The Sam Lay Blog

We Are The World 25 For Haiti

2010-02-13T03:57:00.000-08:00

Excellent song by kind souls from all around.
Brings a little tear.
Enjoy

It's what you do next that counts

2010-02-06T22:21:00.000-08:00

Amongst one of the best campigns driven by sports personalities. Despite his recent bulk of negative press, Tiger Woods legacy remains befitting for Accenture representing the company as a symbol of its High Performance Business strategy.

Accenture’s new High Performance Business strategy was launched in 2003 through a global integrated marketing program, including an advertising campaign with Woods and the theme line, “Go on. Be a Tiger.”

The entire composition of the ad from the caption to the picture brings out the theme brilliantly. I love the context and the whole feel. One can certainly draw inspiration from this remarkably choreographed ad.

Theatres, cocktail hours, and why learning to relax is the key success factor for great leadership

2010-02-05T03:00:00.000-08:00

I would add here that one more success factor is key for great leadership, be it in business or politics, and it's one that's usually overlooked. As a leader you need to know how to relax so that you can replenish your energies for the struggles facing you tomorrow.

Lincoln went to the theater about a hundred times while he was in Washington. And although he suffered from a certain melancholy, he had a tremendous sense of humor and would entertain people long into the night with his stories. Franklin Roosevelt was the same way. He had this cocktail hour every evening during World War II when you just couldn't talk about war. He needed to remain free from thinking about the bad things for a few hours. Or he would play with his stamps. This ability to recharge your batteries in the midst of great stress and crisis is crucial for successful leadership.

Extracted from Harvard Business Review | April 2009

Different Voice | A Conversation with Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin

What lessons can President Barack Obama and other leaders take away from studying Abraham Lincoln's presidency?

2010-02-01T05:35:00.000-08:00

There are several, but the first one President Obama focused on in discussions during the election campaign concerns the way Lincoln surrounded himself with people, including his rivals, who had strong egos and high ambitions; who felt free to question his authority; and who were unafraid to argue with him.

For example, Lincoln brought Salmon Chase into his cabinet as treasury secretary and kept him there for three years, knowing full well that Chase craved the presidency with every fiber of his being and knowing that Chase was undermining him all the time with cabinet members, Congress, and the rest of the country. So long as he was doing a good job at his post, that was more important than personal feelings. Obama is obviously trying to do the same thing by choosing his chief rival, Hillary Clinton, to be secretary of state; by picking rival Joe Biden as his vice president; and by including powerful Republicans in his cabinet like Robert Gates and Ray LaHood.

But you have to remember, the idea is not just to put your rivals in power - the point is that you must choose the best and most able people in the country, for the good of the country. Lincoln came to power when the nation was in peril, and he had the intelligence, and the self confidence, to know that he needed the best people by his side, people who were leaders in their own right and who were very aware of their own strengths. That's an important insight whether you are the leader of a country or the CEO of a company.

Extracted from Harvard Business Review | April 2009
Different Voice | A Conversation with Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin

The importance of a strategy

2009-10-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

While a plan consists of how you reach your goals, and how you allocate resources to reach those goals, a strategy will consist also of how you respond to customers and competitors responses.

Contrary to popular belief, a strategy does not have to be always long-term, nor does it ignore the details. In fact, if your strategy does not take into consideration of the details, you are likely to fail.

The key to developing winning strategies also lies in how you develop insights about your industry, your customers, your competitors and your internal capabilities.

An extract from Psyche-Selling eNewsletter

Sam

Kyokuoshin's High Roundhouse Kicks

2009-07-11T03:15:00.000-07:00

Also known as the - mawashi geri jodan. Superb execution!

Diamonds of Metro Valley

2009-04-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

Independent film 4 years in the making. Notorious Metro Valley crime lord Jonas Caine has a deadly scheme in mind. To pull off this heist he needs a powerful weapon, one that only a mad, drug-addled scientist could create...Jonas Caine is a gangster without remorse. Dr. Thadeous Price is a down and out, drug addicted inventor. Throw in Tokyo's powerful under-world eccentric Takeshi Sagawas, several million dollars worth of stolen diamonds, a remote-operated, nocturnally aggressive lizard devise, and the action begins!

