The Workshoppe

Goldfish Salvation

2012-01-06T16:57:00.000+08:00

Making of a Coraline-style doll.

2011-11-24T22:53:00.000+08:00

This is not a step-by-step. Just a rough outline of how I made this doll. It'll be slightly different from the standard Coraline doll. It's a boy doll for starters.

To get the unique head shape, I sculpted it out of clay with a styrene backbone.

Make a plaster mold of it.

2-part silicone rubber mix. Protect your hands and work surface!

Poured a small amount and slushed it around to get a hollow cast. This sets in about 10 minutes.

Finished pull.

Trimmed the excess rubber away and brushed off the plaster bits.

Separate the lower jaw with the rest of the face.

Wrap in cloth.

Do the same for the rest of the face. Sew on buttons of your choice.

Of course, when you start doing stuff like this, it's time to rest.

Ears added.

Potato head. This is the back of the head done the same way as the front. Hair is added.

Keep adding hair!

Cut to desired shape and length.

Body sewn.

Body turned out.

Head sewn on and the whole thing stuffed and sewn shut.

Add clothes of your choice.

Viola!

Angst corner...

2011-11-15T23:38:00.000+08:00

Most people think they know me. How it's like to live my life. They think everyday is a great day. Full of fun and excitement and new knowledge. But they're wrong. Nobody knows what it's like to live like this.

Having to constantly prove yourself everyday, just so no one would forget you even exist. Always having to please them, just so they'll even talk to you. It's too much to bear. No one ever talks to me as me. I don't even think anyone knows the real me. I tell them but no one ever listens. They only see the creations, not the creator. All they ever see is the cute toys, shiny pendants and flashy lights. Nobody ever looks behind to see the soul who made them, just so somebody, anybody would glance her way.

I do them favors, I give them everything, anything they want. And yet, I get nothing in return. Even if I do, it's because it's obligatory. Nobody does anything for me unless I beg them to, nobody remembers me until I start making noise, and nobody ever takes me seriously.

I know the truth now. The truth is, nobody wants me around. I'm too quiet, too different and maybe a tad too boring. All they want is the fun stuff, the things you can just take and go with a quick "thanks" and never look back.

Yet, why do I still do it? If it pains me so much to lose a part of myself each time? I don't know. Maybe it's because I want to.

Halloween 2011: Daft Punk!

2011-11-01T00:23:00.001+08:00

Guy Manuel

Thomas Bangalther

Coasters of 2011

2011-06-17T22:09:00.003+08:00

2011-05-08T11:58:00.000+08:00

Don't Forget...

... some things mustn't be forgotten.

Acrylic on Watercolor Paper

The Story of Nier

2011-05-04T00:40:00.002+08:00

Sigh...

2011-01-22T20:03:00.002+08:00

Inspiration is so hard to come by these days. Yet, when I do get the urge to do something, reality sets in. The thought of how I can accomplish something and make it possible prevents me from taking the first step forwards.

In time, it'll just escape, and I'm stuck in an endless cycle of discovery and loss.

There are so many things I've been wanting to do for a while now. Paint a new picture, sew something cute and more importantly, I would very much love to create another short film.

Yet, I'm stuck, trying to find the time, resources and of course, the inspiration needed to get started.

2010-12-25T23:12:00.000+08:00

Merry Christmas!!!

Walking with Dinosaurs

2010-12-02T00:54:00.006+08:00

... was awesome! :D

RIP Dinosaurs... You will always be remembered. ;(

The magic behind it all...

Matchbox Pinhole Photography

2010-10-22T00:03:00.005+08:00

This is the what I used, which is basically a matchbox, some cardboard and 2 rolls of film; in this case Kodak ISO200 Color Negatives.

Kudos to this website for the instructions on how to make it.

Here's some of the results. Not bad... These ones were taken during my trip to Alaska.

Taken in Singapore, both at home and in my office.

Poets of the Fall - Carnivale of Rust

2010-10-01T19:53:00.005+08:00

Such a powerful video.

Mooncake Festival

2010-09-21T01:41:00.000+08:00

My granduncle's new home. The garden is awesome! And just for his 3 dogs!

Whisky, Soju and Brandy

BBQ! And time for some sparkler fun!

My little Noe bear :)

We heart our mama.

The adults do a better job then us :/

S11 FAIL!

Smiley face! :)

Birthday!

2010-08-29T23:01:00.000+08:00

Yes I'm old now! 21 years old to be exact!

I have the coolest friends, the greatest colleagues and the best family ever! Thank you for making this day so memorable!

