Air of serenity at Perak Tong

I painted this scene using a single Chinese brush. How the painting turned out
 was quite amazing (see inset). I used the texture of the paper to produce the misty-like effect. 

The Perak Tong Chinese Temple is located along Jalan Kuala Kangsar, about six kilometres north of Ipoh and it is among the most picturesque places of worship for the Chinese and a tourist attraction that has drawn people from afar. During the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month and on major festivals, the temple teems with devotees.

Surrounded by lush greenery, it has a well-kept yard which includes a pool and several pergolas for visitors to rest and enjoy the scenery. The best time to be here to enjoy the tranquil atmosphere is in the morning when the shadow from the tall limestone hill is cast onto the yard. During the afternoons, the casuarina trees dotting the yard also provide a cool respite.

I painted the façade of the cave temple complex and tried to capture the softness of the greenery using wet-on-wet technique. As I was painting, several monkeys descended from the hills and got closer to me. Fortunately, one of the temple sweepers who were around shouted out at the primate and drove it back into the trees.

I was told that the monkeys here were as mischievous as those in Batu Caves in Selangor. No sooner than he has spoken, another yell was heard from the other side of the temple ground. Apparently a monkey had made off with a Tupperware containing food which was carelessly left in a visitor’s motorcycle basket.

 

There is a lake in front of the temple complex which I will leave to paint another day. m

Muar's old world charm

The decades old Hua Nam cafe is still a popular haunt for locals. 

Some years back, when I first visited Muar on the way back from Singapore to Malacca, if I am not mistaken, this was the first premises I stopped at. We were famished that afternoon and seeing an uncrowded café with ample parking space in the street was a sight for sore eyes. Since then, whenever my wife and I are in Muar, this will be one of the first food outlets we would stop here for coffee. 

This building, established in 1917, is located at the intersection of Jalan Yahya and Jalan Meriam. I was attracted by the old features of this building, and even more fascinated with the two colours used on the same building – light blue at left and pink at right.

Pork innards soup and laksa (top right) are the specialities of hawkers operating in Hua Nam Cafe

A local told me the reason for the different colour was because Muar’s buildings had been thematically painted to differentiate their location according to the streets. However, the building painters must have been stumped by the location of Hua Nam Café must which lies smack in the corner of the two roads and they decided to make it easy by painting the same building in two colours to differentiate the two streets flanking the façade.

Located within Hua Nam Café are a laksa stall and a mixed-meat or “chichap” (non-halal) rice seller. Although the café serves toast and eggs with coffee, we noticed that the laksa stall is highly popular both with seat-in as well as takeaway customers. Priced at RM4 a bowl, the noodles (a choice of rice vermicelli or yellow noodles, of half of each) come in a very fragrant curry gravy. I can’t say if it is the affordability or the lipsmacking goodness of the laksa that is drawing a steady stream of customers. Service is also very fast.

I sketched and painted this building from across the street, seated on a folding chair at the five-foot way of a shop. The outlet was closed during Chinese New Year so I could complete this piece without hindering pedestrian traffic. 

This building in pink is another striking attraction that lends old world charm to Muar.

Although there was heavy cloud cover that morning, I decided to paint a strong shadow in the foreground to add interest to the perspective. The clouds were painted with basic primaries, with a tint of warm colours, and some patches of cobalt blue to depict cloud-holes to show the upper layer of blue skies frequently seen during Chinese New Year.

Acts of Kindness

TWO weeks into the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), I am surprised that my wantan mee seller had not increased his prices. A bowl of wantan mee with several pieces of barbecued meat and a small bowl of soup with wantans, are still priced RM4 at his stall in my neighbourhood in Setapak.

Earlier this year, when I spoke to the noodle seller about the GST and how prices would be increased, he said he would try to absorb the costs as he best could. He has kept his promise.

It must have been a tough decision, I thought, since every stall owner in that small coffeeshop they were operating in had raised their prices due to GST.

Even the coffeeshop owner has raised his prices twice — once just after Chinese New Year and now, after the GST’s implementation. A small cup of milk tea now costs RM1.60, instead of RM1.20 last December. A cup of Nescafe now costs RM2.10. It used to be RM1.50. I am not sure these will remain till year’s end.