DIY feature film, made almost entirely on green screen, with full scale people and small-scale, hand-made models, sets costumes, props etc. Caught this on Boing Boing.net, but the trailer 2 version was blocked. Think it might be released soon.

The thing about being random

2009-04-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

Can you do random?

Have you tried doing a certain thing for absolutely no reason? Maybe you should try it. Close your eyes for 10 seconds and try to blabber some nonsense randomly. It should probably sound like this;

eighty nine
I think I like noodles more
Oh shit! Everybody run!!
Maybe the world is reaching its expiry date
cow cow cow cow cow cow
Good evening ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Singapore
one the full wonderful
is is the the it it
money I need more money

Haha there you go! Had some fun typing random stuff. Come to think of it, ain't those stuff that you put on twitter random stuff like those above? So what's the big fat hairy deal?

Why incompetents will always rule the world

2009-04-21T07:22:00.001-07:00

Have you heard of the Peter Principle?

I came across this article in Inc. Magazine that talks briefly about this principle invented by Lawrence Peter and Raymond Hull forty years ago.

In summary, the principle states that employees are rewarded for competence by being shoved up the hierarchies until they reach a position that overwhelms their skills. At that point they stick. Consequently, "in time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out its duties," the authors wrote. And the more complex the job, the easier it is for incompetent people to hide in. If you are stacking three stones, incompetence becomes obvious pretty fast. If you are building the pyramids, no one may notice you screwed up until it is too late.

:: What's happening NOW? ::

2009-04-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

::Sprint's new "Now" campaign. Some pretty cool graphics involved!

:: "Stand by me" - Performed by musicians around the World ::

2009-04-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

:: Ladies and Gentlemen, a big round of applause for the amazingly talented musicians from all around the world. Clipped from the award-winning documentary - "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music". Encore! Encore! ::

http://playingforchange.com

::Barber's Sentence::

2009-03-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

::Spill::

2009-03-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

::Can you spill anything? How about a concept? How about content? or perhaps a thought? Can you spill those? It would be interesting to go along that line::

::Just like the fishes::

2009-03-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

::I don't think we are at the top of the food chain. We may think we are, but that is quite a bias perception. I am superior to someone or something of a lower level, but at the same time I am inferior to yet another superior being. No one ever gets the fullest of all picture. Perhaps God does. Try to look at things from a top view, it might be a totally different view altogether. I am really liking my lineworks these days. Confident and fluid strokes. ::

::World Freehand Circle Drawing Championship::

2009-03-08T05:41:00.000-07:00

::Have you tried doing that? Well, as someone that draws often like myself, that's a coveted skill. A lot of practice has to be put into it. I think I heard somewhere that Leonardo Da Vinci does it very well. But that is not surprising given the amount of drawing hours he clocked. When I first started drawing, it is almost essential that I go into a ritual of circle drawing before going into the actual process. Stopped doing that for a while. Complacency probably. Let's hope this competition comes to Singapore. Maybe I will compete. Maybe::

::New Adidas Originals Commercial | Celebrate Originality::

2009-03-08T04:09:00.000-07:00

::This is so cool! Commercials like this wins it all. The track is excellent, matches the whole feel of the ad. The celebrities adds to it, but it would be equally cool without them as well. I love the part where the guy jumps into the pool and the music suddenly goes into a semi-mute mode. That's the exact feeling of how it should be. Indeed, a true original. I am celebrating it::

::Wing Chun explained::

2009-03-07T22:21:00.000-08:00

"the hand you see don't hurt, the hand you don't see hurts"
"I didn't give all the power, if I give all the power, he fly more far away"
"when punching, it is not the first action, it is the follow-on action"
"fighting is very difficult"
~ Wing Chun Sifu in the clip

Threshold

2009-03-05T07:26:00.000-08:00

I was toying with the concept of threshold. What is the limit of tolerance for a person? When is the tipping point for him to react? Does your occupation reflect your threshold for something like pain? How about noise? Does a musician react to noise the same way normal people does? I don't think so. Let's celebrate diversity then. It makes the world a whole lot funnier :-)

Tribute to Photographers

2009-02-15T05:16:00.001-08:00

::I had this idea quite some time ago. Kept it at the back of my head while verbalizing it as an occasional joke. The idea was waiting, it kept waiting for me to draw it. I kept waiting as well, for the right technique, right pacing and right mood. It never get drawn. I realized that there is never a right timing to do a certain thing. Especially with working on a cartoon art, the time is always now. You are always ready to draw. The worst thing is to lose the idea eventually. Treat procrastination like an enemy, like Hitler::

Kudos to iPhone

2009-02-11T06:43:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year!

