Review: Pogo Sketch Stylus for iPad/iTouch/iPhone

Recently I indulged in Digital Sketching, or in my case it's Digital Doodling. I googled like a mad woman and found an online seller of an affordable and good performing stylus recommended by other blogs, but one recommendation I took was from Trina, a singer/songwriter. She said she bought a pogo sketch stylus in San Francisco that she uses with her iPad and now she found an online seller for a very affordable price.

She said the stylus sold for Php800 pesos somewhere in Greenbelt, so when I found out that it's half the price and free shipping, I gave it a go. By Wednesday I placed an order and got the package by Friday because the product came all the way from Cebu!

I love getting things in the mail! Yey!

I got hooked on Digital Sketching

Last Monday, when work and classes got cancelled, I got into Digital Sketching. Or should I say Digital Doodling? I borrowed my mother's iPad and started doodling using one of the Apps. One of my favorite bloggers, Chinie Diaz, also doodles so I got inspired.

I haven't sketched/doodled since 2008. The last time I did it, I drew a very detailed converse sneakers while listening beside my agent back when I still work in a BPO call center. He liked my drawing so much that he asked for it (Naks!). I honestly do not know why I stopped sketching. I used to paint during elementary until high school, I even took Art classes when I was in grade school. 

I'm not an expert or a pro when it comes to digital sketching.Plus it's so hard to draw using just the forefinger. I became addicted and yet it's getting painstaking because I couldn't control getting color out of the lines. The OC in me is not pleased at all because some areas looked blotchy. Here are samples of my work that I instagrammed and tweeted: 

This is my favorite image to sketch since I was a teenager, bec it's the easiest. Someone once interpreted my work as me who prefers to be alone. dunno about that but I'm just big on personal space. First time to do Digital sketching using my forefinger. Mudak helped in filling out the green mountain. Maybe she'll like sketching too other than 4pics 1word.

Old Photographs and Memory Lane

I grew up with a photographer father so films, negatives, slideshow films (yes, the really old school ones), albums with printed copies of photos  have a special place in our house. I was looking through some childhood photos to use for our cousin Kuya Stew's wedding last month, when I saw this:

This was my first art exhibit in UPLB. It was called ART Mussaenda and paintings of Mussaenda flowers were sold in this gallery. I don't even remember the location of this gallery, or where it was held.

Here I am in my school uniform.  I think this is my photo with exhibit organizers. And I don't really  like to smile at the camera back then and I already have the frighteningly bipolar artist mood at such a young age.

Art of Kissing...Literally

We've heard, read and watched truly remarkable artists create paintings and other works of art using their toes and some using their elbows but I've never heard, read nor watched an Artist who paints portraits by kissing.

Until I came across an article about Natalie Irish. Now who exactly is Natalie Irish?

There are rumors that she has been creating works of art since in utero.  Following her birth, Natalie Irish quickly began to shock and amaze every entity with her astonishing artwork of all conceivable mediums and dominate all competitions of the arts. Formally her achievements began with Best in District at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Art Competition at the tender age of 5. She would go on to rank among the top contestants of the prestigious competition every year thereafter all the way through high school.  She would then add to her long list of accolades several awards from the Galveston Arts Alliance before venturing off to the University of North Texas to study metalsmithing and ceramics.  But we are getting ahead of ourselves.  To say the least, young Natalie was a child prodigy. Her wizardry in drawing, painting, and sculpture truly showed no bounds.  Her transcendent intellect, flowing blonde hair and angelic face simply added to her magnetism as a young artist. Her charm and philanthropic ways were indeed just the icing on the cake.  Alas, it would later be cake itself that would one day try to destroy the promising girl wonder.  One fateful October night Miss Irish was stricken with a debilitating and misunderstood disease that hospitalized her for weeks.  It ultimately left her completely dependent on a machine that was to be attached to her body 24/7 in order for her to sustain life. When many would have given up all hope, Natalie Irish did not waiver.  No, Miss Irish gained a miraculous sense of determination and resolve in her new life as a CYBORG...

