Chigorin Counterattack

I've been drawing a lot of chess-inspired artworks lately. Here's the first of them and one of my favorite openings when playing black.

Chigorin Counterattack

9 x 12"

Pen and Ink, 2014

Ang Harana

Earlier this month, I got invited to take part in a show at Gallery Nucleus that opened last night. Entitled "Terra", it is a showcase of artworks inspired by nature. Below is my contribution:

"Ang Harana" (The Serenade)

8 x 10 inches

pen and ink, 2014

I've been wanting to take in their shows and I'm so happy that I finally got the chance. I was able to show this alongside artists whom I'm look up to for inspiration. You can check out all the artworks at Gallery Nucleus.

WIP: Ang Harana

Diwata

So I was trying to make blogging a weekly thing. Unfortunately, I don't think I could ever commit to updating this space regularly. As promised, here's one of my recent pen and ink drawings that a friend asked me to do.

"Diwata"

30 x 15"

pen and ink, 2014

This is not the biggest pen and ink drawing I've done but it sure is the most intricate. I tried counting the lines but I stopped when I reached 1,023. There's no point when I knew I had to deal with over a trillion lines, countless hours and several cups of coffee just to bring my friend's two-year wait to a halt. Thanks to her for being equally patient that I was able to pull this off.

I wish I could put more close-ups of the details but there's just too many. Anyway, below are some early line art I posted over at instagram. You can follow me HERE if you wanna get updated with the things I do aside from pen and ink.

Yes, there is a smaller drawing!:)

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Mai and Ciara

Hi! I'm back to drawing in pen and ink again. I guess I've been too busy making toys that I forgot how fun drawing on paper is! I was surprised at how difficult it was to transition back from painting toys and putting those characters inside this intricate illustrations.

But I'm relieved to know that my wrist has fully recovered from CTS and I'm able to draw again without feeling any pain. Below is a whimsical portrait of a mother and daughter who enjoy both my toys and drawings. This one's for them, a Filipino-Chinese version of Mother and Child.

I'm also working on an exciting new project. Something that I didn't expect given where my focus was the past year. I'm posting some of its WIPs and sneak peeks over at instagram but if it's not your thing, check back next week for my most intricate drawing to date. 

Showtime Wins iF Award

Last year, I was invited to take part in a cross-genre collaboration that involved the German musician Amos. We were asked to create artworks that would be exhibited in galleries throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland in conjunction with the promotion of his album Showtime.

The entire project was such a huge success that it garnered the sought-after iF communication design award from Industrie Forum in Hannover last week. It may be a bit late but good job to everyone who worked hard to make the event possible.

On other late news. Last month, I was featured in Origama magazine(Mexico) that auspiciously put Showtime on their banner a week before the Showtime team heard of the good news. If you wanna grab a copy and see the rest of the featured artists, you can download the 5th issue here. And a huge thanks to Aida for making this possible.:)

Images: Amos-Showtime team

Engkanto

Although things have been going pretty well for me lately, I still feel uninspired. I managed to finish two artworks but I still feel that I should have done more. As of the moment, I am drawing the second piece of a three-artwork series that I am most excited about. Hopefully, people will feel the same when they see them.

"Engkanto"
420mm x 297mm
Pen & Ink

Above is the Engkanto board, a commissioned work that has been instrumental in the creation of my recent artworks. It gave me the much needed confidence that I have been lacking for the last two months. Skinizi came up with this brilliant idea and I am very proud to have drawn this for them. They were right about this because among my designs, this has been the most liked for laptops. This must have some serious magic I guess, so I might as well try it to summon the third monkey that shall grace the last canvas of my new series.;)

If you haven't visited my Skinizi page yet, just click on the image below and you will be transported to France. Goodbye!

Prettier in Grrrn

As I've mentioned in my previous post, I had been very busy with a few commissions that I will be unveiling in the coming weeks. To keep myself sane from the overwhelming task at hand, I managed to squeeze in this personal work for a community art project. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy every commission I take. But with my very own AFROdite, there are no expectations that I should meet.

