Submitted for Aurora's tour poster competition via talenthouse.

The competition was love at first sight, I havent heard of the singer before then. But seeing her visual aesthetics and listening to her music gave me the rush of inspiration I've been lacking with for the past couple of months.

The competition's rules prevents me from using 3rd party images, so i took it as a challenge to illustrate instead of my usual digital-imaging. Unlike the regular illustration approach, I'd draw in all the parts separately and piece them together like a collage, The background image was a scanned image of mixed-media collage made from news-clippings.

Original artwork

Poster Layout

Closeup 03

Closeup 02

Closeup 03

Closeup 04

Step-by-step

I know its been a while since my last post. A lot has happened throughout that makes me question why I do the things I do, and whether or not I want to continue doing them.

One thing about being a designer I often hear people describe it as a balance between business and art. Designers have their vision but they need to lower their ego and assimilate their work along with the clients briefs/demands... blah blah blah...

I've been there, done all that, and very much tired of it all!

It's hard to enjoy having my vision altered, and my work micro-managed only to be reduced as a designing tool. Sure I get paid well for it, but Oh. My. Gawd. I can feel my soul disappearing everytime someone tells me to "make the black even more black"

That being said, there's still have a handful of clients I still enjoy working with! Some trust me and give me a lotta freedom, others might be picky but in a way that I learn from.

So as I'll be heavily screening any new clients that come my way... my plan is to focus my energy on being an "artist" rather than a "designer"

because in the end, If you don't enjoy creating it, who's gonna enjoy looking at it?

*end rant*

Here's a recent artwork!

A piece depicting inner growth, and flourishing in the darkest of places. First personal artwork for this year!

Details

Another re-edit from an earlier photo, actually from one of my favourite photographs I did for FAUVE last year, I posted about it here.

Although I still think the original image was already a strong enough photo with a strong enough concept, the 'anti-minimalist' in me took over. I couldn't help but add something more to further this idea.

Figured this image would be fitting for "Earth Hour" but too bad i'm a month late :P

Full Image

Details