Resonance of Fate - Danuvius

2010-08-11T10:44:00.003+08:00

New video! Best game of this year for me!
Music is Danuvius by Audiomachine. check out more of their stuff. It rocks!

2010-07-07T00:04:00.000+08:00

New light! Experimenting with resin and electronics. Fun!

2010-06-27T22:04:00.000+08:00

I NEEDS INSPIRATION!!!!

that's all.

2010-05-20T01:19:00.000+08:00

Woohoo! I am officially a licensed scuba diver!

I'm the orange one btw :)

Pulau Aur, Malaysia. 4 hr boat ride from the mainland.

It's a whole different world down there!

2010-04-19T01:30:00.000+08:00

My mind has been stagnant for awhile. Busy filling it with World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 13. So decided to find some inspiration and here's the result!

Veggie Paper!

-Cucumber paper

Made completely out of fresh vegetables. No glue and no added substances. Just plain 'o' veggies. I'm able to write on it, draw and paint as well! Can also use it for other stuff like cards, lampshades or maybe just frame it. It's cheap and fancy and will definitely experiment with more types in the future, maybe a couple of fruits as well.

-Eggplant paper

2010-04-08T23:10:00.001+08:00

Found him!!!

Off to hunt Easter Eggs now.

2010-04-06T23:21:00.000+08:00

Sholazar Basin in World of Warcraft. This lush tropical jungle is a unique gem in the cold harsh unforgiving Northrend. Isolated by ancient and powerful Titan technology and steep cliffs, the ecology here coexists almost independently from it's surrounding areas, resulting in strange, fascinating and often times dangerous beasts.

Wildlife is abound and diverse. From gentle Longneck Grazers to predatory Dreadsabers, bad-tempered Shardhorn Rhinos to vicious giant wasps, it really is quite a jungle out there, wild and untamed. But there's more... Legends speak of 3 elusive beasts that stalk this area, never appearing in one spot for too long and then disappearing without a trace for hours at a time.

King Krush, the giant green Devilsaur. With jaws that can swallow an unprepared traveller whole, this monster is not to be mocked. Aotona, the great rainbow parrot, beautiful and elusive. Proof of his existence is few and sightings even fewer. And last but not least, is a Spirit Beast, many believed to be the Mate of Harkoa, Loa Goddess of the trolls.

Loque'nahak

Amazing and ferocious. He has been sighted all over the basin, appearing in one place and vanishing. Only to reappear at the opposite area of the map a few hours later. Hunters seeking to tame or kill this beast, have spent weeks and months tracking him down, patrolling both land and sky, many praying for just a glimpse of him. Few ever succeed.

So here I am. Tirelessly flying around the area, looking for the secretive spirit beast. Hoping one day, he'll stand by my side as an ally in combat.

SCOTT PILGRIM vs THE WORLD

2010-03-26T23:14:00.000+08:00

2010-03-14T15:33:00.001+08:00

KICK-ASS!

2010-03-02T21:51:00.000+08:00

One day, I hope to find someone who will actually like me for me, and not for what I do.

Fat chance that'll happen.

2010-02-14T16:39:00.000+08:00

Dog-sitting my granduncle's puppy. She is such an angel!

Ok sweetheart, time for bed.

Time to lose them pounds!

2010-01-10T04:01:00.000+08:00

A little bit of philosophy and reality: (written by me)

"In times of war, some countries/states will hire mercenaries to do the fighting while others will send their soldiers.

The soldiers of the former, will usually be weak and in desperate times, won't be able to withstand an onslaught without help. The soldiers of the latter, however, are able to hold their own against foes sometimes mightier than them, and with each victory, grow ever stronger.

Countries with a experienced and powerful army, rarely have need for mercenaries. Only when the war is on the losing side and going downhill fast, will they consider this hired help. Countries with a weak army will often need to call for aid, relying more on outsiders than their own people, draining resources that could be used for it's own growth. Hence, when no assistance can be granted or if it works against them, the country is destined for ruined.

Now why you ask, am I talking about this? Well, this is all actually a little piece of advice. Imagine your body as your country/kingdom, the mercenaries is medicine given by doctors and the soldiers your immune system. Understand what I mean?

Falling sick is like fighting a war.

By letting your immune system combat it, with no external help, will help strengthen it. Only when there is no improvement will you seek help from doctors. By taking medicine for every little thing, not only are you wasting your time and money, but you are not allowing your immune system to do what it's meant to do and it will forever be weak, rendering you vulnerable against more serious illnesses in the future.

So it's your choice: Mercenaries or soldiers?"

