"...you loafing around the studio and Desmond Dekker telling the man to give you a break, and he give you the break because he hear the hunger in your voice before he even hear you sing. You cut a tune, but not a hit song, too pretty for the ghetto even then, for we past time when prettiness make anybody's life easy. Wee see you hustle and trying to talk your way twelve inches taller and we want to see you fail. And we know nobody would want you to be a rudeboy anyway for you look like a schemer." (James, 2015, s.8)
"But one hit can't bounce you out of the ghetto when you recording hits for a vampire. One hit can't make you into Skeeter Davis or the man who sing them Gunfighter Ballads." (James, 2015, s.9)
"The dream didn't leave, people just don't know a nightmare when they right in the middle of one." (James, 2015, s.8)
"More people start moving to the ghetto because Delroy Wilson just sing that 'Better Must Come' and the man who would become Prime Minister sing it too. Man who look like white man but char bad like naigger when they have to, singging 'Better Must Come.' " (James, 2015, s.9)
-----
I discovered Marlon James' "A Brief History of Seven Killings" a year ago, without even paying attention on "Winner of Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2015" sticker on the cover. Things that matter was the bird on the cover (mine was the Riverhead Books edition), reminds me so much of Doctor Bird Records logo. As a Jamaican music enthusiast, I smirked so many times as I read so many musician names that I admired. Names above were only the beginning.
If you were getting along so well with Pamuk's My Name is Red and A Strangeness in My Mind, 700-ish pages of Seven Killings would be a breeeeezeeee. Landmines are on self-adjustment to patois and Jamaican slang (if you've been listening to Max Romeo the entire way, I think you've got it covered). So, are you ready to switch your F-word curse to bumbaclot?
Meanwhile I will leave you to Delroy Wilson "Better Must Come" and Toots and the Maytals "Desmond Dekker Came First" (extra: google up about the funny stories behind the competition that inspired Maytals to make this song)
A true dem nuh know it's a fram creaaatiooon.
22/12/2016
21/12/2016
"Awan Jahat"
("Awan Jahat", 21x15 cm)
I began this drawing as my micro diary in DIN A3 format, but I did a moronic mistake on the prior paper so I switch it to smaller size. I called these mushroomy-atomic bomb-clouds as “awan jahat” (a thunder cloud in Bahasa Indonesia) diary. The main idea of awan jahat is I need a way to express my feeling through strokes and shades, instead of certain object such as human, bloods or whatever. I have to be honest, it is the only way I deal with negativity, that surrounds me at the moment.
I used HB and sometimes 2B graphite, I just mixed it on my mechanical pencil. Until I stroked it on paper, I totally have no idea which is which. So, the color or dark-lights did not necessarily depict my feelings on that day, their shapes probably did. I won’t tell you exactly either. It took me more than 3 weeks to finish it,
While I’m working on smaller size, I also remake this "awan jahat" on its OG A3 size. I consider this is my tiny-frog-leaps for next year, I am eager to do bigger size, e.g. on DIN A2.
(currently listening to my favorite Travis Millard’s Talks at Google)
14/12/2016
Neptune Hits Hard
Neptune Hits Hard (digital drawing on photoshop, 2016)
Sometimes Neptune hits us hard to the bottom. You'd rather spend your pastime by reading Han Kang's "The Vegetarian" and intentionally skipping "Star Wars: Rogue One" on the first week at the cinema (yaawwnnnn).
I painted directly on photoshop, based on sketch on notebook I made a long time ago. Here's the process:
3) Then I decided to drop the girl and switched them for classic robot.
4) I added flares here and there and highlight on the robot.
5) Details on the robot. I am so happy I could cry.
01/12/2016
Study on 80's Chrome Fonts
(graphite on paper, 10x15 cm, 2016)
Saya sejujurnya nggak terlalu berminat dengan hand lettering, apalagi yang cursive gaya-gaya web cewek/pinterest. Kalau font bikinan Aaron Horkey, font serif di komputer atau font game saya masih tahan deh. Namun setelah pulang dari pameran Sathar vol.1: Past kemarin, saya merasa harus bisa bikin font game-game Nintendo. Pasti berguna suatu saat nanti di karya saya.
Saya mulai belajar membuatnya kemarin, font dasarnya menggunakan Impact. Rasanya besok-besok saya harus modifikasi sedikit font-nya supaya nggak keliatan seperti tulisan di rental komputer "Harap Lepas Alas Kaki" yang dibuat di MS-Words.
Kata "Sade" sih dipilih karena singkat, 4 huruf saja. Saya cuma keingetan Sade, yang meski besar di 1980-an tetapi tidak pernah mengalami fase font Moonwalker-nya Michael Jackson di cover albumnya (sampai ke era 2000-an pun demikian). Nah ini saya berandai-andai kalau Sade masuk ke area game dan film di era itu, mungkin akan kena wabah font chrome ini.
