Happy Birthday!

The Boyfriend, Gym B-day card, Birthday cake, Feijoada

3rd of July is my boyfriend's birthday, and my younger brother Ronaldo's birthday. I haven't been able to attend my brother's birthday since I've been living in the UK up until I started university as the timetables are more relaxed than school holidays. This year I got to spend birthday with Michael which I've celebrated it in  a 'quiet' way.. haha. I've cooked him a portuguese meal which is called Feijoada (A portuguese beans stew) that he wanted to try for a while. Thankfully nothing had gone wrong with it as it was the first time I've tried to cook this dish. Present wise, he's not a materialistic person, he didn't wanted anything - but I wanted to get him something anyways! I've grabbed him a gym related card (we've recently joined the gym!!) and a gray hat (small items are always safe as presents!!).

The Brother, Shingeki no Kyojin cute titan inspired card

For my younger brother's birthday, as I can't see him in person, I've decided to do something different this year (normally I just do some fun photoshop editing of e-cards haha). I've drawn.. YES.. I've drawn from my graphics tablet that I've received from Michael few years ago (Wacom Bamboo CTL-460 if you're interested). I've tried all day to master my drawing skills (or u could say trying to get used to the tablet..) before the deadline which is his birthday.. as I've never been very good at drawing in tablets. I have drawn a 'cute titan' inspired version of my brother. (From the anime Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titans which I'm in love at the moment).

p.s Apologies for my lack of blog post, I've recently retured to UK and been eating, travelling and visiting friends!



That's it for now, keep carry on. 

Colour & Material

Photography by KEEPCARION

Colour Material was one of the new subjects that I have come across during my Term 1 at the ESAD. At first I didn't really understand what it as about due to the language barrier, but I think I've "guessed" it through the whole term safely. From my knowledge, we explore the colour and the material used in the design and products, the meaning of the colours and the texture that gives the viewer/customer. We were given the task to explore the man made materials and natural materials. I have chosen to explore the "Discarded" colour and textures. These (above) are the photos that I've taken for reference and I've created a copy with my own texture, colour and materials.

Mixed media by me

(Left) is one of the recreation of my photos. I've used newspaper, acrylic, ink, pva glue, salt, pepper, nail varnish, sand paper, photocopies to create this mixed media piece.

Then, I've created a book, with cut out holes to compare the real material and my created material/textures. It will be a side to side comparison without interfering the actual image.

(Below) The finished outcome of the book spread.

Outcome

I was hugely inspired by a piece of work by Allan Kaprow that I've seen at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The work is called Rearrangeable Panels, which features panels covered in different found objects such as broken mirrors, fruits, leaves, cements etc.

transcript below

Rearrangeable Panels is a key work. With it, Allan Kaprow effects a transition from action painting, as exemplified by the work of Jackson Pollock, to environment art and the art of the happening. Covered in different materials, the nine panels could be displayed in various configurations: in the form of a "kiosk", or a screen, or leaning on the wall. This is one of the very first works to make the person exhibiting it responsible for its arrangement. It is important too because Kaprow used these panels in Eighteen Happenings in Six Parts at the Reuben Gallery, New York, in 1959 - the first happening ever. This new genre sought to break down the boundaries between art and life, between plastic arts and performance arts.

MARCH

March had been constant uni uni uni and work work work! Too bad there weren't any holidays and day off this month. I believe this term is proving a bit hard. Not my techniques... But how my brain work with the tasks. For example in art, the concept was very abstract and wide, and photography... The topic was out of my comfort zone. Sometimes it's hard to carry on when its not your kind of thing, but in some way, its a challenge that you must overcome.

In the first four weeks of typography and layout, we had an external teacher coming to teach us a workshop for typography. I really did enjoyed it, which is a huge surprise because I've never taken an interest in typography... And I know I'm studying graphic design but... Well, anyways! We had studied the history of typography, different countries and font lab. We sketched and traced our typography design and scanned to font lab and began to create the whole set of font! Now I can proudly announce that I have my first set of font...

That's it for now, keep carry on.

FEBRUARY

A lot had happened since January and February. Started term 2 and I'm finally doing graphic design. Its a very small group and people seem nice I think. I prefer small groups because I think its easy to know people and I find it easier to remember people faces... I am very bad at matching people and their name... This term, I am doing photography, web design, cinema 4D, typography and layout, history of design and with two option choices which is art and video. I wanted to do life drawing as I enjoy improving my techniques in drawing real people... But unfortunately I am not allowed to choose this option this term... Sigh.

At valentines day, me and Michael did not do anything, we ordered good old pizza ;) as we don't have an oven or a grill, it is indeed very special to us! I made strawberries dipped into melted chocolate for dessert...