^ Just a little something I suddenly thought about after reading a bit of "The Prince" by Niccolo Machiavelli. I had to put it down somewhere or it will keep on popping into my head.

2010-01-08T07:59:00.001+08:00

After more than a year, HewieAlbino's back!

2010-01-01T22:29:00.000+08:00

And a Happy New Year! 2010! Wow, time passes fast!

Made chicken, ham and cheese quiche for my family today :)

Couldn't find a pie crust and didn't have time to make my own :( So I ended up making a potato crust instead. Turned out well, except now it's more like a quiche/shepherd's pie mix. Overall, it was good, a little dry cuz I baked it too long I think.

As for the soup, was dying to try this recipe for a long time: French Onion Soup. It's simple, but takes a while to make.

Ingredients I used: (able to serve up to 12 people i think O_o)

7 large onions

7 cups of beef stock (or whatever stock you want eg. vegetable)

A cup of water

Olive Oil

A teaspoon of sugar

Salt and Pepper to taste

A bit of Italian seasoning for extra flavor

Gruyere Cheese (the official recipe called for it but I couldn't find it. So used mozzarella and cheddar instead)

Some toasted bread.

Cooking:

1.) Slice the onions into strips or chunks (your preference), bite-sized

2.) Cook the onions in olive oil on high heat for a couple of minutes.

3.) Turn the heat down to low.

4.) Add sugar and salt to help with the caramelization of the onions

*tip* The trick to getting that special flavor in this soup, is to cook the onions until they are dark brown.

5.) Cook the onions for about 30mins, or until they turn dark brown. Not just golden brown, DARK brown. Not burnt brown though.

6.) Prepare the stock.

7.) Once the onions are ready, transfer them over into a soup pot.

8.) Add the stock to the onions and pour in the water.

9.) Let to soup come to a boil then let it simmer for 10 mins or so.

10.) Add salt, pepper and seasoning to taste.

Serving:

1.) Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

2.) Spoon soup into oven-safe bowls (don't forget the onions too!)

3.) Float your toasted bread on top.

4.) Add cheese of top of everything.

5.) Put the bowls in the oven, bread, cheese, all of it.

6.) Remove it after a couple of minutes once the cheese has browned.

7.) Serve hot! And enjoy!

2009-12-25T21:20:00.000+08:00

Merry Christmas! :D

Medico della Peste

2009-11-11T22:39:00.000+08:00

Sketch on a Post-it

Baked sculpture, with "green stuff" to fix the cracks.

After sanding and priming

Finished piece.

Say hello to my little friend :)

2009-11-03T22:46:00.000+08:00

Woohoo! Halloween is here!

The costume that I wore to work :D Medico della peste or in less fancier terms, a Plague Doctor. Everything has been handmade; the mask, cloak and gloves. Won "Best Costume" along with another colleague. The prize is a couple of movie tickets from The Screening Room. And of course, some Instax shots to complete the day.

Stella and I in our costumes :)

Our supervisor, Sam, with his makeup. Courtesy of Stella.

There's something strange... in the neighborhood...

DNeg Singapore chillaxing at Haji Lane.

Happy Halloween everyone!

2009-10-11T00:55:00.000+08:00

Just a quick update before anyone thinks I'm dead.

Went to the library @ Esplanade today for the Digicon 2009. The short film my friends and I made for our Final Year Project: Story of I, received a Certificate of Effort. Kinda disappointing, but at least we won something!

The winner was a short film, My Father is a Washerman, made by Srinivas Bhakta, our lecturer from NYP. :) Yay! Congrats Mr. Bhakta.

But before that, I went around Clark Quay and City Hall to snap some photos. Bought a new camera.

The Agfa Clack, a 1950 vintage film camera. Cute right?

Bought it for $5 online. So went around then later headed over to Ruby at Peninsula Shopping Centre to get the film processed. Can't wait to see how it turns out :) Oh, and the uncle there helped me clean the lens... for free! So nice of him, but he says the camera brought back some memories for him. Ahh...

So after Digicon, went down to Haji Lane at Bugis with school friends and colleagues for shisha and drinks. I didn't take the hookah and I just drank ice lemon tea though. Still, it was fun just chilling out and relaxing.

Well, that's all for now.

2009-09-19T19:08:00.001+08:00

My new toy arrived today. And I'm loving it already!

Fuji Instax 7s. Instant camera from Fujifilm that prints out credit card size pictures... well, instantly!

Also, went to watch "9" today. Awesome movie. Could have done better story-wise, but I love the colors, animation and characters. Did I mention it has steampunk elements in it? Another plus in my book. Oh, and rag dolls too.

