it's all bone...

I know it's been a while since my last post but here's the newest edition to the LONG LIST of designs *COUGH* lol. Well, continued from a previous post... this guy actually asked for a skull head & bat wings. It was a little bit of a challenge with this one because of the higher details involved & getting the proportion of the skull right. The design was prepped in pencil & marked out on the shoe itself before i filled in the background colors & lastly the details.
Above is the completed shoe viewed from the top. A gray background would've worked as well.
The shoe viewed from the side. As requested, I kept the shoe filled up for the most part. I covered the back with the guy's name colored a black fading into a red.

safari

I had a request to think up a design with a safari print..for a girl & she likes red. The minute i heard the words " safari print" , fortunately, a design hit me almost instantly. The concept I had in mind was pretty interesting. I wanted the shoe to have a print where it looked "graphic" yet like the canvas was ripped/torn off like paper & exposed an under side with the safari prints.

So i made a rough sketch as a proposal for the customer-->
The customer gave the thumbs up & i went on to working on the shoe itself. THEN *car screeeeech!* i realized the work area on the shoe was smaller than expected & the name couldn't "sit" like in the sketch..instead it'll cover quite a portion of the shoe. I edited the colors as I went along & got a feel for the design on the shoe. I also altered the position of the prints as i worked on the shoe, so here's the result:

"how's it hanging? whatcha doing?"

what's new pussy cat? LOL sketches! Some work i did while I was at work. En joy!

mediums: pencil, ink

thoughts while sketching all that: bliss...pure bliss..

feelings: i ROCK. LOL

** peace** xoxo

" Art is never finished, only abandoned"

I've recently taken an interest to typography more than i used to..& with more recent requests for me to design the customer's names on their shoes...I started sketching type designs & layouts. ALL hail "Miami Ink", those guys are crazy & thanks to that show, tattoo art have caught my interest as well. Here's one of the many sketches I just did in my trusty lil moleskin.

Stay tuned! I'll be coming up with a limited edition series of shoe designs & tee designs " tattoo inspired" ;) Better yet, let me update you...so sign up with me over on the left. (Preview)

XOXO

skull head & wings

It's been a while since I last put up something & just for the record...I'm still alive & kicking. LOL... What have I been up to? Well people, check the image on the left. I've started placing online advertisements about my shoe customizations & I've been busy with work as well as working on the shoe orders. Here's one order that I'm currently working on for a guy that caught my ad off www.mocca.com. He requested for a skull head & bat wings + a black cat. Inspired by the band "avenged7fold".


Here's the preliminary sketch.

fluidity 2: water & lines

Again, the design was left up to me. I based this design on the previous shoe ( in the previous post) but made lil changes to this one so it's unique. I hope you like it! As always, email me to if your interested to get yourself a pair done. ( P/s : do leave a way for me to get back to you about any details I'll need. =) )

fluidity

So the guy wanted something designed in black n white..cool i said, that'll be easy & i did it all the patterns in black first..something was missing. It looked dull not to mention flat. So i dyed the back portion of the shoe gray so the white in the design really popped..The gray really gave it a lil more depth. The tinges of blue & yellow were to accentuate the fluid lines. Think of it as waves on a stormy night kinda.

color me PINK!

FROM THE LEFT : -the complete pair - the close up - the preliminary sketch out


This request was simple..use pink. The concept was tricky. The execution was a "thumb-sore". So enjoy! This one was made upon special request ;)

**peace out**

yes or no?

Does MONEY make the world go round?

It's an arguable question a lot will say. Honestly...& really quite sadly, I think the answer is a yes.

*DEBATE it please if you dare*

a cup of tea & a ramble ( no, it's not a tea time pastry)

"Imagination's playing round for free
In my world I take him out for tea
Oh my God, can't say no

Skipping school, go walk for air
I just had to get out of bed
I'm on overload in my head

Train comes I don't know its destination
It's a one-way ticket to a madman's situation"

So during tea with my imagination, we get into a deep topic of conversation...

LIFE is what you make of it...( so I've been reminded by someone wiser than I :)) What comes to mind when you think of the local Singaporean kid? OK, here's how my train of thought looks like in my mind--->>----->

SG kid--> government school--> studying + spectacles--> exams + tests--> SQUARE--> "Ma & Pa says " study hard...all the way until cannot study anymore. Be a doctor, get the 5 Cs (very important)" --> *SCREEECH* >

Tell me I'm wrong about this but I've come to observe that a lot of kids don't know really, what exactly it is that they are interested in & will want to do FOR LIFE so they end up spending their parents cash on all the diplomas, degrees in the world just so they have a long list of alphabets before/after their name. So they've got this safety net because they can't think of what they want ( WHY? because they've never been allowed that chance to try & venture out...wonder about all the "What ifs". I'm really lucky I've been brought up to question "why this, why that, what if I...", but as much as my parents encourage all that... They made sure I knew I had to bear the consequences ( if at all there were any).

