Day 121: Work+Play

Woke up. Went to the bank, paid some bills.
Bought awesome rojak for lunch.

Then watch an episode of How I met Your Mother.
Love the season finale love song by Haunt.

Went to the studio at evening.
Painted for awhile. Then we went
for badminton. Sweat it all out.
The night before we had too much
to drink.

Really living the artist life to the max.

After having supper, we continued
back in the studio to paint.

The studio for the first time,
at least to me, was very alive.

Music was playing. Upstairs,
artist friend was discussing with
a friend of a comic book that
they're working on.

Another fellow studio mate was
making board canvases.

Drove home feeling really thankful.

But sadly, it'll be over soon.

-chinyew

Day 120: Hard

Had an early meeting today.
Another editing job.

Then went to the studio to paint.
Yep, haven't been painting for a long time.
Worked on 2!

Then caught a movie with studio mates.

Came back, had some wine. We gave equally
effort opening the wine because we didn't
had a wine opener.

It was memorable.

Then we talked about 'getting out'.

From our comfort zone, and getting
out from our country,

That our country's art industry is not
big enough to feed us.

Thoughts of closing down the studio,
since one member has already pulled
out, which is a big burden to us.
Another person's rent to split between
3 of us. Especially when I'm heading
out to Jakarta next year.

Sigh-well.

Anyway, got into a heated and sensitive
conversation for awhile 'bout a good
friend who had passed away.

Conclusion, if you want to get out,
get out. No excuses, or no holding back.
Not even when people discourage you to.
And don't ever discourage anyone who does.

Cause getting out, might be the best thing for them.
Or not, but it doesn't matter. As long we have tried.

Ended back home, semi-tipsy at 7am.

Good night friends... (or morning, wish I'm in London now..)

-chinyew

Day 119: Football

Day 2 of audition.

We casted an award winning actor.
It was great pleasure meeting up with him.
He was perfect for the role.
But sadly his schedule doesn't fit
our shoot dates.

So now, we're just letting it sink in.
Whether should we work our schedule
around his. He is really good and
will definitely help the project alot.

Was feeling a little frustrated,
so I slept at the studio.

Till dinner, then watch 2 football
matches with my studio mates.

I don't really like football.
But watching with them
and all the bitch talking felt
kinda fun and entertaining.

Anyway, was in the newspaper
today. It's old news, so I felt
kinda shy.



-chinyew

Day 118: Casting

It's been awhile since I conducted an audition.

It was fun, acting along the actors and conversing
in Cantonese.

Friends came along to support.

The Canon MK2 camera is cool.
Almost film, but not quite film.

But I guess the look is good enough for
an indie film feature.

I bet tons of indie film makers out
there has made alot with this camera.

Anyway, it's been a long day.

Shall go rest now.

-chinyew

Day 117: Special drawings

I went back to the drawing board today.

Did alot of drawings for a special friend.

A dedication to her of the trip I had.

At night, had a production meeting with
the feature film team that I'll be working on.

Will be casting some actors tomorrow.

Excited, yet fear for the process tomorrow.

It gets quite complicating. Cause the script
is in English and the actors have to converse
it back in Cantonese.

Not sure whether this will work.
But it's worth a try.

Worse scenario is get the script translated.

Anyway, love how my life is getting back
on the work drive.

Shall go draw more now.

-chinyew

Day 116: Superman

Watch an animation today.

Superman/Shazam: The Return of The Black Adam

I was amazed at how the last scene suddenly
gave me a slight tear.

Captain Marvel was almost gonna kill Black Adam.
Superman tells him "Easy there! You've got him!"
Captain Marvel strangles Black Adam's throat.
Black Adam struggles, "It changes you. Does it not? The power."
Captain Marvel replies, "It only changes that I can choose my
own fate now.Black Adam provokes him, "Like a God. Maybe?"
Captain Marvel strangles him harder. Superman warns Captain Marvel,
"That's enough!" Captain Marvel argues back, "No, I have to! To protect them!"
Superman replies, "How? By being like him?" Captain Marvel
replies, "By being stronger THEN him." Then Superman replies
back with the most solemn voice, "Then BE strong. Be good."
Captain Marvel expression changes, and lets go of Black Adam.

I think most of the time the most right thing to do are the hardest
thing to do. And the hardest thing to do are actually
the most simplest. Make sense?

Well that scene explains it really well.

Didn't had to do any editing today, so I did some
drawings and prepared a new mini comic
for the Singapore Toys and Comics Convention.

Yes, it's another year again.

Man, time does flies.

-chinyew

Day 115: Thunder

Rushed here, rushed there.
Wanted to head to the studio
right after my meeting, but
didn't happened. Had to rushed
back home to amend the edit.

Car's back from the workshop
today. Will be staying away
from that car for awhile.
Phobia of crash again.

Guess this what happens to you,
when something snaps at you
so hard, you'll remember it and
fear of it ever happening again.
The phobias of tragedy recurrence.

Many times, I want to jump back
to the drawing board. But then I tell
myself, I need to read a graphic novel
to get inspired!

And so I read To The Heart of The Storm
by Will Eisner. It chronicles his life when
he was growing up as a Jew. Aren't
most his books like that? Well, this solely
focus on the career path. Like how one
person's life is determined to do something,
and some are doomed to fail.

