How to be a better female illustrator?

There was a very motivating talk today in class and well, this is what I've concluded on how to be a better female illustrator\designer.

1) Think like a man

Do you know that in general, guys are more assertive than girls? Basically, they are capable of working along the lines much better than girls do. They're self-promotional most of the time, and are confident in their work. I'm not saying girls aren't like that, but most female are more insecure about themselves, hence, their work. I believe this has everything to do with our EQ level. The fact that we like to feel has become an obstacle for us. So ladies, think like a man. The male rate of being a boss or an employee with a high position is higher than female, but it's not our fault. For such a position, we need someone who incorporates this manly personality, so this generally goes to the guys who are so confident with their work and are able to pull off an interview as though it was a sure thing. All we need to do is think like a man and we'll be able to work like a boss. The world out there isn't all that sexist. We can do this, ladies. It's not what we do, it's how we do it. 

2) Doodle with pen instead.

If you're a doodler like myself, and often uses a pencil, change. When we naturally reaches over for a pencil to doodle, this say something about you. Insecurities. The fact that you know you can erase a wrong path chose your choice of tools, and that is also double the trouble of inking afterwards. Yes, a rough draft of your image is fine, but when you start doodling in pencil for a long time, you find safety behind the eraser. Pen's not easy, you'll make mistakes, your line wouldn't be stick straight but it's fine. There's a reason why they're call doodles. And although, the best inspiration comes from mindless doodles, you can however scan them in your computer and digitally correct your mistakes. This again goes back to number 1, it's about how you present it. Naturally, your potential employers would be more interested in seeing your finish product\doodle than your entire sketchbook. Once you've digitally enhanced it, it's no longer a doodle, it's part of your work, now that's more presentable to be in your portfolio than your scrappy moleskin you eat and sleep with anyways. So live dangerously and doodle with pen instead. 

3) Practice makes perfect

Now I know this word is overused, but it's never wrong. Especially in our field of practice. Whatever you do, do it often. Even the ugliest drawing gets better if u do it over and over and over again. Sometimes we give up on a piece of work because it may seem to have drift further away from what we imagine it to be, don't. Just remember, nothing looks pretty half done. And beauty comes in complication in most of the case with us, so don't stop until you're done. And you're not going to be done with it until it's pretty. In the nutshell, keep going. Practice is the road to perfection for us. And we can only keep getting better :) I used to seek for perfection, now perfection seeks for me. 

And lastly, you don't really have to have a style of work (if you're struggling to find an identity for yourself). Potential investors and employers recognize us by our style of work, yes. But we're designers, we're taught to be flexible and cater to our client's demands. You can always have more than one style with your work. The perks of being a designer, I believe, is that we never need to settle for one. Brace your indecisiveness and brace your difference. In our world, being different pays. And we are always going to be standing alone when it boils down anything in relation to our art. If you've reached a point where you can no longer compromise your work with anything and anyone else, congratulations! You're heading upwards where you will find total agreement with your lost for style and many things else. 

Best wishes,

A.

Me at My Best

Or should it be 'Me and My Mess'? I finally cleaned my room sometime earlier this week, I can't really remember.  It was in a terrible state, especially after last weekend, it got worse. I left my bouquet of roses on the bed tray from 2 weeks ago!

My desk\working space. I know this is the only area of the room that can be accepted to be in shamble but I don't work on the table. And look at my M&M dispenser, it's empty now. About 2kgs worth of it in 2 months! Not too bad eh?

My bed end stand\make up spot. Or so it was? It has everything from chocolate to train tickets from Italy, iphone pouch to coinbox and etc. 

My 'walkway'. On the left side of the plug point is the door, sometimes I honestly don't know how could I walk around in my room. I get comfortable in my mess, yeah, and I get used to it. I sleep in this mess! But don't call me messy, please? Call me... artsy!

I can just come home and take off my pants hope to bed wake up the next day and my pants would still be in the same position where I just had to stand into the legholes and pull my pants up! It's all about one step less - Rules of a Minimalist.

More bags, more bras, more water and paper. 

Things by the window, my paint\dye\get-dirty shirt on the radiator, a few over toasted (clean) panties from the last time I did laundry, chocolates, round mirror to do my face in the morning and ya, you can see for yourself what's by the window.

