Coffee Cat Sketchbook

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012-01-20T17:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year!

Warm Season Greeting 2011

2011-12-23T09:04:00.000-08:00

Warmest thoughts and best holiday wishes to all friends and families!

Animation Reel

2011-11-15T09:06:00.001-08:00

I updated a new animation reel with some of my AM works.
Please check it out by either go to the Online Portfolio tag at the top, or go here.

Hopefully I will meet some of you at CTN Animation Expo this weekend!

back to drawing

2011-09-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

The Studio work and Animation Mentor work kept me super busy in the last few months. As I am getting towards the end of my AM study, I really need to put my demoreel and portfolio together!
I tried going to Seneca @ York for some life drawing, but the college's strike drove me mad! I ended up going back to TSA (downtown Toronto) during the week break between AM terms.
I haven't done life drawing for a while, it really took me a while to get back to it. I was studying the anatomy, so they are less gesture and has more illustration look.

Drawing is definitely a skill that will become rusty if you stop doing it for a while...

Paris Trip: Doll Museum + Food in Paris

2011-08-14T21:58:00.000-07:00

I always want to visit the doll museum. It sounds freaky, but very interesting. Since we aren't allow to take photos, I stayed there for a while to draw.

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Special Section: Food in Paris!
(Please click for large image)

I experienced the Parisian way of enjoying life: sitting down at the patio in a cafe, enjoying my cup of coffee (though I'm not used to only have a tiny size), writing dairies, sketching people on the street and letting time passes by...
It was nice that I finally had a break from my crazy work schedule in Canada.

Laduree in Paris

Maison Georges Larnicol

Paris Trip: Days before school starts

2011-08-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

Ile de la Cite

Saint Chapelle - Rose Window

Staff @ St. Chapelle were on lunch break when I went... (1pm-2:30pm)
Since I had nowhere else to go, I stayed and sketched for an hour.

An advantage to be an artist: sketching is the best way to kill time. You can draw anything anywhere anytime!

Notre Dame

View from the tower (we can spot the Eiffel Tower!)

Flower market nearby

@ Louvre Musuem
On my way to Mona Lisa! You really have to line up early (I also got myself a 1-year membership pass =P), and run straight to her to avoid the crowd.

Empty hallway (except for security)

I was the 4th person meeting her that day

I was surprised that we are allowed to take photography and video in Louvre! This was the first art museum I knew that allows this; of course, no flash allow. (they can damage the paint.) I was upset and a little mad to see some tourists still used flash in front of the painting. I guess that's why they put glasses over some of the most important paintings. Still, all artists (no matter they are talented or not) spent their life and energy working on the paintings, which we should respect and treat them with great care.

Sketches from Louvre

Museé D'orsay

No photos allowed inside, so I sketched

Again, another advantage to be an artist: draw them when you cannot take a picture

On the streets

to be continued...

Paris Trip: Day 1

2011-07-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates lately.

I went to Paris for three weeks in July for the Gobelins Summer School.
(Now I am back from the trip, and back to the busy working + studying schedule. I will post photos and sketches in the trip whenever I find the time. I apologize in advanced for a slow update.)

Honestly, I've never expect I can go to Paris AND Gobelins in my entire life! I couldn't wait to visit all the art museums there, see all the master paintings that I studied long time ago, and able to learn character animation from the Gobelins teachers!
I was super excited! =)

Very nice weather at Pearson Airport!

Oh my god!! I still couldn't believe I'm going to PARIS!!!

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DAY 1:

Went to Louvre to get my Carte Louvre Jeunes on my first day!!
Did a quick walk to one small section of the Museum.
(This was the first art museum I've ever been that allowed photographs (no Flash))

I was exploring the museum on my own...

Of course I have to try the gelato here!

to be continued...

sketch + Mad Hat Wonderland

2011-06-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

From what I see while I sketched, most of the Asians never have their cells off their hands! (am I one of the very few exceptions out there?)
No matter they are eating lunch, meeting up with friends, waiting for anything, they always have their phones in hand. We become so depend on computers/technologies that we will FREAK OUT when the system is down! (At the bbt place, the waitress ran to each table to write down their orders + bills again)
It's good that I always have a sketchbook and pen with me so all my notes are always safe. =)

I couldn't get the discounted ticket for National Ballet of Canada's Alice in Wonderland, so I went to their Mad Hat Wonderland Gala. The show was great (love the Cheshire Cat sequence; the Red Queen costume looks very funny!); we also had free food/drink and got to see a lot of beautiful hats!