Movie Poster

The Cat Beast, my favorite of the "Machines".

The "Stitchpunks" facing off with the Cat Beast.

The original short film by Shane Acker.

2009-07-18T10:32:00.000+08:00

Reference Image: here

2009-07-11T02:30:00.000+08:00

Reference image: here

2009-07-10T12:51:00.000+08:00

2009-06-17T13:52:00.000+08:00

Zalera, the Death Seraph

"Heretic scion who wrapped the world in dark energies, seeking to take the souls of all living things unto himself. Created in opposition to Emet-Selch, Angel of Truth, and scion of light. Originally tasked with the judging of men upon their deaths, his soul was tainted by the curses of those who raged against the heavens, and seizing one of the gods' servants, a shamaness, as a hostage, he rebelled against his creators. Even now, in defeat, he clutches the shamaness to him in his right arm, and with the aid of her death-wail does he summon the soul of darkness to do his bidding."

Steampunk Pendant: Timeless

2009-05-18T23:21:00.003+08:00

Selling here

Email hewiealbino@gmail.com for more info

Steampunk Pendant: Clockwork Mosquito

2009-05-18T23:17:00.003+08:00

Selling here

Email hewiealbino@gmail.com for more info

Steampunk Pendant: Inner Workings

2009-05-18T23:11:00.000+08:00

Selling here

Email hewiealbino@gmail.com for more info

Steampunk Pendant: Coral Reef

2009-05-18T23:05:00.001+08:00

Selling here

Email at hewiealbino@gmail.com for more info

Le Steak

2009-05-10T00:21:00.000+08:00

Well, tomorrow is Mother's Day. We decided to celebrate earlier though. My gift to my mum, a homecooked steak dinner.

^ Juicy ribeyes. Bought 6 pieces.

^ Finished dish. Steak with mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and baby carrots at the side. Yum...

^ See the soup? That's Prawn Bisque. My mum made that, not me. It's delicious, but hard to do.

^ Look at that color! *drool*

Overall, it's fun to cook. The potatoes were creamy, the mushrooms silky and the steak is juicy and tender.

2009-05-01T12:40:00.000+08:00

My mum had a friend who managed to purchase 5 lobsters at $10 each! That's right, 5 extremely fresh, full sized Boston Lobsters.

^Yep, they're dead. and halved... :( But look at that meat!

^Baked lobster! Covered in Carbonara sauce. It would have been better with mozzarella and some butter. and maybe some chives. But we don't have mozzarella and we forgot the butter. Heh...

^Regular steamed lobster with ginger. The yellow part is the roe, found inside the head.

Of course, because there's so many of us and only so much lobster, we had fried udon as well.

If there's ever a next time, my mum wants to try lobster bisque and lobster thermidor.

I have a Confession to make...

2009-04-27T21:02:00.001+08:00

I hate cities... period.

Why, why, why couldn't my sister be born in May!

Traveling Rant

2009-04-26T16:43:00.000+08:00

Ok, so I'm going to US in July, with my parents, to visit my sister in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Here's the catch, I have to do the planning, which totally totally sucks!

I only have 2 weeks in US, so I have to list down where I wanna go and what I wanna do. My parents are in their "anything lor" mode, aka, "whatever". Now that's irritating...

First rule in my travel plans: No cities! or try to avoid cities as much as possible. I've had enough of city life in Singapore. The last thing I wanna do in US to get stuck in a city. So that means, no New York, no Washington DC, no San Francisco and no any big cities. It's small towns and nature all the way!

Second rule: Jackson Hole is a must! World famous Yellowstone national park, the one place I have always wanted to go. Well, here's my chance. But since my sister only has the weekend+2 days leave and she wants to visit Grand Canyon with us. So that limits the time we have to spend in Wyoming.

So as I mentioned, the Grand Canyon in Arizona is another must. Located only one state away. So that's on my list. 2-3 days at least. Maybe hiking or canoeing...

But according to the schedule I've drawn up now, that means I'll still have 5 days left. I dunno where to go from here. I was originally thinking Ohio, because of a zoo there that I would like to visit. But that's like on the other side of US. I can't think of anything else I wanna see around there, so I've decided no Ohio.

Next to my amusement (and my sister's horror), I thought about Washington, a little town near Seattle called Forks and the nearby nature reserve called La Push. Now most of you might know what Forks is famous for. (Hint: sparkly vampires) But apart from fangirling over there, I don't know what else to do. So no Forks... darn...