May I present to you a closer view of what's there, I have my plushies - Say hi to bad boy! - chocolates, scissors and err, a piece of news article? No idea how it got there. I was probably cutting it out while I was stalking my african neighbour and left it there when it was done.

So after uncluttering my room, I vacuumed the place and moved my table to the middle of the room again. I was hoping that it would encourage me to do proper work on a proper place, but I went back to the bed that very night.

XO - Me in my room today

I also made a healthy dinner for myself. I threw in a handful of wholewheat fusili and some stick carrots (carrots are good for the eyes carrot are good for the eyes carrot are good for the eyes) to boil for a little bit before I stir them up with bolognese sauce. While this was all going on, I had my Levi's style chicken breast (chicken breast is low in saturated fat chicken breast is low in saturated fat chicken breast is low in saturated fat) cooking in the oven. Then I popped in the shower for a rinse while I toast the bread. Now, who says I can't multitask? My brother did actually, just last night. I was eating healthily for the sake of making that day as normal as my life should be. By normal, a (always) clean room with a decent sleep cycle, healthy, goes to church or has proper moral values (not that I dont) & well, other normal stuff. But knowing I can barely keep a routine long enough, I can only do it every now and then. And that now and then happens to have happened this week.

Creating an identity for yourself

..is not easy at all! For all of my years in university, I've been enrolled in modules to help me find my 'brand' or my 'identity'. It's not easy at all. It's like getting married, how are you going to be sure that he's the right one to spend the rest of your life with? I know my style of work can change over time, but as a 'soon to be' fresh graduate revealing myself to the subjective world of design, I want to start off strong.  Honestly, up to this point, a day more until I hand one of my best work to be in the degree show catalogue that 'speaks' Anna Yeoh, I am still clueless. 

Did you know that I'm on tumblr? I know, I know. Social network overload? You see, that site has always been named 'It's a peanut butter affair!' I don't have a good story behind the name, besides the fact that peanut butter's my ambrosia and as far as many other happiness has been short-lived, a jar of this happiness has always been constant. I'm thinking of making me the 'It's a peanut butter affair!' girl. 

I tried doing this with Adobe Illustrator, but after speaking to Joy today, I realize it doesn't really make much of a sense to people who doesn't know me. I've changed my design for tomorrow's self-promotional hand in already, but I'm looking forward to developing this piece of chocolate for my own use. Chocolate's the best medicine right? I can be your Anna-sthetic ;)

Oh! And I tried digital painting today! I want nothing more than to paint again. I perk up thinking about how fun art class was back in high school. How fun was it to be young & paint again. Well, I can't paint anymore, no shit. You see, in my head where pixie dust are constantly snowing down, I picture my finish product to be breath taking. But when I've spend 2 hours painting something and it looks nothing like I pictured it, I get discouraged and give up. 

I tried a different approach today and I'm quite happy I didn't spend a single penny on paint! And I can easily just use an eraser for my mistakes! Now, I'm a happy girl. looking forward to work more on my first proper piece of digital paint!

"Life's battle don't always go to the stronger & faster man, 

but sooner or later the man who wins is the man who thinks he can"

Broken Streak

I went on this strongbow streak from Friday to Monday! You see, my confession here today is that my body fails to take beer (including alcoholic cider) & wine as it can with hard liquor. I would get woozy by the second glass of wine in a restaurant, & I'd always blame the decent lighting. I could bring this 'weakness' to my advantage, I mean, I won't ever have a beer belly!

But I might, seeing that I just got out of a crazy strongbow streak (they're alcoholic cider, & yes I am that sad of a drinker!) I usually get a bottle of strongbow when I'm out early with my friends. It's my strategic plan to socialize outside of my comfort zone and it gets me talking more. Since I hardly get to talk as much as I do around my usual friends back home, I've resorted to beer over here. 

So my weekend has turned into those nights where there were only pictures of me before I went out. Well, there's only ONE picture of me from Monday night at the smoking area. I didn't have the chance to play with my phone at all, but it was fine, the reluctance to reply anyone else other than Amelia, Kristi or May these days is quite dominating.

Outrageous outbreak.

