Entertainer

Fortune Teller for Events

2009-11-03T00:45:00.012+08:00

Fortune telling is one of the popular pre event booking items.
Basically, it can be categorized in 2 types:
which more belonging Western type or either Eastern type.

For western type, Numerology, Tarot Card reading, Crystal, Crystal stone reading is commonly seen. Tea leaf fortune telling as you seen in Harry Potter movie which I had ever seen was done by Angela Yip so far.

Renae's tarot card and numerology fortune telling.Paul's Crystal stone reading.
Graphology, which commonly known as Hand writing Character Analysis is one item that people thought it belonging to fortune telling category but it actually not, it belonging to statistic type of human character analysis according the graphologist, it is Science, claimed by them.

For eastern type, Palm reading is of the common item.
The latest eastern type fortune telling which I seen in recent years including ‘Yi Jing’ or ‘E Jing’ (易经）fortune telling, Chinese poker card reading during pre events, as I know, specialist who doing event is rare, not because having rare master, but related master who can speaking English is rare due to conversation in English is essential during the event booking.

Most of the eastern type fortune telling was commonly seen in the ‘Shanghai Theme’, “Eastern Theme’, Chinese Culture theme and Chinese New Year period.

One of the unique eastern type can be seen is the Indian Parrot‘s Card ‘fortune telling, which the Indian master will get his Parrot pick one of the pre-written fortune telling card on the table to the Indian master (its owner), the card being picked was your fortune of the day ;p

Event Caricaturist Day!

2009-11-02T23:05:00.001+08:00

6.30pm – 7.30pm, 11th, December, Friday, 2009!
6.30pm – 7.30pm, 18th, December, Friday, 2009!

That was many event companies asking for caricaturist to do their dinner and dance since 2 months ago, as per usual, the above date and timing is the hot date for caricaturists’ pre-event booking.

Does it mean the economy of the market had picked up?
I don’t think so, because is just happened the whole Singapore island’s related companies having dinner and dance from 6.oo pm onwards.

Train 500 caricaturists to meet the ‘Caricaturists Day’ to meet the market’s need?
Wrong question! From my experiences, it only occurs 1 to 3 times within each year so far.

There are up and down period within the year, it could happened that continuously no events caricaturists demand or having super low demand, for example like the period that having H1N1 cases, many caricaturists will try to look for job and trying hard to check which competitor is undercutting them. Haahaa!

6.30pm – 7.30pm, 11th, December, Friday, 2009, can do pre-event caricature?
6.30pm – 7.30pm, 18th, December, Friday, 2009, can do pre-event caricature?

As an event caricaturist, please ask yourself how many places you can go in above mentioned time frame?

Clone 50 of you so made the 50 cloned ‘you’ grab the entire job?
Nope! Because the 50 cloned you already a real human, ‘they’ need to use the money to survive (just like eat, drink, clothing and related expenses)

My idea is getting 50 ‘Surrogates’ of me (a robot which made exactly like me, see Bruce Willis’s movie), so after the 50 ‘Me’ done the entire job, just back home and past me the earned $, and then all of them go back to the cupboard and sleep (or charging electricity)!

Hia hia!

Earlier Christmas Decoration for APEC Singapore 2009

2009-11-02T22:25:00.005+08:00

Went Artfriends today to buy some art stuffs and seeing everyway was busying doing the street decoration for Christmas. According the news, the related firm decided make the Christmas Decoration earlier is to make the coming APEC 2009 (8 Nov – 15 Nov)meeting much more interesting

Caricature at Jurong Bird Park

2009-11-01T20:02:00.005+08:00

Just did a caricature for a dinner and dance’s fringe activity at Jurong Bird Park yesterday. I almost lost after struggling finding the actual event venue. I saw my friend doing their rehearsal in this amphitheater, I thought my booking venue is here; luckily I call up the event company who hired me and found out the right place. Phew!I managed to take some bird photos.

Product Launch Event

2009-10-30T23:38:00.008+08:00

That was very interesting that I got a chance doing a special product launch related event for Microsoft, which arranged by an event company.
Met William Lee and Diana Lim in this event.Three of us had been arranged completing 77 caricatures within an hour’s booking; the ‘7’ is representing the make over of the new version of Microsoft’s operation system.
My lunch and dinner of the day.

The New Casino

2009-10-30T23:32:00.002+08:00

Passing by city area and saw the new casino was almost done. According the news, the roof top portion of this building will be completing before next year’s Chinese New Year. Hopefully it will attract many tourists to Singapore and all the local entertainers will get more jobs! Heehee!