Mas Maganda Kung GRRRN
(Prettier in GRRRN)

This was supposed to be my entry to a contest about environmental awareness sponsored by the World Wide Fund earlier this year. And I'm glad they've brought it back and I'm getting another chance of being a Green evangelist and help save mother earth.hehe Let's just hope that AFROdite gets chosen as 1 of the 50 artworks to be displayed as lampost banners in a public art exhibit.

If not, then I will have this on billboards all across the metro, right beside those advertisements about vanity. And I'll change the text to 100% Natural!hahaha!:P

Half the Fun is Getting There

When I was a kid, I looked forward to every weekend when we would go to Guihing. That's my mother's hometown, a very long 2-hour bus ride from the city. Not to mention the time spent on waiting for the bus to arrive and the death-defying stunts the 6-year old me had to do just to secure our seats. There were no waiting lines so it's every person for him/her self - men, women, the elderly and the children. If you're lucky, you could sit next to a petrified chicken.

Since I always traveled with my mom and my grandmother, there's no way we could get through the bus door first amidst an angry mob that swarm to meet the helpless bus. It was like Noah's Ark rocked by a turbulent wave of sweaty passengers.

Back then, the provincial buses don't have air conditioners and they only have these sliding windows made of plywood that protected passengers from dust and toasted them alive. Good thing I weighed no more than a liter of Coke then so it was easy for my mom to raise me high so I could climb up the bus's window and fall face first on the red leather seat. Then I'd shriek like a lemur, "reserved" to whoever tried to sit beside me.lol Here's the original rendition of my Yahoo! Purplescape submission, Guihing!^^

"Guihing"

17" x 17"

Pen & Ink

To my friends, I am very busy with a new set of interesting commissions and personal drawings that you must keep your eyes peeled for. I promise to reply to all of your emails as soon as I can. I also have some exciting news for those of you in Singapore and France who might be interested in my artwork. But this is only what I can offer for now, enjoy the details everyone.:)

The National Scientist

I recently had the opportunity to draw for a very important person. His name is Dr. Benito Vergara, a National Scientist who dedicated more than 3 decades of his life to rice. Among his great contributions to the world are his studies on rice, the establishment of the International Rice Research Institute and the improvements of the Riceworld Museum and the Philippine Science Heritage Center. He also wrote a book entitled A Farmer's Primer on Growing Rice, which in MJ's own words, was the second most translated book next to the bible.

"National Scientist Ben Vergara"
9" x 12"
Pen & Ink

Contrary to what I think about men of science, Dr. Vergara also knows have to have fun. He is a very generous and jolly person who can dance tinikling and paint just like the other master, Jose Joya, whose early works hang on his walls in his home. Just the thought of having my work hanging inside that house makes me think of myself as David between two Goliaths. Not to mention the gigantic dragonfly sculpture by his students that hang from his ceiling.

If you're a rice eating person like me, remember his name the next time you go on a heavy carbo-loading spree. As for me, when I say my prayers before eating, I've already made a promise to say "thank you Ben" after I say amen.

Note: This is a terribly scanned image. Much of the fine strokes were lost during scanning.

The Dichotomy of Man

When I finished Crocodile tears, I considered taking a break. But I remembered that I have to make a pen & ink artwork for my dear tita Ces before she goes to New York. Recovering from an ordeal that has mentally and physically consumed me, I reintroduced myself with my pens.

It hurt like hell. My hand was not yet ready for pen work and I had to stop for days in between just to let the pain subside. But I had to get over the pain or else I won’t be ready for tita Ces’s Artemis. After a week I have managed to finish this personal project with still functional fingers.

This is my entry to Wacom and deviantArt’s “Bring your vision to life: The Battle of Good vs. Evil”. After putting this off several times to make way for important projects, I have finally found the perfect venue for this study. It took me one year to make this happen and I hope you guys like it. To those who have deviantArt accounts, you can express your support by adding the Dichotomy of Man to your favorites. Thank you very much!

Up next: the 100th blog post!:)

Best Friends Since Birth

I am so blessed to have Liboria McCormick in my life.