2009-01-18T02:35:00.001-08:00

More drawings for the week

2009-01-08T07:46:00.000-08:00

Drawings from December 2008

2009-01-04T00:44:00.000-08:00

The Pen Holder

2009-01-01T08:17:00.001-08:00

I love stationeries. All categories of them. A lot of my inspirations are drawn from the way stationeries are designed and used.

Bill

2008-12-11T07:06:00.000-08:00

Copyright

2008-12-11T07:02:00.000-08:00

Hotel Santorini

2008-12-08T04:47:00.000-08:00

Him

2008-12-08T04:45:00.000-08:00

Samzers

2008-12-08T04:44:00.001-08:00

Molecule

2008-12-08T04:43:00.001-08:00

me perhaps

2008-12-07T00:21:00.001-08:00

Highlander

2008-12-07T00:18:00.000-08:00

Sam City

2008-12-07T00:16:00.001-08:00

Monster

2008-12-07T00:14:00.001-08:00

Reminders

2008-12-07T00:12:00.001-08:00

Bad times

2008-12-07T00:11:00.001-08:00

Distracted

2008-12-07T00:09:00.000-08:00

New works for November 2008

2008-11-09T00:27:00.000-08:00

works

2008-10-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

We Can All Pinch an Inch - A Keith Ferrazzi Tip

2008-10-18T23:58:00.000-07:00

[Extracted from Keith Ferrazzi's tip 140]
By Keith Ferrazi

One thing we're all looking for in our lives is just a little bit more time - that 25th hour in the day that we all fantasize about (unless you're me, then you want 30!).

But I'm betting that every one of us has some fat in their schedules to trim. It's what I call "wasted time" and "stupid time."

Wasted time is the worse of the two. It's when you're too tired to work strategically, but don't give yourself permission to quit. Instead of resting or doing something fun, you linger over emails, pour hours into small potatoes, and just generally work in a way that's not productive or efficient. You think you're doing work, but what you're really doing is wasting time. So CUT IT OUT! Spend that time enriching yourself and the people you care about.

The other category is stupid time. Stupid time is those minutes or hours you spend "decompressing" via activities that are in no way enriching or productive. Maybe you page through the nifty gadgets available on Ebay, even though you have no intention (and certainly no need) to buy anything. Maybe you plop down in the front of the TV and watch whatever happens to be on. Maybe you eat HoHos.

We all have ways of letting go of stress that are unproductive - and hey, there's nothing wrong with 30 minutes of corny TV to lighten your load. The trouble is the stupid time that's destructive - and really, it's all destructive if you let it dilate from stupid minutes to stupid hours. For example, when simple inertia turns 30 minutes of TV into 3 hours, and all the great stuff you'd planned for the evening goes unfinished.

So MANAGE your stupid time. If it's got to be TV (for some reason that's a trap that snares many people, maybe because our couches are too comfortable?) set an alarm or ask someone you trust to roust you out when it's time. And whenever possible, search for ways to transform stupid time into enrichment. Watch TV, but Tivo something good and also take the opportunity to get on the floor and stretch. Or take a walk - get some fresh air and sunshine. It may take a little extra push, but in the end, I bet you'll find your spirit lighter than if you had clicked your way through that precious time.

[To sign up for Keith Ferrazzi's newsletter, follow this link: http://www.keithferrazzi.com/tipoftheweek]

Russell Peters - Show me the funny!

2008-10-12T04:03:00.000-07:00

And indeed, it's really really funny!

Russell Peters - How to become Canadian

2008-10-12T02:16:00.000-07:00

Till this day, Russell Peter remains my favorite stand up artist. He is good, trust me!

