Oil Painting " The selfie icon"~ michellechoongkhoo

Ready for signoff, framing and hanging up in our hall of love !

How did we get here? 

stage 1 : using water mixable oils to map out the tonal values :

                      

     

stage 2: slowly adding  thin layers of oils using linseed medium

  

More art lessons or continue with self learning~ michellechoongkhoo

Recently, my arty farty MIA classmate, invited me to join into a class on portraiture.
I was so tempted but alas timing clashes.
And truthfully the prospect of weekdays morning to rush into KL's CBD district does sound sane to retired slack souls !

So I guess I shall resort back to plodding along, trial and error and referencing from other artists .
Thus it was that Jon's eye catching selfie shot caught my eye...
As they say, good art starts with fab good stills.
Aha,  this dramatic photo in my opinion fits the bill!

Oil painting is definitely not my first love. 

As I plodded along I started to remember why I always defer starting on oils and why there's all those incomplete pieces sitting in the archive box! 

But as with any labor of love, the special meaning of the piece kept me focused and determined to complete this one! 

It is going to be a long process.... 

Stay tuned 

art is like an old fren~michellechoongkhoo

I feel like I have been away from my paints and brushes for ages .
Yet when I brought them out from their storage to do some practise, it feels like I have never stopped loving them.
you know in the way that conversations with old old frens are like?
How, we may not meet and talk often with good friends but even after a a long absence , conversations can take off like a plane lifting off the runway , as if we had left off from just yesterday or an hour ago?

So it is exactly , this way how I feel when I suddenly feel an irresistible urge to just paint , nervous and yet it felt sooooo familiar.
And it was a lovely feeling , smiles.

why did I suddenly feel like painting after so many months without inspiration?

I chanced upon this truly beautiful video of Stanislav Steif painting on youtube !
It was so mesmerizing, I actually sat thru the entire 1hr 45mins in one sitting!
Here's the link to his fantastic art , seeing is believing, you have got to view it to know what I mean by beautiful art
you tube link :  Steifart

Thus , that's how I went to dig up my materials on a Monday , pouring dogs and cats which meant I couldnt go to the office... and I tried a few warm up water color exercises:

Tomorrow, I shall upload my oils attempts :) 

Quietness on a Thursday~michellechoongkhoo

Saturday Night Fever with my nomad brush~michellechoongkhoo

in search of artful expressions: ohaiyo , Tokyo Girl adopted us last week~michellechoongkhoo

in search of artful expressions: ohaiyo , Tokyo Girl adopted us last week~michellechoongkhoo

The sweetie pie in person , ain't she the cutest ?

ohaiyo , Tokyo Girl adopted us last week~michellechoongkhoo

Mi's house has grown considerably bigger!

full house?, a photo by michelle's blue planet on Flickr.

And she feels very very blessed that karma brought her journey in this lifetime to cross paths with Elmo, Pavorotti and Jaylo ; those beloved doggies, with Tobie and Tiger ; the fastidious beloved tabbies !

meow created via artist ink~ michellechoongkhoo

testing nomad's compose brush, a photo by michelle's blue planet on Flickr.

nomadbrush painting done via sumo paint app~ michellechoongkhoo

nomadbrush on sumo paint, a photo by michelle's blue planet on Flickr.

reviewing nomadbrushes on iPad~michellechoongkhoo.

engrossed.., a photo by michelle's blue planet on Flickr.

wuuu huuuu finally a most enticing weekend !

finally found time to experiment with my nomadbrushes !

thats how it is with art...
one can't wait and kept counting the days for new tools to arrive.....
when the tools did arrive, alas the inspirations did not surface.....
then work piles up and the tools lay forgotten and neglected.....

but ah hah, when the mojo rekindles.... there's no stopping itchy fingers :)

The above engrossed was created with all three of my nomad compose brushes and a mixture of ipad apps : sumo paint, artist ink and autodesk sketch.

link to other michellesblueplanet drawings done with nomadbrushes:

1. in search of artful expressions: meow created via artist ink~ michellechoongkhoo
2.in search of artful expressions: nomadbrush painting done via sumo paint app~ michellechoongkhoo

colors and the allure of a woman~michellesblueplanet iPad

It all started out as an exercise to try capture the allure of Katie Holmes after seeing the gorgeous newly single beauty in H Stern's fabulous latest ad campaign ..

However I soon got distracted as it quickly struck me that perhaps it is more interesting to see how same bones, same pose …. how different colors will change subject model's facial expressions?

 and hence I got sidetracked as I experimented below:

yup, iPad digital art has one more plus point over conventional water coloring or pencils or oil…..for now that is.

