Oneng's Diorama - Eeyore's Lucky Day

Oneng and I just finished her school project which is a Diorama. Students were to choose a book that interest them and make a diorama of their favorite scene. My daughter chose a Winnie The Pooh book titled "Eeyore's Lucky Day". The scene she chose is when Christopher Robin and the gang found a rainbow up the hill which finally made Eeyore (who's having a gloomy day) smile for the first time that day.

It was such fun helping Oneng building the shoebox art. And I am so excited for her when she'll turn this in to her teacher next week. Such excitement on my part that Arceli, my wife, noticed it and told me "Why don't you wear Oneng's uniform and turn it in yourself?"

Bear and Bird "Monsters Under My Bed" + a New Planet

The show at Bear and Birds was packed last night. It was insanely crowded that I had to go down to Tate's Toys and Comics instead which I totally enjoyed, unfortunately I couldn't find that Mazinger Z that I was drooling for but, man, that UFO Grendizer that they're selling is like a candy that I would love to suck eternally, it looks delicious. My friends Kim and Lance were there too and were amazed as well.

Here's some photos of the event courtesy of Amanda of Tate's.




And yes! I met new friends one month ago, sisters Kim and Thuong, and they've introduced me to a NEW PLANET which I will soon be discussing here once the citizens of that celestial body would allow me.

But for now, here is one of the many sketches I made while visiting there. Such a nice little peaceful place.

(update) Batchoy

I would like to say thank you to Kyle Davis for purchasing "Batchoy". It is one of those pieces that's so hard to let go. I just totally adore those two characters that a huge oil painting of it is lingering in my mind. Once again, Thanks Kyle, and I am so glad you love it to as much as I do.

Batchoy at Gallery Nucleus

Last April I did a sketch while waiting for my dinner at a Chinese Noodle House. You can read an archive of the blog I made HERE. Anyway, I made a watercolor of the sketch which is called "Batchoy" and it is now at Gallery Nucleus, selling it to benefit World Wildlife Fund. You can visit Gallery Nucleus' website at www.gallerynucleus.com and click on Power in Numbers. Or you can go straight to the artwork by clicking the link below: http://www.gallerynucleus.com/pin/9970

'Batchoy', 2010, 5 x 7, Watercolor on Paper

Show Time

Another watercolor project on the way. "Show Time" Inspired by one wet evening at a carnival in the Philippines.

The amazing thing about going to a carnival as a young lad in the Philippines way back in the 70's was seeing those so called "The Enchanted Shows". There was this instance I saw a sign that says "The Monkey Man". The huge sign was painstakingly decorated with a really nice but freaky mural of a giant gorilla-looking man eating a bloody live chicken. When I went and saw "the show" I was amazed and at the same time terrified to see such a hairy and terrifying creature. As a kid I though to myself with amazement "where in the world did they found this 'thing'". And I was also sad and felt sorry for the furry or rather hairy creature to be captured and caged like that.

Weeks after the carnival, when I was in the market with my mother, I was happy and relieved to see The Monkey Man out from its cage, enjoying the fresh air of freedom. I was glad to see him as a Jeepney conductor.

Illustration Friday: Star Gazing

My submission for this weeks Illustration Friday: Star Gazing is an old watercolor piece from "The Dewgazer and The Dewdrop Fairy", a children's book that I made as a present for Arceli. You can read some more info about it HERE.

Late Night Ballet • 11.75" X 5", Watercolor

Here's the finished piece for yesterday's post. "Late Night Ballet" was inspired by my daughter's mini-obsession with ballet. At nights after doing homework she'll stay in her room, crank up the radio with Mozart Minuets, and does her plié, pas de chat, petit saut, jumping and so on. This piece, as I mentioned on my last post, will be submitted on an art exhibit this coming September here in South Florida.

