Digital Portrait Painting: Wella

Here's my first artwork for 2022. Made this for my cousin and art buddy, Wella, for her birthday. I made this using a Huion KamvasPro and Adobe Photoshop. Original photo and makeup by Vincci Descalzo.

Para Un Mundo Nuevo

On July 28, 2018 Zamboanga City celebrated its first Dia de Guardia Forestal or Day of the Forest Guards, a tribute for the heroes of the protected forest in the Pasonanca Natural Park. Situated at the north of the city proper, the protected area preserves a major water shed in the Peninsula that is home for biodiverse floral and fauna.

Me and my cousin, Wella, were commissioned to create a mural which will be painted on the spot during the celebration at Jardin Maria Clara. I created the initial concept digitally using Illustrator. It featured a forest scenery with lush plants and animals and at the center is a lettering of a quote in Chavacano language. It says "Entre cada dos Arboles tiene puerta para un Mundo Nuevo" which means "Between two trees is a door to a new world". I enhanced the concept art in Photoshop and came up with this:



The organizers eventually changed the quote and simply wanted it "Gracias Guardia Forestal" or "Thank You, Forest Guards". We didn't finish it on the day since the program is just half a day. We continued it home and took us about two weeks to finish since we only do it after work hours. The mural came out very nice and the colors came out nicely.




Special thanks to our moms and our handy man, Badong, for the help!



Like the illustration in my Deviant Art account here.

Zamboanga Mural Painting Competition

Summer na Zamboanga is all about the youth, sports, dance, fashion, music and most specially, the arts! In 2016, the City Special Events team introduced the 1st Chalk Art Competition in line with the celebration of Dia de Ma'am Caling, the Birth Anniversary of Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat on April 26. The competition was successful but it rained right after the competition and the artworks faded after a few days. To preserve the artworks, we decided to change the format of the competition. Instead of chalk art, the teams will create a Mural artwork. When you say mural, what comes in mind is a concrete wall in the public. However, to make the art easier to carry around and display to various venues, we decided that the paintings will be in large framed canvas (4x8 feet). Fifteen teams registered and took the challenge and they have to create a huge painting for only three days. The theme is "I Love Zamboanga City."

Click on the photo for larger view

This competition is also a collaborative artwork. When all of their paintings are arranged side by side, a bigger picture of Zamboanga will appear. I was the one who designed the template and the team drew lots to determine which panel will be assigned to them. The contest proper was held at Jardin Maria Clara, Pasonanca starting April 24, and culminating in April 26 during the Dia de Maam Caling. So here are the 15 mural painting entries. Check out the paranorama view of all the artworks side by side.

Here are the winners of the 1st Mural Painting Competition:

1st Place


2nd Place

3rd Place.

Congratulations to all winners! Can't wait for next year!

Handmade Wooden Signs

Two of the most creative visionaries of this city has commissioned me to create handmade artworks for their new studio. Vista de Lente Photography headed by Mr Reymond Ledesma and Mr Rey Fortuna, and Inkpressive Invitations by Doc Venus Fortuna, trusted my crafty side to create sweet decors with quotes or phrases and images that will add personality to their new workspace. Inspired by western wedding event styling and my recent relationship with Pinterest, I was challenged to do traditional painting using scavenged wood I found in our garage, by-products of our house's renovation. My output surprised me as well. I didn't expect i can do such things. The feedback were also positive and now, many are already asking me to do one for them. Here are the first set of my "Handmade Wooden Signs" which i created for Vista de Lente. Click photos for larger view. More after the jump.

The set is currently displayed at the reception area of Vista de Lente Photography office at the new L&F Blgd fronting Cecile's Pharmacy along San Jose Rd.

One Love, One Heart, One Destiny

After completing our mural, we have to wait five more days for the results of the competition. We were asked to write an interpretation of our mural which will be passed during the day of judgement. But to our surprise, there were no judges on the location and the written interpretation will not be considered in the judging anymore.

I was not there since I have an event that day. My team waited for an additional hour after the call time. Filipino time! tsk! When the head organizer came, she already had the results in hand. Another surprise! After a few walk around the location and some writing, she announced the results. Unfortunately, we didn't win. : (

Mural Painting Experience

For years I stuck with my pen and planner doing doodles and random drawings. I learned how to paint during the Summer Arts Workshop of the Gallery of the Peninsula and Archipelago under the master painter himself, Mr Rameer Tawasil. I produced 3 paintings during that class and I haven't practice my painting skill afterwards.

I'm glad to have this opportunity to join a Mural Painting competition organized by the Rotary Club of Zamboanga City so i can paint again and have it in a public place where people can see my work. My goal was not to win but to create something that is not typical poster-looking mural and produce use a style that has not been used in contests like this.