This is a pen & ink sketch of my mother, my sister and our life in the country I did 5years back. For those who have not seen anything like it before, this is how a Filipino bath looks like. It comprises of a manual water pump where a split bamboo shaft is connected to its spout and supported by a Y-shaped branch to convey water to a worn out tire used as a basin. Around it is a pile of rocks to keep the soil and wooden planks so children can jump up and down as they take a very cold bath.

This is also the reason why I draw figures with eyes shut today. A friend once commented that I should refrain drawing people staring back at the viewer coz it may cause discomfort. Of course, he wouldn't understand Liboria's stare. I'm sure all you wonderful and loving mothers out there already do.

Belated happy mother's day!

Alekhine's Defence

“Alekhine’s Defence”
11 ¾” x 16 ½”
RESERVED

This is the last piece from my Shah Mat series. Though I would have wanted it to end with The King’s Gambit, this slippery knight had eluded me twice and is now hopping in all it’s excitement to spoil the presentation. Thanks to Yoli for reminding me and this week’s IF prompt, Alekhine is back.

You need not run after this knight. Just give him a minute and he’ll pass by you again, fluctuating while he licks his lollipop. You don’t see his lollipop? Well, I’ll let you wallow on the image then coz I don’t want to bore you with the hidden meaning anyway. I want to sound cool so yes, my illustrations are my way of venting out my frustrations with the economic downturn this 3rd world country has taken a decade ago.

I also wanted to summon the knights of the round table and make a series out of the bunch, Red Threading: Parade of the Trojan Whores. But I’m saving it for a grander occasion, say an art exhibit if I do get lucky with my art and if… I’m still alive after a year.hahaha By the way, I have taken a bolder step today when I submitted my latest painting to this year’s MADE competition. I was surprised that they still remembered Red Threading when they commented on the additional color in my palette. I hope I make it to the semifinals again so my message gets to a broader audience. If I do, I’ll post the pictures sooner. So please include me in your prayers and early Christmas wish lists.;)

You can see the other knight here. I hope to update them with better spot details soon.

The King's Gambit

"The King's Gambit"
11 3/4" x 16 1/2"

He's been at the top of this blog for almost a year now, casting a suspicious gaze at the title. I don't know if anyone has already guessed who he is but from his eyes, one can only surmise that he doesn't trust the author.

He is one of the most important pieces in chess, though it doesn't necessarily mean that he is the most powerful. I mean all the other pieces protect him as far as sacrificing themselves while he inches his way to the corners of the board. He's so helpless that he needs to hide under the skirt of his pawns and usually flanked by his pet rooks. I don't know why they made the King old in this game. If it's wisdom, I'm really not buying it.:P

So here are some spot details of the king. And if you're wondering who is he looking at, it's the fianchettoing bishop who blocks his view of the beautiful queen. If I have the time, I might redraw the queen and make a triptych of the love triangle.

Galatea's Gala

"Galatea's Gala"
11 ¾ “ x 16 ½“

When I first saw her, she was kinda pale. We were both pale. I was hesitant to approach her but something in that innocent countenance drew me in. I struck up a conversation and she was very engaging. Next thing I knew, I was already hooked and has been looking forward to her passing by my place. We’ve been friends for quite some time now but I think I’ve known her for a very long time. The pallor from our first meeting was replaced by a very colorful friendship that I never would have imagined possible.

It was during the time I feared I won’t be seeing her again that she commissioned an artwork from me. When we lost touch, I started to do this very special artwork. The whole time feels like she was still around and as I drew each element along, flashes of our conversations started to materialize before my eyes. It was like her taking me to the actual places she’d been to. And I’ve never thought two weeks can pass so quickly.

This is for Galatea, I wish my Afrodite grants me the chance to see her in the flesh. I also would like to thank you for the privilege and pleasure of doing this commission.



Here are some parting pictures of Galatea and I. The commissioned artwork comes with a certificate of authenticity and a few other surprises.



