when she quit but never got to it because the idea was not there, then. Last night, it suddenly dawned upon me that it has been such a long while since we parted company in life's journey and while browsing through a book, I stumbled a similar scenery and hence this 'imaginative' piece. We all go through life's journey somewhat similar to that of mountain climbers. Just when you think you have conquered one mountain, there is another to challenge you. Every day is a changing landscape and every step forward may not guarantee us the golden chalice we are looking for. But we have to plod on, step after step, painful or not, towards our goals in life, and hopefuly, we learn something about our journey in that station of life before another one begins.

On the way to Kuala Kubu - Ulu Yam Dam

This is a scenery of the Ulu Yam Dam, located in the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. I cam across this while on the way to the Kuala Kubu Baru town. This piece is a study of the clouds and the misty hills beyond just after a storm.

Old Tree By The Lake

This was done of a particular spot at the National Zoo. I saw this old tree by the main lake in the heart of the zoo. There were herons, couple of flamingoes and painted storks around but I have chosen to exclude them to focus on the tree. The style in this piece was adapted from John Lovett's techniques which I find incredibly fun and easy. I think watercolour should not be laborious simply because if it were, then it would have lost its mysticism. Best way is to let the colours do their work.

Clouds over the blue yonder

This piece was done very fast, very fluid, to capture the mood of the day. The sun was on top of the head. This scenery was taken by the sea, with some creepers seen in the middle ground. The sandy side of the beach is depicted very loosely with dips and crests done in blues, browns and purples. A fisherman's boat is partially visible.

Stormy Skies

I use a limited palette of burnt sienna, vermillion and ultramarine deep to create this atmospheric piece of stormy skies just after the rain. The dark clouds are just about to disperse - or are they? Caught in the eye of the storm is a little red dinghy.

Mountains

This is a picture fashioned in the style of David Bellamy. Bellamy is one of the foremost artists to check out when doing anything atmospheric. His paintings of mountains are exquisite. The colours are simply superb.

Old Shophouse

The title says it all. An old shophouse that has outlived its use and time and now ready to give way to development. A small ficus tree is seen clinging on for dear life, probably marking its time. If you are interested in purchasing this sketch, write to me. This painting has been commented upon here:

Back Alley

This is a picture of a back alley in Malacca. My 12 year old student Zhen painted this scene, based on a photograph we took on a hot Sunday afternoon.

Pantai Remis Late Morning

This is a painting of a coastal village on the west coast of the Peninsula Malaysia. It is a fishing enclave which has lost its prominence due to diminishing resources in the 80s. Today, it is more of a tourist district. The huts you see are actually pergolas of traders selling a variety of souvenirs and knick knacks. This was painted on a weekday where the crowd is sparse.

Red Mountain

This is an imaginary piece painted by a 12-year-old pupil of mine, Zhen. It is a scene of a mountain, painted very loosely with varying strokes and a good mix of warm and cool colours. The paper is a 300gm Chinese paper with heavy tooth. The paper has a slightly yellow tint because I have not used them for quite some time. As it turns out, the texture of the paper and the paint pigments complement each other really well. Done by a 12-year-old, this is a good piece. What do you think?

10-minute painting

This is a sketch of the Putrajaya bridge near the Wetlands lake. I did it in a very loose style, under 10 minutes. What I intended was to capture the form of the bridge. The foliage you see are actually quite a distance away. However, because of the heavy colours used, they appear up front - as if they are ornamental trees planted on the bridge itself. The coloured structures are the (at right) Putrajaya Mosque.

Sunday in Malacca

This is a painting of a shop in Malacca on a Sunday. Like most businesses, this one is also closed on Sunday. The lanterns you see have been there since the Chinese Lunar New Year early this year and have not been taken down yet. Gives this place a Chinatown-like feel.

Breakers

This is my second piece on oil and probably my last. I am not painting oils any more. Not that it is not a good medium, I just find it pretty daunting trying to come up with a piece - although I must admit oil is much easier to control and any mistakes can be easily painted over. In terms of technique, if you have a good eye for detail, I think you can paint well in oil. Almost any texture can be emulated using oil, and any colour-shade can be put on canvas, if only you understand colour mixing well. This was inspired from memory of a seaside somewhere in the East Coast. Hope I have done this piece justice.

Going Home

This is a sketch of what eventually became a piece in oil which I painted recently. It depicts the scene at the Sarawak river during sunset. The boat you see is the Sarawak water taxi, shaped like a floating hut and has a curved roof.

Low Tide at Port Dickson

This is my depiction of low tide at Port Dickson, Malaysia. This section of the esplanade is at the side of town. Some harbour hands were cleaning up this dinghy when I arrived and I did the sketch when they left the place. Colour fisnishing was done at my studio.

Mountains

I have not tried this subject yet and this is my first. It was taken from a picture taken for me by a friend who was in Nepal. You see an isolated village in the middle ground, flanked by snowcapped mountains.