Caricature at Safra Jurong

2009-10-26T15:28:00.007+08:00

This is my very first time in Safra Club Jurong, and was great to do caricature for the event here.I like this special designed big sized playground!This things was very cute as well.My lunch and dinner of the day ;p

Interesting Wedding Car Deco

2009-10-25T16:12:00.004+08:00

Passing by my house downstairs’ car park and saw this wedding car decoration which using soft toys! That was my first time seeing such decoration.

Just Few Night Night Photos

2009-10-25T14:38:00.009+08:00

Met some friends at Depot road area and after that take a night walk at the area surrounding.
Found this big well designed display was stunning great in night!It is 'The Interlace' new condos as in the newspaper recently I saw.

Just took a walk on the high bridge opposite of the Hort Park Singapore.Interesting high bridge (or walking track)There are somebody jogging down there at night time!
There were some pub and restaurant near by at the other end of this area (which nearby NOL or PSA building), I am just first time here.Seems this area is called ‘Little Bali’.Interesting Bali style buildings.

Light System, ERP Gate

2009-10-20T23:44:00.001+08:00

Is this Lighting system? Nope! It is ERP (Electronic Road Pricing) system at the Orchard road entrance.This is lighting effect system which I saw just next to the ERP, which is at the entrance of ION shopping central.Just took these photos because there are having some similarity ;p

Taxi Driver which does not know the road name!

2009-10-20T23:22:00.004+08:00

That was quiet frustrated that today about 3.05pm I wanted to take a taxi to Singapore Island Country Club Singapore for a meeting at the taxi stand that just next to Ang Mo Kio MRT.

I saw there are at least 5 taxis queuing at this taxi stand.
When I sit into this taxi (vehicle number SH something and follow by the number 6024 and some alphabetical) and I told him I wanted to go Singapore Island Country Club, this Chinese old man about 60+ told me he did not know the place, so he do not go there! He waive his hand (means don’t do me business) even I try to pass my street directory map to him.I hate this type of unprofessional taxi driver!
So I get out of this taxi and try to copy down his number, he quickly drive a way so I can’t really copy down the full detail of his vehicle number.

When I go into the taxi behind him, this Chinese taxi driver who in his 60+ driver also trying to do the same thing to me but he stopped it after he remember he saw me copied down the taxi number in front him just now.

So he got no choice have to fetch me to the destination indicated by me.
Of course, I really past the street directory map to him for reference.

I hardly understand that why so many taxi drivers don’t know how to go to many roads and as a taxi driver, most of them not even has a street directory which cost Singapore dollar $12.90 including GST?Maybe I am the only passenger in this small country who facing this problem?

Interesting Clouds

2009-10-18T01:26:00.002+08:00

It was not 'crowd', it just cloud!Just took these photos at East Coast Park.

The Art of Control the Crowd III

2009-10-18T00:08:00.003+08:00

Through controlling of the queue, you can see many kinds of peoples; like their attitude, the way their reactions…..and their ‘Creativities’.

As a professional event artist, I always try my best to draw as much caricature as possible and try maintain the best quality within such time frame as I can.

In some type of events (usually in companies’ family days) , if there are 10 peoples in your queue, it doesn’t means there are really having 10 peoples queuing for your drawing, it could be multiple of the amount!

What I mean is: while I think this lady is the next person to be drawn in my queue, she does not sit down but will waive her hands and get both of her sons and husband cut the queue to sit down and get drawn instead!Based on this scenario, if one person queuing for 2 family members, you are going to draw 30 persons even though there are only 10 persons in the queue. That is the unexpected circumstances you need to handle.

Of course, people come to family day is to enjoy, there are many free gifts can be taken home and everyone just wanted to ensure each of their family members having the gifts, that is understood.

Unfortunately, we, the entertainers in-charged of producing free gifts might not able to fulfill every single guest’s need due to ensure the event running smoothly within the event’s time frame.

New Immigrant Belly Dancer and Drummer

2009-10-17T02:33:00.003+08:00

I just found that these belly dancer and the drummer are wife and husband after watched Channel 8’s Thursday 10.30pm-11.00pm documentary ‘焦点’ yesterday.That is something new to me after met them in many events but did not know this at all, that was interesting to me yesterday ;p

Indian’s Deepavali Celebration

2009-10-17T02:04:00.004+08:00

Passing by Little India after shopped for some computer stuffs at Sim Lim Square and found the decoration of Little India was very nice, so I just took some photos.