Here are some of her artworks:

Jimi Hendrix (Photo by: Chris O'Malley)

Photo by Chris O'Malley

Photo by Dennis Bateman

Natalie makes use of her thumbs too! The portraits below shows her artwork in thumb prints! 

The Beatles in thumbs (Photo by Dennis Bateman)

Elvis in thumbprint (photo by Dennis Bateman)

Roy Rogers gets the thumbs up! ( Photo by: Dennis Bateman)

Here's a video of Natalie Irish painting with her lips.

For those interested in buying Natalie Irish's Art, you can find them here.

Now that's a good kisser!

Eye was a model for a day

I was enjoying a spontaneous Monday of coffee, book sales and girl talk when I got a call from my high school friend Marc Maligalig.

Marc: Kea, may contacts kang blue diba?
Me: Oo, Bakit?
Marc: Good! Kailangan ko!
Me: Ok, may grado yun ha!
Marc: Ok lang, ikaw naman magsusuot.
Me: Ha?
Marc: Please, please, kailangan kita, picturan ko mata mo. Nasa bahay ka lang ba?
Me: I'm out. Urgent ba?
Marc: Hindi naman, pero please kailangan kita kunan ngayon para sa blue project ko bukas.
Me: Okay sige, I'll get back to you. Uwi ako to get it, iba na kasi suot ko.
Marc. Good, good, sige, text text.

And that's all it takes for me to be a model... an eye model specifically, for just a day.

Anyone close to me  knows that I am more interested and passionate in working behind the scenes in concept shoots.Next thing I know, I was already with Marc and Poch going to Jim's house to borrow external flash and have my eye photo taken.

Four of my Highschool barkada (a.k.a. friends) were in this club called The Los Baños Camera Club. Every 2nd Tuesday of the month they have this themed contest among the members of the exclusive club and they invite guests to be the judge of the picture. Members are required to submit two entries in adherence to the theme. Every month they get to pick top 5 photos, proclaimed as winners, where their work will be shown in the club's upcoming exhibit on November of this year.


This month the theme is BLUE. Anything blue.

The Boys, all camera jargoned-up. I decided to take a photo of them exchanging lighting tips. Uploaded the dim/blurred version of this pic or else Jim will kill me that I exposed his sanctuary :)

Upsilon Sigma Phi's Bathala & Bakunawa

Last thursday, my friends and I went to support our friend and gradschool classmate, Sam Pasia (who's the resident Upsilon's Boss Man as we speak) and his fraternity's play.

You can check out their official facebook page:

Upsilon Sigma Phi presents Layeta Bucoy's Bathala at Bakunawa

My apologies for the low res shots. These were taken from my 2MP camera phone. Forgot to bring my point and shoot. Here are the photos:

Not bad for stage production

Act One

I love the 'Babaylan' and 'Unggoy' Love Team

The Late wife of the Bathala is (accdg to rumors) model of Oil of Olay

Bathala and Wife Emo Scenes

Struggles

Curtain Call

After Show

Upsilon Pride or what Nina calls it "Bro-mance"

See the boys in a circle? They're actually singing what I assume their frat song! Lovin' the Upsilon frat pride. Kulet lang.

Act One is pretty good and amusing. Somehow,I literally fell asleep somewhere in Act Two. There are just some parts of the play that is quite dragging because of so many narratives and in spite of the lapel mics, some words were not really enunciated.  Maybe it's because it's their last show and they were pretty tired, but still.

Anyway, this is not really a review or something but just to give feedback here are some of the stuff that I have observed and learned in this play.

1. Worth it to pay Php120 for this play.

2. This is an "original".

3. First time to see a lead male role "Bathala" to have a weak Character.

4. First time to see a villain's acting far better than the lead.

5. First time to see really great actors in minor roles.

6. The play has a political undertone.

I still enjoyed the experience and I am hoping to watch more plays during my residency in UPLB.