8 Local Artists you should be throwing your money at

The artist alley is something that definitely cannot be missed once you step foot into ACG events such as animangaki, and comic fiesta. These booths are a way for independent artists to make and earn money by producing merchandise and prints for people to appreciate and own a part of the artist's work themselves. As Malaysians, we should definitely be supportive of local artists (#sapotlokal), especially when there’s so many talent to go around, so here’s a list of 8 artists you should spend your money on:

1. @dorito_meatbag

If you’re like me and are a huge fan of the popular anime series Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, then you’ll definitely want to checkout Instagram user @dorito_meatbag. This artist is very well known in the Jojo fandom and has around 43.9k followers. With that many supporters, this local fanartist has been producing merchandise that will surely steal your hearts from their collection of adorable pillow covers to their beautifully made posters!

2. @yichuin

Do you like cute anime characters? Do you wish to have a variety of cute collectibles? Well look no further because local fanartist @yichuin is happy to provide you with what you want! This fanartist is very active and fast when it comes to producing merchandise and covers from more than just a single fandom. They practically have hundreds of items available for sale and can always be found at ACG events. @yichuin provides merchandise ranging from cute bean plushies to the most adorable stamps! But be careful, you’re surely bound to spend most of your money on these adorable things once you step foot by her booth! Her collection is also available online at https://chuinny.storenvy.com

3. @prawnm33

 

Local artist @prawnm33 is well known globally on social media platforms for their breathtaking drawings of fictional characters. This user has around 242k followers on instagram alone, and with that many following, how can they not be compelled to produce merchandise with that many demands for their works? This artist provides posters from various sizes, as big as A1 to small A5 prints. They also carry badges and pouches and these items can be bought online at https://prawnm33.ecwid.com/

4. @sugarmiki_

If you’ve been to any ACG events, then you’ll surely know local fanartist @sugarmiki_ because their cute creations are really hard to miss! Iconically known for their Demon Slayer charm that can be opened, this user is very well known for their adorable merchandise that will surely steal your hearts (and your money!)

5. @umairih

This young talented fanartist has been serving the ACG fandom as young as 15 years old! With the amount of dedication she has put out, she was able to collaborate with companies such as Jill Punk Studio, A Taiwanese apparel company, to design her own line of hoodies. 

6. @nad_nut

If you grew up with pokemon, then you’ll sure won’t want to miss this fan artist’s collection! @nad_nut has her own unique style when it comes to illustrating which acts as an extra benefit if you’re looking for a different style of merchandise. This user has a variety of options from artzines, artbooks, comics, to paper folders.

7) @mangdreams

If you’re a fan of the popular kpop group BTS, then you’ll want to check out the user @mangdreams. Their rendition of the handsome members makes them more irresistible when they’re depicted in a much cuter sense! How could I say no to Kim Namjoon when his eyes are that cute!?

8) @pottetto

Now, this local fanartist took the whole idea of fan art to a whole new level! Of course fanart itself will get the audience's attention but what happens when you merge TWO different fandoms together? That’s right! This user has taken the further step by merging both Animal crossing, a popular nintendo game, with Stranger Things, a popular Sci-fi TV series to create the most adorable set of stickers! Who would’ve thought of that?

Honorable Mention: @kokonutbanana

This user (Me) is still new in the merchandise production industry, however, with the quality of art they're putting out, they’ll surely be able to catch people’s attention! As for now, this local fanartist hasn’t opened their own store yet (As the initial plan was to open one last year but of course, the pandemic happened.) Be sure to look out for their merchandise once it’s out or you’ll miss out!

Art Community Discord Groups

What is discord?

Discord is a group-chatting platform that was originally made for gamers but in time, has become a general use platform for all sorts of communities such as, gaming, fandoms, artists, writers and much more. Discord basically allows users to message each other or create a ‘servers’ that comes with text channels, voice channels (for voice chatting). Servers are usually divided into several topics for various contexts such as general discussion, game discussion, sharing memes and much more.

Discord also allows game developers to communicate easily with their consumers by making an open group for said game. This allows them to get first-hand feedback from their consumers. Right now, there are more than thousands of discord servers with various topics that are open for the public to join.

Discord during COVID-19

Avid covid-19 Discord has become a mainstream communication platform amongst computer users. Discord becomes a choice because it is used more leisurely and has functionality that is considered convenient for it’s users. The program is also free to download and is also available both on the computer or on your smartphone.

Personal experience

Ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, I’ve resorted to using my computer as a platform for pretty much everything in my daily life. This includes studying, gaming, and communication. Before this, I’ve hardly used discord as it doesn’t serve me any purpose besides being a platform I use to play games with my friends and to discuss our groupworks as it is a convenient platform. On social media, I am quite known for being a digital illustrator. I have a number of followings on instagram, twitter, even tumblr. This has led me to be introduced to the communities of digital artists online. When the pandemic started, I’ve managed to befriend many artists online and joined the circle which allows me to get invited into art discord servers. As of today, I am a part of 4 art-discord servers, the most recent one I was invited to join today.