I have known this noodle seller from afar since his mother’s time. She had been selling wantan mee at the wet market nearby then. I had also known her to be a kind and generous lady. At the time, the current noodle seller was only a teenager who helped his mother at the stall.

Back then, his mother charged RM1.50 for a bowl of noodles. It was the cheapest in the area during the 1990s, I think. I recalled having asked her if she could make enough to cover her daily expenses with what she had earned. She replied that if she was frugal, she probably could.

“Sometimes when doing business, it should not be for profits alone,” she had told me.

“One must also be guided by one’s conscience.” She then added that she could not raise her prices any higher because most of her customers comprised the poor who were also trying to make ends meet.

Apparently this woman’s charitable nature had also been inherited by this son who had been selling noodles for over two decades now. Whenever I am at his noodle stall, I feel thankful that there are people like him.

I am sure those whose purse strings had to be tightened in these difficult times are also just as grateful for that bowl of noodles at old prices.

It would be very simplistic to reason that he is keeping prices low as a means to attract more customers. But having observed him deal with his customers over the years, I sensed a deeper conviction — of his concern for the welfare of others.

It would be very tempting to raise prices when everyone had raised theirs, I’m sure.

He reminded me of a food deliverer at the college where my daughters were studying years ago in Pahang.

Although the college had a canteen, the canteen operators sold dishes that were mostly spicy and meaty.

Some of the students who were not accustomed to spicy food, and a few were vegetarians, sometimes had to go for days on bread. As the nearest town was about 15km away and there were no public transport out, these students had very little choice.

However, this food deliverer, I learnt, would take orders from the students by phone and ride his motorcycle all the way to deliver the meals each evening.

For a packed meal priced at only RM3.50, his presence was god-sent to the students. I doubt the man’s 15km journey was worth it if he less than 10 orders, but on numerous occasions, I was told, he delivered even if it was less.

At a chance meeting, I once asked if the profit he made from his trips was worth his time and fuel. He replied that if he did not do it, the students would face hardship or the possibility of even go hungry.

“If they have good food,” he had said, “they can study better and their parents will worry less.”

Sometimes, in the haste in pursuing our daily needs, we miss noticing the simple acts of kindness that often make life little bearable for others.

When we do come across one— if scepticism did not cloud our judgement first — the rare opportunity warms our hearts and remind us of how easy it is to be charitable.

We do not need to be exceedingly wealthy nor be endowed with a position of power. Sometimes, by just doing what little we can to benefit those around us also counts as an act of philanthropy.

Twilight journey

The last of the remaining ferry service along Sungai Sepang near Bukit Pelandok.

It is the last remaining privately operated ferry service plying the towns of Bukit Pelandok in Negri Sembilan and Sungai Pelek in Selangor, on the otherside of the Sepang River. There used to be two operators but one closed down due to poor demand.

Now the lone operator services residents from the two neighbouring States using a single riverboat, operating from a terminal near Kampung India in Bukit Pelandok. The riverboat is powetred by a 15-HP outboard engine, piloted by the third-generation member of the family-owned business. There is a spare outboard motor on standby in case of a breakdown. There are no deck chairs as the crossing takes less than five minutes. Life jackets and life preservers are available.

The ferry service begins at 6.35am and ends at 7.25pm daily. Passengers are xharged 50sen per trip for an adult, and 30 sen per child. To bring motorcycles onboard, you pay an additional 50sen. For bicycles, it is 30sen per vehicle.

The ferry service begins at 6.35am and ends at 7.25pm daily

To get to the terminal from Bukit Pelandok side, drive straigt until you reach the Bukit Pelandok Tamil school, adjacent to a Hindu Temple. About 300m from the school on the straight, you will come to an X-junction where a green timber sundry shop is visible on your right. The road beside this shop will lead you straight to the jetty, about 1.3km away.

The ferry making a turn at the Sepang side.

The University of Hard Knocks may not be a bad place

READING the success story of 57-year-old Madenjit Singh in this portal last week was inspiring.

Madenjit, who founded SOLS 24/7 (or Science of Life Studies 24/7), an NGO that offers a free two-year boarding and educational programme providing life skills for disadvantaged youths, has been shortlisted as one of the 10 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize in Dubai on March 16.