How about Colorado? Mountains, rivers and lakes. But my sister told me it'll be the same as Jackson. Oh well... Then I thought, Alaska. Northern lights, kayaking, nature. But like Ohio, it's out of the way.

Then I thought, Oregon. Forests and trees. Maybe something different from the plains and mountains of Yellowstone. But still enough nature to keep me satisfied. So ok then Oregon. Since my parents are not gonna say anything or help me, might as well do what I wanna do. I'll just hold their hands and tug them along.

Most likely will stop by Los Angeles the last few days. Hey, Hollywood and Beverly Hills people. Wouldn't wish it despite the "No Cities rule". Even though my parents have been here once but hey, I'm planning.

So right now is Singapore > Jackson Hole > Arizona > Oregon > LA > Singapore. I hate city life. Should have become a naturalist or something, but I like what I do. Now I have to check airfare, air routes, hotel rates, things-to-do. Argh... And draw out an itinerary. Damn... I hate planning!

2009-04-18T15:25:00.001+08:00

Happy Birthday Syarah and Theo!

BBQ at East Coast Goldkist Resort.

^ The birthday girls!

^ Pikachu cake for Theo

^ Rubix cake for Syarah!

2009-04-18T15:11:00.000+08:00

Zodiark, Keeper of Precepts

"Strongest of the scions created by the gods, they feared his growth, and so kept him a child. So indomitable is his strength that all things are by him twisted and pressed into oblivion. He alone fashions the laws governing all things, and administers punishment in place of the gods. So is he Keeper of Precepts, and his authority is absolute."

2009-04-18T15:01:00.000+08:00

Chaos, Walker of the Wheel

"Tutelary deity of the sacred crystals fashioned by the gods at the time of the Great Making. Created in opposition to Mitron the Chasiter, scion of light. Upon entering the world of Man, he was enveloped in the turmoil rampant there. Lost, he died and was reborn countless times, a walker of life's wheel, eventually to rage against the gods that had so failed him. By sitting in meditation upon the Unrh Pedestal does he clear heart and mind until all that has order and reason and thought is made as nothing."

2009-04-10T23:59:00.000+08:00

My current obsession.

Yes it's an anime. Bite me -_-

2009-03-24T01:16:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday, Rosalind!

Dinner at Thai Express, Plaza Singapura.

(left to right): Dahiyaht, Syarah, Rosalind, Linfang, Annabella, Hendry, Gilbert, Wai Ming, Jingky, Me, Theodora and Stella.

Played Left 4 Dead until 11pm after that. I was in Anna and Theo's team. Kept shooting them cuz I was doing a 360 with a semi-auto :( . Good game though. Reminds me of SWAT training, except with more screaming and less tap-shoulder-and-point. btw, Tanks suck!

2009-03-24T01:07:00.000+08:00

Belias the Gigas

"Scion of darkness and guardian of the Holy Realm, made by the gods in opposition to Loghrif the Transcendent, scion of light. Called the Gigas for his appearance: man and monster fused as one. Considered a mistake upon his making, and receiving not his intended role, the Gigas challenged the gods and lost. Scorned by his masters, he found another: the Dynast-King, whose tomb he swore to protect for eternity."

2009-03-02T17:44:00.000+08:00

ok, updates!!!

Been doing Final Year Project for 3 months++ but it's over now. The outcome was well worth the effort and if given the chance I'll love to work with my incredible FYP team again. :)

Anyway, now that that's done, I'll be attending my graduation show, Fusion 09, this Thurs, Fri and Sat. The above logo ^ is the logo I'll be using for the whole Fusion package. My booth number is 57, heh, look out for me.

And in other news...

Final Fantasy versus 13. This game is driving me crazy, seriously. The wait is driving me crazy. I saw the first trailer like, 2 years ago! And now all Square Enix released is 3mins additional CGI footage, no gameplay, no detailed storyline and the expected released date... 2011 and maybe even later. *sob* *sob*

At least we know the names of the two main characters. The guy is Noctis Lucius Caelum, which literally means "Light of the Night Sky", and the girl is Stella Nox Fleuret, "Sword of the Night Star" (matching names, how cute :3). They are, unfortunately, forced to fight each other, even though they don't want to. There's no further reason why, but I really hope there's going to be a love story somewhere. *listens to Taylor Swift's Love Story*

Last love story was FF10, but to be honest, I couldn't stomach it, because I can't stand the guy character. He's annoying as hell. FF8 is the best!

