Sasa's Sketchbook

Angry Birds is extremely popular in China. This is an Angry Birds stall in Ditan Park Temple Fair (selling furry toys).

Black Hibiscus / 黑芙蓉, 2011 (371), 100 X 52 cm, ink and color on handmade rice paper

Spent all day taking photos of my new ink brush paintings, tweaking the photos, naming the paintings, putting them to Flickr, etc. My neck hurts, I need a massage!

The cat is waiting for a piece of bangus (i.e. milkfish, the national fish of the Philippines).

Came back from Philippines. One morning woke up really early and sketched these fishing boats. Otherwise drew very little, was too busy swimming & snorkeling, reading nolvels, eating seafood and drinking Tanduay (the local rum).

I found this scrap paper I used when creating the Fuel illustration and decided to change that blue splash into a dragon to celebrate the start of the new lunar year (on Jan 23).

(I'll be travelling during Chinese New Year, so no updates for a couple of weeks.)

It is time to prepare to celebrate Chinese New Year. This lady is buying some new decorations.

This guy uses his tricycle to make beer deliveries to restaurants.

Made this quick little bird doodle for the IF theme 'grounded'.

Inspiration / 灵感, 2011 (355?), 41 cm, ink and mineral watercolor on rice paper

I got back a bunch of ink paintings, all of them round. My technique is quite 'violent' and my paintings are often torn and rumpled when sent for 'double-papering' (Or should I say mounting? In Chinese it is 裱.) My teacher said it has become my trademark, which is probably a Chinese way of saying they hate me at the mounting workshop for making their life so difficult... Anyway this one missed a piece, which (I think) makes it just more interesting :-) And leaves a nice place for a stamp. The stamp here is just 'photoshopped', I think I am going to use a smaller stamp, and maybe place it a bit more down and left?

Reddish brown highlights are very popular among Beijing ladies in their 50s.

The owner of this tricycle sells eggs and all kinds of rice and beans.

My obsession with Beijing tricycles continues, this one belongs to a sweet potato seller. The big rusty box on top of it is some kind of oven where sweet potatos are prepared.

The Illustration Friday theme for this week is 'messenger'.

Water delivery guy's tricycle. He has a pair of thick gloves attached to the handlebar, as many do in wintertime.

This little hutong street is my shortcut to subway station, walk it almost everyday. (Should have drawn 'sink' today instead of this but...)

Some more temple fair visitors.

People in Ditan Park Temple Fair.

It is the darkest time of the year i.e. good time to start using that black sketchbook I bought ages ago.

Doodling while watching a TV series in iqiyi.com.

Busy busy busy (holiday season so having some social occasion every night...) but managed to still make something for Illustration Friday. Started with no plan, doodling based on a photo, and here is the result (I like the background most).