Not only has he overcome the initial setbacks in early life, including having allegedly failed his Malaysian Certificate of Education (MCE) twice, but also has moved on to innovate teaching methodologies to benefit some 15,000 disadvantaged students in 185 schools in five countries.

If he wins the Global Teacher Prize, he will be the first Malaysian to earn that international recognition and be a motivation to educators to follow in his footsteps.

Those who were studying in secondary schools in the 1970s would remember with dread the fifth year at school, for that was the year of reckoning for many of us.

It was the year for MCE (or the Malaysian Certificate of Education) which later became the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia at the turn of that decade.

It marked the final chapter of the 11 years of one’s school education and unless one passed the MCE, and later the Higher School Certificate (HSC), there was no short-cut to get to the university for higher education.

At a time when higher education options were few or were not within easy reach, and overseas education only reserved for those with deep pockets, those who considered themselves “average students” would pray hard as they tried to cram in as much as their brains allowed to pass the MCE.

Good revision books were few and the best ones, like those published by Preston, although expensive, were snapped up like hot cakes even at the start of the fifth year at school.

Only those who paid attention in class right from the start of Fourth Form and did their homework as assigned stood a chance at the MCE. Co-curriculum was never considered important, except sports and it was only for those who knew that they wanted to make a living as sportsmen or women.

The rest, who treated Form Four as “Honeymoon Year” would eventually pay the price at the start of Form Five.

By the time the trial exams were held, the wheat would have been separated from the chaff. Those who knew they were not going to do well to get past the Fifth Form hurdle would switch to their Plan Bs.

Some teachers were also not too kind to those whose passion was not books. I knew of instances when some of my school mates were told the fact that if they failed their MCE, it would be the end.

They would have to go get menial jobs and earn mediocre pay. Although the emotional threats were done in good faith, it did little to ease the tension and mounting guilt many were already shouldering.

Fortunately for me and my classmates, we had very good teachers. One of them, I recall, while giving us last minute advice in the run-up to the MCE, said that we should do what we could and leave the rest to fate.

Not the best advice today but it sounded most logical at the time. Burning midnight oil to make up for neglected time that should have been spent on revision was rarely effective.

“Even if you did not get into sixth form or a university,” she had said, “it is not the end of the world. You can always take up a course and work your way up from there.”

She also opened our eyes to the various options such as taking up courses. Those days, private colleges like Goon’s and Stamford’s were among the famous ones offering accountancy and banking courses while the Federal Institute of Technology and Institut Teknologi Jaya offered engineering and architecture programmes.

Our teacher also spoke of the professional examinations by foreign trade bodies for which one could sit for locally and get accreditation from. If we were hardworking enough to take up the challenge, said the teacher, such professional qualifications would put us on par with university graduates, if not higher, when applying for a job later.

While most of us wanted to score a strings of As, that talk made many of us realise that for all the lessons we missed and the homework we skipped, we would eventually pay the price. So a handful of us did what we could and tried not to fail in any subject so that we could at least get a full certificate.

And as soon as the MCE results were released in March, a new beginning stared at us in the face. Like we had already known, an elite few passed with flying colours — some were even offered places in local varsities. Those who did not make it and who opted to go overseas had PA-MA scholarship, funded by their parents.

However, a small group of my friends, instead of looking for colleges, looked for jobs instead. They figured that by trying to earn a living first, they would be killing two birds with one stone — they would be able to keep themselves financially afloat as they decided what they really wanted to do in life.

Years later, when we met in an informal reunion again, the group who had taken the path less travelled had arrived at admirable levels of success in their lives. One who went to work for the stock broking house had become a successful stock trader.

Another who went to work for his uncle at a construction site now heads a prominent engineering firm. The fellow who joined a petroleum surveying company as a stock-taker ended up as a partner in a quantity surveying firm. One chap who joined a signage company as a shop assistant is today a prominent artist.

Some of my friends worked during the day and studied at night to gain whatever accreditation they needed in the pursuit of their goals. Others learned all the skills and tools required in their trade on-the-job and beat the path to their own chosen career successfully. The latter, I noted, were more streetwise and mature in their outlook.

Looking back at all of them today, there is little difference in the lives of those who had gone to varsities and those who did not if wealth and quality of life are the benchmark for comparison.

