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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Illustrations / Rowing Blazers

HELLO from NEW YORK CITY!
A place so nice they named it twice. I've been busy busy since I got here about two weeks ago, I'm doing the illustration summer residency course here at the School of Visual Arts, drawing non-stop and exploring this gigantic city. I've got a huge backlog of stuff I want to share with you guys, so much exciting stuff has been happening to me but unfortunately you can only be cool online or offline - not both, you greedy bastard!

My eyeballs are burning while I'm writing - I need to go to bed. Do you guys even care that I write anything? Anyways, here are some pretty pictures and the illustrations from a cool event I got to go to last week it was the launch party of the book Rowing Blazers, it was hosted in the gorgeous and historic National Arts Club and they had two models for the drawing club that usually meets there to draw from - and so I crashed the party! 

 CLICK THROUGH for photos from the event and a peek of the work from the drawing club.

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.

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.

Sketch / Uptown Girl in Ink + Non Photo Blue

 

Quick little ink drawings from last night. I'm working with a company here in Hong Kong to produce some silk scarves with my illustrations on them! I'm so excited, but working with those huge files on Photoshop to create patterns can be really tedious.

I've been reading Lynda Barry's cartoon class blog for-eva-eva but I never actually get around to doing the exercises, but last night she posted this photo with the instructions "why not take 20 minutes to draw this picture? Start with non-photo blue pencil for five minutes and then take 15-20 minutes to ink it in."

Fun, creative and non-committal! Here's mine.

I also made another drawing with the same technique of Lana Del Rey from her new Rolling Stones cover, Saddest/Baddest Diva. I love how the cat turned out, look at his little eyes. Meow.

I'm selling both of these little paintings. They're originals, each $50USD and 16cm x 21cm. Email me at kitty.n.wong (at) gmail.com if you're interested!

Painting / Inky Beauties on Cheap Paper

Beauty #1, #2, #3, 2014.
Gouache on paper.
30 cm x 21 cm.

Experimenting with a liner brush on cheap cheap paper the other night. Sometimes I go to events and I end up coming home with a huge stack of press releases, that stresses me out because I'm always trying to be as environmentally friendly as I can. The other night I was practicing brush lettering on my back side of the old press releases (reuse! reduce! recycle!) and saw this gorgeous photo of Natalia Vodianova in fur and felt an irresistible urge to paint her pretty face.

But then I was like no it wouldn't look good, not with just a paintbrush and some ink. It's not going to look good! But what's the harm? I've got all this paper. I did one, it was terrible so I made another one, and another and another. Here are three of my favourites from my stack that evening.

Beauty #1 is available as a print or iPhone, Samsung phone case on my Society6 Shop now! You buy one and look so chic while you chat on your phone with all your friends because you're so popular!

May TMI / This Month I: Was a Dream Girl in a Dream City

Month of May it's a violent thing! I can't believe May has come and gone again. May was indeed a bit violent at least for my schedule. I had three live-drawing gigs booked! One of which was for Lane Crawford, and the second was during Art Basel at the Chai Wan Mei Village event for Tangram x Spottly. This mirror I painted was part of my booth and mini-exhibition where I sat and painted large watercolour portraits for the price of a deep dark secret from my subject.

My illustration for Tatler Hong Kong art month's The Great Debate: Can Art Still Shock? Read the article here. As always thanks to the editor Charmaine.

Sketches at the Xu Bing exhibition at Asia Society. Read more about it on my blog post. 

As I was getting ready for my upcoming trip to London, I found a new use for those watercolour scraps that have no use but are too cute to throw away. I used the paper to pin all my earrings together so they're organized when I'm travelling. I hope people noticed that I wore these very location appropriate Big Ben earrings all throughout my London trip, just like Miss Frizzle would do. Dee. Eye. Why?

My first sketch in London made on the tube from Heathrow to my hostel in Holborn. The Tube, so expensive and so rickety! During my trip, I mostly ended up taking the bus or walking. And since being back in Hong Kong, I have gained back all the weight I lost while walking everywhere in London since being able to afford public transportation again.

First stop in LDN: National Portrait Gallery. NPG! NPG! NPG! This gorgeous mosaic floor was taken at the neighboring National Gallery, dope!

Last month was so special, not only did I get to visit a new country for the first time, but I also got to witness my very special friend designer and illustrator Belinda Love Lee get married in Wales.  During the ceremony inside a beautiful marquee decked out in white and the most delicate shade of grlue (green + blue) I snapped a pic with my pretty university pal Katelyn Bishop, who is also a talented graphic designer.

Sketching Henry Wessel photographs at Tate Modern.

I did a lot of walking when I was in London and during my walks I pretty much stopped at every single charity shop I came across. Retromania by Fara was my favourite, not only are they a really well curated vintage shop but all the proceeds go to charity. I got this super sick 70's white and blue printed batwing dress, can't wait to show you guys!

