A Gift

This was the first oil painting I made when I returned to drawing and painting on 2012.  I made it as a gift to my dear friend Sharon.  It's an oil painting on canvas, size 9 X 14.

I still remember when I painted this as a gift to my friend Sharon.  I was rusty from doing arts since I haven't done any since 2005.  I thought I lost the passion for art and the skills for it.  But now that I have time and am going matured, I regain the interest to draw and paint.

Looking at this work, I saw the freshness of my approach to painting.  Now, because of too much pressure in producing pieces that I need to exhibit, I lost that freshness.  I hope I'll be able to get that feeling of happiness in working on my art pieces.  From hereon, I will undertake my paintings as way of relieving why I get back to painting.  That is to enjoy the process of producing memories on canvas and sharing it with people close to me.

As an aspiring artist, I enjoined my students to find your reason why you wanted to draw or paint.  Painting and drawing may come as a hobby for you.  But if you really love doing it, go ahead and paint.  In painting, you need to be in a zone where you get absorbed working with paint.  Lose the fear and anxiety in putting paints on canvas.  If you feel anxious, stop working.  Find the drive in your heart.  Painting should be an enjoyable process for you, but not like a game with less value.  

I hope this help you in your exploration.  Painting can be a therapy when you find yourself in your works.  When you put a paint on canvas and produce something beautiful, you will get a feeling of satisfaction.  Your feeling towards your work is like they are your "babies".  When I began creating works, I refused to part with them.  But then I learned that I will be motivated to paint more if I part with them.  

I allow myself to depart from my works but only with the condition that my work goes to someone who would cherish them.  If a person enjoyed my work, I feel happy and contented.

How do you feel when you paint?  Can you share or give them freely to others?



Customized Shirt (Hand Painted)

This is a personalized gift T-shirt, hand painted using fabric or textile paint.

This t-shirt was created last July 2014.  I created this to serve as a gift for our speaker in the Street Photography workshop, Mr. Dominic Meily.  He did not asked for any fee and so we thought of giving him this hand-painted shirt.

How I created this?  It is easy.  Here's how:

What you need are the following:

• Black t-shirt
• Textile paints
• Brushes
• Masking Tape
• Printer
• Scissors

I started looking for a Silhouette of a photographer.  Have it printed and cut it out to use as a stencil.

Then I looked for photos of a street as reference for my painting.

Prepare the t-shirt by sticking the stencil on the black shirt.  Then protect the surrounding of the t-shirt with masking tape.  I created a box-type canvas as shown in the photo above.

Then, with your street reference, use your brushes and textile paints as pigment for your painting.  I painted the street as abstract.  

After painting, let it dry for some time.  Then peel-off the stencil of the photographer and the masking tapes.  Luckily, there's no mistakes or paint smudges out of the square.  If there's any, simply cover it with black textile paint.

That's it.  It is easy if you enjoy painting.  

Prior to painting the street, I printed the silhouette of the photographer and sticked it on the shirt