Paper qualification was as important at the time as it is today, but only as a key to open doors. Those who were deprived of higher education, either due to the lack of money or opportunity, have proven to me that they could get through life and achieve a reasonable amount of success through honesty, hard work, diligence and persistence.

They treated the working life as an open-university, one which many self-made millionaires called the University of Hard Knocks and where Life dishes its lessons unreservedly to those keen to learn and strong in spirit. The only fees you pay are an insatiable appetite for knowledge, desire to learn, humility to accept guidance, and penchant for hard work.

And I believe if you can cultivate all those qualities as well as an open mind to succeed, chances are that you will find opportunities knocking at your door. Even if they do not, you will have built enough courage, initiative and determination to go looking for them to make a success of your life.

Concubine Lane / Lorong Panglima, Ipoh

I have always wanted to paint the Concubine Lane, Ipoh, ever since I saw it some years back but didn't get to it for one reason or the other. I love the play of structures against each other, as if continuing a conversation from the past. The stretch is undergoing refurbishment - the owners of the buildings here are undertaking renovation because some of the structures are falling apart.
I have painted this lane with lots of light to enhance the quiet mood.

Concubine Lane, 9x11in, watercolour on paper, 2014

Lake Titiwangsa Sketch

Today turned out to be a bright day for sketching, so when I passed by Lake Titiwangsa on my home, I decided to see if I could do a few sketches of the place.

I  like the view from the eastern end with the city skyline as the backdrop. However, this is one view I hated doing because of the complicated shapes of the various buildings that came up over the years.

This time, I decided to tackle it as closely as possible, registering every structure - minus the details - that I possibly can. Using a gel pen helps a lot because the paper of this cheap sketchbook I bought at Kinokuniya Bookstores don't take too kindly to fountain ink - it spreads the ink like cauliflower.

I painted the piece and later decided to drop in some colours just in case I wanted to paint the scene in large watercolour sheets.

Took me 20 minutes it in - very slow!

Colour added. 

I also managed to sketch the messy greenery (below) at left of me from the same sitting position. I wanted to record the scenery of this huge angsana tree that must be over 30 years old.Not only was it providing shade, but also hosted several parasitic plant life, including a bird's nest fern and a strangler fig which is now deeply rooted.

Greenery is always challenging - you get to see how your greens are mixed and behave on paper.

Make Your Own Sketching Tool Case

Looks deceptively professional? No, this  came from an old school bag which I recycled.

I made this sketching tool case from an old school bag which had served my daughter for many years. Although one side was torn due to age, the other side's fabric was in good condition. Instead of throwing it away, I recycled it.

I cut out the good side, sew on the trimmings so that the sides don't fray, and gave it a new life as a  sketching tool case. You can buy better looking cases out there but I prefer to customise mine for my own needs.

Not much to look at but it serves me well. 

It is not difficult if you know how to use a sewing machine. As you can see, I used the regular straight stitch to sew the case and then applied overlapping zigzag stitches to sew the compartments for the brushes. I fixed a strip of velcro so that the cover of the case can be closed to prevent the brushes from sliding out when moving about.

Zigzag stitch features are available in most sewing machine options.
If you dont have this feature, you can also use a straight stitch.

Because of the size of my sketching tool case (slightly smaller than A4 when folded), I could only fit five compartments for the brushes, pencils, and pens. You can make more as you wish. I have also created a small compartment to fit my Winsor and Newton watercolour field set.

A compartment for my Winsor and Newton field set

Try making one from old bags and recycle.

Make Your Own Sketchbook

Today I made myself a sketchbook, measuring 6in by 9in. I was not happy with those I found at the art shops because of the quality and thickness of the paper. And most of all the price.

So I went to town, grabbed several sheets of heavyweight 300gsm art paper, cut them into the sizes I needed and used coptic stitch to bind them together. The only cost incurred were that of a needle, a ball of thick cotton thread, a hole puncher, time and energy.

My coptic-stitched sketchbook with a close-up of the stitching. 

If you wish to make your own sketchbooks, there are many resources on the web that you can seek out. I won't duplicate them here, but you can check on Youtube for some really good ones. The methods are more of less the same.