Fuck! But I still went out & have fun :D

Oh, I think this was Sunday night! I really want to jump into the foam but I dressed too adorable to get wet. I was wearing a cute silk top and a black short pants! And my black ankle boot heels was too high and unstable for a big slippery dance floor.

It looks really fun, doesn't it? I didn't quite enjoy the night as I've had a throbbing headache from drinking lots of wine during dinner. Then my friends got me 'Magners', some kinda beer I suppose, and it tasted like crap! Like actual crap! Then someone had to pour drinks on my friend, twice, and so I helped her wash and dry her hair in the toilet! Hah.

And it all ended on Monday. With freshly blown dried hair, I got to the club at midnight and immediately had a shot.. then a strongbow. Then more shots and strongbow. It got me dancing and feeling fancy in the inside, until something bad needed my attention. And when the group split in two, I decided to be with Charlotte, because her current relationship reminded me of myself, and I thought, how great would it be for me if I had someone who had been through what I'm going through then? 

I decided not to share what exactly happened that night halfway through writing it. I know if I did, I'd smile at the flashback of what went on and how much bolder I've grown to be at this time of my life. But I think it's needless to share it on the internet. For now, it'll stay funny in my mind.

Since January of 2012, I've adapted my everything to the very empowering phrase of 'You Only Live Once' & 'Because Life Is Short'. Trust me, when you've applied it to every decision you make, it's gonna be a change so grand you'll feel like a different person. I wish I could say I've been living my life to the fullest all this time, but I stopped having to deal with people about the things I don't want to deal with anymore and that in my mother's eyes is what she calls irresponsible. I also stop giving myself excuses when it comes to the things I want. So other times, it does feels very fulfilling! 

Piccolino Restaurant, Birmingham

Last night, I had a chance to try out an Italian Restaurant near the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham called the Piccolino. My evening begin with their complimentary bread and a bottle of wine white, followed by a fresh fillet of cod, and ended sinfully with what we sometimes call, a molten lava cake. I didn't have any starters because I wasn't really up for any anti pasti or soup, and when he asked if I wanted salad, I (so naturally) screamed out 'NO!' and let out a loud eww too. I felt embarrassed because I really need to act more ladylike. But I'm not that kinda girl that would order salad on a date - or on any occasion. 

Piccolino is situated at a good location along Broad Street, only 2 minutes away from the Brindley carpark and although we paid £6 for about 3 hours for the parking, I couldn't complain! For a Sunday night, the restaurant wasn't too full. We were seated at exactly in the middle of the restaurant. It was quite disappointing to know that the restaurant had only 2 waiting staff on a weekend dinner service. I could see that our poor waitress, Aina, was swamped with orders. But still, she was such a sunshine. She kept smiling and she was really helpful.

Our food didn't take too long to come and I really did enjoy my Merluzzo Piccante (17.25). The roasted cod  was so fresh and the sprouted broccoli was cooked just to perfection, 'al dante'! I thought the piccante (spicy sausages) was an odd throw in with the fish at first, but it actually complimented the fish like butter with bread! Cod fish can be a bland dish, and although it has been infused with a thick salty butter sauce, the piccante brings them together.

The host recommended the dark chocolate almond tart for desserts but the (other) waiter (which looked as delicious as my dessert tasted) told me that the tart was made with almond extract and it tasted strong - something that I dont know how to appreciate YET.

So I went for the safer bet, warm chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream. So.. my amour, it tasted as good as the waiter looked like. Don't get me wrong, Aina was a very beautiful waitress, but I can't help asking for the waiter with dark brown hair and deep set eyes. I wanted to strip them open and let the inside pour out, but of course, I only did it on my dessert. The hot lava poured out so beautifully I took awhile before I started digging in. The vanilla ice cream was quite different than any of the vanilla ice creams I've ever had. I wouldn't say it was the best, but it was good. It was different. A good change. But I can't go deeper into that, I was too caught up with my love sauce.

Tortino Al Cioccolato (6.25)

I would definitely go back again. All in all, Piccolino served proper food priced averagely (Birmingham rate) and request for Aina, she knows the menu like the back of her hand and she could recommend like she has eaten everything on it. She's Spanish btw, and she so kindly attended to our curiosity by showing us how to operate the ham machine.

Until the next time,
A.