Art in Wetlands

Another fun medium for landscape sketching

artinwetlands — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:20:11 +0000

Mudflat at Main Bird Hide

If you are feeling bored with your usual sketching medium, try something new. Charcoal, pencils and pastel are the usual ones I use. For want of a fresh approach and experimentation I picked up some marker pens to try.
In this sketch I did at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, using Letraset markers. You will note that a variety of gradation and texture quality can be achieved. The pigment ink from a marker pen is somewhat difficult to modulate and one has to be careful about the duration and pressure of contact between pen and paper. I managed to produce enough variety of strokes and intensity of pigment by deliberately controlling the contact time and pressure. Try these two aspects out separately before working on your painting.
Happy sketching.
Tham Pui San 4 August 2009

Nature Art On Trash Bins

artinwetlands — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:36:42 +0000

Volunteers Work of Art

Trash Bin Art: The next time you visit Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve be sure to enjoy the beautiful artwork done by our conservation volunteers and the Buloh Dabblers. A special activity for the Volunteer Appreciation Day on the 18 OCt, 2008, was the trash bin painting contest. Volunteers were given 2 hour to paint these bins, on all 5 sides if they had the time. And most met the challenge headon and managed to complete. The finished panels were simply beautiful and brightens up the images of the otherwise taken for granted bins. Thanks to all who participated.
Tham Pui San, 20 Oct 2008

Wetlands Alive

artinwetlands — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:34:17 +0000

Wetlands Alive: this art exhibition to celebrate the 15 th anniversary of Sungei Buloh will be held from 6 Dec 08 to 15 Feb 2009. exhibition poster

It will showcase 40 oil paintings of this mangrove environment, depicting glorious perspectives of this habitat and presents a message of hope and encouragement for nature and us. Two paintings will be auctioned to raise funds for the Garden City Fund and Rainbow Centre, a charity with a mission to enhance the lives of children and youths with special needs by providing early intervention programme and special education schools to help them develop to their fullest potential.

Tham Pui San 24Nov.08

A Charcoal Sketch to record my walk

artinwetlands — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:58:10 +0000

Sungei Buloh vs Johor Bahru skyline

One of my favourite walks I take at Buloh is at this mangrove boardwalk. I could see Malaysia across the straits. The contrasting shapes of mangrove trees silhouetted against the city skyline of Johor Bahru caught my attention, making it a telling image of nature vs man, complementing perhaps in terms of aesthetics or silently declaring our co-existence is in imminent disruption. Neither aspect was the reason for my sketch. I scanned the horizon, everything there look tranquil and still. No human presence, no traffic noise and no trash washed ashore this morning. The silence is only broken by occasional bird calls. Its another perfect morning to start my new day.

Tham Pui San

23Sep 08

Coming soon: oil series for Sg Buloh

artinwetlands — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:16:23 +0000

Watch out for my next exhibition at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Dec 08.

Here are two thumbnail references for plein air painting at the Main Hide on 2 June, 08.

Tham Pui San, updated 2 June 08.

The Fallen shall Thrive

artinwetlands — Sat, 03 May 2008 07:04:55 +0000

About four years ago I did a sketch of this fallen Sonneratia Alba, apparently struck by lightning on Christmas Eve 2003.

The old sketch was executed with a 2 B graphite pencil, showing details of the fresh breaks on some roots and masses of earth still clinging stubbornly to the tips of the roots. Clumps of foliage on the higher branches laid so helplessly on the ground still attached, waiting perhaps to continue its wondrous food making process of photosynthesis. It attracted my attention then simply because of its unusual state brought about by an act of nature and I wondered if the tree could overcome this seemingly cruel strike.

Four years on it has found a new way to survive and thriving well. My faith in Nature held strong.

Two large clusters of lively green foliage now grow on its prone trunk, like a fish with 2 large dorsal fins in tandem. How it will continue to grow would be an interesting phenomenum to know and I wonder if it can still bear fruits like the others do.

This present charcoal sketch is dedicated to those who need to make do with changes caused by the inevitable.

Take heart, Nature and Time do wonders when we have faith.

Pui San 3 May 2008

MayDay Outreach 2008

artinwetlands — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:06:08 +0000

On MayDay we celebrated Nature with some homeschoolers.

A 2 x 4 metre mural depicting marine life was painted at the refurbished “english cottage” at Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin. This was also a part of the IYOR 2008 celebrations ( International Year of the Reefs)

Being our first art project outside our home ground at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, and to ensure the theme was aesthetically pleasing, a training session was conducted for the kids to prepare them.

The Dabblers painted the upper portion while the kids so patiently painted the lower portion below the waves, despite the somewhat awkward level to work at. The mural turned out well, receiving much attention and praise from visitors.

PuiSan 2May08

Creative Christmas Art Workshop

artinwetlands — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:13:27 +0000

Pui San conducted another highly successful Christmas art workshop at Sungei Buloh on 20 Dec 2007. Over 30 participants created interesting Christmas gifts under his patient guidance and inspiration. Check out some of their works here.

More bin-painting sessions

artinwetlands — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 02:01:39 +0000

Pui San led another bin-painting session at Sg Buloh Wetland Reserve. And all they took was half a day to complete these 6 colourful bins!

landscape sketching

artinwetlands — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:23:19 +0000

A month ago I started to revive a rather neglected medium ( my materials stashed but not forgotten) which interestingly worked out very well for capturing mangrove sceneries.
And I have also introduced basic techniques for this medium to some students in the monthly paint along sessions . This medium is very portable, not expensive and full of potential for really good looking images.
You can create a full range of tonal values just using one single stick of charcoal besides being capable of rendering unlimited line work and texture. Spontaniety and feel is as great and sensuous as pastel but at a fraction of the cost. Please have a look at the posted charcoal image and let me know how you like it.
Pui San (16 Jul, 07).