What I want to do & where I should go has been pretty clear the minute I discovered the lines I drew looked really good compared to the boy/girl sitting next to me in primary school *AHEM* & right here today as I'm writing this post, I've in hand 3 years of fine tuning my art + design skills in graphic/advertising design & it's not that I'm bored with what I'm doing..if anything else, my love & beliefs in graphic/advertising design have grown by leaps n bounds (picture me singing " THE HILLS ARE ALIVE~ with the sound of...my mouse clicking). HOW & WHY am I thinking about all this now u might ask? It's because I'm at this point in my life where I'm questioning who I am (again) & I just need the time right now to find myself ( WAIT wait..hold up..how did this start?) I'm nursing 2 bad injuries & it's not been easy keeping at the pace I've been working at, keeping up all my work to meet the deadlines. Frankly, my work's piling up & I have no choice still but to rest in between all the chaos then I started thinking...( taking into consideration A LOT of other issues):

1) Who's Jessica?
2) Do I still want what I wanted 3 years ago?
3) What am I capable of?
4) Am I where I want to be?
5) Is there something missing in my life right now? & what is/are they?
6) u know...& more questions like that :P ( I'm not gonna tell u all of em =x)---> GET UR OWN GOSSIP! :P

I'm no big daredevil or one for taking blind risks ( & i think most people aren't) but I calculate the risks involved & am always weighing the pros + cons for everything (I'm a darn weighing scale/balance for god's sake!). If there is one thing though, is that I DARE...take off my shoes & walk barefooted down orchard road...LOL im jk ;) So I've decided I NEED TO DO THIS..to find myself & get those questions answered. Look, stepping on the brakes while on the road to gaining a step to securing financial stability for myself can wait..I'm young, I've got my whole life ahead of me to finish where i left off..I'm not gonna be one of the spoon fed kids that have no minds/opinions or legs of their own to stand on ( never was, never will be & I'm NEVER gonna let my kids turn out that way *amen*)

**we pause to interrupt you with this fairly entertaining question** TRUE OR FALSE?---> " I don't think creative minds were ever spoon fed kids." *pause..take a moment to wonder about it* :P (GOOD..see you're starting to think like me..*COUGH!*)



"more tea sir?"

"no thank you. I had fun."

"Pleasure was all mine. Let's do this again. ;)"

The Waves at Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai..redone by me

Talk about a wearable piece of art. This here people is a pair i did recently for someone. A head turner? For sure. Get one if you know you're worth it.


The photo on your left is with 1 side completed & the other side after i dyed the shoe.

That on your right is the shoe up close. Happy viewing! ;)


** & like usual..email me to get your very own. **

Head over heels...

On my "day-off", I was limping around the mall near my place & you know...the funny thing is you can never turn your mind off. I don't know if that's ever even possible, seriously. ( ummm, Whoever reads this...if you do know the secret to switching off completely. Drop me a note.)

Alright so, I entered this store...lo & behold! I find another model of shoe ( the plain canvas kind). PURRRFECT. Just as a tee is a plain canvas, these shoes are too... Anything could be a canvas to explore ideas right? I HAD to have one to "test run". The larger blank space available on this new style was the best. I was suddenly "inspired" 8-) Riighht.. CHECK this out:

<------------Over on the left was completely "freestyled". Meaning to say I didn't really "plan" out what I wanted to draw..I just "felt" the design & let it come naturally. I knew I wanted something more "geometric" & something just alil "retro" looking. Like all the other shoes, they're waterproof, fade proof :) Colors used : black, purple , silver & shimmery blue.

**Email me for size range, prices & if you've got a particular design request ;) I'll see what I can do. Just mention slip-ons if you're interested in this model of shoe. **

more than just lines on a blank canvas

If it's on shoes, why not flip flops?
Water proof designs.
Email me for prices & size requests.

Art school confidential Part II

Right...so 6 months ago, this point in time seemed really distant almost like a dream I had last night ---> whacked out art school students lining the walkways with a burning cig. hanging off the corner of their lips, some with their headphones on, some talking in groups, some on their prized hand phones yakking, dance students walking around in leotards, the design students roaming the premises with their digital SLR's, fine art students sitting along the corridors sketching, kids with paint splattered jeans, then there's those who come to school as if they're participating in an on-going fashion parade. I see it in the distance, that black building that looks like a piece of Lego. As I pull up, the crowd of "arty farty" kids appear behind every wall along every corridor...