So, if you are not sketching or painting, or visit galleries, try making one because it provides a nice distraction from your usual activity. I suggest making a few because that will help you remember the stitching process which may look easy but only if you are familiar with the steps. Make a few in various sizes, both for yourself and your friends. It will be a fulfilling activity, I'm sure.

Why I prefer coptic stitched sketchbooks is because when opened, the facing pages can be quite flat and suitable for drawing panoramic views.

Capturing spirit of the place

Ong with one of his pieces.

SINGAPOREAN master watercolourist Ong Kim Seng is back with another solo show in the capital.

Entitled Different Lands in Watercolour, the exhibition, which is being held at Interpr8 Art Space in Publika Mall, is the artist’s second solo in Kuala Lumpur after his first in 2005.

This time, the 69-year-old artist is showcasing 29 exquisite pieces painted plein air at locations such as Bali in Indonesia, Kathmandu in Nepal, Singapore and Malaysia.

Ong, who has several international accolades under his palette, including honours from the American Watercolour Society (AWS), has also authored a number of books, including bestseller Mastering Light and Shade in 2003.

Fishing boats in Sekinchan.

Ong, who has been painting since he was a child, did not consider painting as a full-time profession until 1978 after a Nepali friend threw him the challenge to paint the Himalayas. He not only accepted the invitation but went on to churn out more than 30 paintings in the harshest of weather conditions.

“Painting the Himalayas in 1978 in sub-zero temperatures was a most memorable experience for me,” said Ong, who described himself as a “non-outdoor person”.

“The low temperatures turned water into ice and hardened the bristles of my brushes.

An atmospheric piece of a village in Ubud

“On many occasions, I had to turn back because of the biting cold and lack of oxygen,” he said.

The paintings, which were later exhibited in a one-man show in Singapore, found a warm reception. Eighty per cent of the works were snapped up, with some fetching more than S$2,000 (about RM8,100).

Today, Ong’s works adorn the walls of huge corporations and world-class hotels in Singapore and the region. His list of collectors comprise famous personalities, including former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan and Queen Elizabeth II.

Some of his works have gone under the gavel of renowned art auctioneers, including Hong Kong’s Sotheby’s and Christie’s in Singapore. In China, where Ong has exhibited numerous times, his works have also drawn a loyal following.

In the “Different Lands in Watercolour” exhibition, Ong’s fans will be treated to a dazzling display of the artist’s signature style of pitting light against shade in vibrant earthy tones in his visual diary of his travels.

Ubud market at noon.

From the dusty streets of Kathmandu to pre-war shop houses in the heart of bustling Kuala Lumpur and heritage enclaves of modern Singapore, Ong’s pieces come alive under the spotlight. They give the viewer a glimpse of a moment in time frozen by the artist’s masterly brushstrokes.

One can almost hear the rustling of the distant palm trees in a traditional village in Ubud, feel the dust kicked up in a quiet back alley in Kathmandu, or feel the heat of the morning as the sun sets old shop houses in Kuala Lumpur aglow.

“You have to paint on location to capture the spirit and atmosphere of your subject,” Ong said.

“You can paint from photographs but it will not have the same feeling.

“When you paint plein air, you are out there, experiencing all that is around you — the smell, heat, and the sounds.

“All these make their way into your paintings,” said Ong who has three children.

He said his daughter, Dora, was following in his footsteps.

“The rest are in other professions because I think they are afraid of the hard life I had to go through as a painter,” he said with a laugh.

Ong, who lives with his wife in Singapore, is kept busy with his schedule of exhibitions. This November, for instance, Ong will be exhibiting his Singapore street scenes at the nation’s Art Fair. And, if he is not out painting in a street corner, he will be imparting his skills to his students.

The exhibition ends on Oct 31.

Interpr8 Art Space is at Block C5, Level G4, Lot 20, Publika Mall, Jalan Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur. For details, call 012-395 2081.

Poetry of Light

A chance meeting with artist Smith S. Lynn on Facebook led to my friendship with him and this story when he was in KL to do his show:

Smith S. Lynn

YANGON-BORN artist Smith Sein Lynn is holding his fourth solo show here until the end of the month.

A graduate of Rangoon University and trained at the Academy of Art Dresden, Germany, Smith (as he is fondly known in the art circle) is a full-time artist and arts lecturer. He also operates an art school in Bangkok, where he has been based for the last two decades.