Baby and Angel

2008-10-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Pessimist

2008-10-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

Formula One

2008-10-02T08:49:00.000-07:00

Random Sketches

2008-10-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

2008-09-25T09:21:00.000-07:00

Drawing is an organization of lines

~ Sam Lay

Formula One

2008-09-25T08:19:00.000-07:00

Sad Series

2008-09-21T07:26:00.001-07:00

Artworks extracted from the Cartoon Art of Sam Lay

Random Illustrations

2008-09-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

Artworks extracted from the Cartoon Art of Sam Lay

Namecard

2008-09-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

Artwork extracted from the Cartoon Art of Sam Lay

Achilles and the Tortoise - The Art of Takeshi Kitano

2008-09-14T00:40:00.000-07:00

Do you know that world acclaimed film-maker Takeshi Kitano is an accomplished painter?

We all know that the man is one of the greatest film-maker in Japan's movie history. But yet again, Takeshi Kitano surprises everyone else by his amazing mastery in oil painting. In his most recent film titled - Achilles and the Tortoise, Kitano presents a film portrait of an artist who sacrifices his family and nearly his own life in the pursuit of art. And what truly impressed us in startdrawing, are that the paintings churned out throughout the film are Kitano's own - many of which had been given as gifts to friends over the years and then reclaimed for the filming. Kitano's paintings first made appearance in his earlier film - Hana-bi (Fireworks).

About the film
Achilles and the Tortoise is Takeshi Kitano's newest reflection on art and life. The film takes its title from a famous paradox by the pre-Socratic philosopher Zeno, which claimed that motion, time and change are nothing but illusions. Achilles and the Tortoise tackles the idea that art is a chimera, and follows the absurd, star-crossed life of a man with no talent. As a result of his father's love of modern Western art, Machisu (Reo Yoshioka), a quiet, introverted child, is inspired to become a painter himself. Obsessive and obstinate – yet talentless – the child devotes all of his time to painting, not even losing heart when his father, once a wealthy factory owner, goes bankrupt and commits suicide.

As a young adult, Machisu (Yurei Yanag) continues to find comfort in his mediocre art and in the company of a group of fellow students with whom he shares the unrealistic dream of becoming famous. With banal results, he mimics all of the fashionable trends, from pop art to abstract expressionism, and struggles through life in a crescendo of crazy irrationality. Machisu (now played by Takeshi Kitano himself), his stubborn lack of talent persisting into adulthood, eventually spirals into disturbed, upsetting behaviour.

Kitano said that while he set out to make a film about "cruel art," he didn't think an artist need make the sacrifices depicted in the movie. "What I was trying to describe was a side effect of art and art as a kind of drug that numbs your senses," said Kitano. "Art might become a drug for an artist. But I am not convinced that it is necessary for all artists."

About Takeshi Kitano aka Beat Takeshi
Born in Tokyo, Takeshi Kitano enjoyed enormous success in Japan as a stand-up comedian, actor and visual artist. His filmography includes Violent Cop (89), Sonatine (93), Kids Return (96), Fireworks (97), Kikujiro (99), Brother (00), Dolls (02), Zatôichi (03), which won the Festival's People's Choice Award in 2003, Takeshis' (05), the segment Une Belle journée for the film anthology Chacun son cinéma (07) and Glory to the Filmmaker! (07). Achilles and the Tortoise (08) is his eleventh feature to screen at the Festival.

References
Article extracted from startdrawing.org
Official Website - Takeshi Kitano
Toronto International Film Festival
The times BFI London Film Festival
CBS News

Paul Potts sings Nessun Dorma

2008-09-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Josef told me that I definitely have to catch the clips on Paul Potts singing Nessun Dorma in the TV show Britain Got Talent. And he was dead right. Amazing! Paul is fantastic! I wouldn't blame anyone for crying after hearing him sing. I almost did. Talent is always breathtaking, and in this case, touching. I am so enchanted by this man. He is so subtle and humble despite having the voice of an angel. Thanks Josef! Truly a great find!

About Paul Potts
Paul Robert Potts (born 13 October 1970, Bristol, England), is a British tenor who in 2007 became the winner of the first series of ITV's Britain's Got Talent, singing an operatic aria, "Nessun Dorma" from Turandot. Potts had appeared in amateur opera productions from 1999 to 2003.