My favorite scene/dialogue:

Will: BUT POP, WHY DIDN'T YOU STICK WITH ART INSTEAD OF BUSINESS? IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO GO BACK..
(Drops of rain falling on them)
Father: THERE IS NO GOING BACK. WE ARE ON A JOURNEY. LIFE IS A TRIP FROM HERE TO THERE.
(Starts to rain heavily)
Will: AND WHERE IS 'THERE', POP?
(Thunder strikes)
Father: 'THERE' IS WHERE THE THUNDER IS...FAR AWAY!
(Will and his father runs for shelter)

-chinyew

Damn you Red Velvet! I miss eating you, does that make me a pansy for liking Red Velvet? Have a desperate urge to drive down Secret Recipe now. URGHHH... fight it-fight it!

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Day 114: Editing

Woke up really early today.
To check on the render for
the video job I'm editing.

Guess I only slept bout 4 hours.

Have I mentioned how boring
and tedious the gig is?

Well it pays the bill.

Met up with a friend for lunch today.
When my food came, I quickly say grace
then proceeded. Her food only came 3 seconds
later than mine. She ask me to say grace,
but I told her I already did. So she said
grace herself.

I purposely avoided saying grace together.
I don't know why. Maybe it's my lack
of confidence voicing out my grace lately.

I've detached a little lately.
Saying grace seems to be like a ritual
these days rather than being really
grateful.

I do try my very best to focus
on my gratefulness while I say grace,
but my mind always wander away.

Like most of the time these days.

My mind just wanders.

Anyway, bought a wood panel and some
new brushes today. Was planning to
paint it at the studio.

But last minute, the editing job called
again, had some revision.

Thus, it's 2am now. I'm still at home.
Unlikely I'll be heading to the studio tonight.
(Sorry I-Ming)

Got another call again to meet up tomorrow
for another editing job.

Looks like it's only editing job lately for me.

I miss shooting. Directing.

The irony; I get paid more for editing
commercial and corporate videos compared
to directing television.

Grr.. why Malaysia television industry has
to be so sucky?!?

If it wasn't, I wouldn't have to leave the country.

If it wasn't, I wouldn't have to do all these
boring editing jobs.

If it wasn't, I'd still be happy directing
and telling stories to my fellow citizens.

Sigh.

I'm thankful to the least that I still have
money coming in.

Amen.

-chinyew

Day 113: Gallery+Studio

Artists friend hung up paintings at the studio.

Looks good. Very proud of them.

Inspired to paint.

Had to rush for a production meeting
after dinner. So the feeling of painting
went away.

My production job keeps my financial
stable.

Only once inawhile I get to sell one
painting.

Finished doing some video edit
round the clock.

Corporate video. Boring stuff.
Client thinks it's easy.
It's never easy to edit boring
corporate job.

Sleep. Why won't my damn body
sleep more than 5 hours?

But I get afternoon naps, so I guess it's okay.

All's good.

I miss London.

I miss you.

Sigh. So far away.

-chinyew

Day 112: Acid

Met-up with a friend today.

He was going through some emotional problem.
I blame the drugs.

Talking to him, listening and advising him,
I remembered the power of just 'being' there
for a friend.

He is almost 10 years younger than me.
He tells me the problem and difficulties
that he was going through. That he knows
the truth in life. Like most of us think we
do at our very present age. But years
ahead then only we realize how naive we
were and that in fact we don't, but that very present
again, we always think we do, but of course,
we don't. It's a cycle. (I'll definitely laugh at myself
again 5 years later reading what I just wrote)

I told him, the problem doesn't ends there.
If you think that's bad, wait till you hit my age.
The trick is; you can't escape from it, especially
not by using intoxication.

You've got to face it, embrace it.
Sadly, nobody can help you with that,
because you own your own mind,
nobody controls it, but yrself.

And shaping your perception is the exercise
you've got to give yrself.

Like the old riddle; is it half cup empty or
half cup full?

Perception.

Yes, it can be hard, especially when yr in
the state of negativity. You just can't help
seeing it as empty. But maturing your mind
is the only way to face that obstacle.
It is not the question of merely being mature,
but 'maturing' it. There's a difference between
the two.

As I drove him back, I realized how those words,
I've forgotten myself.

Seeing him at his early 20s, reminded of mine,
always in the search of truths, analyzing and
criticizing actions of others. Questioning the
point of this assumed aimless and painful life.
Why is life just so damn hard?

"Heh, who ever told you that it was easy?"

Later that evening, I went to the church with another
friend and the sermon was completely about that,
like always.

Then I recalled with Him, it's always "half-cup-full".

Going to pick myself up again.

-chinyew

Hanging paintings up in studio @strand.

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Day 111: Not very good vibe.

Don't feel very good vibe these days.

My instinct and paranoia are pretty accurate.

Got to watch my words and actions carefully.

Spent the afternoon drinking sake and attended
a wedding, and more wine.

Alcohol kicks in when I touched down on my bed.

Slept like a pig.

-chinyew

IREKA CARES host Comic Workshop by Artist Chin Yew

Last Saturday, IREKA CARES hosted its first comic workshop for the 33 children of Lighthouse.

 

In this how to draw comics’ workshop, artist Chin Yew made the serious fun and entertaining. Thanks to Eai Luan and team, learning how to draw comics is made easy and a great idea for the children’s enrichment. Lighthouse kids learnt comic strip art techniques while Chin Yew demonstrated drawing live. The children created their own illustrations and some are confident their work will ‘sell for millions’!

 

Photos were taken during the 2-hour session.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Chin Yew's Posterous

Chin Yew & Lighthouse Kids. I'm open to conduct charity comic classes for kids! PM me!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Chin Yew's Posterous