Ever since the pandemic, I’ve joined several discord servers ranging from art to gaming. I have made friends online which through discord, has made the experience feel like i’m making friends in real life (face-to-face). I’ve also joined art projects and communities such as making a zine, calendar and such which brings me exposure as an illustrator online. I’ve also joined a community that teaches digital illustration, providing me with tips and comments on my works if I were to share them within the group.

1. Gestalt 

Out of all the art-discord I’ve joined, Gestalt is one of the most professional servers for artists. Gestalt is a server that focuses on teaching digital art. Gestalt is described as a background art based discord server with people coming from all over the world, and all levels of arts, primarily in illustration, games, and animation with a mix of industry professionals and hobbyists. The server is a SFW community open to discussion about the industry, drawing environments, and constructive criticism on your work.

I’m not as active as I am in Gestalt because the server consists of professionals and use it mostly as a teaching platform on discord. The tips and advice shared on this server comes from hobbyists and actual professionals who are from the industry itself.

 

2. JJBA Art Discord

The Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure (JJBA) Art Discord is a server that mainly focuses on fan artist (fanart artist) to participate in art events that are focused around said topic alone. This discord consists of artists who share the same interest towards the anime and allows them to share and participate in art events that are held by the community itself. The discord server does not limit themselves to art but also discussion and conversation regarding the anime.

As far as I’ve joined the server, I’ve managed to get myself involved in several events which includes the monthly character piles (A monthly participation) and a digital calendar participation.

Before joining the discord, I would never be involved in events regarding the fandom itself as I do not know much about the community. Ever since COVID-19, I’ve been actively participating in these events as I’ve been having loads of free time. This goes out to most of the community members as they are also finding more free time in this pandemic. 

3. Windows to World - Discord Art Zine

   

Unlike the other discord groups I’ve joined, The Window to Worlds discord server is a server dedicated to an event. This server is a server for participants of a digital art zine (art magazine) which is created for artists to share their own original characters and stories to the world. This zine was established during early this year and collects funding from those who want to purchase a digital copy of the art zine. The proceeds from this server were donated to two charities. 50% of the proceeds went to the ACLU legal defense and educational fund and the other 50% went to Direct Relief for COVID-19.

After the deadline of the event, the discord server became inactive as the main objective of the server was met. We, the participants however keep in touch with each other through other social media networks such as twitter and instagram.

4. Art Fart Discord server

For this server, I haven’t experienced much since it was just established today (20/12/2020). This server is invite exclusive and only those who have connections in the art community can join it. So far my experience in that art discord has been pleasant. Every single person in this discord is a hobbyist that isn’t bound into a specific fandom or interest besides art. Eventhough we just met, a lot of us had connected with eachother since we share the same interest and were recruited by people from the same community. I was able to meet people from all over the world, including the US, Canada, Australia and much more. Personally, I feel like this group might be able to last long as it seems that everyone in this group is highly active on discord. 

Final thoughts

Personally, I’ve felt more exposed and connected with the artists that I’ve met on discord. Apparently the pandemic has opened a gate for online artists and allows them to have more free time. The lack of physical interaction also makes people crave company be it online. Discord has allowed artists to break these barriers and enable them to connect with artists from all around the globe regardless of their backgrounds despite the whole world being in shambles from COVID-19.

[Week 12] : Conclusion. Is this The End?

So far my experience with the Media Appreciation subject has been wild. It's such a confusing matter, However, at the same time, it's something that reaches out to me. It had taught me a lot. I've been taught that art is a form of expression. And media is a way how we show it to people. It's something that we are supposed to share and let the whole world know who we are and what we feel. We can all be an influencer. Especially when sharing ourselves to the public has become more and more easier. With the technology we have today, it is possible for us to reach out to people and spread our wings and show it off. 

Media is a strong weapon. we can use it for good or bad. It depends on what your heart chooses. As for me, I would try my best to use media to gain fame and publicity. As soon as I have achieved so, Ill be using media to help our world. To reach out to those in need. And to reach out to make people realize the greater good. It may take a long time, but as I know it, I have a long way to go. For those who read this, try appreciating media since we already have it. Use it to it's full potential. Use it to control, express, and many other things. It's your choice.

As for the lecturers who may or may not be reading this, I thank you for your teachings. I have never been enlightened more in my entire life before this. To me, this is a game changer, I am the athlete, and all three of you have been great coaches. One day I will take home the Gold Medal and at that day, I will still never forget your contributions.

This Blog, I have trouble updating it as I can never focus on doing daily entries. I'm not the type to do something in a routine way. However, one day, I will look back to this blog and update it. As far as I know, we have greater things waiting for us and far more than the universe to explore.

P/S: The reason why my blog is entitled so is because I do in fact feel like an outcast from this world. I do feel like I just step foot on this earth and there is much more for me to explore. Let's say, I am an Alien.

Peace Out.