Have a fun weekend everyone!
- Pygmalion

>>Eve's Nest<<

Latest Commission WIP

This is the latest commission I'm currently doing for a very important client. I'm glad to be working on this piece since it's the only thing that keeps me sane while I still try to salvage my oil painting at daytime.

Ever since I finished rendering her face I can't get my eyes off her anymore. Whoever said beauty is fleeting should kowtow before this Goddess, kiss her feet and apologize.:P

The Immortal King

Sacrifices in chess can be quite deceiving and are only made for positional gain. And it takes a lot of foresight and good acting to weave the ruse in an intentional blunder to make it more believable and appealing. So far, the slap on the forehead and a devastated look antic still works for me.

One of my favorites, the Immortal Game showcases brilliancy at its best. Played by Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky in 1851, it has been called an achievement "perhaps unparalleled in chess literature." The very bold sacrifices made by Anderssen - giving up both rooks and a bishop, then his queen, checkmating his opponent with his three remaining minor pieces, made it the second most brilliant game in chess history

In case you're wondering, the best game was played in 1992 by yours truly and my father. I successfully abducted his queen and 2 pawns when he left our table to answer a phonecall. In spite of the blatant cheating and handicap, my father still managed to beat me in 4 moves! I swear this guy has a talisman like those of my classmates' - a dummy bullet tied to their waists that grants wisdom and protection

"The Immortal King"
11 ¾ “ x 16 ½“

To my friends, I will get back to blogging real soon with my latest commission. I am just having a battle against an obstinate oil painting that I will also be posting here in coming weeks. This is all for now, ciao!:)

I wonder if my classmates are still wearing their talismans.hahahaha

Queen's Gambit Accepted

Being the supportive boss and mentor that she was, MJ perused each drawing for at least 5 minutes. Carefully flipping from one page to the other, I could tell that she was enjoying every moment of it. She was smiling and asked me a lot of questions.

She reminded me of my sister when we were still small. As a toddler, she liked lying next to me on the cold floor as I drew her favorite bedtime story character. She would excitedly point with her tiny finger and say, "da tittle red hen". We've grown up now but she is still small.

"Why are all your drawings so serious?", MJ asked still looking at D7 and Royal Fork. "Because they're chess pieces who gets killed in the game", I replied. She closed my portfolio, pressed her palms gently above it and smiled at me, "I want you to draw a happy one."

"Queen's Gambit Accepted"
11 ¾ “ x 16 ½“

Inspired by the very poised MJ.

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Fianchetto

This is one strategy in chess I got from my father when using the Indian Defense. It is a pattern of development wherein the bishop delays the occupation of the central posts thus limiting the opponent's movement. In chess, it's all about controlling the center. And since it will be controlling a significant number of key posts, it is subject to many attacks.

I used to think that this is a weak move since most of the time it's path is blocked by it's knight in shining armor and is unable to maneuver the whole board, which in the first place is the objective of it's development. That always made me feel like I have one piece LESS than my dad.



But one false move from this mighty opponent could sometimes cost him his rook which gives me material gain if not the very elusive victory.

IF- Legendary

I feel validated as an artist that Ma Bella Luna made Mimi very happy. And it's such a humbling experience that in my intention to please, something actually pleasant came out of me. I've lost count of the number of hours or the sleepless nights I spent in making her Dreamworks moment happen. I also prayed hard that Mimi will like it and anxiously waited for the right time to show it to her.

And it was all worth it! I couldn't be happier with all the inspiring words you, my friends, fellow artists and visitors have left in this humble blog of mine. To you who have added Ma Bella Luna to your favorites and to the lady who put it in her iPod's screen, thank you! I don't know if I can outdraw her but I promised myself that I'd give everything I could to each artwork that follows.

And here's a special preview of the latest drawing I made for a very unexpected collaboration that I shall be revealing in coming weeks. I bet those cuckoos they're talking about at Renee's can't even push this out its nest. Oh I can't wait for this legendary creature to hatch!

By the way, I'm so happy that I've already been included in the IllustrationMundo illustrator database. Thank you Nate! And to those who have facebook accounts, please add my page where these entries are also exported to.