27/11/2016
Braindump 017
15/11/2016
My Moon, My Man (2)
05/11/2016
Braindump 016
"Sepiyik awan jahat", digambar menggunakan pensil mekanik, di atas HVS pink a la glossier. Aslinya karya ini nggak lebih dari 6,5 x 3,5 cm.
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currently reading: William Gibson - Neuromancer
04/11/2016
Randomist 002 - Naninimamonto
Pada suatu malam, saya meminta Stephanie Mamonto untuk membuat list lagu kesukaannya, tidak perlu banyak-banyak, 11-12 lagu sudah cukup (lebih dari itu biasanya jadi lari dari tema atau jadi masukin lagu yang enggak-enggak, biasanyaaa lho kalau saya yaaa). Ternyata dia sigap sekali, list itu sudah ada di inbox message saya keesokan harinya. Ia berbaik hati menyusun 11 lagu yang membuatnya super gembira (sebetulnya 12 tapi saya kelupaan masukin The Kooks yang Junk of The Heart).
Seperti layaknya sebuah mixtape berwujud fisik yang diberikan kepada teman, saya akan senang sekali kalau ada teman-teman lain yang berkenan ikutan tukeran playlist juga. Bisa DM saya di instagram atau email (ada linknya di profil --> ) ya jika berminat ;) Nanti saya carikan lagunya (jika sulit, saya akan minta tolong kalian untuk mengirimkannya) dan membuatkan artworknya.
Saya sudah memiliki beberapa mixtape yang bisa didengarkan juga sejak September lalu, juga rekaman saya ketika bersiaran di Radio Semut (mungkin ada yang minat flashback heehehe).
Randomist 002 - Naninimamonto tracklist:
1. Angus and Julia Stone - Grizzly Bear
2. Alvvays - Adult Diversion
3. Phoenix - Lisztomania
4. Frederic - Oddloop
5. Placebo - Loud Like Love
6. The Kooks - Naïve
7. Arctic Monkeys - Love Is A Laserquest
8. The Strokes - You Only Live Once
9. Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks
10. Cut Copy - Time Stands Still
11. Miami Horror - Sometimes
31/10/2016
Braindump 015 - Hujan Turun
Beberapa hari belakangan ini saya rajin mencoba alat-alat stok lama di lemari art supplies. Nah, pilihan saya jatuh pada cat air andalan, Pentel (edisi lama, masih dengan tube alumunium)
Ketika menggambar ini, saya kepikiran sahabat saya yang suka sekali main air. Skema warnanya diambil dari bikini miliknya, tapi 3-5 tingkat lebih gelap hahaha. Awalnya saya nggak yakin dengan warna yang saya pilih, apalagi pas basah warna cat airnya ambyar bangeeeettt, gelap gulitjes. Pengen saya buang aja rasanya. Namun setelah kering dan digambari titik hujan dan riak air dengan gel pen putih, ternyata oke. Maka saya putuskan untuk tidak jadi disobek.
30/10/2016
24/10/2016
Braindump 012
"Pocket" (ink on paper, 2016)
"Eeekk!" (ink on paper + a photoshop retouch, 2016)
Markers had significantly made me spent more time to do the least important things on my list today. Promarkers 1, comission works 0.
22/10/2016
On Your Mark//Braindump 011
"Fishy" (2016, 21x15 cm, india ink & marker on paper)
"Weekend (1)" (2016, 21x15 cm, marker on paper)
"Weekend (2)" (2016, 21x15 cm, india ink & marker on paper)
I sometimes forgot not to mix the water-based and alcohol-based ink, so it bleeds. It is not an awful one, but you'd better be careful. For black parts on "Fishy" (top) and "Weekend (2)" (bottom), I used Dr. Ph. Martin's Black Star Hicarb ink, for they never fail me on consistency. Either Matte or HiCarb, they are SUPERB! Thanks to Yuko Shimizu who recommended this on her Skillshare class. On "Weekend (1)", I used black Sakura Pigma Calligraphy medium brush. The consistency is sooooo awful, but it excels on price and practicality. Perhaps for drawing on the go (or opt for Pentel brushpen).
My take on Winsor & Newton Promarker: it's a cheaper alternative to copic, with wide-range of colors. Chisel tip is slightly bigger than Finecolor, but bearable. The smaller tip is way too small, but not ideal too for detailed work. Rate: 3 out of 5
My take on Winsor & Newton Brushmarker: weird brush (way too soft) and uneven strokes, limited color compared to Promarkers series. It is good for larger area. Rate: 1 out of 5.