The Art of Control the Crowd II

2009-10-16T00:14:00.002+08:00

Why need crowd control? We need to ensure we are not over work during the booking hour(s), the event organisers also might need to ensure the crowd proceed to the next stage (like getting every guests seated to pay their respect and attention to the related persons’ speech eg. the chairman giving speech the guests.)

This also ensures the rest of the planned programme to be running smoothly, for example, in the dinner and dance, usually the fringe activities start from 6.30pm – 7.30pm, the guests need to be seated in the ballroom by 7.45pm and then the dancers do the opening dance from 7.45pm till 8.00pm and follow by the chairman’s speech etc, every scheduled programming have to be execute in time!
Especially during the peak period of company dinner and dance like November and December, many entertainers having tight schedules (like those dancers, magicians, Chinese opera mask changing performance, vocalists, models etc. needed to rush to another place to do their performance.) hence any delay will cause the relevant schedule go hair wired, either the event organisers or the entertainers themselves.

Imaging you supposed performance your belly dancing 8pm till 8.30pm at hotel A and your next performance will be at hotel B from 9.15pm-9.45pm, you sure pray every of your show should be done within the scheduled time frame.

We, the fringe art artists (caricaturists, silhouette cutting artists, henna, airbrushes, glamour shoot and etc have to be stop in time to help the smooth running of the event.

The Art of Crowd Control During Events

2009-10-15T23:13:00.004+08:00

Whether you are in charge caricature drawing, airbrush tattoo or doing any complementary items in the events, I am very sure you always face the big crowd or people queuing for their free stuffs.

After many years’ experience doing event, I found that crowd control for complimentary stuffs is one of the very important thing we need to do.

To me, crowd control is an art. You can’t expect there is always having event officers or crew to help in the crowd control, hence you need to control by yourself and I found that is the best way to make the show running smoothly.

For example, during my caricature drawing session (stationary type, not roving type), I will estimate how many people I can draw within the last 30minutes, and then I will quickly go to the queue and past my colorized papers to the limited peoples in the queue, I told the queue I can only draw these amount of peoples within the last 30minutes’ working hour, hence basically avoided any disappointment and frustrations.

Some artists was passing own made queue number to the queue in 30 minutes in advance as well, it work as well.

Chinese Rainbow Calligraphy

2009-10-13T23:52:00.003+08:00

Just met rainbow calligrapher Mr Lim Mao Zhong recently in an event, I think he is one of the longest Chinese Rainbow Calligrapher I met so far. I met him in his stall at Clark Quay many years ago before the renovation of Clark Quay. Other than doing rainbow calligraphy, he also read the fortune of your name while he doing the rainbow calligraphy during event.Hmm..I don’t think he got a website, but you can call him direct at his mobile: 9067 8295

Just the Food I Ate Recently

2009-10-08T23:10:00.007+08:00

I was very lazy to cook myself recently and keep eating outside.Ops! ….seems most of them are high cholesterol foods.

JC Sum and Ning’s Magic Show

2009-10-07T01:42:00.007+08:00

Went to ‘The Boiler Room’ of St James Power House to watch Sexy Magic Babe and JC Sum’s magic show to night, their magic show really great!The ‘Star Wars Machine’ just next to the St James Power House! Hee hee!Typical JC Sum style!Ning always having perfect sharp action, charming, sexy and intelligent!

Old Local Talented Artists

2009-10-06T02:19:00.000+08:00

Met some senior art and crafts artists recently and complained to me that they hardly get booking from the event company for recent years, most of them realised those new immigrant foreign talents were under cutting them, I am sorry to say, I can’t help much for this.

This is because I found that some of these them really talented art and crafts originally local (Singaporean) artists who are in their 60s and above (calligrapher, dough figurine experts etc), I respected and salute their skills without any doubt, I ever tried my best helping them and promote their talents to event companies; unfortunately, they either unable to communicate with the related event companies or either do their art and craft demo in an old generation way during the event, means that they do not even wanted to communicated to the publics.

Sad to say, if they do not change their attitude and their thinking, they will be replaced by the new immigrant talent since not much local young people willing to learn such unique skills.

They will not qualify to complaint anything since they can’t change themselves to meet the realistic world; that was really wasted, thus, nobody know Singapore having such great local talents existing.

