May
18
2012

Guest illustrator for Catalog #92: The HTC One Craft issue, May 2012

Honored to be invited to collaborate with 9 other local creatives to help produce this month’s Catalog: the HTC One Craft issue!

CATALOG Magazine comes in clutch form again, just in time for the Great Singapore Sale. This time, we’ve asked Ling Wu to design our cover, as well as an army of creatives to work on the making of this one-of-a-kind issue. The process didn’t come without a challenge though, the collaboraters had to use the latest superpower smartphone, the HTC One X, in at least one part of the design process, and we’re going to lay a bet that you’d be none the wiser if we didn’t tell.
Natasha Hong

Collaborators: Ling Wu, bag designer | Kavan Spruyt, dj/music brain | Fadli Rahman, photographer | Nataliette, illustrator | Rayson Tan, fashion designer/diy collaborator | Liyana Meer, stylist | Daphne Tan, art director | Jerry Leu, videographer | Nick Chongwriter

Using the gifted HTC One X phone, I illustrated the abstract background for the editorial (photographed by Fadli Rahman) and did a drawing of the editor on the editor’s note page. Many thanks to Jazmin Kelly Six (editor of Catalog Magazine) for this opportunity!

May
11
2012

Revenge of the Rhinoceros

The horn of a rhinoceros could cure snakebites, hallucinations, typhoid, headaches, carbuncles, vomiting, food poisoning, and “devil possession”. 16th century Chinese pharmacist Li Shi Chen

Revenge of the Rhinoceros, graphite drawing on paper

Revenge of the Rhinoceros

All five of the world’s diverse species of rhinoceros have been brought to the edge of extinction because of human appetite for their distinctive horns.

May
10
2012

Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing

It is a well-known quote, “the wolf in sheep’s clothing”.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Gospel of Matthew 7:15, King James Version)

Fables of Aesop also speak of wolves that are mistakenly trusted by shepherds; the moral drawn from these is that one’s basic nature eventually betrays itself.

Sheep in Wolf's Clothing, graphite on paper

Sheep in Wolf's Clothing

Why shroud our true malevolent selves in the cowardice of sheepskin and pretend to be a common plebeian when we can instead disguise our fears and insecurities with the aggressive face of the wolf? A girl, naked to the bones, cradles the head of a sheep. She buries her vulnerability underneath the savagery of the wolf.

5×7 inches, graphite on paper.

Apr
12
2012

Heraldry

Heraldry, 5x7 inches graphite on acidfree cream paper

Heraldry

The eagle symbolized strength, courage, farsightedness and immortality. It is considered to be the king of the air and the messenger of the highest Gods. Mythologically, it is connected by the Greeks with the God Zeus, by the Romans with Jupiter, by the Germanic tribes with Odin, by the Judeo-Christian scriptures with God, and in Christian art with Saint John the Evangelist.

5×7 inches drawing, graphite on acidfree cream paper.

Mar
30
2012

Extreme Beauty at Vue Privée

Extreme Beauty at Vue Privee by SCYA

Extreme Beauty at Vue Privee by SCYA

Extreme Beauty is a collage of impactful, exaggerated forms built in to a social commentary of the modern world’s notion of beauty. Expect a varied tone and approach to the curatorial for this exhibition ranging from photography, illustrations, mixed media installations to performance art.

Featured Artists: Fadli Rahman & Raudha Raily | Skye Tan & Randolph Tan | Clifford Loh | Sophia Natasha Wei | Debra Raymond | Nataliette Tan | Mhmd Sufian

In Collaboration with: Nabil Aliffi | Joe Rahim & Frederick Lee Couture.

Location: Vue Privee Gallery, 63 Spottiswoode Park Road
Show runs from March 30 at 6:30pm until April 16 at 10:00pm.

RSVP on facebook now!

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Mar
21
2012

Hiss

Hiss, 5x7 inches graphite on acidfree cream paper

Hiss

5×7 inches drawing, graphite on acidfree cream paper.

Feb
23
2012

The Quack

The Quack, 5x7 inches graphite on acidfree cream paper

The Quack

5×7 inches drawing, graphite on acidfree cream paper.

Feb
02
2012

Miss Mastitis

Miss Mastitis, 5x7 inches graphite on acidfree cream paper

Miss Mastitis

5×7 inches drawing, graphite on acidfree cream paper.

Jan
30
2012

The Trophy

The Trophy

The Trophy

a skeleton & a pair of boobies—man’s most prized possessions!

5×7 inches, graphite on acidfree cream paper.

Jan
24
2012

Batgirl

Batgirl

Batgirl

as we celebrate the beginning of the year of the dragon, i drew a bat. i like to imagine that bats are the distant tinier cousins of dragons, because hello, same kind of wings? despite bats being associated negatively in western culture, in china, the bat is a sign of good luck! HUAT AHHH!!!

Jan
20
2012

The Queen of Beasts

Queen of Beasts

Queen of Beasts

in arabic culture, Arab prophets and poets considered the giraffe the “queen of beasts” for what they saw as its delicate features and fragile form, while Eastern sultans prized them as special pets. 3 hours!

Jan
17
2012

The Serpant

an imaginary portrait i drew last night in my monologue sketchbook (too poor to afford moleskine).

