ripples

In time, you'll realize the power of  being alone. You'll find strength in freedom and control; knowing that your fate simply does not result on how well you swim with or against the waves. In being alone you'll learn its true essence - that instead of simply reacting with the current, why not create your own ripples?

take a shot

paris-ny

if i could split my heart in two, this would be the only time i'd allow myself to be broken in half.

the cordbearer and the bride

If this was the start of their journey.... the rest will definitely be magical.

sit on my lips

kids

i never thought I'd ever want to have kids until the last year when my nephew was born and two adorable French kids stayed with me this past summer.

for some reason, being a dad became something that i think i'd be very awesome at.

fork in the road

this was our last destination together. and like the sign, it was also our last stop before the fork on the road. you went to the left, while i proceeded to the right.

it was just temporary, but i know i'm a better person now that i was before we met. it wasn't forever, but what was left in me was eternal. i hope it was as rewarding to you as it was to me.

Taylor Swift - Live in Vancouver

I saw Taylor Swift a couple of weeks ago and I have to say, that for someone as young as her... she knows exactly how to put on a show. I have been to a lot of concerts and the crowd was probably one of the loudest, most enthusiastic, overzealous of the crowds I've ever been in.

She comes of as someone genuine, hardworking, and incredibly grateful. She deserves all the success.

... That being said, is it wrong to wish I was holding someone's hand as she sang "Sparks Fly"?

vanity project #7

i was watching the stunning Wong Kar-Wai film In the Mood for Love, one of my all time favorite movies ever. while being looking at the amazing imagery of the film, i remembered this great photo from the Fall 2011 Gucci campaign and got inspired by it.

so in my bedroon, i set up the tripod and stood in front of my big screen projector and voila!

it's funny how all i have in this blog are photos of myself, but in reality, only i can take my own photos in various narcissistic and vain undress. i hate getting photographed.... i don't know. maybe it's because when someone else is equipped with the camera, i feel like i am at the mercy of their control. i don't like it. i guess being someone with a little dash of controlling/type A personality, losing my control over to someone else especially when it involves me causes certain neuroses that i for the most part, cannot shake off.

PS: I just had to take a photo in front of the stunning Maggie Cheung. This woman simply amazes me in many ways. So beautiful.

vanity project #6

smoke gets under my skin.

vanity project #5

vanity project #4

smoke gets in my eyes.

wearable art

this is my first foray in shirt design.
i'm not mad about it. print turned out well enough. the only concern i have is the texture of transfer, but it's not that bad.

vanity project #3

'cause I was born in the 80s.
neon lights seep right through me.

vanity project #2

the challenge this time is to be as subtle as possible. i have to use one color as a point of reference. i chose orange because, well, orange seems to be the color of the season. it also goes well with my newly-acquired golden tan.

the concept was something i took inspiration from an online Photoshop tutorial that teaches how to do an out-of-bounds image out of a frame. i did something simpler by using the idea of a mirror with an almost kaleidoscope-y reflections...

and yes, many "me" is always better than one.

vanity project

I really meant nothing with the text.
I just have a lot of sweaters.

poster work #4

Pinoy Pride Vancouver asked me to do a poster for their upcoming event for Pride. It's not final yet since I have to put more info on the poster, but this is pretty much the overall look. I decided to incorporate the colors of the Philippine flag on the rainbows (red, yellow, blue) and blur the sun symbol in the background.

My initial idea was an explosion and dancers taking the silhouettes of the smoke and splatter. Since it's Pride, it has to pop but not overwhelm the message.

logo work

joyce

My good friend Joyce wanted me to make an artwork of her. Well honestly, since Joyce sometimes exudes the sexuality of a caged succubus destined to suck the life out of every college freshman on campus, I decided to make her sexuality "subtle" by making her nurse uniform couture and long to cover some "ass action". I have to draw some imaginary pasties under her top, just to make sure none of that "wardrobe malfunctions" that seem to often happen to her "accidentally", incite a mob of pitchfork-carrying church mob.

Well Joyce, this is my way of saying, I miss your crazy ass!