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Back From UAE!

2010-02-22T08:20:00.000-08:00

Me and friends at Burj Kalifa

"The 4th International Scouting and Intellectual Initiative" was a gathering that lasted for 10-12 days in UAE, Sharjah.

I'm there to present my "intellectual initiative" and share with scouts from around the world. Well.. the presentation is a small thing.. lots of time we are having fun and enjoying ourselves, going out sightseeing and shopping etc..

To cycle to school or not?

2010-01-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

In my attempt to save money and train my body, I'm considering to cycle to school.. but is it worth the effort?

01/17/2010 Route
Find more Bike Rides in Hougang, Singapore

It's at least 20 km ride to and fro! Sure my butt is going to hurt man..

A painting for a friend's wedding

2009-12-28T09:46:00.000-08:00

The process..

Final product:

Free Softwares

2009-12-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

Getting great software is good. Getting free and great software is ever better.

I'm talking about substituted for proprietary/branded softwares like Adobe CS4 package, Ms Office, 3DMax/Maya, or even operating system like Windows or Mac and etc.

It never bothers me until recently I started to built my own computer. I've learned alot over the period while building my computer.

See: Wiki on Free Software and its movement

When I was building my own computer, I was wondering what software I wanted because for poor folk like me need to save money. After studying about softwares, there are so many ways i can save moneys then buying those proprietary ones. I've written up a small list of open source software I recommended to the proprietary software and links that you guys can check out.


.	Proprietary Software	Free Software
.	Microsoft Windows, Macintosh	Linux Fedora, Linux Ubuntu, Google Chrome OS (coming 2010), GNOME
.	Adobe Flash	Pencil
.	3dMax, Maya, AutoCad	Blender
.	Ms Office Suite (including Words, Excel etc)	OpenOffice, KOffice, GNOME Office
.	Adobe Photoshop (Raster graphic)	GIMP, GIMPshop (mimic of photoshop), CinePaint
.	Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW (Vector graphic)	Inkscape, OpenOffice Draw

And MANY MORE!

See: Free Software Directory, you can search all the possible programs
Of course, check out Wikipedia for more informations.

For those thinking why I do not want to take downloaded one, first is illegal. Secondly, it a sense of pride i guess. After building my own computer, I just don't want to feed my computer with 'bad' stuff.. hahaha. Thirdly, as a person who know the creative industry, I respect people who create those program.

Well.. There is a reason why those proprietary software company charge highly on their software. If you really need those, save up then. heehe. Also, free software do not mean it is a total exact mimic of the famous ones. =)

The Mobile Mobile

2009-12-15T12:36:00.000-08:00

"Mobile Mobile - an interactive installation by James Theophane

Brief: Create a Christmas experience that actively demonstrated Lost Boys core value of collaboration.

We took this as an opportunity to reinterpret the Christmas tree and its role as the traditional focal point for a communal space. 'Mobile Mobile' is a six metre circumference interactive sculpture, and signature piece for the entrance of the Brick Lane studio.

Mobile Mobile upcycles fifty old agency cell phones (available after an agency-wide upgrade just two months prior). Each phone is individually addressed by a computer to cofunction and create a choral arrangement. Assigning each phone a tone, the mass is transformed into an aural form that appears to come alive, shimmering and flirting for onlookers."

Just amazing. Recycling up to 50 phones to make an installation creating to the tune of "Carols of the Bells".

See Mobile Mobile at http://www.theophane.co.uk/mobile-mobile

Vincent Floderer's origami mushroom instructions

2009-11-29T10:19:00.000-08:00

Its rare to see a origami master hands-on on an artworks. Love the realistic mushroom!
See and you will understand!

Origami

2009-10-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

Origami, My favourite past time hobby.

Though I've been folding since young, I had not reached the staged where I can create my own art.

This is the latest work I've done.

Orchid

Diagram by Michael G.LaFosse

Foiled Paper

2009

It should had been done in white and in crepe but I couldn't get it.
The orchid is the current most challenging flower piece model ever since the kawasaki's rose model (shown below) years ago.

Kawasaki Rose
Diagram by Toshikazu Kawasaki
Colour Paper
2007

Of course there are many great "origamist" out there creating amazing origami..
I guess one of the best (and youngest!) is Satoshi Kamiya!
He is really one fantastic "origamist". His creation is superb with attention to small details.
Just see few of his creations on youtube. Wait till you see the end of video at 6:46!
You'll be shock. And yes, it's "pure" origami; folding from ONE untrimmed square paper.

My Graduation Stuff

2009-10-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

Contrast and Still

(HxLxB cm)

Contrast 50x90x40

Still 120x40x40

mixed media

Still

120x40x40

Mixed media

(Owned by privated collector)

For those who had not seen too, I got the profession images from school.

