[Image description: a digital illustration of two tigers swimming done in shades of red, pink, and cream. Both tigers are nearly identical but are facing different directions, the one on the left is facing up while the one on the right is facing down. The drawings are fairly simple and only the heads, backs, and tails of the tigers are visible. There are a few simple flower drawings floating in the water as well. End image description.]
Today is the Lunar New Year and my birthday! Kinda happy to see all the celebrations going on today during this bleak time! I hope everyone has a great day and an even better year! ❤️
A little late, but I couldn’t resist throwing something together for Lunar New Year. I always get a kick out of drawing modernAU Farkas and I’m so glad I finally got to draw his service dog Bugle!
Happy ‘Year of the Pig’ to you and your entire family from www.MartinHsu.com - 'Pygmy Hogs 姬豬’, original painting on wood by Martin Hsu, 2019. - 2019 celebrates the Lunar calendar’s 12th zodiac - the beloved pig, boar, and hog. Pig 豬 (zhū) also means 'whole’ in Chinese so it’s used in phrases to wish someone safe and well for his/her entire family. - This painting is the first of a new series by Martin Hsu titled 'Garden of Impermanence’ - an imperial Chinese garden reimagined as a place between life and death where the fleeting and disappearing creatures reside. A personal attempt to combine traditional Asian art with conservation efforts for endangered species in our natural world. - Pygmy Hog 姬豬 (Porcula Salvania), the smallest pig in the world, a critically endangered suid now only found in Assam, India. Current world population less than 150 individuals due to human encroachment and habitat loss. - Research images and material by Joel Sartore, PhotographerandDurrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Learn more about their conservation efforts on http://pygmyhog.org - www.MartinHsu.com - #pygmyhog#endangeredspecies#conservation#yearofthepig#lunarnewyear#姬豬
Wishing You and Your Beloved Ones A Happy New Year!
Peace, Safety and Good Luck Continually for 2022!
(Kishi Chikudō, “Tiger, Tigress and Cub,” 1892, Pair of six-panel folding screens, ink and color on silk, Overall (each): 68 1/8 in. × 14 ft. 2 ¾ in. (173 × 433.7 cm) Courtesy: MetMuseum)
Happy Lunar New Year from Thomas T.! May we all learn to be a little more curious, clever, and mischievous from our animal companions in the year of the monkey
How you and Spencer spend the first day (Chor yatt) of the Lunar New Year with your extended family (Imagine)
More Spencer Reid Imagines for celebrating Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year) Also an extension of the Lunar New Imagine I did previously.
- “Okay, just a quick reminder. My extended family’s a hyper bunch.” “I can take it. I’m an agent remember.”
- Boy, was Spencer wrong. By the time the both of you reached the main house; he was like deer in headlights at the amount of relatives, friends and family you have.
- Spencer was instantly loved by your elders - Grandaunts, Granduncles etc.
- Your younger cousins would find him awkward, but they are all smitten and awestrucked by his magic tricks.
- Spencer would also talk about random things and facts with your uncles, aunts that are back from overseas.
- During eating time, he would use forks and spoons. Don’t worry, you use it too so he won’t feel left out.
- Firecrackers would startle him a little if he is talking with your grandaunts or granduncles.
- Extra red packets (ang pao) from the elderly because he is a sweet guy.
- Kiasu (look up this slang) aunties would compete with you by comparing your cousin’s successes. But, your mom would just shut them down on both of your behalf by flexing his job (FBI agent), his credentials (3 PhDs, 3 BAs)
- “Your mom doesn’t have to do that. I’m very grateful for her, but she really doesn’t have to.” “Spence, my mom did that is because… She sees you as her son-in-law” “Oh… Ohhhhhhh… *whispers* but, I haven’t propose yet…”
- He would still beat your extended family in card games which both you and your mom just laugh it off.
- When the festive mood is cooling down, the both of you would sit by the swing at the patio reciting poems to one another.
- “This is the best lunar new year ever.” “By the way, once we are married. It’s our turn to give out red packets.”
This painting is sponsored by Huion, who provided me with a Kamvas 16 (2021) in exchange for a review! I always wanted to try out a screen tablet instead of my regular tablet, so this was a perfect opportunity to do so.