In this show entitled "Poetry of Life", Smith celebrates the environment around where he lives and pays tribute to the people he has met and the places he has been to during his travels.

In this showcase of over 50 works done in oil, watercolour and mixed media, Smith shows his mastery of the mediums with creations ranging from traditional to contemporary pieces. The soft-spoken veteran artist, who is already 72, has participated in close to over 200 solo and group shows in Southeast Asia and Europe over the past 25 years.

VERSATILE RANGE: Artist Smith Sein Lynn showcases his mastery in works done in oil, watercolour and mixed media

The awards he has won, which are as diverse as his works, include the Philip Morris ASEAN Art Awards 2001/2002, the Asean Art Awards 2012 and the Finalist's Award bestowed by International Artist Magazine in 2003.

Smith, whose Burmese name Sein Lynn means "Light of the Diamond", says he is captivated by life around him in general and translates what he sees and experiences in his works of realism, transporting the viewers into a fast vanishing world of indigenous people and faraway places.

He started painting in watercolour many years ago, and now does mostly oils.

When looking at both his watercolour and oil paintings, one cannot help but be awed by his keen eye for detail, especially for an artist of his seniority.

Affection

In the piece entitled Affection, an old lotus collector is seen resting with her grandson, leaning against the stump of a fallen tree. The precise placement of light and shade not only brings out the texture of the parch ground and the dried tree stump, but also provided a remarkable contrast between the complexion of the old lady and the boy as unveiled by the strong light.

A viewer who noticed streaks of purple in this piece asked Smith about their presence. She wondered if they were merely spontaneous strokes.

"The colour represents the spiritual life of these people," Smith said. "In this part of Thailand, there is very little rain and the weather is very hot. Life is very tough here. It is their strong spiritual life that sees them through their challenging days.

"This old woman and her grandson were on the way to the market to sell the lotus flowers they had collected. I painted them taking a break to rest, capturing that moment of affection between grandmother and grandson, before they start their journey again."

In all Smith's pieces -- whether they are watercolour paintings of fishing villages in Penang or oil pieces of Thai monks making their way to the monastery -- they are full of drama created by the presence of light, often gently hinting the time of the day and setting the mood.

In Studying Nun, light streams from an unseen window or doorway to not only illuminate the book in the hands of the nun but also reveals the exquisite carvings on the temple wall which immediately conjures a mood of reverence.

In Monks and the Monastery, two young monks are featured sharing an umbrella and heading out of a monastery, possibly to seek alms. Their calm faces exude a feeling of tranquillity and freedom from worldly worries. This mood is further enhanced by the presence of three white pigeons near the feet of the monks.

Monks and Monastery

In this piece, the hot day is depicted on the almost-white sunshine-drenched stone statues, enhanced by the contrasting cast shadows (in light blue). The heat of the day is strengthened by the brown glow of light that filters through the paper umbrella, onto the heads and shoulders of the saffron-robed monks. The placement of reflected light from the ground onto the monks' chins and cheeks in this piece reveals the artist's understanding of light and his mastery of colour values.

In Washing Woman (80cm by 100cm, oil on canvas), a cigar-smoking middle-aged woman is seen washing clothes by the stream. The feel of the mid-morning light is hinted with streaks of white across the woman's shoulder, head, and hands, and well-placed specks of more white on the surface of the water around the woman depict swirling eddies of moving water.

The biggest piece on this show is Smith's Swan Lake, a triptych of 100cm by 240cm, depicting modern ballet dancers dancing their way into the past. Done in oil using a variety of luminous colours, the dancers come alive under special lighting .

For Smith's fans who have been following his series of the Padaung girls, there are a few in this show, too. One is the Lovely Padaung Girl (100cm by 150cm) and another features three of the ethnic women bathing in a stream.

Smith's exhibition at Younie Gallery ends on June 30. The gallery is at 64, Jalan Kuantan. Opening hours are 11am to 6pm. The gallery is closed on Tuesdays. 

Colours of Ong’s Life

(Review of Watercolourist Ong Kim Seng's Book Mastering Light and Shade in Watercolour, published in the NST in August 26, 2006)

THIS is definitely not a book on watercolour painting for beginners.