This are 2 of the 3 sculptures done for my graduation back in June. (the other one I'm trying to find a good pics.)

You do not see string attached, and nope there isn't any. this is not photoshop-ed, and its is a full sculpture.

The concepts deals mainly illusion, and the way I play with visual perception. Questioning the ideology of hierarchy.

I twisted the roles of my subject and given it a quirky situation. Rope, they are strong images in my mind and plays a part in my imagination and dream, soft yet strong; they are used as a supporting role towards other subjects. Its only important when you had other objects to be used with. By itself, you can say it have no objective and useless.

Now I contrast between the rope and the chain and(or) the wood, I render the rope equal objective and new role as the rope mysteriously sat still in space and tasting the eyes of audiences attentions.

Which is holding which now?

This questions also the way we behave; can we be driven by the reality of dreams or the other way around; our dream is driven by our reality around us? Can we express feelings through the sophistication of scientific proportion of formulas?

All in one Dinnerware

2009-10-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

Imagine all bowl, plates, place mats all in one.
Yes all in one.

"Sometimes one has to wonder if a designer is taking tableware a bit too far.
While there is always something appealing about integrating disparate design
elements (such as bowls, plates and place mats in this case) there is also
cleaning and storage to be considered." from Dornob.com

Designer Maezm had design this nice dinnerware that you never had to worry about putting many things on the table.

Elegant as it may seems, I guess it still will be difficult and awkward to use. =)

Caprice 24

2009-10-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

After the Baroque and going toward the Rococo period in the western society, Arts had very much already at its peak and there had been many diversity in what art is and is what.
The west had very much claim the advance in Fine Arts, Architecture, Painting, Sculpture, Gold & Silver smiting, Literature, Philosophy, and many more. One that I want to mention is MUSIC. Music skills and accomplishment had also followed the visual arts period in their own rights too.

Niccolo Paganini is one musician that I want to introduce to everybody today for those who really dunno much about music. The following video is a famous piece for solo violin that is composed by Paganini. It actually comprise of 24 different piece for an individual to play, each with different skill level for different techniques. They are known as "24 Caprices for Solo Violin" This one, called Caprice 24 in A minor is the most well known, and the most difficult to be played even for many accomplished musician. To handle this piece well and perfect is no easy task, as its one of the most difficult piece for solo violinist.

This is played by one of 20th century most greatest violinist, Jascha Heifetz.

Towards an Eco-friendly attitude to our daily life.

2009-09-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

Needless for me to say, everyone of us had to do a part in helping to reduce earth energy and resources. I believe we always can incorporate Eco-ness in whatever we do. Regardless of craft or art, in works, studies, or anything we do.

I believe we human should change, nature survive the same 5 billion years ago, and humans are the ones who is going to use up all its resource in 50 years (An Inconvenient Truth, see trailer).
We must change our lifestyle, everyone. Things like spending too much time on the computer is also wasting energy and resources too. Used adequate amount of water while doing your beauty foot therapy or whatever. etc etc... by doing those, not only you can help slow the process of dying earth, you save money, and it can be good for your health too.

I do not mean we go back to prehistorical times, nor living with candles or fire torches. IN FACT, to put it simply, the earth is doom anyway. Greenhouse effects, climate changes, it had been there since earth history, but no way we can go back to the amount of resources we had.. for 100? 200? years ago. I did not say we can save the earth, I'm asking to slow down the process. We need to think about it.

Anyway, there are tons of eco friendly products out there.
And I found this innovative pizza box design by Greenboxny.com :

A commerical by WWF (World Wildlife Fund) about the enviroment:

Well, be responsible in whatever we do. Because this world can be awesome!:

One of the most amazing paper craft castle I've seen

2009-09-14T07:17:00.000-07:00

" The installation is hand made over four years of hard work, complete with electrical lights and a moving train, all made of paper! Clearly, this man must have created one of the most stunning examples of Paper Craft in the world? At the exhibition you will also have the chance to see a video showing Mr. Itou at work in his studio, cutting and folding piece by piece.
The exhibition is called Umi no Ue no Oshiro (A Castle On the Ocean ), 海の上のお城. "

~ by Tokyobling blog

This sculpture installation is made by a young guy of a art university name Wataru Itou. Its explain in Tokyobling blog that he made it over a period of 4 years, with moving trains and even ferries wheel! ALL from paper! Together with the lightings, I can say it brings out as one of the most beautiful fantasy castle made out of paper.

http://www.umihotaru.com/event/0905papercastle.asp

http://tokyobling.wordpress.com/2009/07/01/a-paper-craft-castle-on-the-ocean/