First Paint, 'Destroy' It, Then Perfect it

This is an experiment. the painting above was created earlier. I felt it was quite empty. Then I decided to 'destroy' it by adding in various surrounding elements - first the trees, then the rocks, and other ground textures. (See below for the outcome.)I hope I have done justice to it ... or have I completely destroyed the earlier creation?

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

Yacht in the Harbour

This is a painting of a yacht resting in the harbour. It is done is very loose style after I was inspired by one of John Singer Sargeant's works. I was experimenting with something totally new and attention was paid to strokes of vibrant colours, especially lemon yellow and vermillion. I think one of the best ways a painter, a watercolour painter, can do for himself is to forget to be too mechanical in his/her painting. Don't allow pure logic to rule the brush and just paint what is before them. This will result in a loose and relaxed style.

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.

Young Coconuts by the Seaside

I painted this sometime ago at the famed Tanjung Bidara. I was trying to capture the bright sunlight streaming through from top and the young coconuts on a very hot day. The beach is simplified, with some greenery jutting into the sea.

Red boat by the river

Have not been painting the past few weeks. Work got to me - arrrgh! Anyway, here is the latest. A very quick sketch of a red boat set against a tributary of a river. This watercolour piece took me less than 30 minutes in total. Special attention was given to the skies and the solitary coconut tree. I was trying to capture its form in the wind. One of the most difficult things a watercolourist faces when painting Malaysian seaside scenery is to get the coconut tree leaves/fronds right. This one is affected by the strong breeze, and the form is rather loose. The trees at the distance are painted in light grey-blue, providing a stark contrast with the blue skies which was painted wet on wet. The red boat is to provide contrast and centre of focus. This was a scene at the riverside in Kemaman, Terengganu

Still Life in Watercolours

This is a painting (left) which I did many years ago, a still life subject of a bunch of banana and some chillies for contrast. The green fruit is a 'jambu air'. Below, at right, is the photograph of the scene taken from another angle. This piece was done in 2003 at a painting class conducted by art master Tang Tuck Kan at the Petronas Art Gallery at KLCC. I almost forgot about this painting until I stumbled upon it again during spring cleaning. Sometimes it is interesting to see one's progress in painting when one stumbles upon an old work. I think many artists share the same view - and many more, after they have become successful, try to locate their paintings of old. Some of them successful in reacquiring their old paintings, sometimes disappointed in the process. But all that cannot be helped - artists need to eat and live too. Many sold their early works, albeit cheap, and then lived to regret it. But that is part of their life. A good artist needs to fill his stomach too, at whatever cost.

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

Portrait in Watercolour

One of the biggest problem in painting portraits in watercolour is getting the skin colour right. It took me quite a while to get this right and even so, I am not too happy with the skin tone. I did this is several layers, both for the highlights and shadows on the face as well as the hair. Painted June 08, 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.

Venetian Waterway II

No, this is not the second painting I did. I saw this in one of JS Sargeant's works and decided to paint the scene. The aim was to do it as relaxed and as carefree as possible and capture the colours to the best of my ability. The rendition of this scenery is of a totally different style which I am used to. Painted June 04, 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.

Old Boat By Fishing Village

This scene is self-explanatory. Done in watercolours in a very different style. Attention was paid to the linear strokes on the ground, depicting the unlevelled beach. Painted in April 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.

Fishing trawler in watercolour

This is a painting of a fishing trawler that is used in Kedah, a northern state near to Thailand. The registration number (KNF) denotes the state which issues the fishing licence, which is Kedah. This is a high deck trawler that is used in deep-sea fishing and as you can see, the trawler is going out to sea while another trawler heads upriver (at right). Because of the strong waves along the Kedah coast (facing the Andaman seas), trawlers such as this, is kept deep up river and inland to protect them from the elements. Painted May 20, 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!

Enchanting Watercolours - Misty Morning By The Sea

I did not intend this scene to be like this, with an air of mystery hanging in the horizon. I wanted to paint a seaside house of a fisherman. The fisherman has gone to sea, only his dinghy remains behind. The flame of the forest are in full bloom, sparking a fine contrast with the casuarina trees that dot the lane in the horizon. The sea is calm and the air cold. Sometimes when you start painting, you dont know what to expect. In wet-on-wet techniques, sometimes the result can be mystifying, nay, enchanting. That is what makes watercolour so exciting - so unpredictable and so damn challenging when mistakes are not kindly tolerated. This is a peaceful scene by the sea, one I would like to build my house at when I retire! Anyone wanna join me?