random + food sketches

2011-06-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the late post of sketches.
I will be busy house-cleaning for the next week or so...
plus studying French, art history or even a bit history of Paris before heading Paris at the end of the month!!
OMG! I still can't believe I'm going to PARIS!!! I am going to attend Gobelins Animation Summer School for 2 weeks (on top of class 5 of Animation Mentor =D, hopefully I can handle both of them at the same time...)
I borrowed audio books from the library to study French again (which I threw them back to the teacher 11 years ago); and art history notes which I studied 8-10 years ago... Though I used to think art history is boring, but if you know you are going to the Museum and really see the painting in person, you start to find interest in knowing the story behind the art piece. (Just like how we connect to the character in a movie more if we know the history of the character)

I will take tons of photos and draw lots of sketches there!!! Super excited for the trip! (I can't wait to eat the French bakeries, pastries and crepes! <--need to climb the Eiffel tower everyday to burn them off =P)

Sketch wise, I went back to pencil for a bit. It's nice to make mistakes in lines and refine the pose/silhouette/shapes more! but on top of my poor scanner, it doesn't really turn great on the computer. I might switch back to pen soon.

FOOOOOD

Kung Fu Panda 2 : Tigress

2011-05-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

Heehee! I did a Kung Fu Panda 2 Fanart!

Watched KungFu Panda 2 the other day, it was good!

Honestly, I wasn't a big fan of Dreamworks animation, until KungFu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. Madagascar is entertaining, but didn't last long in my mind.
I appreciated KungFu Panda more after looking at their artbook, they really spent a lot of time on the research! As a Chinese, I really enjoyed looking at the artwork.
Though I like KFP's artwork so much, there is something in the story which I personally don't like. The character who stands out to me the most isn't Po, but Tigress. She works extremely hard to be the Dragon Warrior (or the top), but she loses to a fat panda who only dreams to be a warrior rather than tries to WORK HARD to be one. Yeah... you can say though she cannot be THE ONE, she still able to reach somewhere decent... I admit I'm a stubborn person, it's just how Tigress loses to someone who never takes action (only dream) to get something she tries so hard in her life. (well, this applies to Tai Long too...) I don't really care how many percent hard work + how many percent talent + luck etc... Since the only control I have is hard work, I will work with my greatest effort to reach my goal (dream).
KungFu Panda 2 touches Po's past, which help me not to dislike Po as much; but I can see the potential of looking at Tigress a little deeper: how she thinks about herself and her relationship with Po (not in THAT kind of relationship though!!)
I really hope in the reminding 4 sequels, they can go deeper with the Furious 5 more. I think Nickelodeon is doing a tv series called "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness", not sure if how well the story will be though... I wish I can watch it in Canada.
In general, I really enjoyed FKP2. I agree some story emotion isn't as strong as the first one, I still like it. Dreamworks definitely did a great job on this sequel. Love KungFu Panda! Go Tigress!

you can sketch anywhere! really... no excuse!

2011-05-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

People often say they don't have time as an excuse to do cafe sketches. Once I committed myself to do sketches everyday, I try to bring out my tiny sketchbook and pen, even I only have one min.
I used to draw at subway, trains, cafe and restaurant, now I've extended it to at the airport pickup (in the car), bank, medical center... even at um..... my.... great-grandma's..... funeral...
Well I know these weren't the BEST place to do sketches:
bank = unless you know they are robbering
in the car = esp. you are in the driver's seat! I parked on the roadside though
funeral = not really appropriate...
Of course, the bottomline is safety.

If you do quick gestures or draw in a tiny sketchbook (my current one is 4"x6", super tiny), you can always do them in a couple of minutes. Squeezing these couple of minutes can fill up your sketchbook in no time! Also, don't just carry the book with you, you have to open it and use it!
The more you draw, the faster you improve, the more you see around you.

I guess the only excuse I find is I'm too lazy to scan and put them online... hahaha... I still need to work on that... =P

Ordering @ Timmy's

2011-05-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

keep pushing

2011-05-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

I fixed and kept pushing the pose after my initial sketch. They are so much better than my first "draft". Hopefully the more I do, the better I can push them right from the start.

pencil + pen

2011-05-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

I've always rough out and draw with pen right away, I can feel a lot looser when I go back to pencil (because I can make mistakes =P )

Feeling good~ =D

Lunch Time

2011-05-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, I still care about my Grades

2011-05-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

Rainy Sunday Afternoon

2011-05-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

sketch 110513

2011-05-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

starting my coffee cat sketches (literally =P) at different coffee places!

