Coba Lagi.. Coba lagi... (Book- The Boy Who Can Not Tie His Shoes)

Grraaah!  I like my new shoes but why it's so hard to tie it!

It's a book about process,
a determination and a story about
a young boy who have a new shoes but don't have any idea how to tie one.

First time I read the script, it gives me a wide smile,

I can picture  every single expression this little dude will be; happy, determined, stress, tired, relieved.











And I do wish that everyone who read this to their young, will express it while they read it, every single expression, and watch how the listener will also change their own expression, that will be fun!

Make this book as a fun one, make them learn about patience, process, and result, at last :).

Don't you agree?


Just contact the publisher to get the book : aksaberama@gmail.com

Woosh..., The Wind Take the Egg Away (Wuusss..., Angin Membawa Telur Terbang )

An ant egg felt down from the tree. The wind flew the egg to several places. It had long and long journey to find its home. The wind flew the egg around the pond, garden, hill, school, market, housing, road and finally the wind brought the egg back home. Who inside the egg? What kinda egg it is?

It's a book that have a story of process, journey, and surprising things.

Nowadays, children are eager with something instant. fast, entertaining, without remembering where it comes from, what's the story behind everything. 

When I first read the book script, I was excited of how simple the subject are, simple yet have a concept that teach the children about the process of a thing, how one aspect could effect the whole circumstances, what happen next, what if, ....

 :: alternative sketch

I'm using watercolor in this book, to give emphasize, natural look that this topics bring, I begin with research of plant that grows around my house, small plants, common one, that if you see it with a 'big perspective' - exist.  Pretending I'm  a lilliput :D.

Then, the situation around us, the market, the seller costumes, tukang kueh. common animals, 

and I love it, I love doing the process. Hope you all love it too :))

Just contact the publisher to buy the book : aksaberama@gmail.com

Happy belated Christmas!

The last year Christmas cards I did for the card company, they want something modern and  simple so here they are :)

The village of little people, and snow, and ice skating, and snow, again.


















:: and this is the real look of the little people, they have no mouth and nose!

 In the land of pine tree and deer.
We don't have snow here, so that's why we are crazy about the idea of white Christmas *sigh :D

 :: another little people and little deer that are 'big'

The Boy who can not tie his shoes

Hi! long time no see, been busy with all the stuff, drawing, projects, house cleaning..
Pfft, and really I've got to start writing again, been drowning in all the social media application, and realize that I just got to write and take notes in what I've been doing in this blog again! Wish me luck then!

Been working on this project and I really looove the story, it's very simple, basic things of a daily routines in a child life, but it instantly caught my attention, it's like the first time I read the stories, and all the gesture, the mimic, everything comes up and dancing on my head, well what I mean; in my mind.

After searching for some style, I comes up with many reference, in the internet you can find many things and learn many things, just do it like this: 25% browsing 75% working; this is what I always said to my daughter, otherwise if you take 75% browsing with an 'ooh and aah' for seeing all the masterpiece online, you will end up with only 25% working and exhaustion from all the excuse that you make that 'you've been working by browsing', umm  I'm blabbering again, okey back to the topic

This is all my reference, I loove all this illustrator, and hope I could learn from them :) Ekaterina Trukhan, Mary Blair, Shinzi Katoh.

And I end up with my own personal style, I'm trying to capture the crispness of the line, the tidiness of the color and the main thing is, the 'child' inside a child character, frustration, happiness, hope, sadness and so on. Enjoy!

My artwork PoD online shop

It's the day when my friend from Printerous approach me and said,' Hey, do you want to sell your artwork online?" It's like setting up a bunch of local artist , and give them chance to show their work printed on some stuff, Print on Demand stuff. I'm kinda apathetic in the concept of artwork  translated into a printed thing, usually because of the quality in Indonesia, and the form that not suitable to my expectation.

but then, I looked and looked and see the end result, well, amazingly it's suitable to what I've expected, so here it is, my online artwork shop, gotta buy one for myself , I'm really impressed and of course , happy, that finally we have something like this in here, it will help all the local talent and get them enough place to expose their work.

So if you interested in my art, welcome to my shop, take a look around and let me know what you think :)

click! click!
 printerous.com/id-id/duamatasaya

Just click click to see :)  printerous.com/id-id/duamatasaya

The Paperboat Boy

It's a project about a boy who play with his paperboat, the author request is to make character of a boy with Philippines background, although Philippines it's still in the Southeast Asia, I still have to search the local content of Philippines house and style, along with their traditional dress and style. Cross finger hope I delivered a good piece of drawing :).

This is a little bit of my drawing process, start from the rough sketches, research for the house style, and the coloring.

 :: Remembering Totto, my cat who passed away last week. Totto you will always be a part of my family.. Rest in peace in the cat heaven ;').

Children Illustration - Dahlan serial on Singapore AFCC

Dream Shoes Dahlan is chosen as one of many beautiful illustration in The Book Illustration Gallery. 

What is BIG? The Book Illustrators Gallery (BIG) aims to showcase the works of local and regional illustrators and artists – across genres and borders – and promote them to a wider audience.

Indonesia is one of many countries that sending its children book artist to this gallery, and it still open from  

22 May - 15 June 2014, 10am – 9pm, at NLB Central Library (B1)

This is the art from Evelyn Ghozalli, my fellow Indonesian artist :)

:: The NLB Library, isn't it just cuteee... It's a book heaven...!

From Rock to Rock - Children book illustration

The final result for my post about The frog who lost his home  .
Story by Ary Nilandari.

In this project I try to put the effort on the details, about the frog family expression, the mountain of stones that been taken away by the human, and the beauty of the ecosystem in this story. As this story are real life situation , about the rocks mining in Java, a little bit of Javanese culture is put inside the details, like the the "blangkon' that the frog put on their head, the batik for dancing, and gamelan for the music instruments. Enjoy.. :)







Sketches and sketches...

:: Give our rock back!

:: Maybe we can do something...

:: From rock to rock we jump and play, from rock to rock we dance and sing!

The frog who lost his home

Still working on this project, it's about a frog who lost his stone where he used to singing and dancing with his  friends, because of the city development.  Got enough time to work on this project, so I do hope the quality is much much better.. :)

Being a Shortlist Illustrator in Singtel Asian Picture Book Award 2013

Thanks to God.. :) 
In May I've got this delighting email from Singapore Book Council, saying that my illustration for 'Cap Go Meh' has been nominated for the Singtel Award, the shortlist was picked from 158 entries sent in from 19 countries. Not win yet but honored yes.. :). 

My friend, Sophie Dewayani the author also shortlisted for the author award. And this is the synopsis from the book, this book has not been published yet, wish us luck that we'll find the perfect publication company.

Cap Go Meh *just click to view more about the inside illustration
Nisa, a Muslim girl, and Lili, a Chinese-Indonesian, debate over where cap go meh rice cake 
is the genuine icon of Eid Al-Fitr tradition or Chinese New Year celebration. After sharing 
the excitement of experiencing each celebration, both end up discovering what is more 
essential; that a dish is able to bridge diversity.

Malin Kundang Indonesian Folktales

2012 SEAMEO- SPAFA folktales of Southeast Asian, collaboration for educational material
Pencil and digital