Motif Development Week 4

Feedback on Week 3

Based on the feedback on Week 3, I ‘narrowed down’ the story or topic before developing anything. Ina said the element of crops and plants sprung out of the goddess’ dead body is interesting, and I think so too. In addition, I thought it would be nice to have some elements that can give the vibe of ‘royalty’ or something that relates to the kingdom of gods, instead of purely vegetation and body. Based on these thoughts, I created individual ‘elements’ using pencil and pen.

Elements/Motif

The elements consist of various fruits and crops (not just padi) which grow in Indonesia, a Javanese crown, and a female half-face half-skull. I’m inspired to draw half-skull because I imagined the ‘supernatural logic’ behind the growing crops from the dead body. I thought maybe, the life of Nyi Pohaci was kinda ‘transferred’ to the crops, so the half-skull illustration to depict the ‘process of life transfer’, where her beauty was drained out, left with only her skull.

Below is some of the ‘cleaned-up version’ of the sketches. And I did some random watercolor splashes too for experimentation later.

Experimenting to create more motifs

I felt the singularity of those elements are lonely and less intricate. I could not imagine the South East Asian feeling if using the elements as it is to the pattern. So I tried playing around with the elements to create motifs. I did multiple mirroring, and I pretty like it.

Today in class, I tried combining different elements to make a not-symmetrical motif.

Developing patterns

From the modified motifs, I created regular patterns and somehow, I could feel something South East Asian/Indonesian from them. I want to try something that looks less regular, but I don’t really know how to do it…

More patterns are done in class. I prefer something more ‘geometric’ if it is a full repetitive pattern. I think I should draw more interesting elements?…

So far, this is my progress :).

Pattern, Art, Design and Architecture: Mood Board (Finalized)

The gallery is my finalized presentation/mood board for the assignment. I didn’t find any batik swatches in the library, but I have batik clothes so I might bring it for the presentation in Week 3. I hope through future trials and errors, and multiple experiments, I can create batik pattern that is both traditional and contemporary, so that it is representational of Indonesia in a timeless, universal way.

Pattern, Art, Design & Architecture: Mood-boards (week2)

As an Indonesian, I feel this class would be a great opportunity for me to learn more about Indonesia and showcase it. It does feel good to pay attention back to the place I used to call home.

The list of myths, supernatural stories, and even urban legends are endless due to Indonesia’s multicultural background; every province and tribe has its own stories. However, the legend of Padi caught my attention because of a personal experience of playing the role of a goddess in an Indonesian musical and padi is so important for my country.

I hope I can figure out the best way possible to execute this project and have a steep learning curve. Batik pattern is not easy to make, especially when inserting an individual authenticity into a cultural art that makes up the identity of a region.

The Parang of Camelot

The Parang of Camelot Final 1  The Parang of Camelot Final 2

The Parang of Camelot (Action, Romance)

Set in Singapore, 1970s, The Parang of Camelot is inspired by the British legend of King Arthur, Singapore’s dark past: the time when the gangsters reigned the streets of the Little Red Dot, and the 2010 Downtown Street Murder.

Kai and Arthur Lim are stepbrothers who come from a rich family. Sadly, the family is absent of a mother figure, and their father is cold and career-oriented. For 17 years, Kai and Arthur only have each other.

One day, Arthur meets a teenager named Melvyn, sitting on the ground bleeding. He helps Melvyn, and eventually befriend him. Unknowingly, Arthur befriends a member of the biggest gangster in Singapore, Camelot. Being always at home with only Kai, Arthur finds gangster’s way of living thrilling and he wants to try. At first, Arthur is hesitant to join Camelot because gangster lives a dangerous life. However, with the promise of ‘finding a home’ in Camelot – something that Arthur has been longing all this time – Melvyn successfully recruits Arthur as the new member of Camelot.

Hearing the news, Kai becomes worried. For the sake of taking care his stepbrother, Kai decides to join Camelot. Their father does not have any idea about their sons becoming gangsters as he is too focused on his work.

However, their new lives are like boats which are sailing during the storm.

 

At first, everything seems fine, everything seems fun. The two brothers are accepted by the members of Camelot. They are taught how to fight with parangs, secretly do drugs and heroin transaction, and lures girls/prostitutes. However, both of them are already satisfied with fighting. Morally strong, Kai and Arthur do not sell and consume drugs, and they are not involved in the prostitution business.

Unexpectedly, the more introvert Arthur becomes more popular among the gangsters compared to Kai, despite of his extroversion and physically-stronger look. Kai felt a little bit jealous at first, but he becomes proud of his stepbrother instead as Arthur is now one of the strongest and most formidable fighter in Camelot.

One day, one of the veteran member of Camelot introduce a new member, which is his own daughter named Jen (Jennifer). Kai and Arthur fall in love with her at the first sight, and Kai told Arthur immediately that he likes Jen. Arthur decides to stop liking Jen for the sake of Kai.

Jen is attracted to Kai at first due to his physical appearance, but all of her feelings for Kai change the moment Arthur is chosen as the new leader of Camelot – and the youngest leader of the gang in history. Kai is devastated. Kai cannot accept the fact that his most trusted brother somehow ‘steal’ his lover. Kai and Arthur start to grow apart.

At the same time, Arthur’s throne does not just attract love and admiration, but also hatred and jealousy. Morgan, another youngster in Camelot, is so jealous of Arthur as Morgan has been longing to be a gang leader.

One day, Arthur sees a girl, who is actually a prostitute, being harassed publicly by a man. Arthur saves her, and eventually bring her out of the brothel to Camelot’s headquarter. Unknowingly, Arthur actually saved a prostitute from Camelot’s ultimate enemy: Sah Lak, and the man who harassed the girl is Sah Lak member. Arthur’s kindness causes an impending doom to himself and Camelot.

Sah Lak wants to kill the leader of Camelot and the man who ‘stole’ their prostitute. Morgan sees the opportunity to topple Arthur from his throne. Morgan decides to arrange the right time for Sah Lak to murder Arthur and those who support him. Morgan becomes the Judas for Jesus.

Sah Lak arrives at a playground of an ulu HDB, the place where Arthur, Kai, Jen, and some other members are spending their leisure time that day. One of Sah Lak members approach them, holding a parang, and asks, “who is the leader here? Who is the head of Camelot?”

Kai senses something dangerous, since he knows that Arthur will be chased by Sah Lak for beating up their member and ‘stealing’ their prostitute. At first, Kai wanted to care nothing about Arthur and did not mind if Arthur is killed. However, Kai still loves Arthur as his brother and best friend deep inside his heart. Kai stands up and tell Sah Lak that Kai is the leader of Camelot and the one who stole Sah Lak prostitute. Arthur is flabbergasted, and too late to save Kai from being slashed by parang right in front of him.

Arthur and the rest then fight Sah Lak for a while but they eventually run for their lives as they are not prepared with any parang.

After the incident, Arthur can only mourn for his stepbrother’s death. Not wanting to lose anymore brother or sister from Camelot, Arthur decides to educate the members of Camelot and then disband the gang after all of the members are prepared well to lead an ordinary life.