21/09/2016
Braindump 010
the shinohara | 21x15 cm | ink on paper, lettering on photoshop
Thanks to Feransis, who lend me this endearing film "Cutie and The Boxer". It gave me more reason to put drawing on top of the list.
Either making art for pleasure or living as an artist, is one of the rockiest road to travel, but somehow I knew, it is not easy to let go. Ride or die. Layak diperjuangkan deh.
Mixcloud
As I dug deeper with other client-oriented projects, I drove away from Radio Semut. I cannot cope with the broadcasting schedule, which I set it up on my own and feel overwhelmed by it. Hahaha. Broadcasting on internet radio is so much fun, I made new friends with listeners from another country. If running a radio supposedly done by a group of people, then slowly turned out to all operated and produced by a single person, it is no longer fun.
Nevertheless, nothing can stop my love of music or making a compilation for myself or others to listen to. Soundcloud seems did not accommodate this purpose, 8tracks I've loved got more complicated hence the copyright infringement for international user (ahem, third-world international user, ahem). Now on my own, I learned how to pre-mix my mixtape on Garage Band, threw in some album art and uploaded it to Mixcloud.
Recently I have two weekly mix and one random playlist, I took the title Randomist from my previous show on Radio Semut. Here's some of the mixtapes, in case you're looking some tunes to accompany you in filling paperworks and do some fun stuff.
07/08/2016
01/08/2016
"It was a seven, The Demogorgon -- it got me"
(graphite on paper, 12 x 8 cm)
Will Byers is my most favorite character from Netflix's Stranger Things. He's low-key, good at hiding, love The Clash and so good at drawing wizards throwing green cabbage (spoiler alert: at the last episode, he received an Atari 2600 as Christmas present). While I was writing this post, somehow I develop few analysis about who's who at the movie.
09/06/2016
Zelembar Zombie Zehari - 3
"Even more troubling, the voices seemed to be moving into the hallway. The stretch of hallway just beyond her slightly open hotel room door.
Leia didn't know what was happening, but she knew she wanted no part of it.
She lay perfectly still, using a yoga technique to calm her breathing, hoping that Donnie would return, but gradually understanding that, for whatever reason, he wasn't coming back.
I've got a bad feeling about this, she thought."
(Anderson, Kevin David & Sam Stall. Night of the Living Trekkies. Chapter 4, p.52-53)----
Now I'm reaching the end, on chapter 27 to be precise. Woot!
Zelembar Zombie Zehari - 2
Inspired from Night of the Living Trekkies, Chapter 4: The Cage
Meanwhile, in a distant level of the hotel far, far away, Princess Leia Organa handcuffed by the wrists to the headboard of a queen-size bed.
The man holding the key to her freedom was named Donnie Trill. he was a self-styled Web entrepreneur, videographer, and the closest thing she had to a confidant. They'd known each other for about a year. Whenever Trill needed a female model for one of his oddball internet video projects --and had cash in hand-- he gave her a call.
[...] As Donnie switched on the camera, something thumped the wall above her head...a moan wafted through the wall...There was a second thump, followed by a short high-pitched scream.
"You need to shut them up," Leia said
Donnie turned off the camera and its light and then started toward the door---
Currently listening to: The Cure-Disintegration (1989)
07/06/2016
Zelembar Zombie Zehari
Sejak weekend lalu saya serius baca buku zombie. Saya tidak pernah tertarik pada tema zombie sebelumnya. Kalau bukan karena embel-embel "Trekkies", pasti sudah saya tinggal di toko dan tak akan membawanya pulang. Di akhir pekan kemarin saya masuk ke bagian serunya. Sampai hari ini saya masih deg-degan penasirun. Dengar bunyi pesan di ponsel sewaktu membaca, saya terkejut. Sempat kebawa mimpi sedikit juga.
Buku ini sebetulnya tidak sadis-sadis amat, kadang lucu malah, dan pastinya Star Trek references scattered all over the places (I'm talking to you T'Pol from Mirror Universe).
Nah, dalam rangka bulan puasa yang jamnya serba panjang, saya akan memulai mini seri komik baru tentang bagaimana perasaan saya dalam membaca buku zombie ini. Digambar di kertas A4 warna pink muda yang dibagi 6 dan gel pen warna biru.
Post ini adalah halaman pertama. Mudah-mudahan bisa tiap hari postingnya.
03/06/2016
Chromiac Robot That I Am So Proud Of
How I wish I could say more about this chromiac robot I drew a couple of weeks ago for a legendary Indonesian ska band's latest album.
(done in graphite on paper, 2016, 21x29,7 cm)
01/06/2016
GratiZINE di Suar Artspace
24/05/2016
Kolase Kata Untuk Perempuan - BISA
BISA - adalah kata yang saya pilih dalam lokakarya kolase Kata Untuk Perempuan Sabtu siang (21/5) lalu.