I start to wonder: why am I doing all these sketches? what's my purpose?
Besides to keep my hands moving, I think it is an excellent way to observe people's behaviour, different gestures even doing similar things, and possibly keep an update with what's in the community! (eg. I know it's allergy season, but I love the yellow flowers on the side roads)

I also realized cafe in different locations tend to have different groups of people. There are more young/business people when cafe is closer to a bus stop; more elderlies in the ones at upper North.

morning sketches for a month

2011-05-10T21:59:00.000-07:00

Life has been interesting lately.
Travelled to China/Hong Kong last month, met with a lot of interesting people. I've never socialized with this many people in my life! It was a good way for me to open up a bit.
I have some off work time this month, would treasure this opportunity to go back sketching and concentrate on Animation Mentor stuff.
I'm trying to go out and do cafe sketch every morning this month.
Here is what I got from yesterday and this morning (with some sketches from the weekend).

Taiwan Kadokawa 3rd Light Novel & Illustration Contest

2011-03-16T01:37:00.000-07:00

Last September I entered for the Taiwan Kadokawa 3rd Light Novel & Illustration Contest again. Last time I knew I need to work on my b/w toning, so I spent quite a long time on themthis time; however, I believe it is the color ones that suffered. Obviously I lost again. (as expected =P ) I don't even want to look at my crappy color illustration anymore... I should have combined my color illustrations from last year(2009), plus the b/w illustrations from this year(2010).

Though they haven't announced the winners, but I didn't make it to the top 4, so I can finally post them up online.

Hopefully next year(2011) I would have a balance with the color and the b/w ones. >x<

Original story inspired by Bakuman's "Hideout Door"

Fanart from light novel Full Metal Panic

prayer to victims of disaster

2011-03-15T06:49:00.001-07:00

A quick painting praying for all the victims in the Japan earthquake/tsunami/possibly radioactive contamination.

It was originally a watercolor sketch inspired by a doll show in Hong Kong's APM. I don't have a scanner with me, and I can't get a good transfer from the camera, so I have to paint over it. Not the best painting, but I send my prayer to all the victims of this disaster.

Tangled Fanart - Flower

2011-02-13T19:27:00.000-08:00

done in an hour

Happy Chinese New Year!

2011-02-01T19:13:00.001-08:00

Here is a small animation clip I did for CNY!!

(Again, even though I've already start working on this a month early. Due to the crazy amount of workload pour in suddenly, I didn't have time to do all inbetweens and color again...)

Wish everyone and their family a wealthy and healthy new year!
Please share your love all the people and rabbits around you!

My Disney Treasure

2011-01-31T11:04:00.000-08:00

I've been extremely busy with studio work, school work and personal work...
I feel bad for not even have time to go to life drawing.
but I would like to share my latest Disney treasures!

An original drawing from Andreas Deja!!! I got this from CTN Animation Expo 2010. He was doing some demonstration on stage! He handed out the drawings afterward, and I got this breakdown drawing of Tigger!
This was one of my biggest highlights from the event!

I've always want to buy Disney Fine Art or Limited Giclee print on canvas, after a looooong fight between my mind and my wallet, I bought these two Disney's Tangled print on canvas!
At the beginning, I was just thinking of getting one. Apparently, the store which I asked, they have the #1/100 of the edition!! I decided to get them both.
It's my first time spending these much money to get a piece of art. I have been obsessed with Disney's Tangled that I cannot resist on these prints!

They are my most valuable Disney treasure, which keep inspire me to live my dream! Some day I will jump out of the tower and go to the lights!
Hopefully everyone will get to their lights!

Happy Season Holidays!

2010-12-22T22:09:00.001-08:00

Animated in Flash CS3 (in a week)
Lesson learned from working on this clip:
-doing in-betweens are annoying... clean up drawings are SUPER annoying! (side effects from animating with computer all the time)
-I was trying to keep the story and character simple, but still took a long time/effort to do
-an idea for 10-15sec animation ALWAYS turned out (at least) double the time length
-should start planning and working on the shot in Nov instead of Dec! (sorry for not able to do all inbetweens and coloring >x<)

-I still LOVE Animating!! either hand-drawn, FLASH or Maya!