 

Late Night Ballet • 11.75" X 5", Watercolor

New Piece + Upcoming Exhibit

Here's a new sketch that I am going to paint tonight. It is for an upcoming show which will be held here in South Florida. I will post more detailed info about it in an appropriate time. All I can say is that it is going to be a 'monster' event. :)

UPDATE: Please see finished painting HERE

Redila Studio (New Home)

Still setting up my new studio. A lot of things to do, still.

A big thanks to Gerry Alanguilan who was kind enough to give me a high res file of The Marvelous Adventures of the Amazing Dr. Rizal teaser art, I was able to print it to a 6 foot poster with clarity, I can even see some pencil marks, love it. It's been so long since I promised him that I will be hanging it on my new wall when I moved to a new studio (I think it was February of last year).

I will also be making poster sized print of my "Dr. Rizal" painting and hang it there too.

Illustration Friday: Equipment

Here is another sketch for a watercolor project called "Love". I think this is appropriate for Illustration Friday's theme for this week because ultimately "Love" and the embrace of a mother is the most powerful equipment humans experience. "Love" - 5 x 9, graphite and crayons.

Illustration Friday: Fearless

"Sleepplayer", 9 x 10, Watercolor on paper

My Sketch Board

People are curious where did I get all the rare vintage stickers on the back of my Sketch Board. Unfotunately, I couldn't find those anywhere myself. That was my first plan - to cover my board with old stickers and memorabilia from my childhood. But since I couldn't find one single item, I painted it myself.

Sketch: Batchoy

I always bring my sketchbook with me when I leave the house, so when we went to a chinese noodle house today for a dinner I did this sketch about Batchoy for me to paint in the future. One of my favorite Filipino dishes, Batchoy is always so perfect for a rainy days and cold mornings or nights but it also nice chowing it is to end the day with a sunset like tonight.

 

Illustration Friday: Ahead

"Daisy'n Confused", is a sketch intended for a watercolor piece. Thought it's nice to submit it 'as is' for IL: Ahead.

An Imaginary Friend - 9 x 9, Watercolor

Please don't forget, April 22, 2010, Earth Day.

Hide and Seek + Ghibli + Nucleus

Who doesn't love Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro? It is one of those films, along with Giuseppe Tornatore's Cinema Paradiso, that I kept on watching over and over before I became a father. Now that I have a 5 year old daughter, another reason for me to continue watching it. "Hide & Seek" is a painting I did paying tribute of how playful, simple, and gorgeous that film is. And I am proud and honored that it is featured in Nuclues' blog for their Ghibli inspired exhibit. Please do check out Nucleus Gallery.

"Hide and Seek" - 11 x 14, Watercolor on paper

Lullabies & Fairy Tales 3 - Pool of Tears, Watercolor

I have always been fascinated with Lewis Carroll and the whole world of "Literary Nonsense".  I remember Carroll's "Alice's Adventure Undeground" with an illustration by John Tenniel when I was in Junior High. It was one of those books in the library, besides Gustave Dore's Ryme of the Ancient Mariner, that I kept on opening.

"Pool of Tears" is a watercolor piece I just finished last night. Took me about 4 hours to finally decide to put down my brush.

A special note to add is that the White Rabbit on the painting was inspired by a good friend of mine, Dante. I met Dante together with his pal Zoe thru another good friend and a brilliant artist, Emily Grandin, who introduced me to them fine lovable folks. Thanks Emily. Oh, and Thank you, Dante, for posing for me. :)

Dante as the White Rabbit

Please click image for a larger view.

Lullabies & Fairy Tales 2 - Little Miss Muffet, Pen & Ink

Little Miss Muffet, 11 x 14, Pen and Ink

Lullabies & Fairy Tales 1 - Humpty Dumpty, Pen & Ink

This is the latest personal project I've been working on this couple of months. I've been holding this monstrous itch of illustrating bunch of traditional Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales for quite some time now since I thought of it years ago. Now finally I am starting it and, boy, what a relief. So here we go. The first one is Humpty Dumpty. Pen & Ink on 11 x 14 Bristol.