Unpacking & Setup
The Kamvas 16 comes in a beautiful box with multiple cables, a pen with extra nibs and a pen stand that makes me hungry because it looks like a futuristic chocolate donut. So far, I resisted taking a bite, so I can’t comment on its taste yet. Also included is a glove, a cleaning cloth and a sturdy stand to prop the tablet up at different angles.
The tablet comes with two cable options to connect to your computer:
USB-C able + power cable
3-in-one cable (HDMI + USB-A + power)
Important note if your computer is older than a few years: My current iMac has neither HDMI nor USB-C plugs, and using an USB-C to USB-A adapter does not work. An Adapter from HDMI to Thunderbolt2 did the trick! So if your computer is older than a few years, I highly recommend double-checking your plugs and to make sure you have the correct adapter ready if needed.
The power cable comes with an extension cord so you can use the short version when sitting right next to a electricity outlet, or use the extension if your outlet is further away. To keep confusion with the many cables at bay, anything that belongs to the power cord is colored red instead of black - a neat little detail to make setup easier and safer. There’s also an illustrated user manual explaining how to plug in your shiny new device.
This painting is sponsored by Huion, who provided me with a Kamvas 16 (2021) in exchange for a review! I always wanted to try out a screen tablet instead of my regular tablet, so this was a perfect opportunity to do so.
Unpacking & Setup
The Kamvas 16 comes in a beautiful box with multiple cables, a pen with extra nibs and a pen stand that makes me hungry because it looks like a futuristic chocolate donut. So far, I resisted taking a bite, so I can’t comment on its taste yet. Also included is a glove, a cleaning cloth and a sturdy stand to prop the tablet up at different angles.
The tablet comes with two cable options to connect to your computer:
USB-C able + power cable
3-in-one cable (HDMI + USB-A + power)
Important note if your computer is older than a few years: My current iMac has neither HDMI nor USB-C plugs, and using an USB-C to USB-A adapter does not work. An Adapter from HDMI to Thunderbolt2 did the trick! So if your computer is older than a few years, I highly recommend double-checking your plugs and to make sure you have the correct adapter ready if needed.
The power cable comes with an extension cord so you can use the short version when sitting right next to a electricity outlet, or use the extension if your outlet is further away. To keep confusion with the many cables at bay, anything that belongs to the power cord is colored red instead of black - a neat little detail to make setup easier and safer. There’s also an illustrated user manual explaining how to plug in your shiny new device.
Huion Painting Experience
This was my first time using a screen tablet, and a 2nd monitor in general, but setup and driver installation went smoothly (once I found the right adapter). The device itself is beautiful and feels nice to the touch with its rounded corners and flat and overall smooth design. Definitely a lovely friend piece of equipment I enjoy having at my desk.
At first I had to get used to having my hand in front of the image - just like drawing in real life! But I got used to that very quickly. While in use, the screen is slightly warm to the touch on the right side - I am testing it in winter and appreciate that helps warm up my eternally cold hands, a perk I did not expect. It didn’t get really hot during my testing period so I expect no trouble with this even in summer.
The pen is quite light, very responsive and feels nice, and has two extra programmable keys on the side. The Kamvas itself has a row of 10 programmable buttons on the left side I set up to have quick access to undo/redo amongst other things, and to change my brush size. The latter turns out to be a major downside for me, since it is much slower and less elegant to press a button multiple times than using the touch ring I am used to using for this purpose. Likewise, using the keybind to change brush size by dragging the cursor on the canvas works, but is choppy when I don’t lift my palm off the tablet while doing so.
The screen itself is pretty and painting on the surface feels nice, not too slippery and not too rough. Just right! 15.6-inch drawing area feel alright to work on, although I would not mind it being a bit larger, being used to working on a 27“ screen. Likewise, the 1920x1080 resolution is alright but doesn’t live up to my Apple screen - an unfair comparison for sure, but a noticeable difference nonetheless. The colors on the other hand feel accurate to me, nice and vibrant.
One of my main worries before using the Kamvas was whether or not there would be any parallax issues or lag while drawing on it. While there is a tiny gap visible between the pen tip and the digital brush tip, it did not feel annoying. Drawing feels very smooth and lag-free.
Painting & Process
With Chinese New Year upcoming, I wanted to paint something celebrating tigers. Maybe a small place of worship, or a natural tiger-shaped rock formation, or a long-forgotten ancient civilization that loved tigers?
