Sketches / #Girlboss in NYC

I finally blogged! It's been forever, I've been hanging out all summer long in the greatest city in the world, New York City! And it really is the greatest city, there are a million great events to go to everyday, drawing events, comic jams, outdoor movies, yoga in Central Park. And yesterday was Sophia Amoruso's paperback book launch for #GIRLBOSS at Barnes & Noble in Union Square.

I remember first discovering the Nasty Gal website in university when one of my cool girl classmates told me about it, I loved it and always checked back to see what was new. They have such a strong look. You could just tell all the women at the event were huge fans too, everyone had that Nasty Gal 'look', there was lots of black, in mesh, lace and lacey mesh, 'marsala' (which Sophia said was huge for this season), floppy hats, dark lips and platform shoes. So while we waited for the event to start, there was a lot of marshaling to be done seeing as there were 500+ eager gals there, I made some sketches to pass the time.

Sophia had lots of awesome wisdom tid-bits during the talk, some of my faves were:

"Money looks better in your bank than on your feet." Cha-Ching! So true.

On creating your dream job.
"Professionalize what you love doing, that's what I did with vintage clothing."

From a Q+A from an aspiring stylist.
"Take quality photos of all your looks, get a Squarespace. Archive everything."

Well you know I love female role models (Hi Hillary!) and the entrepreneur spirit, so of course I can't wait to finally read the book. Plus! The book has amazing badassy illustrations by Jo Radcliffe.

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Sketches / Prada Baby

Prada Baby, 2015.

First day back at the desk, an one afternoon sketch to help me get back into the swing of things. Inspired by the Sasha Pivovarova for Prada ad. I'm just such a fan of drawing shoes and little animals.

Off to make dinner now, sooo hungry!

Sketches / Pradasphere

Did you know Lorde was in town? Playing a secret concert for the opening of Prada's new exhibition Pradasphere in Hong Kong? No? Me either, but don't worry us plebes still got the chance to check out the fabulous exhibition housed in a temporary but glorious structure on top of Pier 4 in Central.

You've never seen the Lamma Island pier look so glamourous, the whole building got a Prada makeover with 'Yue Shue Wan' proclaimed in white letters on a sleek black background. And when you step inside onto the lush black and green checkered carpeting you are transformed into Miuccia's world and the brand's history starting from the 1970's onwards.

If it's one thing I love it's visiting fashion exhibitions.
Here's a few of the sketches I made at the exhibition, I love doing quick sketches while looking at the real thing it makes all the difference in making drawings with a lively immediate quality. After I got home I added a thin wash of colour in gouache and watercolour.

All these Prada shoe prints are available for sale on my Etsy shop, I'm also selling the set of original little sketches too, email me if you want to cop those.

Click through for the [IMG HEAVY] post with all the delicious photos from Pradaphere, warning-- you'll want to buy all the things.

5 Days in Tokyo / Sticker + Postcard Set

One of my new years resolutions for 2014 was to make a zine and distribute it, but every time I came home from a trip I would begin to paint and make sketches for a zine but I could never finish it. It starts getting tedious and arranging the pages seem really confusing to me.

But! I finally found a solution! Instead of a zine, I made this illustrated postcard about my spontaneous trip to Japan in September: '5 Days in Tokyo'. It's short and sweet but still tells the story about what I ate, what I saw and what (or who, hahahaha!) I did.

Like everyone else I like to talk forever about myself and my travels but this condensed format doesn't really let me do that. Just little symbols and a sentence or two to explain each one.

I also made 8 piece stickers out of the little illustrated objects, portable talisman I can stick anywhere to remind me of the good times I had on the trip. A seashell collected from Kamakura beach, an Iphone for OkCupid/Tinder holiday flings, both fatty + lean tuna sushi from Tsukiji Fish Market, a sweet potato with soulful little eyes, a cool Tokyoite girl spotted at Omotesando shopping district and lastly the airplane window view of the perfectly manicured Japanese farmland.

I hope that people will look at the objects in the set and wonder what kind of story I'm trying to tell, like a puzzle you can decorate things with.

I'm gonna be making these postcards for all my trips now, next stop: 5 Days in Chaing Mai for Christmas! Helllloo elephants and delicious Thai food!

Buy the '5 Days in Tokyo' sticker set from my Etsy shop themarrow and get the free matching postcard! They'll perfect stocking stuffers for your kawaii wanderlusting pals. Gotta stick 'em all!

Sketchbook / Is The Living Body the Last Thing Left Alive?

Maybe it's the eternal student instinct in me but I love attending lectures, they're usually super interesting, a good opportunity for me to pretend to be a very serious scholar/artist, and if nothing else they present some nice downtime to make some doodles and people watch.

And that's exactly what I did at the Para Site Conference for their "Is the Living Body the Last Thing Left Alive? The New Performance Turn, its Histories and its Institutions" series a few months ago.

Kitty N. Wong, 2014.
Is The Living Body the Last Thing Left Alive? Ballpoint pen on paper.
30 cm x 21 cm.

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.

Recent Work / RSVP

My newest illustration for Hong Kong Tatler: "Is the RSVP a Dying Art?". Drawn in ballpoint pen and coloured digitally. I just have a total soft spot for the colour pink right now, especially a cool and crisp shade like this one.

Read the article here. As always thanks to the editor Charmaine!

Live Drawing / Guest Artist at Lane Crawford

I'm so excited to share that I was invited by Lane Crawford to be one of their live drawing artist for the Global Traveller in store event last month. They had three artist working at each of their Hong Kong locations, Cary Kwok at IFC, who's work I was really inspired by after seeing it at ARTHK11 and Telephone Fung at Times Square, Causeway Bay. It was surreal to see one of my illustrations blown up as a life-size backdrop for this job!

For three days I was set up at the Canton Rd. store doing quick 5 minute live portraits for guests of the event. How can you top a temporary studio inside Lane Crawford? Surrounded by a bucket of drawing utensils, glamorous people, the latest collections, amazing soundtrack and an endless stream of sparkling water (gelato and bubbly too!), I felt spoiled! 

The theme of the illustration was 'Front Row' the idea being that the guest would be sketched sitting next to some of the fashion greats, Grace Coddington, Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, his little kitty Choupette and Anna Della Russo. I also wanted to feature an Asian star so who better than Fan Bing Bing? Who is known for her otherworldly beauty and out of this world fashion choices.

Click through to see the rest of the image heavy post and photos from the three day event.

Recent Work / Dinner Party Seating Arrangements for Hong Kong Tatler

A simple, bright, clean illustration for an new article from Hong Kong Tatler on whether couples should be split or sat together at dinner parties? The illustration was inked in ballpoint pen (Stabilo Liner 808 F, naturally) and coloured digitally.

I'm for split in case you were wondering, dinner parties are for meeting new people! What do you guys think? Separate or together? Also, invite me to dinner parties you fancy pants!

Read the article here.

As always, thanks to the wonderful editor Charmaine.