No Fish Today

Life deals a tough hand for most fishermen, wherever they are. The fishing boat is his life and his world. It is the only means he can make a living and feed his family. In the months when the seas are not that generous, and the weather unkind, he has to remain land bound and pray for a better day. If his boat is broken, and if it is beyond his skills to have it sea bound again, then life will be very tough. His only choice is to fish from ashore, sometimes ridiculously, by using his fishing rod. This fisherman is in that dilemma. No fish today. With his fishing rod slung across his shoulders, he makes his way ashore, nary a fish in hand. How is he going to feed his family? Will tomorrow be kinder? These are the questions that race across his mind, as he takes a heavy step towards home. This is the mood I have set for this painting. I don't know if you like it. If it speaks out to you, let me know. Let your friends know, too. And thanks for viewing. Painted May 04, 2006.

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

This Old Boat - A Study of Light and Shadow in Watercolour

This old boat was found abandoned on the beach. The portion near to the right is the back of the boat, and the small piece L-shaped piece is the rudder. It is a simple boat design. The protruding piece with a black hole in the centre is where the stem of the rudder steering is embedded in. From the design, it would be a rowboat with perhaps three or more passenger. Why it was abandoned, I am not sure. Perhaps it has outlived its usefulness? The clump of tree root washed ashore was painted into at lower left to provide contrast to the more or less structured form of the boat. So, what do you think? Comments welcome.

Fisherman at Work - How do artists keep their skill?

This is an imaginary piece based on a photograph. It was a picture of an old fishing boat, by the beaches of Kemaman in Terengganu. The fisherman, the palm trees, and the figure in the distance, are all added in. The sunset, too. As you can see, I have fared not too well again. (Well, if you have anything to say, drop me a comment, huh?) It's funny but after such a short time of not painting, every step is a painstaking effort. I wonder how professional artists cope with not painting or drawing. After say six months of not working with your painting, how do you start? Where do you start? Pray tell. I know of one artist who carries a technical pen in his shirt pocket everywhere he goes. Every minute he could glean out of his day, he draws. On envelopes. On discarded bus tickets. On catalogues he gathered at Immigration check points during his travel. On anything that permits. And all these, bits and pieces of his existence and encounters with life's realities, are translated into drawings which he may or may not paint later. Is this how artists keep their wits about them? And skill too? Use your skill or lose them to time? This piece was painted on April 23.

Kelantan Traditional Fishing Boat

Did you know that the Kelantanese traditional fishing boats are the most colourful and they have the loveliest designs? These fishing boats are painstakingly built from memory by skilled boatsmen who learn the trade from their forefathers. During the monsoon months when the sea is too rough for them to go out, these fishermen cum boatmen spend their days working on the intricate patterns on the body of the boat, ie. the hull. Strips of colour, laid down in perfect harmony, one by one. This is a very simplistic drawing of one such boat which can be seen in Kelantan, particularly Pantai Dasar Sabak. I drew this one using Pentel oil pastels and this is the first time I am using them, so excuse the roughness. Drawn April 17, 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

Picking up the brush again...

It has been more than seven months since I last painted and when you don't paint regularly, for whatever reason, you will stumble. No question about it. This painting was done today, in short two hours on a 229 x 305mm paper. It was taken from a photo and depicts the Kuala Terengganu water taxi (bot penambang) terminal behind the Seri Malaysia hotel at the entrance to the town. As you can see, I am still trying to get a firm foothold... Painted March 27.

Two Boats - Port Dickson

This is a close-up study of two fishing boats in Port Dickson's fishermen's wharf. The fan-like machinery are the motors used to reel in their nets at sea. Without this mechanism, there is no way fishermen can reel in nets which are close to a mile long, and laden with fish, at sea. Painted in 2004.

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.

Kelantanese Fishermen's Boat II

This is a depiction of Kelantanese fishermen returning from sea. Not very well captured but this is one of my earliest pieces. It was painted in mid 2003.