What a pity for these group of senior artist whose try their best to hide their skill after putting huge effort and time to learn and develop their special skills.

Caricature at Palawan Beach, Sentosa

2009-10-03T16:47:00.010+08:00

Great to do a roving caricature job for Exxon Mobil’s family day this morning.
3rd and 4th October is a hot day for events because of the Chinese Mid Autumn festival and also close to the Halloween Celebration period as well I guess.When the market very quiet in previous month, many event entertainers was looking at each other and wishing for job, while the market starts to pick up, that was a sudden high demand for entertainers, that is the events and entertainer’s industrial life, nobody can expect having job booking everyday, because the market got up and down period.
I knew that this morning was having many events in many places in this Singapore island, many events was asking artist, but as usual, whether you are the best, the famous, the fastest, the slowest caricaturists, all of us only can do job at 1 place because the booking hour mostly is the same timing.

Met Ivan and Lee Lee’ and their team doing airbrush tattoo in the event.They always having the long queue.Beautiful balloonist!Alex and her band troupe!Alex was real talented singer, she really good in Jazz, and she had sang a real old mandarin song (60’s or 70’s mandarin song) that really impress every guests which in one event I ever came across.

Just a Mid Autumn Theme Chinese Paper Cutting

2009-10-02T13:08:00.001+08:00

Usually in theme related design, there are standard items to be put in, like this Chinese mid Autumn Festival, usually contain the moon, clouds, angels and related ancient theme stories.

I just applied the Chinese word ‘中秋’ means ‘Mid Autumn’ and amend some related cuts in this existing design.It took me totally 6 splitting hours to complete this artwork! Ouchi! Heehee!

Mid Autumn Festival

2009-10-01T00:51:00.003+08:00

This coming Saturday and Sunday (3rd and 4th Oct) was a hot day for entertainers, because it is the Chinese Mid Autumn Festival, many event companies was looking for artists for these two dates at the same timing.Even though that was high demand on these two days, doesn’t means every event artist sure can take in many job bookings, because it always only happened at the same timing, for example 100 event companies looking for you at 3rd Oct 6.30pm-7.30pm but you only can take in one job, you can't split yourself to do show at else way as the same timing.

In this mid autumn festival, I don’t have fortune telling booking but booked for Chinese paper cutting demo ;p

Event Artist’s Job Volume

2009-09-30T02:14:00.011+08:00

According the latest news, the world’s economy starting recovered from the previous’ economy crisis, thus in our events and entertainment industry was picking up as well.

Due to the economy’s crisis plus the H1N1 incidents, the market really quiet, many entertainers do not have much event booking, this is not a surprise due to our past experience of the SARS incident between the months of November 2002 and July 2003; in such circumstances, event entertainer’s booking definitely not much.

Usually due to such circumstances, you can see some new comers was anxiously asking around why they can’t get more job, I would say this is because they do not see what happen to the big environment, they did not understand the peak and down period of the event industry in Singapore as well, of course this is because due to they are too new and inexperienced.

The new entertainers starting suspect their competitors had been undercut them and they were trying hard to find out what was happening on their competitors.

In my experience, once the market down, all the entertainers will facing the same poor booking problem altogether, nothing about who is under cutting who (unless those really do so).

Technically, it was much tougher to gain more jobs in this industry whether you are part timer or full timer due to same type of entertainers was growing and had been crowded in the current market.

For example, in 1993, caricaturist who’s in the market including Einstein (the pioneer caricaturist in Singapore) from Norway, Eric Ng, Desmond Ng Cheng Eng, Saik, Chong Jit Leong and few more people.

In 2009 today, they are more than 28 caricaturist in the market including Kamal Dollah and his wife Roushi Ye (also known as Singapore Florism Artist),
Reggie Wan, William Lee,
Zaki and his brother Yunos,

Mat Tokang, Belle Kwan, Diana Lim,Mulan Tay,

new China immigrant Luo Yong, Luo Yong’s Father Luo Rui Lin,
mother Niu Quan Lian and Luo Yong's Husband Mr Liu who is a researcher in NUS,

Guinness’ World record of fastest caricaturist Peter Zhou (known professionally as Peter Draw), Wilson Lee, Shawn,
Oh Thiam Huat and his brother, Pak Ah Bee,

Joyce, Daniel Lim, Rizal Wahab, Arthority,
Hafiz Abdullah, Mohamed Izwandy,
CyBeriNa, Rohani, Noor Rahman Saini, dancerene and etc.