Sketching Robert Mapplethorpe photos while waiting for my time slot to the Matisse: The Cut-Outs to start. Overlooking St. Paul and the Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern really is a magical space in a magical city.

Love you so much London!
Follow my daily adventures on Instagram - @kittynwong.

April TMI / This Month I: Painted Faces and Left the City

Twenty minute sketch of the historical Nan Yuan Restaurant courtyard in Guangzhou, where it feels like you're eating dim sum at the Forbidden City in the Ming dynasty.

This month, we in Hong Kong were treated to a scrumptious extra-long public holiday over Easter weekend. I took the opportunity to take my mind off work for a few days by taking two mini vacations. First, a day trip to Po Toi O (Cloth Bay Bay) with my friends where we sailed to Kwo Chau Islands and looked at geo formations and then ate copious amounts of seafood.

Then the next day my family and I spent one night and two days in Guangzhou, under magic hour's fading sun, for 2RMB the commuter ferry will take you along the colonial buildings of Shamian Island and under the river's many steel bridges where it looks mysteriously and nostalgically just like sailing down the Paris Seine.

The month started with the much anticipated ParaSite Conference "Is The Living Body The Last Thing Left Alive" at Asia Society, I went because I wanted to learn more about performance art. There's that saying that 'If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room' this room was the exact opposite, everyone in it seemed so much smarter than me they could have been speaking a different language. I felt like a freshman who had accidentally stumbled into a Masters of Philosophy lecture on her first day of school, I spent most of the time doodling the back of people's heads of which there were many interesting hairstyles to choose from.

Reading this month's Vogue I was inspired to do a painting of art dealer Amy Cappaellazzo, this is a WIP shot. 

Last weekend, I had a really wonderful live drawing job booked for the Let's Spa-rty shopping and yoga event organized by Omberry, A Day with Fe and Hanuman, with the proceeds from the yoga session benefitting Mother's Choice. It was such a positive and relaxing place to do live portraits as I listened to the yogis and their teacher practice their downward dogs while I drew and interacted with the guests who came to sit down at my booth. This lovely sketch was one of the last ones I did from the two hour session she was wearing a beautiful millinery creation from Mei Chi, one of the vendors from the day.

At the beginning of the month I had a little more time to paint personal work, but it's since gotten super busy with Art Basel coming up I've got a couple projects on my hands, and a few days of live drawing jobs booked and I'm getting ready for my London trip at the end of this month!

This is a small gouache painting, Vincent Van Girgh she's for sale as beautiful vivid prints on my Etsy shop.

Painting orchids for a bespoke wedding client. I've been getting to research gorgeous Bali landscapes for this job, sigh!

More swirly girly portraits. This one was inspired by Amanda Seyfried in the Givenchy ad campaigns, prints are also availabe for sale on Etsy.

TBT: it's that time of the year again, Le French May, I always have such good feelings toward Le French May, I feel it was an exhibition there that quietly helped steer me into the career I have now, I clearly remember going to the YSL retrospective feeling really inspired by the vast collection they had on display there, all the prints and interesting colours and cuts. Seeing that in combination with the Cary Kwok paintings at ARTHK12 I was so inspired I immediately came home after the exhibition and started making a few illustrations of my own. And then I also created a new blog to share them too, that was two years ago.

And lastly some postcard packages that I sent out this month, with some extra illustrated goodies, a pretty 25% off coupon and my business card. Get yours in my Etsy shop.

For daily updates follow me on Instagram @kittynwong.

Sketchbook Girls / Blue Moon

When I was little, I had a dream dictionary and I was obsessed with anaylizing my dreams and figuring out the grand meanings behind each one. Then I realized that the symbols in my dreams were nothing more than a reflection from the mundane details I had picked up throughout my day.

Inspiration is a bit like that, you could dissect your inspiration like your dreams. This is a sketchbook entry I did last night before bed. I had been listening to Snowblink's gorgeous rendition of Blue Moon all night and was probably inspired by it to paint the blue orb polka dot background. Earlier that day I had watched the Tate Shot: Lorna Simpson video and was really fascinated by the white paint that the analog photo retouchers used in her collection of vintage photographs. Even though I had mostly forgotten about the video, I subconsciously felt a need to outline the figure like in the photographs.

Just as our brains declutter our minds by dreaming, I like the idea that nightly sketchbooking clears out my mind and gets my subconscious onto paper. It's a kind of meditation. 

Did you guys do any type of meditation? And do you find it makes a difference in your life?

This illustration is available as a print in my Etsy shop, go and have a look, I'm always uploading new things.

How to Make Better Art: 10 Ways to Develop a Creative Routine + Get Better

Say Lou Lou. 2014.