FF12 had so much potential. I mean, 2 childhood friends, a princess and her guard, 2 partners in crime working together for years, and what do we have? Politics, politics and more politics. Where's the love? And how does saving a kingdom help the main guy fulfill his dreams of being a sky pirate? I haven't even finished 3/4 of it and I'm already so detached from the story. If I want a world in political crisis I'll read the newspapers.

And the part I'm stuck in now is all, "Chase this guy here", "Wait, he tricked us!", *fights boss*, "Yeah, summonz!!!! omg!!!111!!1", "We should travel north", "Yayz, enemy capital!", "Wait, we mustz kill that guy before we can kill the king!", *chases said guy*, "OMG you're my father! I hate j00! >:("

Seriously, like what? And the 2 supposedly main characters, have become nothing more than background characters, who only speak like 1 word in every 10 cutscenes.

Really hope v13 doesn't disappoint me. However, in an official interview with the character designer, it is stated that FFv13 will be the darkest Final Fantasy yet, and the ending will be so tragic, we'll cry ourselves to sleep for weeks. Hmm, well, I guess tragic love is better than no love. Heh...

Well that's all for now.

2009-01-01T15:02:00.000+08:00

And a Happy New Year!

2008-12-25T17:57:00.000+08:00

Merry Christmas!

2008-11-15T00:13:00.000+08:00

Don't just make a character sit.

How is he going to sit?

2008-10-16T02:37:00.001+08:00

Most creative commercial ever!

2008-10-12T00:00:00.000+08:00

Hand inside my mac. LOL!

(photoshop was only used to crop the image. Nothing else. I swear.)

2008-10-11T14:53:00.000+08:00

People? What people?

Website: Mighty Optical Illusions

2008-09-06T22:09:00.000+08:00

Saw a couple of trailers today.

Hey! It's that dog!

Yes, Master!

29th August

2008-08-31T11:11:00.000+08:00

Yay! I'm not 18 anymore! I love you girls/guys!

Had a Sketch Group Camp at Fairy Point Chalet. Did some outdoor sketching/ painting, photography, got to see a lovely sunset, played Pictionary, got kidnapped, celebrated birthday and did a huge piece of art work with everyone.

Group Photo!

Derrick, Zhanxin, HuiHui, Rosalind, Me, Syarah, Theodora, YingZhi, WaiMing and Faith.

Our chalet. Huge!

One of the bedrooms in the chalet. I have no idea who those people are. I swear I was alone. O_o"

View of sunset from the hill outside.

View of sunset from CBC. Had to run down the hill to get it. :P

Sketch Group Artwork

3 Mahjong paper together. Pens, markers, color pencils, watercolor and a bit of drool.

Morning of Day 2 before we leave. Everyone hard at work.

Really had fun. More pictures here!

Oh yeah. And a birthday present from my dear 'friend', HewieAlbino. :P

Siam Kitchen

2008-08-28T23:58:00.000+08:00

Went to a Thai Restaurant, Siam Kitchen at Causeway Point today with Miss Gail Pantin, Faith, Derrick, Zhanxin and X. Did some catching up with Miss Gail and ate dinner. Really full now.

Random sketches...

Tao's Restaurant

2008-08-23T07:57:00.001+08:00

Went to this lovely restaurant at Selegie Road with my family. My grandmother brought us there to celebrate my mum's birthday. The food was delicious and the service was good. The waiter actually described all the dishes to us and recommended a few. Very patient. We get a six course meal: a starter, salad, soup, main course, dessert and a drink. The starter was standard: Mushroom and Cheese Au Gratin. The others we can choose different dishes from the menu.

These are the soups: Cream of Mushroom, Pumpkin, Shark-fin Melon and Fish Soup. The presentation is really adorable. Pumpkin soup in a pumpkin shaped bowl. See that little teapot? That's the fish soup. We have to pour it into the little bowl beside it and drink it like that.

The drinks. Each come with their own little cup/bowl. The flask contains the drink as well as the ingredients. Fresh lavender in the lavender tea, apple slices and dried roses in the apple tea and peach slices in the peach tea. Really cute and refreshing.

Now the main dishes. We had beef steak, grilled chicken, pork ribs, herb-baked prawns (top) and baked flounder with cheese (bottom). Now the servings are quite small but because of the appetizers, soups and all, it is rather filling.

Everything is so tender and juicy. The steak and ribs especially. The flounder and the prawns are very fresh and delicious.

Last but not least, is the dessert.

Once again, everything is so lovely. I had the Creme Brulee. Sweet and creamy.

Really an excellent lunch. Guess how much it cost? $20 per person! The servings are small but with so many courses, we were very full at the end. It's quite nice that you get a little bit of everything. And the presentation for the food is really appealing.