'Planting a city'Dimension: A4Medium: 0.8 Drawing Pen on Cartridge Paper

2008-09-11T06:37:00.000-07:00

I truly enjoyed drawing the cityscape in this comic. Buildings remain as one of my favorite subjects. Hopefully one day I can have an exhibition showcasing all the buildings that I had drawn so far. Cool!

[Cartoon extracted from Flickr - Cartoon Art of Sam Lay]

It's not how well you start, it's how fast you catch upLesson learnt from Usain Bolt - World's fastest man

2008-09-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

No Bolt didn't say that. I did. He probably didn't realize the emotional impact and the follow-on lessons that he inspired through his recent record timings.

Inspirational, that's how I felt after watching his race at the Beijing Olympics. Even more so when I read about his season-farewell 100 metres at the Van Damme Memorial on Friday, 5th September. In the race, Bolt battled the cold and a headwind (1.3metre-a-second) and was forced to come from behind to beat Asafa Powell in 9.77 seconds. It was truly a bad start and Powell shoot ahead of him. However, halfway through he pulled level with Powell and then his huge stride took over, finishing just 0.08 seconds off the world record he set at the Beijing Games. Quoting from digital news media - The Age

It was the fastest run into a headwind and matched the sixth-fastest time recorded despite the chilly temperature.

Earlier this year, Bolt holds the Olympic and world records for the 100 metres at 9.69 seconds, the 200 metres at 19.30 seconds and, along with his teammates, the 4x100 metres relay at 37.10 seconds, all set at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Bolt became the first man to win all three events at a single Olympics since Carl Lewis in 1984, and the first man in history to set world records in all three at a single Olympics.

Well I am not Bolt, but from the way I see it. The man knows himself very well. He knows the way to win, just like how the top student at school always knows how to score in exams even though they had been partying the last few nights. It's not about the hours spent in studying, it's about the understanding and internalizing of the subject matter. Same thing with Bolt. He knows that although a good start from the beginning will get him way ahead, but it is not the only key ingredient to winning the race. Certainly racing is more complicated than that given it's long history. Bolt knows that one of his key strength lies in his ability to catch up. That's what happened on Friday. Powell had a clear headstart, but Bolt still manages to level-up midway and eventually wins the game.

Key takeaway for me - you can always catch up, no matter how bad you start. It's never really too late to try. Take it from Usain Bolt aka Lightning Bolt.

[Read more about Usain Bolt and his achievements in Wikipedia]
*Images extracted from Wikipedia

Lounge Suit - 'Do you need a tie?'

2008-09-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

I was invited to a gala dinner this evening, and the invitation card stipulated 'Lounge Suit' as the official dress code. Based on past networking experience, anything with 'lounge' in it naturally meant that the tie can be omitted from the business suit. But I was so wrong. Apparently conservatism in business fashion is still widely practiced in the Asian culture. Especially so when attending a Chinese function. So in the end most of the invited guests wore tie except me, the young and bold. Enough said. Lesson learnt :-(

'Can i join you?'

2008-09-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

That is by far one of the best ice-breaker for me during networking. If you ever land yourself in a situation where you are alone in a function and badly need to break into one of the many cliques to start some serious networking, why not give this magic liner a try. It did wonders for me on many occasions ;-)

'Salesman'0.8 Pilot Drawing Pen on Cartridge Paper

2008-09-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

Latest submission for the Sunday papers. Adopted a slightly more adventurous style. Lines are very loose and simple. In fact, the pencil draft took me less than ten minutes to complete. Then I took the next ten minutes to ink it. I like the black and white contrast. For all the years that I had been drawing, I was dealing with white. So now I thought let's give it a try at managing black. Black gives a 'solid' and 'existence' feel as compared to having lots of whites on white drawing paper. Nothing new with the idea though.

The World's Best Illustrator | Quentin Blake

2008-08-31T06:29:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest illustrator of all times and most certainly one of my favourite as well. Quentin Blake (born December 16, 1932) is one of Britain's best-loved and most successful illustrators and children's authors. His first drawings were published in Punch when he was 16. He has illustrated over 300 books with writers such as, Michael Rosen, Russell Hoban, Joan Aiken, John Yeoman and, most famously of all, Roald Dahl. His illustrations of Roald Dahl's stories brought him international fame. Quentin Blake writes and illustrates his own books as well, creating such characters as Mister Magnolia, Mrs Armitage and Clown. He has also illustrated classic books for adults.