Claypot and Garlic

This was among the earliest paintings which I did. It was a picture of a clay jar containing black vinegar and garlic. On the wall is a surgical mask. This painting was done during the SARs epidemic. The Chinese believed that taking garlic and black vinegar would boost the immune system to keep SARs away. I did this to record the event as well as to study the light and shadow play on the objects. I used thick watercolour (not gouache) to capture the textures of the objects. Painted February 2003.

Teluk Kemang - Canoes

A pair of canoes rests under the palm trees. This is a scene in Teluk Kemang, Port Dickson, in Negri Sembilan. This stretch of beach is deserted on weekdays and watersport operators take a break in the lull in business. These two canoes are among the things you might find here, apart from jetski rentals and diving equipment. This piece was painted in Oct 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.

Traditional Boat of Kelantanese Fishermen

Colourful patterns. This is the beauty of the traditional fishing boats of Kelantanese fishermen. As can be seen, this one is sheltered from the elements under dried palm fronds. The boat is propped up and kept away from dampness. The intricate patterns are painted by hand and fishermen in Kelantan take great pride in their handiwork. This piece was painted in late 2003.

Kuala Selangor - This Boat Start It All

This is the painting which sparked my interest with fishing boats. This is one of the deep-sea fishing trawlers that fishermen in Kuala Selangor use (note the SLFA prefix for Selangor fishing boats). I painted this at an art class way back in Sept 2003. I was also trying to capture the colour of the muddy water at low tide. The chap on the right is heading upriver, perhaps to his boat as the tide is coming in. How do you paint such a confusing painting? Well, like my mentor said it, start by composing areas of similar colour, like a giant jigsaw puzzle, and you will be able to put up a colourful painting - no matter how confusing it looks.

Boxing Day Tsunami - Wrath of Nature

I had to record this - the Boxing Day Tsunami which caused devastation throughout Asia, taking with it hundreds of thousands of lives. This painting was based on a photograph of the aftermath. The waves were dying down and the specks on the high banks at left are the people who came out to witness the tragedy. I remember coming home from work that evening and , dazed by the swift tragedy which hit part of my country and destroyed lives, I started working on the painting which I cimpleted just under two hours that night. It was something I could not forget and hope by sharing this with you, we can remember how unforgiving nature can be. This was painted on Dec 27 2004.

Homecoming

This was done very recently and my first ever trying to capture human forms in watercolour. Four mariners were approaching land. The sails are billowing in the wind and the guy on the right, probably the skipper, was looking out for shallow submerged coral beds. This was done in July 2005.

Sailboat In A Storm

This is another of my line and wash technique which I again failed to capture well. The rough surf too was quite tough to achieve and I think I failed in both miserably. However, I think I managed to get the skies right, setting the mood for an impending storm. Perhaps I should not have introduced the lines on both the sails. What do you think? This was done in February 2005.

Sailboat At Low Tide

This was done taken from a photograph of a sailboat at lowtide. I was experimenting with my new Rotring pen in this maiden attempt of line and wash. This is one of the hardest technique to master and as you can see, I am not able to control the medium just yet. This was painted in May 2005.

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.

Bagan Lalang II - Fisherman's Castle

This is a makeshift house by the Sepang Rivermouth in Bagan Lalang. The house is made of planks and discarded zinc sheets salvaged from construction sites. This is a poor fisherman's abode, his castle of sort. It is in this rickety structure that his life and that of his family revolves as they hope for a better tomorrow. I am not wise with words but I have lived in such a house before. If you observe carefully, the house was built under a tree. This may seem foolish but I think when the owner built this house, he planted the tree - a sea almond tree. Most fishermen mark the time they stay in a certain spot by using this simple method. Judging from the size of the tree, the house must have been there for more than five years. This piece was done in Oct 2004.

By The Sea - Storm Coming

This piece represents a departure from my usual work of boats. I was trying to experiment with simple strokes in this piece which features two dying pine trees by the beach in Morib. The surrounding scenery has been simplified as I try to capture the mood of the impending storm and the trees. This piece was done in August 2005

Bagan Lalang II - Sungai Sepang Estuary

This picture was painted atop a broken fishing jetty along the Sungai Sepang. The scene is at low-tide, and fishermen moor their boats here. At high tide, the water level can sometimes reach the bottom of the floorboards of the jetty and water can be more than 15 feet deep. At the far side is the verdant mangrive forest. In the past, this stretch of waterway was contaminated with pigwaste from farms upstream. After the Japanese Encephalitis scare in the late 90s, the farms have been moved away and the water here is relative clean, much to the delight of weekend anglers. Not far from this jetty is a seafood restaurant. This piece was done in Sept 2004.

