Emila Yusof

I wish I could just sit and draw away directly but having a very active son, it is impossible because I have to tail him all the time. I am hoping to be able to do that when he grows up a bit. For the time being, most of my sketches are drawn from photos I captured intentionally for drawing purposes.

Below is a view from AKLEH (Ampang-KL Elevated Highway). Picture was taken by me while driving. Can you imagine holding steering with my left hand while snapping pictures away with my right hand? Do not try this in your car, ok?

Whenever I passed any beautiful buildings, I would stop and snapped pictures. Below are two of my favourite neo-classical buildings (Clock Tower of Sultan Abdul Samad Building & Textile Museum).

I could not resist drawing the modern glass and steel Petronas Twin Towers because everywhere  I turn or look, the building is there. Even from where I stay I can see vivid image of the building.

One of my hobby is watching and snapping photos of old windows and this particular window from one of the preserved buildings at Jalan Doraisamy did not escaped my eyes.

Even when I stopped at the traffic light, I would capture any scene that caught my eyes. Below is a view from Jalan Raja heading to Jalan Raja Laut traffic light.

Beside capturing scenery and buildings, my objects of interest are people; people doing their things, for example: ahem, Rashid Salleh…

…or this cute little girl in red…

…or my son smooching the totem pole…

…or my best blogger buddy, Yoon See posing with our evergreen singer, Kak Salamiah Hassan…

…or a tourist observing KL from the top of KL Tower…

…or three uncles having chicken rice at Central Market food court.

I also love watching animals. Below were monkeys having fun at Tanglin Hospital during weekends…

…and three permanent winged residents of Sentul Park lake.

Ducks or birds have always been my favourite subjects. Below are some drawings from my other sketch book.

Here is a couple of ducks from Lake Garden cleaning their feathers…

…and a beautiful black swan from KL Birds Park swimming gracefully.

If you’re at Birds Park, please look for this handsome peacock; I couldn’t exactly bring out all the details of its plumage, it’s too magnificent.

Beside animals, i love to draw nature too. Below is frangipani from KLCC. There are quite a large numbers of frangipani trees at KLCC Park; somewhere from the fountain leading to the pool area.

Last but not least, here is a creepy tree situated somewhere between the Convention Centre and KLCC Park.

I think I have put enough loads on your browser with my drawing images. You, should by now get the idea already that Kuala Lumpur never ceases to offer great subjects for you to draw.

Just look around; your drawing subject might just be few inches near you.

I went sketch-book shopping yesterday at Kinokuniya KLCC. I was planning to go straight up the stairs to Page One looking for my favourite Moleskine sketch book but then I got stuck browsing the stationery area looking for options. I found one good sketch book by PaperLuxe (Model: Etcetra).  It has cloth-bound cover with acid-free cream watercolor paper. What makes it more interesting is that the price is more than 50% cheaper than Moleskine! Moleskine sketch book ( 9 cm x 14cm) is selling at Rm89 while PaperLuxe (14.85cm x 21cm – A5) is RM43.80. I bought Paperluxe but felt guilty as if I betrayed Moleskine so I did went up to Page One looking for my favourite tempera sketch book as well as the watercolor journal but they are out of stock. Will go and find them at CZipLee, Bangsar.

Paperluxe Etcetra A5 Cloth Bound Cover with Perfect Bound Interior

I often have been asked where do I get my supply of sketch book in Kuala Lumpur and for those who are interested, below is the list:

Moleskine

• The Borders, Berjaya Time Square, KL (or Damansara Branch)
• The Tango Mango Gift Shop, 163 First Floor, The Curve Mutiara Damansara
• CzipLee, 39 & 41 Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
• Page One @ Kinokuniya, Level 4, Suria KLCC

As for Paperluxe sketch books, you can get them from Kinokuniya, Level 4, Suria KLCC and if I’m not mistaken, all MPH outlets. Not sure about Popular Bookstore. Will call them and update about this.

My collection of sketch books: bottom two – sketchbooks by Grandluxe, middle two – Moleskine, top three – my own handmade A6 hand-bound sketch books. I have more of the top given to Yassin. Sold some during KL Book Fair back in 2007.

I will blog about quality watercolor/acrylic pads and where to get them some other times.

Oh, do you want to peek inside my Moleskine tempera sketch book completed in 2008?

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Just click to play.

I am working on My Mother’s Garden book. Already drew 5 pages and left with 5 pages more, oh make that 6 plus the cover. Or maybe I can just choose the best illustration and make it as the cover. My publisher, Linda, wants me to finish this early so that we could bring it to 2010 Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Italy!!

*I feel like giving link love for this post, so be the first commenter!

First commenter: Spiff the Spaceman!!

Here’s a spooky tree I drew yesterday while lying down in front of the tv trying to recover from my fever. The fever is not getting any better.

Spooky Tree | Pencil sketch on moleskine

So, my moleskine, 43 pages left to draw. I’m way over deadlines of few commission works and really really hope to get to finish them by today.

1st commentator
Nessa

My headache is making a comeback. I will continue with the coloring tomorrow, hopefully. This one is based on my maroon dragonfly photo. Didn’t get to sketch the wings exactly like the picture as they’re too complicated.

“I am leaving for good, you should too. Soar high and find your way home…”

This is how I remember it 30 years ago — saying goodbye to my dear friends. It happened on the day we left Melaka for Pahang. The day that I remember so well. The day that my mother told us that my father had left us. The day that I let my father’s birds go. I never knew if my father got pissed for what I did. I never asked.

He loved the birds but I loved them even more.

P/S: Sorry for the unkempt sketch. I’m in a hurry to pack my PC. Am moving to Ampang tomorrow. Hope I’ll get the connection up soon. Till then, Happy 2008 to all!

Sketch from last night. The background is colored with real coffee.

P/S Happy Eidul Adha to all Muslims!

Here are some recent sketches from my moleskine sketchbook. I am hoping to sketch more.

My Sandal

Yassin’s Denim

My backpack

Stephen Rahman-Huges | Graphite

 A pencil sketch of Stephen Rahman-Hughes who acted as Hang Tuah in “Puteri Gunung Ledang” musical theatre. Posted in Monday Artday for the ‘Warrior’ challenge.