His artistic style is very distinct, composed of fast and scribbly ink lines, but with a precise stroke. His idiosyncratic use of line adds great depth to his drawings, conveying movement and creating a sense of excitement within the image. First, he creates pen-and-ink drawings, and then adds colour by watercolour painting. The spontaneity of his style is achieved by allowing himself a free hand at first, and then tracing elements from the first draft onto subsequent drafts.

Blake is beyond brilliant. He's anarchic, moral, infinitely subversive, sometimes vicious, socially acute, sparse when he has to be, exuberantly lavish in the detail when he feels like it. He can tell wonderful stories without a single word, but his partnership with Roald Dahl was made in heaven. Or somewhere. The diabolic ingenuity of Dahl came into its own only when he wrote for children. In conjunction with Blake, there was a kind of alchemy. I've never met a child who didn't love Quentin Blake. - Melanie McDonagh, Daily Telegraph

[Information extracted from The Official Quentin Blake Website and Wikipedia]

The Ancient Art of Okinawan Karate 冲神空手道

2008-08-31T05:24:00.000-07:00

We spoke about the Oyama-styled Karate in my earlier blog. No doubt Oyama sensei's determination in his art form brought about the fame of Kyokushin Karate. However, one must not discount the fact that there are other disciplines of Karate in Japan that rivals that of Kyokushin. Okinawan Karate is one of the ancient forms of Karate that has existed till now. In fact, modern day Karate stems from the developments in the early years of Okinawa. It was in Okinawa that the well-formed karate originated.

Amazing art form isn't it! I am not sure if I can find a Okinawan Karate school in Singapore. Anyone wants to join me?

Masutatsu Oyama 大山倍達 | The founder of Kyokushin Karate

2008-08-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

Some say he reinvented Karate, I say he turned it into an art. Just look at the determination in his eyes and you will start to understand why Oyama-styled Karate is one of the best Karate form in the world.

Masutatsu Oyama 大山倍達, also known as Mas Oyama, was a karate master who founded Kyokushinkai, arguably the first and most influential style of full contact karate. He was born Choi Yeong-eui (최영의; 崔永宜), but preferred to be called Choi Bae-dal (최배달; 崔倍達) to indicate his Korean ethnicity. A Zainichi Korean, he spent most of his life living in Japan and took citizenship there for personal reasons in the sixties. [Information extracted from Wikipedia]

Jan Ove Waldner - Evergreen Table Tennis

2008-08-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

A rare clip featuring some of the best pointers ever won by Waldner. Jan-Ove (JO) Waldner (nicknamed 老瓦 in China) is a Swedish table tennis player born 3 October 1965. He is known as 'the Mozart of table tennis' and is a legend in both his native Sweden as well as in China.

Renaissance - A feature film animation by Christian Volckman

2008-08-24T00:18:00.000-07:00

Such amazing visual treatment! Kudos to Christian Volckman for producing Renaissance, a new-age french animated feature film released on 15 March 2006. My recent obsession with art noir makes the discovery of Renaissance one hell of a find! I am not sure if this film will hit Singapore, but for anyone making a trip to Europe, do get a DVD copy of this k :-).

An extract of the film's write-up from Wikipedia;

---------------------------------------------

Renaissance is an animated cyberpunk/science fiction detective film by French director Christian Volckman. It was co-produced in France, United Kingdom and Luxembourg and released on 15 March 2006 in France and 28 July 2006 in the UK by Miramax Films. Renaissance features a rare visual style in which almost all images are exclusively black and white, with only occasional colour used for detail.

The film cost 14 million € to make over six years. It was funded by Disney with 3 million USD provided from Miramax.
Motion capture with 40 actors and computer-generated imagery were used to create the film's distinctive black and white animated visual style. The actors wore black suits with markers dotted along the surface which recorded movement from their limbs, faces and eyes. All acting was performed against a bluescreen in a digital backlot. Once a scene was recorded, computer software was used to build 3D animated models around the motion captured data. The bluescreen was used to create a virtual setting around the models. The black and white effect was added later using lighting.