Fun in the Sun!

2008-08-22T11:08:00.000+08:00

Went to Siloso Beach yesterday. Played volleyball, frisbee and went swimming.

Syarah, Stella, Rosalind, Aaron, Zhan Xin, Jie Xin and Cheow Hong. Shaun and Keith joined us later.

Lovely scenery.

Buried Zhan Xin, Shaun and Cheow in the sand. The blurred spot is water on my lens.

Oh! We found a mermaid!

Went back to Vivocity for dinner. Ate at Thai Express.

Yum! Sweet and Sour Fish with rice and Avocado Milkshake.

Ensure Sobfest...

2008-08-18T00:25:00.000+08:00

Y'all know I'm a big fan of the Fatal Frame Series right? The gameplay is scary but the endings are so beautiful! Makes it all worthwhile. So, here are all the endings from 1 to 4.

Fatal Frame - Mafuyu chooses to stay behind and Miku leaves him. The Gate to Hell is sealed and all the spirits are freed.

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly - Mio sacrifices Mayu for the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual. Mayu becomes a butterfly, the curse is lifted from the village and the Twins become one.

Fatal Frame 3: The Tormented - Rei sets the spirits free and sees her dead fiance crossing over. He tells her to live for him and removes the Tattoo curse from her body.

Fatal Frame 4: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse - Ruka completes the ritual and spirits cross over. She regains her memories and remembers her father.

Since Fatal Frame 4 is only for Wii, I decided to spoil it for myself. :D Didn't regret it though. Most touching ending of the series.

School's Out!

2008-08-16T00:45:00.000+08:00

Let me introduce you all to Mantis. Hi, Mantis! This little guy flew into my study room last night. He wasn't bothering me and he was kinda tiny and cute. So I left him alone. Can't say the same for beetles though. I hate beetles. They're stupid. Flying into the fan and getting smacked onto my table or hair. Leave me alone!

Now meet my El Chupacabra. Made him for my sculpturing module. I call him Little Brother. Why? Because before I added the fangs, scowl and spines, he looked kinda cute and impish. Don't worry about the goat. It's dead anyway.

Phew, handed in Minor today. Not quite finish but will resubmit anyway. We decided to celebrate since we're free! No more school, assignments and blah...

Went to Newton Circus for dinner. Later went to Wheelock Place's Coffee Bean. Stayed until 11pm. Just got home, bathe, and thanks to the coffee, can't sleep. T_T

Group picture! Without me of course.

Stella, Rosalind, Carol, Derrick, Han Wee, Yun Qian, Faith, Anastasia, Syarah and Theodora.

El Orfanato

2008-08-12T00:34:00.000+08:00

Just finished watching The Orphanage (El Orfanato) today. Most of you might think it's a horror show about an old creaky orphanage haunted by demented little ghost children and monsters. But believe me, it's not. It's more of a non-horror horror show. Make no sense? Then go rent or borrow a copy and watch it now! Trust me, you have to see it. A really lovely story, with it's share of scares, laughter, tears and plot twists.

Hmm, also, the movie is eerily similar, and I mean similar, to the video game, Rule of Rose. The storyline has the same foundation, the setting, the mood, certain camera angles, the character and costume design. Hell, even both orphanages have an almost similar layout.

Want some comparisons?

The top image shows the orphanage in the game. The bottom is an early shot of the building in The Orphanage. Similar right? The mood and everything.

The sack kid from the movie at the top. The paper bag headed kids from game. Eerie huh?

Meet Jennifer and Brown. The two main characters from the game. Looks at Jennifer's dress. Familiar? Look at the poster. See the dress the lady is wearing? Hmm hmm...

Trailers

2008-08-05T21:11:00.000+08:00

Two trailers I stumbled upon recently.

Fatal Frame 4 is coming! (Warning! Some scenes below are not for the faint hearted. You have been warned!)

I love the series! I've played and completed 1, 2 and 3, 2 being my personal favorite. Unfortunately, Tecmo only plans to release this for Nintendo Wii. Aww... :(

Btw, Tsukiko Amano, who sung Chou for FF2 and Koe for FF3 is also doing the FF4 theme song, Zero no Chouritsu or Call my Name (i think).

Resident Evil: Degeneration. Newest Resident Evil movie but actually based on the games this time. (at last) Happens 7 years after Raccoon and 1 year after the Las Plagas incident. I've read that it's going to be a fully CGI movie like FF: Advent Children. However, the graphics and animation aren't looking good at this point. And Leon S Kennedy looks weird compared to the RE4 version of him. Claire's looking good though.