WHAM! Then it hit me, this ain't no dream man..."hello, Jessica. Welcome back to Lasalle-SIA. Today you actually DO have an orientation. CHECK B1-08/09 & you are in fact REALLY standing on the newly renovated floor of your new school premise. GOOD morning :) " 8-) ! BUT okay, walked in..looked left : there was "trying to look cool n all" dude looking at me..I turn & walk some more...to my right : TRUCKLOAD OF new students on a tour of the grounds. Right up in front----> live band!! ( i thought for a moment! OH AWESOME..live music..i LOIKE EHLOT). Stood near listening to em for abit then realized " oh shit. I've got a few minutes to search this gi-normous campus for basement 1.

Searching searching..."GOD i don't know where it is. Obviously it's 1 level down, no?" But i ask the locker rental lady anyways." excuse me. Do you know where basement 1 is?"

" NO> check the map lah... 8-)"
( What can I say--> Singaporeans are so! helpful. good help lady. I wonder if you know where your lockers will be at? geez.)

So I checked the map & stood there for 10 minutes. Lemme tell ya, it DID not help much at all. I strapped on my bag again & went down, walked around peeped through all the glass doors. BINGO..i recognized the bunch that are going to "$%&! my world up. Awesome ( see I'm brimming with joy & anticipation) Weird thing is though... they're the bunch that are going to $%&! my world up but they'll be the most honest, helpful bunch I know. See, it's kind of a love hate relationship. 8-) Where as on the other hand, I could wind up with the most horrid back-stabbing class of designers just waiting for you to fall & spill your guts. Then they'll bend down look at you, ask "you ok?" Without waiting for an answer from you, they'll rummage through your spilled guts, pick out what's of use to them & be on their way. I mean who knows...they might be able to communicate an idea while making some $$ with my guts? No shit.


Right then..I got shot back in time 3 years ago when I first joined the school at the old campus. Completely alone & everything seemed new, weird, foreign even albeit interesting. ;) If there's just one thing about being back at Lasalle, it's interesting what you'll see. That absolute first time I was being interviewed for my place in school, I looked around & seriously...my heart stopped cuz I was thinking NOO WAY! These people for real? I've not met people quite like this..tattooed & pierced where you can only imagine, hair dyed, braided in dreadlocks, some with styles completely of their own. God I felt out of place & I thought "mmm...maybe I don't belong here. This isn't quite my thing." ( WRONG answer. I'm back here 3 years later & I can say " I like it. yet I don't still. I don't know. It's almost hard to explain.)


I don't know how this year's gonna turn out. Probably better than the last one. I admit...I PLAN ON KICKING BUTT *ahem* ( excuse me). Then again, I can't lie...there's days like today I sit back thinking "god I hope i don't end up wasting my time here." Cuz seriously, since when has Art or design ever needed a certificate of qualification to prove an artist can paint, a designer can create? 8-) Food for thought?

XOXO gotta run lash in my eye

Feast your eyes on this...

"MAAD fresh", they said. Come one come all.
Here's the third customization job.
COMPLETELY hand customized.
Email me for price quotes
or for any questions.

MAAAD fresh.

Hey all :) This is the new "produce" fresh outta my hands. Canvas lace ups. All hand done. Dyed & drawn. **WARNING! colors do not rub off or wash off . They stay as is--->awesome :P **

To get your very own , email me.

Tourists get 30% discount (big grin)

I enjoyed my evening for the most part of it today :) Just this 1 teensy thing that tickled me... See I was at boat quay this evening, walking down the row of riverside eateries. OH kay, we past the first restaurant," ma'am, how about some seafood for you? We have crab, Singapore food, thai food...yada yada. Tourists get 30% discount!" I just smiled & said oh, no thank you. I'm just taking a walk.

Restaurant 2:
"miss! Come try our seafood. Our prices are very good. We have Singaporean food. Tourists get 30% discount! Must try our...blah blah"

Restaurant 3:
"Sir, miss. Try our curry? Very delicious."

Restaurant 4:
"Ma'am, sir...come come. Seafood for you. Tourists get 30% discount? (wide smile)"

Me," oh thank you. I'm just walking."

"okay. Come back later? Think about it? Here take my name card"

This went on as I walked down the long stretch of restaurants & pubs. Then it hit me. (eyes wide open) They think I'm a tourist!!! OH for god's sake...did I speak different? Look foreign? Any tell- tale signs? WHAM! there it was...He who was walking next to me had on (drum roll) his sticker from the museum we were at earlier. Then I figured, good idea..since they "cut your throat" at these places. A 30% discount sounds brilliant. So I put my rising hand back down. I was so tempted to reach across his chest & rip off the blue sticker.

I had a plan...I'd take on a "tourist persona" for the evening if need be....so we're walking & walking...more of these people tried luring us to have dinner "with them". Then I saw it, smiling at me. "Coffee bean" LOL. No "local/tourist discrimination", it was Al-fresco. Loved it...I sat drinking my usual & having a sandwich. Lo & behold, I was in perfect position to people-watch, watch the fireworks, army jets & 5 guys "falling from the sky" in well-timed precision. Awesome.