In a labyrinthine metropolis where every deed and gesture is checked and filmed, Ilona Tasuiev, a young scientist envied by all for her beauty and intelligence, is kidnapped. Avalon, the megalithic corporation that Ilona works for, puts pressure on Karas, a controversial policeman specialising in abductions, to find her as quickly as possible. But Karas soon feels a little presence in his wake. He isn't alone in the quest for Ilona, and his pursuers seem poised to overtake him. Finding Ilona becomes vital: the brilliant young woman is involved in a conspiracy which is bigger than any imaginable. She holds the key to a secret that puts humanity's future in question: The Renaissance Protocol...

The producers used a relatively new form of animation, motion capture, to create the film's unique look. Filmed entirely against a bluescreen, Renaissance's cast completed entire scenes wearing skin-tight black suits covered in motion sensors that were used to record movements, face direction and even where their eyes were looking. Computer animators then placed the captured actions into pre-constructed 2D backdrops before adding the characters looks and the film's noir-styled visuals. In a similar way to Audi with its RSQ for I, Robot, French automaker Citroën designed a car specially for the film, imagining what a Citroën might look like in 2054

The film grossed a total of $1,831,348 worldwide — $70,644 in the United States and $1,760,704 in other territories — including $1,520,587 in Algeria, France, Monaco, Morocco and Tunisia

A message from Mr. Christ

2008-08-22T10:17:00.000-07:00

I am truly convinced that some days are good, and some days are bad. And when it is meant to be a better than average day, God sends out some very clear messages to tell you. Like the rainbow that I saw last week. That day, everything went exceptionally well :-)

Fukuhara Ai - One of the cutest table tennis player in history

2008-08-21T09:03:00.001-07:00

She is really cute! And I am so surprised that she can speak quality mandarin. 10 points for her! I wanna take picture with her!!

Things I say to myself

2008-08-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

'It's almost there! You are reaching, carry on, don't stop!' (when I am running)
'When the going gets tough, only the toughest gets going' (when I am running)
'Oh god, when is this going to end' (when I am working)
'Nice boobs!' (when I see a cute chick)
'Fantastic car! Baby, you are mine, MINE!!' (when I walking past a car park wallowing in self pity, sob..)

The Invincible Table Tennis Music Video from China's National Team -《乒乒乓乓天下无双》

2008-08-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

If you like table tennis as much as I do, then this music video is for you. Forget about the monotonous rapping, ignore the frequent lapse in rhythm, this is the China national team that we are talking about. And as far as I know, they are equal to invincible in the current table tennis league. Here they are, rapping for us! Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the China national team!!

Enjoy the rare footages of Kong Linghui, Ma Lin, Zhang Yining, and Wang Nan in lighter moments!

Cheers!

Amazing table tennis rally from Ding Song

2008-08-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

No wonder table tennis is the national sport of China, look at the way they play it! It's pure martial arts!
The player back facing us is Ding Song, for those familiar with the game, you would probably have heard of his name. Highly acclaimed as one of the best 'chopper' in the game!

Sempe in Singapore

2008-08-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

Such a pleasant surprise! Discovering book covers illustrated by one of the best cartoonist in Europe - Jean jacques Sempe! Drawings used on the book covers were mainly from his book titled - 'Les musiciens de Sempe' (translated: The musicians of Sempe), published in October 1980.

Woah! What a find!!

Orchestrating the sequence

2008-07-12T01:25:00.000-07:00

Let me share with you a recent cartoon sequence that I have done. I am happy with the way it turns out in the end. The idea came to me a year ago, and as usual, procrastination took place and it was not until I was faced with an impending deadline that compels me to do this sequence. Well, like what they always say, deadlines are the best drivers for creative expeditions. I am a believer now.

Strategic composition
Just a bit on this sequence. A lot of cartoon artists jumps straight into the 'drawing' part of cartooning without much planning done. And as a result, a lot changes takes place during the the drawing process which cause the final artwork to differ greatly from how it was initially perceived. Yours truly, I am a victim of this habit as well. It is inherent in anyone who loves to draw. Obviously, the best part of drawing is drawing itself. But then again, what separates the amateurs from the professionals is in the strategic planning. And by planning, it basically refers to the strategic composition of the picture.