The Serpant

The Serpant

Nov
15
2011

The Chalice

i had a traumatic experience while journeying on the plebeian transport system today. i was taking every possible wrong route. WITH ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION OF DOING SO.

first of all i boarded the bus in the wrong direction and only realized it after a quarter of an hour. jumped off as soon as i vaguely recognized part of the landscape. seeing as i was running late, i decided there was no time to bother with buses so i went for my most detested mode of transport — the train. since i really really dislike journeying by train (SMRT ruins lives), i seized the chance to plunge my fingers into my iphone to tweet about the horrendous experience. (i got suffocated by body odour and had my thigh sliced by a paper bag) it wasnt till i was halfway to the east that it hit me that i was supposed to be going west. blaming no one but my own utter idiocy, i backtracked and wondered why was my brain betraying me today.

and so i drew this.

THE CHALICE. 18x18in digital painting.

THE CHALICE. 18x18in digital painting.

Sep
06
2011

The Taxidermist’s Daughter

i’ve always had a great fascination for taxidermy. wouldn’t it be so much fun to dress up in animals? (minus the cruelty of hunting for sport of course)

HIDE. 5x7in graphite on acidfree cream paper.

HIDE. 5x7in graphite on acidfree cream paper.

and a closer look…

The Taxidermist's Daughter (detail of work in progress, graphite on acid-free cream paper)

here’s a photo i took in munich, germany, of 2 stuffed pigeons.

stuffed pidgeons, taxidermy

more of these immortalized creatures.

taxidermy Walter Potter's Rabbit School diorama
taxidermy squirrel smoking cowboy gun
taxidermy rats thimble finger
le geux garcons taxidermy deer ribbon join
walter potter cats dinner table

May
12
2011

Tonight, We All Die Young

Tonight, We All Die Young

Tonight, We All Die Young

Hi. here’s a quick illustration that i just finished today. it was inspired by my current favourite song, Save Me by Avenged Sevenfold. it also carries a very subtle political meaning. my country recently concluded what will be known as a watershed parliamentary election. i used to not give two hoots about politics because my country is a false democracy. we have been under the same ruling party for more than half a century. as this was the first time i could exercise my right to vote, and the fact that 82 out of 87 seats would be contested (implying the possibility for real change), i was determined to vote and vote responsibly.

so i took some time to attend rallies, read each party’s manifestos. the process really opened up my eyes to many things which the state-controlled media has hidden from us. i was pretty enraged. (and so were many of my local peers.) to cut a long story short, our government was once anti-establishment, but now many years on, represents the very establishment they were against. (kind of like Animal Farm.) our country seems perfect from the outside. but if you look closely, in the name of progression and economic development, our rulers have seem to lost their moral compass and their touch with reality. the election concluded with a 60-40 win for the patriarchs.

the missing arms represent a state of yielding, of being unable to fend for oneself. the hair is white, the colour of surrender, and also the colour of the dominant party (who are often referred to as the Men in White). she exemplifies the helpless commoner who becomes a victim of the ruling party’s blindness. also, a friend pointed out that the white/black ratio seems to be 60/40. i didn’t partition it with that intention so it must be my subconscious.

(to the peeps around me, especially my dear colleagues: i know yall have had enough of politics from me, but i just cant quit it! hehe)

to be honest, i seem to have my drawing ability handicapped lately. that’s why i haven’t been posting anything new for ages and ages. i have many clear concepts (quite a few political) in my head, but they were all too ambitious and i was lazy and unmotivated and always preferring to curl up in bed with a book… oh well, i hope you like this one.

Tonight We All Die Young, work-in-progress animation

Tonight We All Die Young, work-in-progress animation

Mar
11
2011

Pink Laundry

Pink Laundy. acrylic on canvas. 4×4inches.

Pink Laundy. acrylic on canvas. 4×4inches.

Mar
09
2011

Drowning Cat

last night, instead of sleeping like i should, i busted out my canvas pad and brushes. and then i peeled off the plastic wrap off my brand-new bought-from-india Camlin acrylic colours and several hours later… behold! my very first acrylic painting.

Drowning Cat / acrylic painting on canvas / 6½ × 5 inches

Drowning Cat / acrylic painting on canvas / 6½ × 5 inches

Drowning Cat / progress shots

Feb
16
2011

Houdini’s Escape

Houdini's Escape / digital painting / 16×24 inches on canvas

Houdini's Escape / digital painting / 16×24 inches on canvas

my friend commissioned me a portrait of someone affectionately named “Houdini” for a birthday. i decided to draw a portrait of a girl cuffed in chains (resembling the classic Houdini picture). in her hands she would be clasping a brain, to portray her being a prisoner of her own thoughts.

Feb
03
2011

Rabbiteen

Rabbiteen / 16×24inches, digital painting

Rabbiteen / 16×24inches, digital painting

as a child i was very shy because everyone made fun of my large ears. they called me names like Dumbo and Mickey Mouse. but now, i love my ears, and apparently in certain countries, pointy ears are considered attractive… so EAT THAT BITCHES!!!

also i must admit this was inspired by the boredom i experience at home as a chinese girl during the festive period of the lunar year of the Rabbit. my family does not practice visitation because my mom and dad are estranged from their families. at least i dont have to sit in some stranger’s house stuffing my face with cookies and watching crap on the telly and plaster on fake smiles to receive fake compliments from people i dont really care about, so i really dont mind.

Rabbiteen work in progress

Rabbiteen work in progress