I've decided I should do this more often then? Maybe I will.

**wan an**

VOTE "CMYT". Because we "care". :P

INTERNET + EMAIL ADDRESS = THE LATEST ON CMYT

Need I say more?

Sign up for the CMYT newsletter & be the first to know what's up or not, what's new & hot. If you, like me, believe in spending $$ on great design, "designing for humanity", then sign up for *me* on the left. It's free & what's the worse that could happen?------> you'll just get an e-newsletter about what's going on down here & maybe even a free CMYT customized goodie ;) FYI: If for any reason, you wish to unsubscribe to us. The option is available. No worries.

CollectMYShoes // CMYS // CollectMYShoes // CMYS

//CMYT puts up CMYS (collectmyshoes)//

okay so you know what makes a great outfit...It doesn't have to be the latest designer gear, the weirdest geometric haircut & dye job, it's pure attitude. How you let yourself carry off the pieces you wear really defines the outfit & could very well make you look like Kate Moss next to the neighborhood "Lian" at the traffic light crossing in front of Heeren. So check this right...

In our very first few posts, I announced we "do" shoes: we customize your chuck taylors, your "Batas" ( if you request ;) ) Or you could just "collect my shoes". What happens is..every few months, here at CMYT, we churn out graphics/illustrations that have a "theme" .


The current upcoming collection ( which would be out first) is "Japanese inspired". Be sure to watch this space for the latest kicks. Again, for any questions or requests, just email me. ;)

**signing out**

It bugs me...

the increase of ignorant irresponsible shallow Singaporeans that bring their dogs to the beach merely for use as an "accessory" like the latest color of Havaianas on their perfectly pedicured feet.

YES! the Husky is a BEE-A-Utiful breed of dog, NOT SUITABLE FOR OUR CLIMATE for god's sake! Is that so hard to understand? The thing I can't quite get over is how the authorities allow pet shops & people to bring in Huskies?! That poor dog has the fur coat as thick as the skulls of all these local yuppies buying them. LOL.

A few houses down before mine, there's a family that just had their Husky shaved ( okay so that's the smartest thing I've seen done other than keeping their dog cooped up in an air-conditioned room) Which BTW, isn't quite "cold" enough. You see...where they come from the temperature's a good minus xx degrees. 8-) That's 1. So 2, how big is that room? (HONESTLY!) They're big dogs. Unless you've got your entire house air-conditioned 24/7, I think that's just cruel, keeping the dog inside like that. Not to be a "pain in the butt" but also having the air-condition on 24/7 contributes to global warming which in turn again affects not just us but the endless amount of animals living in the colder countries FYI 8-). If there's ever something else that Singapore could be known for other than their "Singlish Lahs, Lors & mehs" , its that they're a very selfish irresponisble bunch of humans that walk this section of the Earth. They'll drive to the shop that's a 5 min walk from their home. (C'MON!) Back to the dogs...

So I've established that these dogs shouldn't be here. Now we'll look at the stupid bunch that brings them to the beach where they're under direct heat exposure! It's come to my attention that I've observed a significant increase in "Husky beach wearers". Why?? Seriously..why?? Do you think it brings you more attention? Well, I feel sad for you people if you lack such self confidence that you need to torture an animal to feel noticed. ;) OH & did I mention..the "A-typical" crowd most responsible for this behaviour would be those in their 20s-30 somethings? ( mmm hmm the yuppies that work "OH SO HARD" at their cushy banker & business jobs during the week in their Prada & Armani suits whom have no "cause" better to spend their extra $$ on but an IMPORTED dog as yet another status symbol **check Prada & armani suits for work**)

Then there's those that bring their dogs for the fun of it ( which is a nice thought...ONLY if your dog enjoys the water right?) 8-) Geez. I see these people set up their spot under that beach hut, flip open their beach chairs & other nonsense that they've brought to feel like they've not left their HDB flat 8-) :P then grab their cowering pooch & run towards the water. The poor dogs' got its tail between its legs<---is that not a sign enough apart from the "cowering" factor? LOL thick skulls indeed. Tsk tsk. Yes they're natural swimmers, sure you drop them in..they'll swim. Where? TO SHORE! Get it? some of them just don't like it. IMAGINE having a fear of heights, then your parents just grab you & push you off a cliff to dive into the sea below ( of course knowing that's safe for you ;)).

"don't do unto others what you'd not want done to yourself"

To make matters worse...continue imagining that your parents went to the extent to have lifeguards fish you out of the water as your swimming to shore for dear life & to get the hell away from them, but a lifeguard gets a hold of you & brings you back to your parents only to have them throw u back in again! That's exactly what you twits are doing to your dog you say you love. RIGHT! 8-)

p/s Food for thought. ( although i know alot of you wouldn't give a $%&! about it any more than what food item you should indulge yourself with later :P)

**signing out**