Bagan Lalang I - Lowtide

This is a piece I did when holidaying in Bagan Lalang, a rivermouth fishing village in Selangor. Because of the shallow seafront, fishermen here do not use big fishing boats but rather small ones for inshore fishing. The reddish blob is the fishing net or pukat which fishermen lay across the seas, parallel to the shore, to catch any fish coming to feed close to the shore. Most of these small boats are made of fiberglass and motorised. This piece was done in Sept 2004.

Port Dickson Fishermen's Wharf

This is a picture of a fishing boat drawn in Port Dickson, near the fishermen's wharf in town. The fan-like structure in front is the motorised wheel used for dragging in the fishing net. As you can see, the numbers in front of the boat starts with NSR. In Malaysia, boats carry registration numbers according to the states, such as the prefix N for Negri Sembilan, S (ie. SLFA) for Selangor and so on.

Malacca Rivermouth III

This was another painting done on the bridge overlooking the Malacca rivermouth. The green building at left is now a restaurant. The scenery is at high tide. The boat is actually a tourist boat which takes visitors on the Malacca river cruise for a small fee. This piece was done in May 2004.

Riverside Godown - Malacca

This is a slightly larger sketch of the godown by the Malacca rivermouth. The godown was used to store charcoal and mangrove logs that were imported from Indonesia. This godown, now abandoned, sits at the rivermouth opposite the present maritime museum. Painted in early 2004.

Moored Fishing Boat

In this piece, I try to capture the overall feeling of the scenery. It was a windy day, by the sea, in the east coast of the Peninsular - Terengganu. In the foreground is a fishing boat. The boxed object at the end of the boat is a makeshift toilet. Although not many of these boats can be see these days, you can still find them in the east coast. Anglers will be familiar with the boats. This piece was done in 2003.

Malacca Rivermouth II

This painting was done from the bridge that overlooks the Malacca rivermouth on the way to Jonker Street. I applied some strokes that are akin to Chinese painings. How did I do with the reflections? This piece was created in Sept 2004.

Schooner

This was taken from a photograph - an experiment on getting sunlight on the sails. The picture was sent by a friend. I tried to create the breakwaters as the ship's hull cuts through the waves and I think I have not been too successful. Thi was done in Oct 2004.

Sungai Besar

This was done in Sungai Besar, a small fishing village in the State of Selangor. In the foreground is a fishing boat awaiting for the tide to come in. The spikes you see along both sides of the picture are mooring posts for the fishing boats. Although protected from the elements, these mooring posts keep the boats in place. The houses are built on stilt and have zinc roofs. During the rain, it can be quite noisy in the house. This was done in Sept 2004.

Malacca rivermouth.

If you have been to Malacca, near the Maritime Museum, you would have seen this. The house in the background is an old godown where charcoal and mangrove logs are stored upon their arrival from Indonesia. The modern boat rests beside an old fishing boat by the jetty. What I was trying to capture is the play of light and shadows on the hull of the white boat. This piece was done in Oct 2004.

Where do old boats go?

This a painting of a boats' graveyard somewhere along the west coast of the Peninsula. The scene was captured on film at high tide and depicts of a scene by a fishing village where old boats are moored and left to rot. The one in the foreground was that of an old tugboat, I think, judging from the single compartment it has.

Harbour

This was one of the earliest pieces which I did. As you can see, it is very amateurish. It was done in March 2004, months after having picked up watercolour again. The scenery was taken from a photograph sent by a friend who lived overseas.

Fisherman's Boat - Marang

This piece was done in May 2005. It was a picture of tranquil of a fisherman's boat resting beside an island off Marang in Kuala Terengganu. The bridge leads to the island. An artist friend who went ther recently told me that the sea has reclaimed the island and the bridge is but a sumberged wreck. Such is the nature of life, ever transient.