The femme, lost. In translation.
Over the weekend, Nikki showed me the music video for Make the Girl Dance’s ‘Baby, Baby, Baby’. It was a catchy beat with a gripping, simple concept: bare yourself. I liked it for being brave and overall gorgeous.
Rated content, may not be work safe.
I looked up the English translation, and I was a little piqued at how it was not as…’strong’ as I hoped it would be. But, as the translation warned, there are a lot of references and in-jokes that would be lost in translation. You can read it here.
Akashiya Sai versus Pentel Aquash
I took a leap of faith and ordered Akashiya Sai watercolor brushpens from Artmedia Trading, Philippines. While I learned the hard way that Multiply marketplace has yet to catch up with the times (they don’t have a ‘saved orders’ page the way ebay does), thankfully Artmedia got the order and processed it quickly. Within 24 hours of payment posted, my Akashiya Sai Summer Colors were in the mail and on the way from General Santos City, where Artmedia is based.
If you’re put off by multiply, Artmedia also processes orders and messages via facebook. They also sell copic products and deleter supplies, and a number of others materials you won’t find in your neighborhood arts and school supply stores.
I initially had high hopes for the Akashiya Sai, but was easily tempered upon reading Nattosoup’s review. In a nutshell, some colors work well with that dreamy wash look, some don’t. It boasts to be a watercolor, but it’s marker based. It didn’t blend as well as I’d like.
In the summer color set, I found the Sky Blue color most resistant to wash –
While it’s apples to oranges, I couldn’t help but compare it to the Pentel Aquash, which works like the Sai except that they’re watercolor crayons. They blend well, and are very cooperative with wash.
I haven’t spotted the Pentel Aquash set at the bookstores, but I spotted a few for sale on ebay or sulit. OfficeFab ships it to the Philippines for P299.75.
If having a set of colors is too big of a commitment, you can also buy individual Koi waterbrushes from Artmedia Trading, and use them with your choice of watercolor.
I highly recommend these materials for people who are just too big a control freak for watercolors. These wooed me back to them after years of sticking to acrylics, pastels, and oils.
Let me see how we can put these babies to work.
Where do you buy brushpens in Manila, Philippines?
From one newbie who would gladly help out other newbies and drag them with her down the rabbit hole (mwa ha ha). Also because there aren’t a lot of local resources, so here’s one to start.
You can buy brush pens at National Bookstore, but I can’t say for certain just how widely available they are, as other artist friends have complained that it’s a hit or miss with them. Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen (PHP99) and Sakura Pigma Brushpens (PHP75, if I recall) are available at National Bookstore Ayala, but I was surprised to find Yoka Medium and Large brushes from National Bookstore Greenbelt One for PHP28. They also sell the watercolor brush pen sets for about P288.
You can also find brush pen sets for about P999 at Scribe in Eastwood. Deovir Art Supplies sometimes stocks the wonderful Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and their refill cartridges. You can visit Deovir stores in North Edsa or Recto, or even order from them online.
I found watercolor brush pens and sets for sale at Art Media Trading, but I haven’t tried ordering from them so I can’t vouch for their system just yet.
Any other shops or art supply stores that fellow Filipino brush and pen fans should check out? Share them in the comments.
[Day 17] An art piece
It was the Merchant Ivory film adaptation of ‘Surviving Picasso’ that got me into Pablo Picasso. Guernica stands out, not just as one of Picasso’s most memorable body of work, but for the story behind it; Picasso was said to have made his wife and mistress fight for him while he finished the painting.
Part of the 30 Day Writing Meme. Next is ‘Day 18: Whatever tickles your fancy’.
To Life, to Art – Badong Bernal
I never worked with Sir Bernal, but it was hard not to know of him.
He designed the set for “Comfort Women” made out of bamboos. The lead actress would be bruised every time they had to go through her rape scene. Director Missy Maramara asked if there was any way to keep her from bruising. Bernal’s retort, “Let her adjust to the set.”
He never hobbled with a cane. He strutted, with confident strides down Gonzaga Hall. Rumor has it, he was sighted without his cane once. Why? “Style.” He said simply.
It was also for that reason he put huge lights in the wings during a ballet performance. Never mind that dancers exited and entered from there and had to watch their step. It was an inconvenience yes, but there was no better way to put light on the full form of the body. You could see it even if you were seated in the last seat of the last row of CCP Main Theater.
For Bawat-Tao (Everyman), he saw a see-saw to describe the delicate balance of life sought by Everyman. Say what you will about Metropolitan Theater Guild’s Midsummer Night’s Dream but most of its magic, I feel, would not be possible without Badong.
He was old-school: he screamed at people till they got it right. He even threw his cane at students. They say, the more he screamed at someone, the more promise that someone actually had. Sure enough, a blockmate that got the brunt of his temper sought him to be her thesis adviser. She did well.
Some other things told to classmates:
“Never allow yourself to be mediocre!”
“To create, you must learn to destroy.”
Difficult lessons that even I take pains to learn, over and over again.
I cried when I found out he had passed. I couldn’t understand why. “Because he is an institution. He’s one of those that made it possible to actually work in theater.” says a good friend, Mahar.
Sure enough, in his passing, there’s a change in the air. There is loss, yet, but then there’s the sense of so much more to come. After all, it’s a vibrant year for local theater.
Besides, another friend quipped, “The good Lord needed someone to manage all the Souls in Soul Parade day. Who else but.”
I can imagine him dressing up the people we love in those rich, Asian-inspired robes.
Love and light, Badong Bernal. R.I.P.