I'm back =D

2010-12-06T22:52:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago, I went to CTN Animation Expo in Burbank, then visited San Francisco for a week. It was a very inspiring trip! The greatest highlight of the trip was able to visit Disney Animation Studio in Burbank!! (My mentor from Animation Mentor works at Disney Studio =D) I also visited a lot of museums and galleries in SF: Pixar exhibition at Oakland Museum, Disney Family Museum, Japanese Tea Gallery, California Academy of Science, Modern Arts Museum, Cartoon Arts Museum... It was great to have a "art/animation-related" field trip =D
I will put up some photos and artbooks that I got in the trip later.
I guess my only regret is didn't get a chance to visit Pixar studio (not even the front gate)... I might just keep Pixar studio in my fantasy in the moment. Someday, I would get there with my own hands!

This life drawing session was before I went to the trip, probably 3-4 wks ago.

I just love Dr. Sketchy! Drawing costume always feels better than nude people. This one is from today (last night).

Happy Halloween!!

2010-10-31T21:25:00.000-07:00

This is an acrylic painting that I haven't did for YEARS!!!
God.... I haven't mixed colors for so long... and no UNDO button!
Well, it feels good to work on traditional medium once in a while. Especially after staring at the monitor for 15hrs/day for so many years... (I got soooooo sick of my room and the computer in the last few weeks, I definitely need some fresh air.)

I did it at Paintlounge (@ Markham, Canada)
It is a cafe where you can paint!
They just opened the place a week ago. For those who live in Markham or GTA area, definitely check this place out! (they serve very good tea!! Love it! =D ) They work very hard to get involve with the community... (who else put dog treats outside for walking dogs?)
Even if you don't want to paint, you can just chill out with your friends~

Spent 3 hrs in the cafe; then worked a bit more at home...

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and here is more life drawing from the last two weeks.

Man!!! I realized I don't do much personal drawings outside of life drawing and subways sketches... I'll try to squeeeeeeeeeze some time to exercise my creativity... ><
God, please give me 48 hours/day?

sketches

2010-10-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

Life drawing from last week

Subway sketch:
I'm trying to create a story when drawing the people, it really helps push the gesture and emotion behind the pose.

curves!

2010-09-29T21:03:00.000-07:00

Another session of life drawing... didn't really get many "lookable" ones...

I have too much straight lines in my drawings (especially in gestures)
I was so used to "straight against curve" that I just can't help myself.... I really need to train myself to draw with more curves, to get a nice sense of flow and movement.

Childhook Anime Party

2010-09-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

I didn't realized I haven't post this illustration up.

I did this back in August, for the contest of Art Director's Dice Tsutsumi's interview at Sketchoholic.com. The topic was your favourite anime when you were a kid.

I grew up surrounded by anime cartoons, I couldn't really choose my most favourite, so I decided to do a party.
It surely brings back a lot of childhood memories while doing this drawing.
See how many anime series can you spot out/recognize?
(You can estimate how old I am by looking at them too.... = =)

Dr. Sketchy's Toronto

2010-09-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

After the summer break, Dr. Sketchy's Toronto is finally back!!
Tonight's session with Obskyura was wonderful!

the one at the corner is 1min, the ones with the red bird are 10min, the rest of them are 5min poses.
(except the extra person who I drew during the break =P)

life drawing @ Seneca

2010-09-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

I was so busy with school work, studio work and family issue for the past few weeks... plus the illustration contest from Taiwan that I FINALLY finished working on! I finally have some free time to myself.
I just realized even non-Seneca student can go to Seneca @ York for open life drawing!
It is a bit closer than downtown Toronto (for me), and I can go on Mon-Fri evening!! (even at some of the class time if the instructor allows, which is super cool!) I will definitely go more often to keep my hands moving!

Last night was my first night there. It's weird to be surrounded by Seneca students..."
(shh!!! no one knows who this strange Asian girl is...... shhhhh... I am trying to minimize my existence there...)

I will try to post some drawings from every session (if possible) =P

Life Drawing

2010-09-01T20:40:00.000-07:00

Beside work from Animation Mentor and studio, I'm currently working on some illustrations for a contest. Unfortunately I am not allow to post them online...
While I was working on them, I realized I can't draw human in realistic proportion anymore! (I did too much cartoony stuff lately) I really need to commit myself to go back to life drawing once a week.

They are done with ball pen.
I can't remember how long these poses are... mostly around 5-10min??
(I wish they do more 1-3 min gesture poses...)

Life and Death

2010-08-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

Don't know what's wrong in the last two months: 3 people who I knew passed away recently. Early this week, the tragedy of the Hong Kong tourist in Manila... then two days ago, Japanese animation direction Satoshi Kon passed away.