Rainstorm

This is my latest piece, using burnt sienna, french ultramarine and vandyke brown. The rain clouds are done wet on wet.

UnderThe Palm Trees

Just completed this piece. Titled it "Under The Palm Trees". I have always enjoyed afternoons under the palm trees. It's cooling and on windy days, the rustle of the palm leaves and swaying fronds are a delight to watch.

Bamboo Grove

This is a painting of an unusual structure at the local park. The blue hut is actually a stable. the bamboo was planted in the centre of the stable whose roof apex has been cut to allow the bamboo to grow through. Now, when this bamboo is fully grown, it provides shade for horses tied there. Whoever's idea it was, it definitely is something ingenious. I hope I have done it equal justice with this painting.

Balinese Roofs II

This is my second painting. I think this is not as good as the earlier piece. What do you think?

Balinese Roofs I - Artists Colony at Conlay Craft Complex

This is a scene painted in-situ (on site). It was painted sometime between 11am to 2pm and the weather was quite hot. The scene was at the Artists Colony at the Crafts Complex in Kuala Lumpur and the compound was quite empty. The tiny huts you see are where artisans and artists create their work. It is the only surviving craft centre where tourists to Malaysia (and Kuala Lumpur) could watch artists at work. There is no other place you can view such a group of them, ranging from watercolourists to acrylic and oil painters. Located within the compound is also a showroom featuring Malaysian craft. I like this place because you can really enjoy the quiet surrounding and paint to your heart's content in busy Kuala Lumpur where you won't be disturbed by curious eyes.

Morning's Glory - Golden Arch

This was painted from a photo as an exercise to better understand light and shade. I was also experimenting with a new paint, the Schminke. As you can see, the colours are very bright. Comments welcome.

Fishing Village - Latest Work

This piece was painted several days ago, in between coding the new site. I was somewhat surprised by the outcome. The colours used were exceptionally thin, and layered carefully. This one was done using W&N watercolours and I am pleased by the subdued result. The picture is typical of a fishing village. The tiny structure between the two bigger houses is the chicken coop. The houses are built on stilts just in case the tide runs over. Comments welcome.

Glad to be back!

This is my first painting after such a long lay-off due to work commitment and personal struggles. Since October last year, I have not been able to finish a painting. If I was not interrupted by work, it would be something else. Finally, after visiting my mentor and friend Maamor Jantan last week, I was able to summon enough spirit to start and finish this piece. It was a street scene. If it looks familiar, it is. I won't tell you where but you will know if you come across it. This work started out to test a new paper in the market, a 300-gm paper produced by a Malaysian company. The texture looked good so I decided if it will hold the colours well. From my amateur experience, I think it is quite good. I really hope Malaysian paper manufacturers (we are one of the best in the world, I am told) would come up with proper acid-free papers for artists. Yes, we have good art product distributors. Yes, we can import good papers like Waterford and Langton and Saunders. But for the struggling artist, this is sometimes quite out of reach. Local papers, I am sure we have the technology to make them, will ease the financial burden for the artists. And killing two birds with one stone, for lack of better analogy, we will be promoting ourselves as good art paper manufacturers. One brushmaker has already made headway into Europe with synthetic sable. So?

Floating Mosque of Terengganu

This structure is one of the most beautiful religious edifices I have ever seen. It was built a number of years ago in Terengganu by the sea. This view is taken from the sea, as we were trying to reach land before the storm unleashes its full force. I painted this scene last year. Most of the work was done in the studio. A photo captured the intensity and mood of the moment which I hope I have successfully rendered in this scene. The water was made especially calm - depicting the calm before the storm. Hope you like it.

Stadthuys Clock Tower in the Sun

This is the Stadthuys Clock Tower in the heart of Malacca historical city. I have just painted this after a long hiatus. The sun is coming from the right and the time is mid-morning. I am just experimenting with easy, relaxed strokes. Painted 16 Sept 2006

Still River Runs Deep

How's that for inspiration? Can art be inspiring? Can watercolour art be inspiring? Well, I think it can. Take a look at this piece. See how calm the surroundings are. The undisturbed reflection of the river flowing through secondary jungle. Did you hear the birds sing? There is no wind. Just cool surroundings. Makes you wish you were here, right? So peaceful and quiet. Nature at its best! I was inspired by the water flowing in that river. Only watercolour can give this kind of effect. Only watercolour can capture of water because of its transparency. Hope you like this one.

Batu Caves on Thaipusam Day in Watercolour

If you have been to Batu Caves (the largest limestone cave complex in the region) during Thaipusam, a Hindu religious festival, and have gone up to the Cave Temple after climbing the 272 steps, you will recognise this scenery. This is the second level stairway to the Cave Temple. I painted this out of a photo, and lots of darks were used (mixed from blues, reds, and greens). The smoky atmosphere is not so well captured, I'm afraid. But I will paint one more, this time even bigger than this 30cm by 45cm piece. Painted June 23, 2006.