I am at the phase to experiment with strokes, so I am grateful for iPad's instant gratification 

Anyway, as always, when there's something new to be learnt, its an enlightening process~

so I would view it as good practice, great learning curve.

some hours into experimenting with different palettes…..

In the end, I discovered I still prefer the nude makeup painting that I did at the onset !

Beauty in its rawness , great skin, good bones, captivating eyes…..

those very qualities that contrasted so well with the jewellery…..

thats what caught my eyes about the H.Stern's ads in the first place!

So of course , very likely I will get back to perfecting those chiseled cheekbones for vivacious Ms Holmes as soon as I get my next burst of mojo that is :)

quoting Picasso and enjoying a Beckham eye candied weekend!

Pablo Picasso quoted "The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls"

Talking of washing,  the washing machine at home broke down.

our 20th floor sky garden roofing almost flew off with the kind of wind one can imagine blew Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz into the kingdom of the 2 witches of East and West!

All golf games were rudely interrupted …..

Day in and out, households in flood prone areas pray they wouldn't   have to seek refuge in storm shelters! 

Oh The skies have been pounding us with thunders and merciless onslaughts of pelting rain non stop! 
Oh my besotted rain watching brain cursed at the skies and went muttering, pleading to Mother Nature to hold off her washing for awhile! 

.....until that is I came across a most captivating photo of David Beckham online and all thoughts of the weather flew off to cuckoo's nest and David mania took over michelles' ipad ~ LOL

Isnt he just such a hunky dory eye candy  for the weekend ? :

                               

so yes Picasso was so very right when he said  "The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls"

brilliant aye aye. 

link to michelle's Beckham attempt process at Picasa

whimsical series~ just letting the creative juices flow, michellechoongkhoo

KL's a very wet city these days!

when it rains it doesn't just pour, it floods big time :(

which means one would be more sane to stay cooped in the house than to run around town ...

which in turn means there's plenty of time for fingers to get finnicky and restless~ LOL

my artful inspirations whilst listening to Faye Wong's Final Fantasy song "Eyes on Me" 

nice song. great mood. 

my fingers obeyed its calling and viola , here's my November Fantasies

                       process of creating michellesblueplanet November Fantasy 2

link to process of creating michellesblueplanet November Fantasy 1

Illustrations of Pav , the Pembrook Welsh Corgi via Autodesk Sketchbook Express on michellesblueplanet ipad

Pav , the Pembrook Welsh Corgi, a photo by michelle's blue planet on Flickr.

now I know why my reading has taken a back seat of late!

this finger drawing habit is getting toooooo wicked addictive , hahahaha!

But oh oh what good Fun it is and definitely most satisfying to know the quest for new knowledge, while never ending is easily satiated these days on the internet!

Adopting a zest for life and a credo that all new knowledge is worth pursuing (at least once or twice)  before we form an opinion or discard has never been proven more right than this time….for me that is!

I had been quite frustrated when I first came across Autodesk Sketchbook Express (ASK)  ….its comprehensive offerings initially proved to be too complicated and challenging .
So I left it aside and went on to tackle the easier apps ….
I came back to it once or twice and it even crossed my mind maybe I should just delete the app since I had no good use for it …..

Well, ASK has now become my favourite drawing app , wuuuuu huuuuuu.

If there are those so inclined to experiment with ASK too , maybe this link will help shorten your learning curve on how to do it...…
Drawing Corgi on michellesblueplanet picasa




Wasnt that gooooood clean fun? Now you see why it is so irresistable?

Art via Autodesk Sketchbook Express @ michellesblueplanet ipad

The link to show how this was done Elmo via Autodesk Sketchbook Express

and I think this is one of the best youtube link I've seen on ASK

super duper FUN w Esssssssss ~ michellechoongkhoo

super duper FUN w Esssssssss ~, a photo by michelle's blue planet on Flickr.

was supposed to get some paperwork off my desk but got side tracked by an inspiration for my alphabet 'S' :)

A "P" inspired by Pavarotti , our Corgi rescue ~ michellechoongkhoo

Pavarotti , Corgi love, a photo by michelle's blue planet on Flickr.

been a hectic week of new routines at home…..
due to the unplanned , unexpected , spontaneous arrival of Pavarotti , the Corgi~

The new friendship has taken everyone by surprise and filled our hearts with joy .

All are coping well .
How blessed.

And so my P is definitely an inspiration drawn from watching the interactions of adorable newcomer Pavarotti, the Corgi with beloved darling Elmo, the Beagle ~

Life can be so sweet.
Out there are some souls waiting for us to find and love them~
And so it is, that's how  Pavarotti found us ❀ ❃ ❉

links to the rest of the alphabets project

A to Zeeeee inspirations on ipad~ michellesblueplanet

this "oh oh " piece was inspired rather absentmindedly while doodling and fretting over how Elmo , our beagle would react to new voiceless friend ...