But if you have mastered the basics, then Mastering Light And Shade In Watercolour will surely make a good reference.

Master watercolourist Ong Kim Seng does not waste time with the nitty-gritty in his book. Instead he sweeps you off in a single stroke to a visual adventure on his type of vibrant watercolour techniques.

The watercolour pieces that Ong painted from his overseas trips are visual delights.

This 128-paged hardcover is a storehouse of painting tips and styles that you will discover as the renowned Singaporean painter takes you through the intricate aspects of the aqua medium.

In Chapter One, under Tools of Expression, Ong briefly skims through the brushes, colour and paper - three key areas that most watercolour instruction would cover in boring detail.

Not Ong. Here, he only tells you the essentials not as an instruction but perhaps as a anecdote, sharing with you about the types of brushes he uses, the paper he prefers and his palette of colours, stopping short at the brand.

If you wondered why he didn't share with you his favourite brands - as I have seen in many watercolour instruction manuals written by art mentors of the west - perhaps this might enlighten you: "I prefer moist tubes but I don't stick with one particular brand because I like experimenting with colours from different paint companies.

Sometimes working with only one brand can create an overdependence on that brand and if through circumstances some colours are no longer available, this can be frustrating." Chapter Two takes the reader on a journey of discovery of how Ong deals with his works in specialist topics such as how light and shade (or shadow), tone, colour, contrast, shape, size, line, texture, and perspectives, can add life and vibrancy to your painting.

The light conversational-style of instruction, peppered with anecdotes of real-life situations Ong encountered during his painting trips, makes this book a gem, as much as the colourful pieces he did.

Ong starts each section with an Action Plan segment - a summary of possible options to take before you lay the first wash. These are crucial signposts that will lead you through the thicket of techniques about to be revealed in each of his work - be it composing for luminosity and contrast or working with shadow shapes.

To ensure easy understanding of the nature of light and luminosity, Ong indicates the direction of the streaming sunlight in each of the painting in discussion.

He also teaches you how to approach your initial sketch of the scene you are about to paint with a shadow plan - something I do not find in most watercolour painting books that I have read.

Although the main theme is about mastering light and shade, which are hallmarks of the artist's works, Ong shares more than just the technicalities of watercolour painting with his readers.

He also talks about true-life experiences that are hard to come by unless you paint outdoors often.

For instance, in one of the chapters, where the author talked about his work entitled Village in Peliatan, Bali, he said: "I was watched by a pack of dogs barking from a distance. I often carry a pack of biscuits with me when I paint outdoors, and I gave them a few to pacify them. They stopped their barking and I was able to paint." Such an anecdote (lots of them in this book) is invaluable to artists embarking on plein-air sessions.

Chapter 8: Critiquing Your Work is a revelation. Says the artist: "Knowing how to judge your work is just as important as knowing how to paint. It is best to critique your work by yourself and not seek the views of others. The moment you seek advice means you are not sure where the fault lies." And he goes on to teach how you can narrow down possibly problematic areas and improve or even salvage your work. This chapter rounds up the first theoretical half of the book before Ong embarks on the hands-on section.

There are altogether 10 interesting demonstrations by the artist, each showing how he approached the subjects he discussed in the earlier chapters.

Each of these shows the different stages of work - from sketch to final painting - and how each scene, under different climatic condition, is painted, step-by-step.

Although there are many watercolour instruction books, this one is unique not because it was written by a renowned artist who has won many international awards but because it is by an Asian artist.

I say this because most watercolour instruction books are authorised by artists in the West, who for most part of their lives, lived and painted in a much different climate - unlike in the tropics where colours are much more vibrant, livelier and brighter.

To paint the colours of the tropics in a medium as challenging as transparent watercolour, one needs to master the light and shades in scenaries that we are so familiar with.

 This Ong has done remarkably well.

Mastering Light and Shade in Watercolour will certainly make a good companion and an indispensable guide to any watercolourist embarking on his painting journey
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Maamor weaves magic with his brush

IF you watch Maamor Jantan at work, you will think that there is magic in his brush, for works of art seem to flow effortlessly out of it. The watercolourist usually paints without lengthy preparatory sketches or reference materials. But when his first stroke hits paper, you will see his mastery of the medium.