Pencil and gouache on sketchbook paper. Made just before bed, my most creative time.

The only way to get better at something is to practice it, and to practice regularly you must create a routine and stick with it. During the last year or two working as an artist and illustrator these are the top 10 habits I've learned so far to help me develop my craft.

1. Don't apologize for your work. I know its tempting because your work won't be as good as you want it to be yet and you don't want anyone thinking that's all you have inside you. You have so much more you want to express, I know! But fight it, if you don't believe in your work how can other people? If it's not as good as you want, re-work it until you can accept it. Share it and then leave it at that, don't make any excuses.

2. It's OK to make ugly stuff. Experiment in your sketchbook or scrap pieces of paper for even less pressure. It keeps your work fresh and you can find and explore new directions. Continually experiment. Try something that might not work, that's what making art is.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year!
I have absolutely no self control when it comes to chocolate and now I feel very sick.

Sketches / Joan Crawford by Eve Arnold in Ballpoint Pen

A little pen drawing of Joan Crawford from my sketchbook, and by sketchbook I mean random sheets of scrap paper I stuff into my purse. From an Eve Arnold book I was flipping through at the library. I've been using the Stabilo Liner 808 F pens a lot lately, seriously best and cheapest ballpoint pen around, they're $2 at the stationery store here.

Tourist in my Own City / Ah Fong Shanghai Wonton Dumplings

Yesterday I had lunch at a really cozy spot near my house with a big Matisse print on the wall-- a little dumpling restaurant staffed by women where during the after lunch rush was full of lone diners like myself.

I had the "light meal" set which comes with a bowl of dumplings, your choice of side dish and a glass of soy milk for $39HKD. I opted for a comforting mug of hot Ovaltine for an extra 2 bucks since I'm trying to have less soy due to my thyroid. For the side, I chose the sweet vinegar ribs which were so delicious; tangy, savoury and sweet which went perfectly with the rice cake that came in the dumpling soup.

I read the new National Geographic about the world's first skiers. Since being back in Hong Kong I always ask for a Nat Geo subscription for my birthday, it's like getting a really informative present each month. 

阿芳餛飩
Ah Fong Shanghai Wonton
G/F, 40  Sung Kit Street, Hung Hom. Kowloon.

Sketches / Kate Moss at the Beach with Two Cigs in Gouache and Pencil

Made some sketches while pursuing Tumblr the other night from a photo of Kate Moss on the beach.
Gouache and pencil on extremely shitty paper that I bought on vacation in Beijing.

Here's a detail shot, I like the texture. I always like to draw everyone with very Asian looking eyes.

This little beauty is for sale: $100 CAD. She's about 10" x 7", pencil and gouache on paper. Original painting.
Email me if you're interested: kitty.n.wong (at) gmail (dot) com

I have two weddings to go to next year, and they're both so far away. So I'm going to be selling some more drawings and paintings soon to try to save up for them. Keep your eyes out for originals on my Etsy shop. And the signed framed prints from the Shoes / Off shows are listed there too.

www.etsy.com/shop/themarrow

Sketches / Dracula Daria from the Juergen Teller Celine Ads

 Some sketches I made while procrastinating from making comics yesterday. This is Daria Werbowy in the Celine ads, even if she looks a bit like Dracula here. Painting the background tile patterns was my favourite part. 

When I was in Beijing I bought so many art supplies, they were all pretty cheap, in quality and price. But this notebook is pretty cool, it's like a four ring binder and you can take out the pages for scanning.

I also made this Daria head to try to figure out how to draw her face, but seriously, all back ponytails, how does one even draw those?

In other news, I made a sketches and inspiration Tumblog so feel free to follow that!
http://kittysketches.tumblr.com/

Fashion History / Fuck Your War Rations, This is the New Look.

I was on the mini-bus home with my mom from the Maron Bouillie Paris Rétro exhibition in Olympian City and I was showing my mom these little comics that I've been loving lately and she was like YOU should make comics but I brushed it off like like what would I even draw about?

And then at 3 AM last night (that's when I get all my ideas, I keep a notebook beside my bed just for that purpose) I had this idea that I should draw comics about fashion history! I've always wanted to do a project about fashion history and this is perfect for it. So here is the first one from the still Untitled Fashion History Comic Project.

This first one is about Christian Dior's extravagant New Look in Post WWII Paris. Enjoy! \And let me know if you have any favourite moments in fashion history you want to see. Tweet me! Or comment below! xx

Drawings / Orange You Sad You Didn't Grow Up in the 60's?

Orange you glad Orange is the New Black? Actually I have never seen that show, I've been keeping busy with endless episodes of Peep Show, some anti-saint of productivity has uploaded all 8 series onto Youtube (Bless you!).

Drew this little orange and black mod girl the other night with Pentel brush pen, painted with a bit of gouache and coloured on Photoshop.