Palm Trees in Watercolour

This is a painting of three palm trees completed just moments ago. The paint has dried and I think I have it photographed and uploaded. As you can see, I am trying out the palm fronds and the skies, to see if the colours work out realistically at a distance. This is a miniature painting, about 4.5 inches width by 12 inches (or so) in height. It is a typical scene of a fisherman's house by a cove. The painter is on elevated ground, looking down at an angle. Painted June 21, 2006

Night at Village

This is done in a very relaxed style. It is a scene at night, of a traditional village house made of timber. The yellow lighting is from a hurricane lamp as such houses are sometimes not linked by electricity supply. The roofing is made of attap (a kind of palm) and the entire house, of timber. Herein lies the danger. Sometimes the kerosene lamp is run over by the house cat or if it falls from the hanger during strong winds, the house will be ablaze in minutes. And many lives have been lost thus. Thankfully, nowadays such houses are powered by electricity. This painting is a record of my experience living in such a house once.

Putrajaya Bridge in Watercolour

This piece was done from a photograph. What I merely created was capture the colours and tonal values. It is a painting of a bridge over the Putrajaya Lake. the arches are beautiful and so are the red and green flowering plants planted on both sides of the bridge which you can see overhanging from the sides. The man in the canoe is paddling into the archway. Painted June 16, 2006

Lighthouse in Watercolour

This is a picture of Cape Hatteras lighthouse which was inspired by a photograph in a book. It was an one of the exercises I do daily after I get off from work so that I get the feel. In other words, to keep my fingers nimble and the brushes pliable. It was painted in half an hour. Painted June 13, 2006

Chinatown by Night

This is my second attempt to paint night. This one however, is in the city. This is a familiar Chinatown scene, with yellow and red lanterns and buntings. I think everywhere around the world, the familiar scene evokes memories of a stroll down Chinatown, especially near the Lunar New Year celebration period. It was such a joy to see the colours come alive. The white-green patch you see at top right is a small alleyway which is lit by fluorescent lamp - colour of the light reflected off the lime plaster cement wall. Painted June 05, 2006.

Clock Tower - Townscape in Watercolour

This is one painting which was painted in less than 2 hours, A3 size. It is a townscape of the Malacca clock tower, near to the Stadhuys Complex in the heart of the historic city. It was drawn out of a postcard. I have always dreaded drawing buildings and painting them. This is no exception. But I am getting the hang of it. It is not tough after all. Painted May 26, 2006.

Night Scene in Watercolour

Prior to this, I have never attempted to paint nights because I never thought it would be so beautiful and ricj. This is a painting of nightscene at a fishing village on stilts. You find these sort of villages along the coast of Malaysia, particularly over mangrove swamplands. The houses are built on stilts away from the high-tide line. I am indebted to prominent artist Maamor Jantan for his guidance in this painting. Painted in early May 2006.

Watercolour Doodle - Malacca's A Famosa

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going by doodling. It was one of those days, no inspiration no matter how hard you sit on that stool So, I decided to take the newspaper, grab a picture of interest, and paint from there. No planning, just painting the colours and shapes. And the result: a doodle!

Serene Lake

This piece was an experiment in capturing images of rocks underwater. The scene was a section of the Taman Negara (National Park). Strong colours were used so that I can feature the submerged rocks. Painted April 28, 2006

Water under the Bridge

This is another of my new pieces, drawn from memory. Sometimes things have a strange way of cropping up from your memory and when you get the chance to record them, visually, this is the result. It can be interesting or a disaster or both. I am not sure where I saw the scene before but it was quite vivid so I thought I give it a try. Painted April 2, 2006

Malaysian Marsh

This is a simplistic piece, drawn very relaxed with subtle colours, to capture a typical Malaysian wetland. This is also among my earliest paintings, done in 2003.

Hyacinths

This is a depiction of my childhood memories. Hyacinths, duckweeds and water lettuce. These are part of the flora kingdom I grew up with. Ponds such as this house a wide variety of fish, including the Malaysian fighting fish. I remember the days when I would frequent such places after school hours, armed with a net, to catch fighting fish. Ponds such as this are also where I hang out during school holidays with friends, fishing for perch and gouramies. This was painted in 2003.

Rowboat at Titiwangsa

This is a painting of a rowboat I painted at the Lake Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur. I was trying to capture the shallow weed beds under the boats and did not do too well I suppose. It was painted in Aug 2004.

This Old House

This is a painting of a very old house, now abandoned. The vegetation must have swallowed the structure by now. It is a simple timber structure with flat zinc roof. I was trying to capture the mood of the evening with the yellow tints on the trees and shrubs. Have not been very successful, I think. Anyway, this was done in May 2004.