I'm such a sap...

2008-07-25T02:20:00.000+08:00

The saddest video game scenes I've ever seen.
*SPOILERS AHOY!!*

#5 - Tragic indeed. Harry Mason was Heather's adoptive father. He was murdered for revenge.

#4- Losing yourself to a loved one. Mafuyu asked Miku to leave him behind, and he died.

#3- Will they meet again. Tidus was a dream of the fayth. When they wake, the dream will disappear.

#2- I feel sorry for him. Naomi Hunter allowing her cancer to take over her. Otacon loses another woman in his life.

#1 - This one actually made me cry. Mio and Mayu always promised to be together. This was the only way.

Steampunk Pendants Series 02

2008-07-16T12:51:00.001+08:00

Series 02 is out. Only #00008: Gears.com and #00010: Machineworks are available.

For any information about these pendants, contact me at hewiealbino@gmail.com.

See you next year!

2008-07-16T12:26:00.000+08:00

Bye bye! See you next year! Have fun in Australia!

My sister flew off to Adelaide, Australia last night. She'll be studying there for 1 year. My dad, mum, little sister and me went to see her off at T3.

Had a huge luggage problem. The limit was 20kg, hers weigh 37kg.

17kg = $510 in excess weight payment O_o

I swore she brought her whole wardrobe there. That plus her backpack, laptop and her seal plushie (she couldn't bring her boaster ^o^). Repacked real quick so she'll be hand carrying the smallest luggage... and her backpack, laptop with charger and all that and the seal. Left some clothes behind for us to bring home.

I wonder how's she going to carry all that when she arrives. Hmm....

Her friends and our relatives came later. Went to Swensons for ice cream and milkshakes. They were closing in 15 mins so guess the staff weren't too pleased to see us.

Update: Got a call from her this morning. She arrived already. Had to lug her bags up to the second floor where her dorm was. LOL!!! Still wondered how she managed to carry everything.

Armstong the Ayberdillo

2008-07-06T01:20:00.000+08:00

Freelance hacker and saboteur. Large claws enable him to rip apart and 'dig' through machines and super computers, destroying them while downloading their data into his armor.

More creatures available at The Hatchery.

Steampunk Pendants Series 01

2008-06-29T16:54:00.000+08:00

The first series of Steampunk Pendants that I've made.

The Cycle (#00001) is my personal one. The others have been given away as gifts to good friends of mine.

Series 02 will be out soon and they'll be for sale. Contact me at hewiealbino@gmail.com for information or requests for pendants.

The Story of "I"

2008-06-27T10:44:00.000+08:00

Here's the latest timing reel for the animation some friends and I are working on.

Lovely storyboards drawn by LilRed and Whimsical Fish

Last boards inked by Mizugoru

Intro by GildSquaredPatch

Edited by IvoryLupine

Happy 20th Birthday, Stella!

2008-06-19T00:08:00.000+08:00

Us at Hard Rock Cafe, Orchard Road.

Stella, Syarah, Rosalind, Theodora, Alex, Derrick, Zhan Xin and Me. Later joined by Gilbert, Faith and Hansg (our Cambodia Guest).

yummi black forest cake and lots and lots of pressies. Not to mention the whole restaurant sang her a birthday song. Really fun night.

I sCreWed uP bIG TimE!!!

2008-06-18T21:15:00.000+08:00

That's right. I screwed up the biggest challenge of my entire life! I'm so embarrassed. My life will and can never be the same no more. Argh! Stupid stupid...
What have I done you ask? Well, something... I'm not gonna say what but let's just say I didn't go how I wanted it to go. Everything was messed up.

Oh well. On a happier note, my old watch parts arrived today, two shipment in one box. I had to pay extra in order for it to be shipped to Singapore but it was worth it. 185 pieces for $50!! That's a bargain. And the guy who sold it was friendly and very prompt. Took only a week to be packed, shipped and arrived. As they say on eBay, "A++++ 5 star service".

Yay! More parts to work with.
Watch pendants anyone?

2008-06-15T16:22:00.000+08:00

Welcome to The Workshoppe

Trusty Macbook for referencing, editing and music
Books are a good source of inspiration
Shelf of plushies
Shelf of sculptures

Stuff used to make my pendants:

Old watch parts (gears, movement, etc)
Pliers
Wirecutters
Wire
Rubber Choker Straps
Metal Knick Knacks
Chains

My little sewing kit fashioned from an old mooncake box.

Left: Eyes, keychains, string, knick knacks
Right: Thread, needles, pincushion and pack of buttons