Then we had a week of in February. I went to Paris and stayed at Izz's and met up with Zara! She visited from UK :) and yes, I did all these tourist stuff for the third time! We visited the sightseeing places, getting chased my people getting to sign a form... Which j know its a scam, and we have actually ran from them.. I was actually getting a bit annoyed as I was taking photos.... Just stop disturbing me! Dinner wise, we went back to the good Leon's! Since I've been to france, my love for mussels had grown. I've never really liked it before but I don't mind it now, I also love confit de canard - a duck dish. We have also spent A LOT of time in sephora just trying out stuff and not buy it... Haha, well Zara did, me and her had a soft spot for smelly things. I mean..perfumes and candles!

That's it for now, keep carry on. 

DRESS LIKE A PRINCESS

H&M Conscious Collection Party wear

Tulle dress, £149.99

White lace dress, £199.99 // Black jumpsuit, £39.99 // Blue dress, £59.99

You might never see this coming, but yes I am talking about Fashion, and I am pretty sure that I would be the last person of the world that you would think of writing about fashion! Anyways, today I came across the Vogue Facebook pages and saw this beautiful collection from H&M. I must say I am not a very dress person because I can never find the 'perfect' dress because I have a uh-rather petite and strange proportion body -  which results me in always windows shopping!

I am IN LOVE with the Tulle dress (above). The silhouette is beautiful, I've always liked this kind of silhouette in dresses, bottom heavy, very elegant, it has a very strong wow factor. It really reminds of me of those Disney princesses moments.

That's it for now, Keep carry on.

JANUARY

Feijoada Portuguesa

After returning to UK, I have stayed in Kent for two days then somehow we all (Ed&Co) decided that we should all go up North for Christmas. That was almost 7/8 hours drive?! And I remember it was the 20th December while we were on the road, joking about if we will be still on the road when the 2012 apocalypse reaches us at 12AM.. Haha! While I was spending my first week of holiday there, it was just chilling out with friends, cooking and watching movies. Random road trips in North, random visit at Valdos university's library, Christmas shopping for our Portuguese meal, Christmas sale at Manchester... Good times. Its always the simple things that matters.

Hot Pot

I returned to Northampton in my second week. Definitely made the wrong choice to return on the 27th of December! Everybody tries to get around with trains as its the first working day after Christmas. It was so busy that I had to stand with my three heavy bags of luggage on the way for over an hour, it a cramped little space with all these people, never again. And I almost missed my changing train as... I'm just clueless about directions plus the delays occurred that day had made all the trains in the wrong places. Never trust me with my directions.

Returning to Ntown, means good yummy home cooked food by Michaels parents, it feels like home when I return in Macau. I love home cooked food. Also being in a familiar places makes u feel happier too, like meeting up with old friends... :) 

 I didn't realise how much I've missed everything. I feel so sad returning!    

Half way now...

That's it for now, Keep carry on.

DECEMBER

December, the month of celebrations! Why? Because, somehow a lot of my friends birthdays fall into this month, including myself and my twin brother, there's also Christmas and New Years, how exciting!  There's also Christmas holidays, which means I'm returning to UK! I can't believe how much I've missed there. I miss having the very normal freedom of knowing where I go, having a kitchen with tools that let's me cook freely, having friends that could just go on a random trip to the grocery store. Speaking about kitchen, I do not have an oven here, I can't even bake :(

Birthday Birthday Birthday, me and my brother had been planning for this birthday trip since November. He and his girlfriend, my fellow Macanese Valdo and his housemate Brian are coming to Paris! We are having a birthday weekend in Disneyland :D I'm 22 and I've never been to Disney... - YES. People would ask me why I still haven't been to the Hong Kong Disneyland, and my 100% answer would be: Everyone had been there and they said it wasn't very good so they will not return. So the result is... I have no one to go with Haha!

They've spent 4 days in France and we've visited the main attractions in Paris and Disneyland. Disneyland is magical and I'd definitely be visiting again as I couldn't go on all the attractions and it wasn't a very good weather to begin with :(  after the trip, I've returned to UK.

That's it for now, Keep carry on.

NOVEMBER

Sacré-Cœur, Paris November, 2012

After almost two months I've been here, I'm a bit settled now. Regarding to my art school, its still proving difficult... It's all about language problems I guess. I don't speak much French and the other students doesn't liked to speak in English (that's what I assume anyways!).

The art school is very small compared to my university, I guess its a specialised school, that's why there's only around 200 students and maybe 20 staffs or so. It is situated in the centre of the city, next to the cathedral, so I always walk by all these stores and window shopping. To be honest, there are not many shops that interest me at all.

