Live Drawing / Marks & Spencer

Last month I got a super exciting chance to create an original illustration for Marks & Spencer! I love M&S, when I was in England this summer I stocked up on so many pairs black tights and comfy-cute bras. Plus they're so nice there, whenever I stop by the stores here in Hong Kong they always call me ma'am, I into that.

Located in Lanson Hotel in Causeway Bay, M&S hosted the press event to present their A/W 2014 collection and to celebrate their first time presenting at London Fashion Week. This was the first time I've ever been outfitted by a brand for their event, it was so much fun to pick out an outfit with the M&S team, after many maybe outfits I finally chose a body hugging mid-calf Per Una dress in a red and black geometric print paired with gold and silver accessories. I love how the dress is super comfy (girrrl, I gotta werk!) has a qi-pao vibe because of the length but it's still super modern because of the print and stretch knit fabric.

READ ON to see more photos of the event and my live illustrations.

Quotes / Dressing Up

One of my favourite quotes about feminism and beautification, but I think it also applies to a lot of other privileges in life as well.

September TMI / This Month I: Went to Tokyo!

Over the past year I've discovered that I love travelling so much! I can really say that now, when I was younger I liked traveling, I knew it was something that was important to like, but I didn't love-love-love it. I was a bit scared of it and while abroad I would only ever do daytime activities and I would always make sure to retreat back to my hostel before it got dark out.

Maybe it's getting older and having a little more experience and disposable income but with each trip I feel more and more liberated, I'm probably more adventurous and open to new experiences while I'm traveling now and I'm constantly scheming about how I can go on my next vacation.

Marion Crepes, I read in my guide book this is the original place to get crepes in Harajuku and duh, you have to eat a crepe while shopping in Harajuku. It's the kawaii thing to do. But while it looks super cute in photos, the crepe was full of artificial cream and not very delicious.

I drew this while catching an episode of Bizzare Foods with Andrew Zimmern, tell me this doesn't look egg-actly like him. No word yet on whether this particular egghead has met his hard-boiled end during breakfast time.

This month I also got to work with the amazing Marks and Spencer team to create an illustration for their A/W 2014 press preview event where I got to live draw some of the media guest right into the illustration alongside Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth, Kate Middleton and M&S spokespersons Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and David Gandy.

They were also kind enough to outfit me in this amazing graphic print Per Una dress and little black patent t-strap heels. I felt soh kyute!

One of my absolute favourite photographers came to do a lecture in Hong Kong! Martin! Parr!

Speaking of traveling, it was on a trip to Paris where I was first introduced to Parr's work. I saw an ad for one of his exhibitions "Planète Parr" on show at the Jeu de Paume on the Paris Metro (ah, the wonderful exhibition ads in the Paris and London subways, how I love thee) and I just had to go.

After hearing him speak and explain his process a little, I don't even know how else to describe the man except that he's just soooo coool. Blog post to come soon!

I got to create a logo for my friend Nicole's brand new website Nic416.com, I'm so happy I got to help her create this portrait to use as a logo for her site and it was so much fun to make.

After every trip I always get post-vacation blues, I love being able to roam around a city all day, have travel buddies to hang out with all the time and meet new people and it can be so jarring to switch back to home/work mode. Good thing I bought a lot of souvenirs in Japan all complete with cute packaging like this sake juice box, it even comes with a straw. Weirrrrrd.

"We can dress up for our own pleasure, but we must speak up for our rights." - Naomi Wolf.

That quote is often how I feel about living in Hong Kong, we love our hedonistic pleasures here but we also have a lot of freedom and while we should enjoy them we shouldn't forget that this freedom is a privilege and we should make sure we stand up to protect it. I made this little sketch to support the Occupy Central protests that have been going on.

To finish off this month of Tokyo hopping and face-drawing, here is a favourite portrait from the live sketching job I did for Tiffany & Co a few weeks ago for their in-store event. The guest was even wearing the exact shade of Tiffany blue, how perfect.

August TMI / This Month I: Night Hiked + Quick Sketches

RIP Lauren Bacall, she along with Marilyn Monroe were two of my favourite old Hollywood stars. I used to watch How to Marry A Millionaire on repeat in my early teens. I'll still put it own whenever I'm feeling down. That broad sure was on the level.

Do you guys know about Old Master Q? 老夫子! Ohhh my gosh, I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this comic. As a kid living in Hong Kong, I used to go for dim sum with my grandma every weekend and each time she would give me a few bucks to go down to the newsstand to buy the new issue of Old Master Q so I would sit still for a even just a second during the meal. They were selling originals (!) at Sotheby's, I got a chance to check out the exhibition and most of the pieces still had me laughing out loud. So much love.

I've been so into night hiking this month, I've been challenging myself each week with a hike from Wong Tai Sin to Sha Tin Wai and it feels so good to see myself improving. And the hike itself is magical too, monkeys (ok, sometimes scary), lighting bugs and the trail ends just 5 mins from the MTR. Ugh! Too good. I drew this little sketch after a walk along the Tai Po Promenade where the sampans were parked for the night, romantic!

Pink is the word, is the word that you heard. It's got groove, it's got meaning. Pink is the time, is the place, it's the motion. Pink is the way we are feeling. I've been collection pink things this month just by accident: strawberry fields Tic Tacs (ew!), plastic hair thingymabobs, Japanese peach candies with adorable packaging, my new Kate Spade Saturday card case and my Strawberry Milk illustrated postcard.

One of my favourite things about being an illustrator is drawing ridiculously inane things for my friends for their birthdays. May I present 'Jumpin' Josh Hot Sauce', so hot it'll make you hop.

At last, it's my 27th birthday and just like that I'm in my late twenties. How did that happen? I did a casual day at the beach and BBQ in the evening at Shek O this year and I made these illustrated crowns for all my friends to wear for the festivities. Ifffffff I could turn back time (then I'd be Cher, I guess).