-F.N-

[Week 11] : Media Trend

Today, we were tasked to create two slides regarding media trend. We have to present whether a particular site or other forms of media either provides jobs and other benefits. We also had to discuss the Cons of the same topic. In this, I chose not to be biased and look into various perspectives so that we will have a more relevant discussion. For this, I have chosen Etsy, a famous website amongst artists.

[Week 10] : Video art VS. Advertisements

What is Video Art?

Video art is a form of art that relies on moving visuals and audio. Video art existed between the 1960's and 1970's as during those times, consumer video technology was available to the public.It can be interpreted in various art forms including a visual recording,and installations in art galleries. For installations, it should be included video projections and visual technology as a form of medium.For the broadcasting, video art does not need to have a defined and obvious meaning. The true reason of this form is to let the viewers interpret it themselves. Given is a personal favorite

What are Advertisements?

Advertisements, on the other hand are videos created for promotional purposes. Advertising plays a huge role in various companies. It is a way for the product creators to reach out to consumers. Without proper advertising, A product will not have a proper sale . However, through advertising, a product can gain twice or more sales it already has as the main function of the advertising is to appeal towards the audience. Unlike Video art, advertisements are made to be obvious and to appeal towards people. Otherwise, said product would not achieve what it has aimed. 

Both of these have a huge difference between each other. One is a form of self expression, while another one is a form to reach out to audiences to sell products. Either way, to achieve either of the goals, one is required to have a vast amount of creativity.

-F.N-

Sources:

wikipedia

wikipedia

[Week 9] : Documentaries; More than just TV

What are documentaries?

A documentary film is a nonfictional documentation of reality with the purpose of providing knowledge and keeping historical records. I enjoy documentaries as they provide me with info that aren't common in which, it makes me feel superior with the knowledge I have received. What differentiates documentaries from reading a book is that we can indulge in documentaries visually and through sound. With this, it is easier for one to understand and focus rather than by reading a book.

There are many forms of documentaries. It ranges from autobiographies to researches. It can be about anything. About people, animals, countries, and even huge traumatic events that had shook the world.

In the pre-1900's documentaries were single shot films because of technological limitations. They started off as simple shots such as train entering a station and such. Years later, travel documentaries become more popular amongst people as it shows us the world beyond us and provided interesting information about cultures apart from ours.

What makes documentaries different from films?

As said, documentaries are the documentation of reality meaning that those provided in documentaries are real and factual. In fact, to make a documentary, you will have to go through a research process and be evaluated by higher councils to make sure that what you aired is real information. Other than that, documentaries do not use actors, at moments, they will use actors to reenact scenes but otherwise, everything is from a real source.

Documentaries you enjoy

One documentary that I primarily enjoy watching is Chernobyl Heart. Sad as it seems, the film is about the tragic incident that had taken place in Chernobyl, which is that a radioactive outbreak that had taken place at the power station had cause destruction towards the land, the people, and all that surrounds the place. The film mostly focuses on the effect of the outbreak on the children, which have suffered from mutations and various health problems. Until now, Chernobyl remains an empty land and no one can step foot on the land.

 

Another documentary I enjoyed watching is room 237. This had a different approach towards normal factual documentaries as it is mainly about the horrors about the interpretations from famous American film, The Shining. Room 237 is told entirely through voiceovers by people with different theories about The Shining. It is interesting to see how one film based from a Stephen King's novel could be given various of theories which made sense in many ways. This has opened my eyes to believe that everything is not what it seems. In fact, because of this film, I started to view things in different perspectives which makes me think more logically before doing anything.

-F.N-

Sources:

Room 237

Wikipedia

[Week 8] : Future of Media

YOUTUBE

Youtube is one of the worlds largest video sharing platform.This site allows users to upload, rate, watch, and share videos for various purposes such as tutorials, entertainment, self made animations and much more. However, all of the videos uploaded has to follow their guidelines in order to maintain on the platform. 

Nowadays, being a 'youtuber' is a payable job that is quite famous amongst teens and young-adults. Youtubers upload videos such as travel vlogs, makeup tutorials and even gaming playthroughs. They can even make videos regarding their daily lives and still get views as long as it is entertaining for the audience. There is no limit to how old can one be to be a youtuber. 

One of the most subscribed channel on Youtube is a user who goes by the name 'Pewdiepie'.

  

Pewdiepie, real name Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, is a Swedish Youtuber who is famous for his game playthroughs. Basically, he records himself playing video games and recieves views for it. It is much similar to watching sports but instead, you are able to see the game storyline and the players reaction. Today, Pewdiepie has more than 57 million subscribers and the number increases every single day. The total views he recieves thus far is 16+ billion. Because of this, he is one of the richest people to have make a living out of his own likings.

In my opinion, Youtube holds a great future. There is always millions and millions of viewers on Youtube. In the future, it is not possible that Youtube can hold videos that acts as an online course for those who intend to study any subject without a specific major. Also, I can see that youtube is able to take th eplaces of Telivisions as they are very limitless in what you can find.

In conclusion, The future of Youtube remains broad as it will always be a platform that everyone uses. Youtube will expand and remain one of the top platforms.