Pastels

I have limited energy to do pastels these days, whereas it is easier to pick up a camera and just take a few shots. The one on the right was based on a photo I took a few months ago near my place, the strong directional light made it easy to create a dramatic photo/ painting

This is the reference photo used for the painting:

The one on the left is still a work in progress! Recently found a shop that sells individual sticks of Rembrant pastels which are really good. The dark brown area on the bottom right was made possible with one of these sticks.

-Mike

Macro Dog

"so many pictures of me?!"

Our family sausage dog Frank is a ready photographic treasure chest. He is always doing something funny, even when he is sleeping! Most of the photos that I've taken of him are portraits or full length (not easy) body shots, and one day I realised that macro pictures of him were something that I had not tried yet. I was lucky to have the Tamron adaptail 35-80mm f2.8-3.8 lens, it was something my Dad bought during the film-era which I managed to fit onto my Panasonic G2 with the help of an adapter I got off Ebay (for $24!). The lens has a pretty useful Macro function, which basically let's me go really close to Frank and focus on his nose, paws...etc

Frank, having mostly black fur, can be very difficult to focus the lens on. Everything is just so dark through the viewfinder/LCD, and when you can see him, you have to look for individual strands of fur! So useful "focus points" on him include his brown patches (eyebrows, paws etc.) most of these photos required long exposures ranging from 5-20 plus seconds. The camera was placed on the floor and a 2-second timer was used. Him moving was another issue, so I had to catch him when he was very sleepy. His nose is actually very mobile, his nostrils can go to almost a right angle with his snout!

His paw pads are amazingly bouncy. If you squeeze them (gently) the pads splay apart then bounce back together again. I didn't notice the fur he had in between his paw pads before this.

Whiskers. The Tamron lens produced very nice images despite being at least 20 years old.

Tail. Hope you enjoyed the pictures, more coming soon!

-Mike

"Lime Sherbet"

A tub of lime sherbet ice cream dreams of it raining limes and ice cubes.

Mike

Esther in the corridor of aknuwat primary school, showing the kids a photo on her camera

"Sawker Ah!"

Recently blew the dust off my brushes, it's been such a long time since I did a shirt!

This shirt is based on a photo of a foosball table I took in a restaurant. Just thought I'd do something fun and different for a change!

mike

Wei Chee and Boy At the Aknuwat Primary School Clinic

these are the moments in life that are truly priceless

"Please Be True": the stars are out tonight

A new take on the original "the stars are out tonight" shirt (which is still available in a girls' M). With the addition of a moon and street lamps bringing out highlights from the roofs and trees. There is an extra picture showing the happy new owner of the shirt!

Mike