Corkie…pitiful baby, 

the debarked and abandoned 8 years old Corgi ,

whom our vet insisted we should take home and give the poor chap a chance for some happiness...

Legally , vet is now at liberty to give Pavarotti ( our newly chosen name ) away after owner has refused to answer all calls or made any payments for its medical bills for a full one calendar year!!!

Just want to state clearly here that it was not this vet who devoiced poor Pavarotti in the first place…..
his owner brought him in for hostel bedding on reasons that they were traveling and then never bothered to come back for him on the sick logic , they have decided to migrate overseas!!!

Hubby and I are both ill prepared to accept another dog after Maxine's recent demise and truth be told we are quite fearful of small toy dogs for their fragility and high maintenance! 

I have always adored GSDs for their boisterous personality, strength and robust physical frames, much suitable for our preferred outdoorsy rough tumble adventure lifestyle……and our Dexter, Max, Roxy, Maxine brought us many many years of unquantifiable joys ~

I have always stayed away from tiny breeds that are like babies in my mind.

Elmo was our first small breed dog adoption (take over) from sons and true enough, he prove  our original fears to be true.

Since his 2nd year birthday diagnosed as epileptic; his care became a journey of frustrations over medications and finding out what triggers the stress levels that brings on the seizures , what food to abstain (in the end it was everything except his Country Farm dog food) , from cutting back uncontrolled excitement and most recently to restricting exercises only on treadmills etc etc. 

Finally we thought we can see some light at the end of the tunnel for Elmo's battle against his epilepsy 

episodes.....It has been 3 months since Elmo's last seizure.

Are we ready to now take on another old dog, prone to urinary infection, weak hind legs with a history of diarrhoea on top of being voiceless? 

In the end, after some discussions with sons, Cita the primary care taker of the household dogs and honestly how can one walk away from eyes that were luminous, following our every step wordlessly and appealingly? 

would break everyone's hearts if the new friendship between Elmo and Pavarotti didnt take off …… and we have to return him to the vet….

After one night together… after a short while of pouting , sulking and a show of abit of jealousy, Elmo turns out to have a big big heart after all :)

We have faith and a strong feeling , outcome will be positive w happiness, tranquility restored.

only setback from this episode is a high anticipation that I will get slightly distracted for the coming weeks ahead ….the already much delayed "A to Zee Alphabet on ipad Project"….. is guaranteed to be further postponed ;)

Oh well, I've  gotten to " O" ...... and hahaha it's not as if I have any deadlines to meet? 

---------------------------------------------------------------

Everything happens for a reason, even if it’s not obvious at the time.

Since Karma brought Pavarotti to us…..thus we shall accept the challenge of his coming into our life and God willing, we shall be able to adjust accordingly ~

Do not struggle.

Go with the flow of things,
And you will find yourself at one with
The mysterious unity of the Universe. ♥

---------------------------------------------------------------

   

to keep myself abreast and ontrack, I decided to upload my works so far onto picasa just in case my mac crashes again…..HD is looking critically compromised with less than 12GB free space available, ooooops…

1.  michellesblueplanet alphabets project on picasa

2. the work in progress of my ebook "when there's a dream" 

decisions decisions DECISIONS made easier with ipad technology~michellechoongkhoo

Drawing on my ipad gives a different kind of satisfaction from watercoloring with paints on real art paper……
It is certainly not less, in many ways not more…..since both ways give me inner joy and stimulus .

Aaaah, who wouldnt wish for the luxury of time to not do anything else except explore art in any form and medium from the moment I awake till I go to bed…..

alas, since thats not always possible, these days therefore I find much energy is spent on my ipad….

• because it is less messy and it is available for instant gratifications when itchy fingers get art attacks :)
• Not forgetting that we must save la every part of our works of fancy please  …..then later we can manipulate them around to help us decide on composition and final output.
• for eg I couldnt make up my mind how to present latest work Michelleblueplanet News , smile……..
• luckily because I had saved almost every file whenever I made changes in strokes or color, I found it was so easy to try different scenarios without impacting my stage of work so far. I kept thinking, wow….this would have NOT been possible in the traditional mediums yea? 
• Well,  I thought maybe someone else who is often faced with such a conundrum would find some insight if I show the steps below how my ipad helped me decide on my final piece? 
• Art is about sharing, about making us think, stuff that touches our soul…..yea, but it doesnt hurt if sometimes, we find some tips on how to short cut our learning process, right?  so here goes…...