I found this blog online from Makiko Itoh, kindly translated the last notes Satoshi Kon left to his family/friends/fans on his blog.

http://makikoitoh.com/journal/satoshi-kons-last-words

Supposedly, life and death are happened around the world every minute, but we never think deeply how close they actually are until they happen right before our eyes.
People always say, "you know how to live when you understand death." This is very true...
Though I am not sure, a few weeks later I might have forget everything and go back to my normal life again as if nothing happened... When I look up at the stars at night, I feel how tiny our dreams and our lives are. The world keeps function properly even if we are gone, nothing is going to change.

However, at this moment, I would like to send my condolences to all everyone who just lost their loved ones.

Sketches

2010-07-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

Some sketches that I did while I ride on the ever-lasting train to work.

Toronto's Dr. Sketchy (from allllll the way back in March...)

Taiwan Kadokawa 2nd Light Novel & Illustration Contest

2010-03-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

Last September, I applied for "Taiwan Kadokawa 2nd Light Novel & Illustration Contest" (chinese).
The winners were just announced last week, and I lost, as expected.
I am pretty confident with my colored illustration, but I am bad at b/w drawings.
I'm used to see colors all the time while working on animation or background paintings; I don't do b/w drawings as much.
I'm planning to play more around with the compositions, shapes and b/w contrast, then go for another try this year!
(Though I am not planning to become a full-time illustrator, but it's always nice to have some freelance once in a while. =P if possible~)

We have to do two sets of illustrations for the contest:
one from an existed light novel published by Kadokawa; another one is original story.
(each set contains one color and two b/w pieces)

The light novel I chose is "Kino no Tabi"

The original story is my first story draft for my graduated film: The Abandoned Toy House.

(Supposedly, I have one more b/w piece for this set;
but the drawing is so bad that I don't want to embarass myself =P )

Cheshire Cat Party

2010-02-21T07:05:00.000-08:00

This is the entry I did for my friend Kei Acedera's interview at Sketchoholic.com (beta).
The subject is Cheshire Cat.
I had this idea of all the (most familiar) characters from Alice in Wonderland dress up as Cheshire Cat. It is a Chershire Cat Party!!! Everyone is there except for the cheshire cat itself... haha~ Well, he is just hidden everywhere! Can't you see the big smile in the background?

Welcome the year of Tiger!

2010-02-14T10:33:00.000-08:00

(Done with watercolor)

It feels good to go back to traditional medium once in a while.
sorry for the poor quality, I need to get a new scanner... > <

Happy Lunar New Year!!

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Subway/Train Sketches

"knock knock... who's there?"

2010-02-09T17:58:00.000-08:00

This is a drawing I did for Bobby Chiu's Chiustream Interview with storyboard artist Kris Pearn!

The topic was: "knock knock... who's there?"

I was very happy that I've won an original drawing from Kris!
I just received it a few days ago, it is just awesome!

You can listen to the interview at chiustream.blogspot.com.
It is a very inspiring place to keep yourself motivated, go check it out!

Holiday doodle

2009-12-30T20:12:00.000-08:00

sketches

2009-11-18T20:41:00.000-08:00

Sketches from subway and Royal Winter Fair
(portfolio version =P )

Plus character poses I did earlier this year

illustrations/comic from conventions

2009-10-23T20:16:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Sorry for the lack of updates in the blog.
I experience and learn new things almost everyday this year!
Currently I'm working as an animator at Elliott Animation studio in Toronto.
I also did some freelance 3D Maya animation, storyboarding and character design for another studio. All these new challenges made my life very fulfilling!
Unfortunately I'm not allow to show any of the drawings online, but you can watch the animation I'm working on now via youtube or teletoon's website! The show is called "STOKED", please check it out!

Due to my busy working schedule, I didn't have time to update my blog.
(okay, I know this is just an excuse!!)
But here are some of the illustrations I've done for the anime conventions this year.

I'm also the winner of this year's Anime North Comic Contest!
(which I've won for 3 consecutive years now... I'm wondering if I am allow to enter the contest again next year!?)

Well, you may see the quality drop as the pages go on.
I was rushing to get it done... I should have spend more time working on those crowd shots.

Currently I'm brainstorming ideas/thumbnail sketching another comic for the winter season! Hopefully I can get it done by the holidays!

More posting coming soon!

Online Portfolio 2009

2009-05-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

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COMIC

Sweet Pumpkin

EYES
(Please read from Left to Right)