WELCOME to the evolution of ELFISIAN ART

Welcome to the mysterious tale of Elfisian Art. In this new era of art expression, you will enter a world that amazes you with plenty of bizarre and rebellious concepts, as well as unknown techniques: the collage of the East and the West; the rebellion against conventional expressionistic art; the fusion of international beliefs, you name it! Just open your mind and indulge yourself into this exotic gallery ☺

In this ePortfolio, I will present my new art formula in a series of journey I encompassed:

Biography
inspiring guidances
The evolution from infancy to full blossom
and
reflections

Click on one of the links on the above to see the insights of the steps I went through in search of my art. You can read Biography, see the artifacts that I have identified as my best work, and read my reflections about creating this portfolio.

If you follow a link and want to return, use the Back button on your browser.
Also, due to technical difficulties...I decided to put my reflections on the same page as "the evolution from infancy to full blossom".
I apologize for the inconveniences caused.

Biography

I ain't no significant person...but I love what I am doing, and I want to continue doing it!

1991 3 years old............

Yes, this sounds a bit too young. But my mom has kept records of my masterpieces. She recalled I drew a full body of a bride after coming back home from a wedding.
This is the first complete figure I drew.


1900s Kindergarten -> elementary school
To be frank...I could not stop drawing! When I went to elementary school, I began to draw out of my classroom. I drew pictures for competitions and decorated my school with my paintings.

2000s Middle school->High school
I began to explore different medias of art. In my high school years, visual art was one of the major course I took in Hong Kong. In the advanced art classes, I came across different medias such as computer graphics, calligraphy, mixed media, different types of painting, sculpture, ceramics, you name it!

Summer 2005 @ Singapore
After taking the HKCEE public exam, I went to Singapore and pursued an internship as a marketing assistant in the De Hygienique company. I was fortunate enough to have a chance to fully utilize my art skills in producing a real product by myself. I was part of the project of renewing the company's official website and logo design. The graphics, the layouts of the official website were done by me when I was seventeen. It was the biggest job I've ever done in my life.


Summer 2006 @Hong Kong I attended design courses organized by Hong Kong's top-notch
design department in Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Fall 2007 @ Foothill College
I pursued for a part-time job at the Design Center of Foothill College.
This further intrigued my creativity and broadened my horizons to more styles of art.
I was able to find recognition and common grounds from my clients and colleagues.
This is the prime time I finally self-actualized my potentials in art.

Inspiring GUIDANCES

On the early stage of my learning in art, my style was built upon sophistication and complex details.
I was only a fan of classic painters and Japanese typical anime artists.

I was particularily fond of paintings that illustrate still images and human bodies. Van Gogh, Monet, Edgar Degas were my most favorite painters at that time.



Ninagawa Mika & Naoki Ishizaka
Japanese Photographers are really influential figures in my early artworks. Their style, spacial creativity, the use of color schemes are the foundations of my artifacts.

Ninagawa Mika


Naoki Ishizaka


Besides, there also have been times I was particularly fond of manga and anime. The most renowned artists such as Clamp, Hayao Miyazaki(The artist of the movie "Spirited Away"), etc. Their style and artworks have great influences on the early stage of my art evolution.

Clamp

Hayao Miyazaki

Among all Japanese artist, Hayao Miyazaki is my most favorite. His

On the later stage of my art, my style began to change from sophistication to simplicity and conceptual.

As the journey progresses, I found myself indulging more in modern art and contemporary graphic designs. Gradually, not only do I work on Japanese manga work, but also conceptual graphic presentations that are inspired by western artists like Mark Turner, Blackbeltjones, Peter Callesen ,FRAPBOIS , Marcel Duchamp, etc.

FRAPBOIS


Peter Callesen


Here is a quick glimpse on the type of art I mentioned about my later stage of art -the sophistication of simplicity.

---by Peter Callesen.

*thanks to Ndenegosia from Youtube.com

The EVOLUTION of ELFSIAN ART

3 years old....My art is much more organic and freelance. The art form seems to be immature, but it is the most innocent and original artwork I have ever done. It is an ultimate art piece without any excessive boundaries and constraints. Without the corruption of the polluted mature mind...
my art was in the purest form :)

high school...

I was gradually influenced by Japanese manga art. I had experience in creating my own manga and draw my own stories. There was some time I was invited to teach manga drawing classes in my high school. It was the critical time I began to seriously consider my style of art.

My first manga art is primarily based on imitating and referencing of other artist's work.
At that time, Clamp is my first inspiring artist.
You can tell that I began to lose my originality.
But it is also the time when I gradually discover the importance of "copying" the masterpiece.
It is the first step to explore one's unique style.

Mine


Clamp's

Gradually, my art progressed into another different form.
I began to escape from sophisticated lines and indulge myself into realism and simplicity.
Not only my manga works...But also the the art piece.
In terms of manga, my characters began to show an original style.

Foothill College....

After I began working at the design center, I found myself gradually receding from manga art, and approaching the harmonious balance between complication and simplicity.
I started to fall in love with computer graphic design(CG in short).

Just to show an example...this one of the few designs I produced after a one-year training in the studio. It is also one of the proudest work piece I have ever made in my life.

Just a quick glance of...my private photo blog

It contains all the art work from infancy to full blossom.

The treasure of my art work...
I am also really fond of photography.
By combing with my passion in fine art, I created my first private art blog on the web few years ago.
It is also a very helpful "ePortfolio" I can use to present my art.

My reflections:

Throughout the journey of exploring and defining my own art, I encountered a lot of trial-and-error. I don't know if it is or will go to the most desirable direction, but one thing for sure is that I still love art, and I will. No matter how dramatic my style changes, nothing can take me away from art.

Art gives me comfort and confidence. It is a talent that makes me a whole person.
Art becomes a tool of communication. I use my designs to interact with people, and to make new friends. It becomes a channel to bridge my private zone to the outside world.
Art becomes a business. When my art is recognized by people, I was surprised how many projects and business I have done with other people.
Art is my home. When I do art alone or with my friends, I feel like I am enjoying a great time with my family.

In conclusion, art is my life; the air I breathe; the beauty I triumph; the nutrients I consume.