Hello there!

Here's a sewing project of a different kind I did which is to create a mascot! It's a refreshing change to clothe "Pao", instead of people, and obviously he doesn't have much of a say and turned out pretty cute!

​It took me about 3 or 4 days to complete Pao from fabric hunting to hand stitching. I guess the photos above are self-explanatory as to how I went about softening the angular body edges of the mascot by using layers of batting. Nylon fleece is the perfect material for soft-toys and mascots as it is a bit furry and stretchy. The fabrics were from Brighton at People's Park Centre and we were in luck as they were having a good 40% off sale. All the parts were covered in a thick layer of batting and hot-glued to the cardboard skeleton. After a couple of burnt fingers and pinkies later, this provided a good strong base for me to pin on the nylon fleece onto, smoothening out any wrinkles, and hand stitched the nylon fleece onto the batting. After all the parts were covered in fabulous furry fleece, they were inserted into the body, and hand-stitched together around the joints to secure it.

Pao's inner skeleton is made up of different separated body parts of double layered cardboard mapped out in 3D software and then hand cut by @reality_crafts. Hence that's how you get a real, life-sized, 1.4metre tall proportionate Pao.

It was such a privilege to finally be at XPC.sg in person as I was recommended it before while researching for craftsmen workspaces in Singapore. They provide all kinds of DIY heavy duty woodworking tools and the people there are working on really interesting crafts ranging from carpentry and metalworks to the finer jewellery making art. It's an interesting shared space community comprising of craftsmen with amazing skills.

Pao is @aheeoee's mascot for an exhibition, HYPERDIMENSION, organised by @assemblysite team for Liang Court shopping mall in conjunction with Singapore Design Week 2016. The exhibit will be on til 20 March 2016 with contests running so go participate if you are in the area!

Pao would love for you to visit him.

Love,
Sarah Zainal

Finally I can share the final artwork of the poster design I was commissioned to do recently! It's for an upcoming community event and the flyers have already been printed and distributed. 

Some of the suggestions the clients gave was to use typography and pop art colours- I suppose the reason for this was not for any conceptual reasons but just to make it more eye-catching to the target age groups.

The event sounds like a stand-up story sharing session on stage so 'drama' masks were incorporated. After all most stories tell either happy or sad events in them.

Also there's a obscure drawing of a pen in the middle of the header to show some preparation in the drafting of the stories as preparations for the participants - which I'm assuming that they'll need to do. 

Below are some of the progress images. It tool several previous sketches which I wasn't too satisfied with to finally be happy with the third image in the first row. 

[Click images to enlarge and for captions]

And finally...

I wanted to incorporate the coastal feel of Marine Parade since it is located near the beach and even the Marine Parade Community Centre building design has sea elements like that of a nautilus shell and waves evident in its structure- so i added vector graphics of waves and buntings to give it a nautical feel.

The final touch is to add textures to tie in all the elements together and blend in the vectors to be more cohesive with the lettered title.

Pretty happy with how this turned out considering it's the first time I used hand lettering for a design work.

Lastly, Ramadan Mubarak to my Muslim friends and happy fasting during this blessed month!


Love,
Sarah Zainal

This exhibit made the news today AND set a Singapore Book of Records for the most number of hand-painted and decorated brollies! 1,000 umbrellas made up this art exhibit. 

Link to the Channel News Asia report is here.

So proud of my bestie, Wani, who came up with the idea! And to think that there were people who ridiculed her suggestion initially, they can go eat their own words now. Really happy for her that it was a success!

If you're in town, and would like to see it, the art installation will be on exhibit til 28 June 2014 at Marine Parade Community Club.


Love,
Sarah Zainal