I've been put into second years with the other French students, in the first term I do every subject with all the different pathways students. My subjects are Philosophy, Art, Photography, Graphics, 3D, Colour and Material, Architecture, Design and one optional subject to chose from Design culinaire, Design vegetal, Sound Design, Video and Life Drawing; I chose life drawing as I'm in group B, I cannot do video until next term. I have to say when I've received my timetable I was quite shocked, the normal hours are 9AM-18PM! And I have to go in almost all day everyday, totally different from my last 4 years of sixth form and university timetable, it almost feels like n I'm back in school all over again. And the subjects, are totally out of my comfort zone, I avoid anything that's three dimensional as I've never been very good at it, and there's Architecture.. My biggest nightmare. I believe that I didn't do that well at my second year with the environmental graphics.. But I'm glad that I did get help from my brotherly-like friend Boris :).

Apart from doing all these subjects and long hours of studying, I also got enrolled into another school just for French language lessons. I'm so glad I have this lessons as I know that some other Erasmus students do not have it. I go to this American-French business school to learn French with these other students from that school, its compulsory for them because its part of their degree. People in there are really nice, and most of them are international students! Its nice to find someone that shares the same boat as you. The best thing about it, is that I can speak English freely! The down side is that, when I enrolled, they have already started the course for almost 6 weeks! I'm lucky that I've studied French for four weeks in summer, so it would be easier to catch up, its would be another story for those who haven't learnt French at all...

Me and Michael went to Paris for a weekend. We went to the main attractions and we met up with Izzy and Ben for a meal.

Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Paris, Centre Pompidou, Sacre Coeur, Eiffel Tower, Pont D'arts

That's it for now, Keep carry on.

OCTOBER

Notre-Dame de Reims, October 2012

Here I am. Reims is a city situated in east-northeast of France, it's about 45 minutes away if taken TGV (High speed train) to Paris - well you can figure it out what I mean! When first arrived, the weather wasn't so bad. Then it started to rain often, it feels like England! The weather is here is very - erm, strange. It can be very sunny, then pouring rain in minutes. I find it more strange and unstable than England to be honest, I wish I'd brought my wellies here. 

I have arrived a week before my semester starts, so I get get a good look of the city, and know my way around. Which is hard, because I never remember where I walk - effect of spending most of your life having a twin brother to help you out! I'm so glad there's a tram that goes across the whole city, as I do live quite far off the city centre. What I think about this city? Personally think it is a bit small (really?) and there's not much activities you can do... I know that I would be visiting Paris a lot! Train tickets are still quite expensive after I've bought a discount card though...

I will be writing about my art school and my language progress. 

That's it for now. Keep carry on.

SEPTEMBER

Brother's Birthday Party, July 2012

After returning to UK from Macau, I have spent the rest of my September spending times with friends and people that I would consider my 'other' family. Since I don't live with my family while I'm over here, I consider my friends as a family too. They're all I have.
Summer is amazing though. It's all about holidays, spending time with family and being outdoors. Even though Macau is super hot and humid, and I do complain a lot about it - but I just love spending time with family. I get to spend celebrate my younger brother's birthday and my dad's every summer, and sometimes my mum too, their birthday all fall in the summer time, only me and brother's are in winter. That's another reason that I love about summer. Here's a photo of my younger brother's birthday party. Me and my dad cooked and a few families cooked some stuff too. It was a nice gathering :) I love everything about being at home, spending time with family around the dinner table, having home cooked meals. That's a symbolism for me. (watch out for home cooked meal blog post!)

Skegness , September 2012

So, when I returned to UK, my good friend Nathan and Amy finally had a good chance to 'take' me to seaside to have a mini 'weekend' break. Haha! You might not believe it, yes, I've never been to a seaside in the UK! Seriously, what I've been doing all these years? Anyways, it was a very nice short break, us five went to Skegness for 2 days and 1 night. It was nice to spend my remaining time in the UK with my friends, as I have to go to France for an erasmus year there. I went to London meet up with few of my Close university friends, and also travelled to North to meet up with a few fellow yellow ;) Me and Michelle finally met GAGA! Her show, was amazing. Words can't describe it. I can finally say I'm a verified little monster. Paws up (|||) !

Last Few days

It's hard writing back how I feel back in September, because it feels totally different now. But I will say it anyway. Before I left, it was actually a mixture of excitement and a bit scary. There's my love for language that motivates me, and there's also the lack of communication problem that I'd be facing when I get there. Considering that my accommodation only gave me a place, when I arrived there few days!

That's it for now, keep carry on.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Salut! Here we go again. Another blog from me! 

I have been wanting to start a new blog to record my erasmus exchange year out in France since I've been here...thinking about it, it has already been almost 4 months (?) that I've been living in France :o

Rather than start talking about the present, I think I am going to write my blog backwards (YES!) - then start it off normally. 

LET'S DO IT.