Doing cartoon art is like directing a movie film where you literally take some time to 'layout' all the components and try to place them in the best possible positions. I always think that that a cartoon artist is very similar to a photographer or even a movie director. We put things together in an aesthetically pleasing composition. It is very much a balancing act. Is there too much black in this area? Are the characters too rigid or unnatural? Are there too many items in this panel? Do I really need the background?

Do take effort to plan cartoon the next time you are doing one. It might yield some unexpected results.

1-1-1-4
I adopted the traditional 1-1-1-4 sequence for this cartoon. It is a simple method but beyond the simplicity comes the creativity. In a 1-1-1-4, the punch comes in the last panel, the first 3 panels are consistent in terms of pace and action. As in the above cartoon, sweeping is consistent in the first 3 panels. The effect is in achieving continuity. People like to see things that they are familiar with. The ability to anticipate provides comfort. The function of the last panel is in delivering the punch where the cartoonist breaks all the momentum that was built initially. This panel is the 'jolt-mechanism' for the audience to realize the 'truth' behind the cartoonist's conspiracy. Wicked.

The subtle conclusion
There is a common misconception with a lot of Asian cartoon artist that the conclusion of a gag cartoon sequence have to be 'loud' and 'devastatingly' funny. How is that so? Can humor be achieved by being subtle? I certainly believe so. To laugh at someone is nothing more than human, but to be able to make fun of oneself is graciousness. The final panel in this sequence aims at achieving a soft and subtle conclusion.

I believe that the higher level of cartooning lies in the cartoon concept. Techniques only assist to support the idea.

Sam | JunMing

Face Sketch

2008-07-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

I am drawing quite a fair bit these days. The lines somehow got looser. I am liking my drawings a bit more now. Not so pretentious as it was a few years ago. I like drawing faces. Maybe its because of the fact that faces are very telling on its own. You can tell many things just by looking at someone's face.

The Sam Lay Blog

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It's what you do next that counts

Theatres, cocktail hours, and why learning to relax is the key success factor for great leadership

What lessons can President Barack Obama and other leaders take away from studying Abraham Lincoln's presidency?

The importance of a strategy

Kyokuoshin's High Roundhouse Kicks

Diamonds of Metro Valley

The thing about being random

Why incompetents will always rule the world

:: What's happening NOW? ::

:: "Stand by me" - Performed by musicians around the World ::

::Barber's Sentence::

::Spill::

::Just like the fishes::

::World Freehand Circle Drawing Championship::

::New Adidas Originals Commercial | Celebrate Originality::

::Wing Chun explained::

Threshold

Tribute to Photographers

Kudos to iPhone

Happy Chinese New Year!

More drawings for the week

Drawings from December 2008

The Pen Holder

Bill

Copyright

Hotel Santorini

Him

Samzers

Molecule

me perhaps

Highlander

Sam City

Monster

Reminders

Bad times

Distracted

New works for November 2008

works

We Can All Pinch an Inch - A Keith Ferrazzi Tip

Russell Peters - Show me the funny!

Russell Peters - How to become Canadian

Baby and Angel

The Pessimist

Formula One

Random Sketches

Formula One

Sad Series

Random Illustrations

Namecard

Achilles and the Tortoise - The Art of Takeshi Kitano

Paul Potts sings Nessun Dorma

'Planting a city'Dimension: A4Medium: 0.8 Drawing Pen on Cartridge Paper

It's not how well you start, it's how fast you catch upLesson learnt from Usain Bolt - World's fastest man

Lounge Suit - 'Do you need a tie?'

'Can i join you?'

'Salesman'0.8 Pilot Drawing Pen on Cartridge Paper

The World's Best Illustrator | Quentin Blake

The Ancient Art of Okinawan Karate 冲神空手道

Masutatsu Oyama 大山倍達 | The founder of Kyokushin Karate

Jan Ove Waldner - Evergreen Table Tennis

Renaissance - A feature film animation by Christian Volckman

A message from Mr. Christ

Fukuhara Ai - One of the cutest table tennis player in history

Things I say to myself

The Invincible Table Tennis Music Video from China's National Team -《乒乒乓乓 天下无双》

Amazing table tennis rally from Ding Song

Sempe in Singapore

Orchestrating the sequence

Face Sketch

The Invincible Table Tennis Music Video from China's National Team -《乒乒乓乓天下无双》