Whether it is a misty morning scene in Ubud, Bali, an evening panorama of a coastal village in Kelantan, or even a night scene of village folk cooking lemang on the eve of Raya, the artist paints with amazing speed.

As colours and tones are loosely laid in a variety of shapes and lines, the viewer is mesmerised and led into dream-like undulating landscapes filled with beauty. Just when the viewer thinks that is all, surprises await.

The profile of an earthen jar buried in the shadows; resting dragonflies camouflaged in thick foliage; or silhouette of crabs on rocks outlined by the setting sun are but some of the familiar things which will trigger fond memories of one's experiences.

Maamor, the eighth in a family of 10 children, was born in Kulim, Kedah, in 1961.

His family moved to Kuala Lumpur in the mid-1970s when his father, a policeman, was transferred to the city. It was at Setapak High School that Mrs Chin Peng Weng, Maamor's art teacher, inspired his first strokes in art.

"She always encouraged me regardless of what I drew or painted," said Maamor fondly."She told me to follow my heart and paint with colours that give mood to my paintings."

But the artist did not paint seriously until the early 1980s. After leaving school, he found a job at a framing shop. It not only brought him into contact with artists and collectors, but also reignited his interest in art.

"Back then my paintings were not outstanding," Maamor said with a laugh. "They were nice but hardly professional-looking. My turning point came in 1984 when my friend Raja 'Man Banting' Harman gave me a box of Rembrandt watercolours.

"When I painted with them, I saw the stark difference in my work. A prominent artist who saw my progress was so impressed that he said I had already become a professional."

The artist was none other than Khalil Ibrahim, who became Maamor's close friend and mentor, and with whom he shared many moments in later years, travelling, sketching and painting.

Without a formal art education, Maamor learned by watching nature and other artists at work. Through observation, he developed a keen eye for detail.

"Recently, I was in the vicinity of Gunung Jerai. While watching the setting sun splash its colours across the landscape, I suddenly realised that those were the very colours I had so frequently used in my works.

"I must have come across such moments a thousand times before without realising it and the colours must have somehow got etched in my mind subconsciously," he said. "Now, I know why I instinctively reach out for certain colours when I paint and how I am able to paint anything with such ease."

While painting is easy for the artist, his life's journey has been a series of challenges. Born at a time when artistic pursuits were frowned upon, his family members frequently asked why he was not interested in getting a regular job although they never discouraged him.

Maamor had two women to thank for his success. They stood by him as he worked in pursuit of his dream. One was his mother, and other, his wife Dila Ahmad.

According to Dila, she has lost count of the hardships they faced, save for one incident which is etched in her memory."At that time, we needed money to tide us over a very difficult period. A collector had told us he was interested in Maamor's work, so we took the bus all the way from Kundang to his home in Shah Alam," said Dila."But when we arrived at his house, he said he would only pay RM50 for the piece we had brought him. We had never felt so insulted."

The painting was not sold but later framed and kept as a reminder of that day."Today, I wouldn't sell it for RM5,000," said Dila. "Its sentimental value is priceless."

Although things are looking up for the artist, with his works sought after by many, life is still not easy. With their teenaged son and daughter in college, tightening their belt is still a daily routine for the couple. They are also saving up for the renovation of their small house in Kundang for Maamor to have a bigger area to work in, and more importantly, to invite his ageing mother to live with him.

Since last year, the artist has kept himself busy as a resident artist at the University of Malaya Art Gallery. Although Maamor has exhibited extensively in group shows locally and abroad, his friends have often wondered why he has yet to do a solo.

"A solo should mark an artist's mastery of his medium, not merely a showcase of what he has produced. This can only come about once an artist has consolidated all his experiences and skills," he said.

Asked when he would be holding his, Maamor, who recently celebrated his 51st birthday, said: "Soon, God willing."

Maamor is having a joint exhibition entitled "Faces" at the University of Malaya Art Gallery (UMAG) with artists Dr Wong Seng Tong, Yong Look Lam, and Calvin Chua until Nov 29. The gallery is on Level 5 of the Chancellery Building. Opening hours are 9.30am to 4.30pm; Mondays to Fridays. For details, call 03-7967 3780.