My usual workflow for an environment painting is along those lines:
Research (What do tigers look like, what are different ways of stylizing them, what mood am I going for and can I find any cool looking real world relics that inspire me?)
Creating composition thumbnails in 2D (or 3D for scenes with complex architecture or perspective, or when I will need multiple views of a location)
Establishing color & light
Painting the final piece
I was considering either a warm, sunny, golden scene, or a lush, vibrant green setting. I ended up painting the yellow version, but snuck some of the greens back in for some variety in color. Big thanks goes to Yen, who helped me out with figuring out tiger anatomy!
Final Thoughts
I’m very pleased that I finally got to test a screen tablet, and I really enjoyed the drawing and painting experience of the Kamvas 16 (2021). I will need some more practice to make full use of it, and I sorely miss having touch control in addition to the programmable buttons. If I were to choose a screen tablet for myself, I would look for one with a higher resolution screen, and ideally some sort of brush size control that’s not tied to clicking a button. The cost/performance ratio is great though and as a small-to-mid-budget model, the Kamvas 16 (2021) looks and feels like a perfect fit for beginners and young professionals alike.
SAN FRANCISCO— As hundreds of thousands gathered in San Francisco’s Chinatown to celebrate the Lunar New Year, #Asians4BlackLives used large-scale artwork to share their wishes for safety, justice, and resilience for Black communities.
To maintain the Chinese tradition of hanging red scrolls and handing out red envelopes to extend blessings, #Asians4BlackLives members lined the parade route with 10-feet-all lanterns decorated with red scrolls reading “Everyone benefits when we value black lives.” They handed out over 1000 red envelopes with blessings in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.
“Lunar New Year celebrations are about setting the foundation for a prosperous year,” said Sydney Fang of #Asians4BlackLives. “Black communities nationwide have been standing up to state-sanctioned violence and fighting for their liberation. As Asian Americans, we have the power and responsibility to stand on the side of justice. We are passing out red envelopes here to share our wishes for safety, justice, and resilience of Black communities, so that all communities can prosper.”
Another Chinese New Year tradition is that of repaying debts to start the new year on a positive note. #Asians4BlackLives recognizes the debts owed to their ancestors who have sacrificed for them and protected them, as well as the debts they owe to Black movement activists and leaders. “Many of the rights that we enjoy as Asian Americans were fought for and won by Black liberation movements, including voting rights protections, desegregation in schools, and an end to Asian immigration bans. We stand on the shoulders of Black organizers who have fought against racial inequality and institutional oppression. Their organizing has benefited Asian American communities in America. And it is our duty to honor and recognize it. Paying this debt means continuing to fight for Black lives because our struggles are connected,” said Sydney.
“Often times, Black and Asian communities are pitted against each other. Asians are seen as the “Model Minority.” We are here to say that we are not a wedge, and we are not each others’ enemies. This is why it is important for Black and Asian communities to stand together during this time,” said Navina Khanna of the activist group.
San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar also demonstrated support for the actions during the Parade by wearing a “#BlackLivesMatter” sweatshirt.
#Asians4BlackLives is calling on other Asian Americans to join the struggle in solidarity with Black lives. “We need our communities to join us in challenging anti-black racism by talking with your family and co-workers or supporting organized direct actions to call for an end to the war on Black people,” said Navina Khanna. “Our communities’ liberation depends on the liberation of Black people. As we wrap up the Lunar New Year celebrations and welcome the year of the Ram, we will make this the year that we stomp on injustice”
#Asians4BlackLives is celebrating the Year of the Ram by supporting safety, justice, and resilience for Black communities.
We’re passing out red envelopes at the San Francisco Chinese New Year parade to ask our communities to reflect on Black Lives Matter and their relationship to the movement.
One of the traditions we honor today is repaying our debts in order start the new year on a positive note. Today, we are paying homage to the great debt we owe to Black struggle. As Asian Americans, we enjoy many rights that were fought for and won by Black liberation movements, from civil rights to immigration reform. Today, we too have the power to stand on the side of justice.
The act of giving red envelopes is a way to share luck, well wishes and prosperity. We wish you and your family a happy and safe Year of the Ram, and hope you will join us in the Black Lives Matters movement and conversation by collectively wishing the same for Black folks as well.
