Mid-Q3… Progressing

Aug 20, 2023

It had been a pretty busy week. Started an evening workshop on Tue to learn about making independent illustrated zines. I’m tinkering on the idea of making a small story book for KOKB. Two more lessons to go, will see whether my inkling will provide enough fuel for me to actually do the story book later. I first learnt about the idea of independent zine publishing from a speaker at the Comics 101 short-term course I enrolled in. The last of the six weekly sessions were completed yesterday. Together with some Chinese painting workshops I attended this afternoon and my regular weekly calligraphy class, I had attended 4 different classes/workshops in one week, almost like a full-time student!

As to my studio work, I had started working on a project to 3DP some custom Lego-like minifigs for a client. Hope to complete the order by the end of the month.

Managed to complete 2 evening running practices on Mon and Thu respectively. Ran (very slowly) a total of 16.8k on Thu! Will try to finish a self-conducted half-marathon (21k) by the end of the month.

Started doing some initial planning for Q4. Asked my fellowship caring group to pray for me as I really needed some guidance from God. I started looking into plane tickets and AirBnB. After talking to my parents tonight over dinner about my plan, I felt less worried. May God continue to guide my steps forward. 🙏🏻

Sketch… Sunday Service

Aug 20, 2023

Back to Normal

Aug 13, 2023

Have had a considerably productive week at the studio. Finished setting up a new 3D printer and had been testing it nonstop. Took the opportunity to assess my inventory of 3DP filaments and printed out many DEXTER minifigs – my studio’s mascot. Also finished prototyping some scout minifigs and shown them to a potential client. Will touch base with him again next week to see whether the order will go through. Had a little free time on Friday and decided to work on a personal project. I took about an hour or so to draw a 3D model of a crab-eating device brought back from my dad’s recent trip to Japan. After completing the 3D model, it took just roughly an additional 30 minutes to print the near exact copy of the apparatus! It was an enlightening experience to be able to create digital 3D models and immediately turn them into physical functional objects.

My enthusiasm for 3DP seemed to have returned with the new advanced but very affordable 3D printer. Now I only need to turn this enthusiasm into a business that can keep myself economically sustainable. Shouldn’t be too difficult, right?! 😂

Completed my longest running practice in recent months on Thur evening (14K). Practice time is running out for the upcoming marathon in mid Oct. Can’t afford to slack off.

Back to my regular Sunday art therapy at home this afternoon. Completed my 13th acrylic painting of the critically endangered animal caricature series. In the evening, I went back to my parents’ home to have dinner with them like before. A bit shameful to admit it, but I haven’t gone back to my parents’ place for months.

Things seem to be getting back to normal, but this probably won’t last too long as I need to start and plan my escape from this suffocating and deteriorating city. Will start looking into plane tickets this week. May God guide my steps. 🙏🏻

Sketch… Sunday Service

Aug 13, 2023

Super Moon, Regular Week

Aug 6, 2023

Haven’t taken a good look at the night sky for a long long time, but the super moon was too prominent to ignore, couldn’t resist to snap a photo from my balcony. Once in a blue moon, I used a skillset acquired last quarter to carve a seal for my calligraphy classmate. I could have used more time on the seal, but I left the task to the very last minute and just barely completed it before class on Thur. He was really happy receiving his first seal and treated me for dinner after class, but I felt slightly guilty for not doing my best.

Other than the super moon and the once-in-a-blue-moon seal carving work, the past week was rather unadventurous and dull. I continued with more 3DP work at the studio and made considerable progress on prototyping a custom minifig for a potential client. Also managed to complete a 12k running practice on Fri. evening to get a much needed dose of weekly dopamine boost.

Sketch… Sunday Service

Aug 6, 2023

LEGO Minifigs

Jul 30, 2023

My studio neighbour stopped by on Mon. and talked about a project that needed to make figurines for a diorama display. After some discussions, he decided to make custom Lego minifigs.

While experimenting and prototyping, I got carried away and shrunk my studio’s mascot into the scale of Lego minifigs. When the custom designed and 3D-printed DEXTER successfully snapped onto standard Lego bricks, a new world of opportunities seemed to have unlocked instantly! I never expected my cheap 3D printers to be able to fabricate objects precise enough to work with standard Lego bricks. And now knowing that it does, I could more easily and quickly design and prototype new objects in the smaller Lego scale. I could also use the loads of Lego bricks I’ve accumulated over the years to facilitate prototyping without having to wait for parts to be printed!

This exciting Lego minifig opportunity came right after I got back into doing 3D design work and completed upgrading my studio’s mascot to use a more flexible frame system. It seems God may have something fun lined up for me to work on this quarter. May God help me to make a breakthrough in my long unsuccessful career. 🙏🏻

Sketch… Sunday Service

Jul 30, 2023

Tired Week

Jul 23, 2023

My sister’s family is visiting town, but I felt like I had seen enough of them already in Toronto last summer. My sister in HK and my mom had dinner with them separately, I declined the invitations and kept myself busy with work. Finished re-engineering my studio’s mascot, DEXTER, to use a more flexible frame system. It felt good to be doing 3D design and prototyping once again.

Friday marked the 4th anniversary of the Yuen Long 721 incident. I was once again reminded of the preamble of our city becoming a suffocating police state. So much evil and injustice continuing to accumulate since, yet there’s so little we can do to help. I decided to go for a long evening run. Persevered a slow 1.5hr 12k run. The sweat and self-conducted torture resulted in some temporary relief, it’s probably just the dopamine from exercising.

Had dinner with some fellowship brothers on Sat. Everyone seemed to have their own issues to share. Rather than adding to the heap of burden, I decided not to talk about my own family issues and just gladly be a good listener.

Couldn’t avoid my family issues forever. Today was the big test when I was forced to visit my brother’s lavishly renovated private suite to take a family portrait. I never really liked seeing myself in pictures since young, and it was especially frustrating that I had to put on a fake smile in that setting and posing in the seemingly thousands of photos that were taken. I pulled it through miraculously and was only slightly late for my “art therapy” session. Thank God. 🙏🏻

Sketch… Sunday Service

Jul 23, 2023
  • DEC
    2025
    S M T W T F S
     123456
    78910111213
    14151617181920
    21222324252627
    28293031  
  • 723 Studio