Berbagai kejadian di masa lalu membuat perempuan tidak bisa memilih pekerjaan sesuai keahliannya. Pada tahun 1983, Sally Ride adalah salah seorang perempuan yg mampu meyakinkan dunia militer & aeronautika AS bahwa perempuan BISA mendapat sertifikat pilot pesawat tempur (yg merupakan prasyarat untuk menjadi astronot & bergabung dalam misi luar angkasa, dan saat itu hanya dapat dimiliki oleh laki-laki).
Bagi saya yang suka menggambar, kata BISA berarti perempuan bisa menggambar sci-fi art sedetil dan secanggih seniman laki-laki. Juga menulis semenarik Asimov atau Philip K. Dick. Juga bisa didatangi mejanya saat comic-con dengan antusiasme fans yang sama kepada seniman laki-laki.
Yang paling penting adalah perempuan BISA melakukan apapun sesuai minat dan keahliannya, karena dia yakin pada dirinya sendiri dan juga orang-orang di sekitarnya yakin bahwa ia BISA.
22/05/2016
Byuun to tondeku tetsujin nijuuhachi-gou
(graphite & charcoal on paper, 2016)
16/04/2016
06/03/2016
New Artwork for Randomist Show at Radio Semut
Randomist
(graphite on paper + retouch in photoshop)
2016
---
For past 6 months, I am airing regularly at this indie radio station called Radio Semut. This radio previously owned by one of my good friend Adi Restiadi. Now together with Julian, we are managing this radio in new format.
I, who work freelance and got so many times for mind-wandering, am doing basically anything, from creating show (Randomist, Pusaka Beatnika and more to come), making playlist, pitching ideas for the show, PR-ing and promoting. DIY ethos is still handy in any situation, right?
Once Adi told me to have several artwork to use in our show, so we know who's the DJ and such. So here comes the idea of mish-mashing all the things I like in one scene. UFO, commet, giant lizards and polkadots. I also hand drawn the font and rearrange it with Photoshop. Thank you Shalimma & Aulia who picked exactly the same color scheme, that reminds me so much of The Clash's London Calling album. Now I got my personalized artwork for my show! wooot!
01/02/2016
30/01/2016
29/01/2016
Kartu Pos Suvenir Pernikahan Efiya & Bonardo
(graphite on paper, 2015, 10x15 cm)
26 September 2015 lalu, dua teman baik saya menikah dan keduanya secara sengaja saya jodohkan melalui sebuah grup Whatsapp berbau klenik yang saya buat (kemudian saya bubarkan). Saya sudah merasa keduanya akan sangat serasi, tetapi tidak menyangka akan segera menikah. Ketika saya diberitahu, mata saya berbinar.
Proyek suvenir pernikahan ini memang bukan proyek suvenir pertama yang dikerjakan oleh Mikisi Curiosities etc. Kami hanya mengerjakan suvenir pernikahan teman-teman dekat dengan jumlah yang masuk akal juga. Waktu pengerjaannya juga cukup singkat, satu bulan saja hingga selesai. Saya pun merasa harus segera diselesaikan sebelum September dan ternyata perasaan klenik saya ini tepat, karena pertengahan Agustus saya dan orang tua bolak-balik ke Jawa Timur, hingga nenek saya meninggal di akhir Agustus 2015.
Konsep awal dari ketiga kartu pos ini datang dari kedua mempelai, ingin yang minimalis, ada nukilan dari buku favorit mereka dan juga binatangnya yang menjadi tokoh utama. Saya hanya menyarankan supaya gambarnya menggunakan pensil, sehingga bisa ada tone yang berbeda dalam ketiga gambar di seri ini yakni light-medium-dark. Light diwakili oleh gambar rubah di Little Prince (Antoine de Saint Exupery), medium oleh Moby Dick (Herman Melville) dan dark diwakili oleh Seribu Kunang-kunang di Manhattan (Umar Kayam).
Saya sungguh terharu ketika kartu pos ini selesai diproduksi, karena bagi saya, kartu pos ini lebih dari sekedar karya yang saya dan Julian banggakan. Karya ini adalah doa kami untuk Efi dan Bona, supaya selalu berbahagia dan senantiasa dapat berkompromi. Salam manis selalu :)
Study on Japanese Art Deco
At one early A.M I awake and browse randomly on Pinterest. Most creative gurus said the most amazing moment is the in-between state, such as when you feel sleepy or half-awake. I started to collect 1920s-1930s Japanese Art Deco magazine cover or matchbox and remade them with gouache or watercolor. I think I am going to make a zine out of it,
21/01/2016
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