Highlights at SDC Cartoon Talk + "Chope!" Tissue

Finally I got some short footages from the Cartoon Talk. So I quickly edited it and uploaded to Utube. Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3OhXKa5kvI

If you visit SDC now till end of Dec, you can get your hands on very exclusive tissue paper! It has a big red "Chope!"* on it, so you can confidently and glamorously reserve that food court seat you waited ten minutes for!


* For those of you foreign to Singaporean lingo, "CHOPE" means to reserve (a place or a seat) quickly. In crowded food centres, such a skill is important or you'll never get a free-seating table. Subsequently, a strange social custom developed in certain places where people can reserve a seat by placing a pack of tissue paper on the table while they go make orders at the self-service stalls. Dignity is a luxury when you are expected to be back at work in 30 minutes!

And now, back to our little Plug-and-Playful I-Pal computer!

Mangaka + I-Pal

I have uploaded my Mangaka speech on Utube. The speech explained how the judges decide who to reward for the competition. Just as importantly, it addressed the majority who did not go home with a trophy.
In the words of the late, great Kuo Pao Kun, "I'd rather have a big failure than a small victory. Because a big failure will enlighten me more."

Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbsJOKbfHe4

Today's comic introduces I-PalTM, a state-of-the-art walking, talking computer with an attitude.

Cartoon Drawing Workshop for the whole family!

Miel and I just conducted two 30-minute talks on 1st Nov (Thurs). They were really enjoyable sessions with about 600 Primary Six students. A brave, unabashed lot, we talked, laughed, made fun of and praised their patient and wonderful accompanying teachers. It's sessions like these that made me feel good days after - there really are few pleasures in life that can match the knowledge that you made kids laugh.

OK, there will be a longer workshop on 17th Nov. The details can be found below:

http://www.sdc.com.sg/events_SSToons_workshop.html

Otto as Mangaka Judge!

Last Saturday (28th Oct 07), I gave a speech at the Mangaka Competition 07 Prize Giving Ceremony at Takashimaya's National Library. Mangaka is an annual digital art competition. Every year, they attract more and more entries (this year there are 700 entries) from schools and working adults.




It took a looong time to judge the finalists. But I am very happy with the contestants' creativity.
I strongly encourage all you young artists to participate next year. With more participation, I believe Singapore can really make an international splash with comic drawing.

Today, I'm posting another Laser Animation Sir Fong.

Sir Fong Goes On Holiday

I still remember the humble beginnings of this little comic. It was a small exhibition in a private gallery that lead to a local publisher saying "yes!"

This will be the last post of Sir Fong for quite a while.

Maintaining the blog has been great fun, and it's unbelievable to see so many local and foreign bloggers visiting daily and sharing some laughter. But it is time I divert my attention to creating something new, rather than promoting my published babies.

There will be a Sir Fong 3 in the future. Until then, thank you all for reading!

Yours truly,

Otto

Sir Fong and Merlions

Dunno why the Merlion is on my mind. Is the icon fierce? Is the icon welcoming? Can it swim in the water with that un-aerodynamic head and mane? What is the purpose of it being able to spit water? Is it male or female? Do I feel pride or do I feel menaced when I look at this odd creation? Somehow, I dun think Singapore will really fly unless this icon is redesigned with more thought. In its present form, it reminds me of the classic Transformer - clumsy but has potential to be like the Michael Bay re-imagining.

Joshua's Shakin' Bobblehead Pen

Haha, been a while since I edited anything. I was a video editor before I became a teacher. This little scene was taken during an exam in my form class. It's just too amusing for words.

Like the music? It's by an amazing local band called Electrico. I bought their 2006 album Hip City and cannot believe a local band can rock so well. The songs are very good, and lead singer David Tan has star power. If ever S-Pop becomes a global movement, I fully expect this band to be there in the forefront.

And of course, not forgetting the usual Sir Fong post.

Happy Hari Raya + My English Teacher

This is an old comic I did for Community Development Council (CDC) a few years ago. Since today is an off-in-lieu for Hari Raya, may all of you have a nice peaceful day at home!

Last week I chanced upon a little poetry project work in the Staff Room. It is really clever and for me, it teaches that we must sometimes be patient. If an important task needs one hour to be done well, we simply must put in that one hour of effort. Rushing things through may not produce the best work, and why bother producing mediocre work? The piece is by Koo Yi Jing, who'd graduated from our school by now.

(Click the image to read the poem)

The piece below is inspired by a vivid memory of my primary school days. The school bus had a flat tyre, so I got to school late. As I explained myself to my English teacher, I was very nervous and used the wrong word. I said, "the tyre broke!" Instantly his big palm descended on my cheek. I felt really wronged -- why should I be hit because the bus broke down? I was tearful but dutifully sat down. I didn't have the vocabulary to express myself properly then. Well, you know what comedians say?

comedy = tragedy + distance/time.

Ms Sim + The Origins Of Laser Technology

As promised, here's an advertisement about the origins of laser technology:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaHywTO6Fcs

Here's a student's rendition of my bunny. One of the many visitors of Discovery Centre's So Singapore Toons exhibition, this girl has been caught being guilty of a very nice drawing.

The good news is that the response is so good, that the exhibition is extended for a whole month to end of December!

And now, we return to the regular instalment of Sir Fong. Where were we? Ah, the relief teacher Ms Sim . . .

Electric Sir Fong Part V

A scene from my form class 2F during exam. Every day I go into class, it's either rattling out announcements, reminders and curriculum. Rarely do I get to sit down and really think about how each of them have touched my life in significant ways. It's when I'm invigilating that I remembered snippets of our interaction, and try not to smile. Why not smile? Exam's not over yet.

Not all bunnies have happy endings! Take this marshmellow bunny in a microwave, for instance. You would not guess what's the advertisement for!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpu44no3uO8&mode=related&search=

This concludes the segment of Sir Fong and the Electric Circuit of Death. Next post, we'll be back to the usual silly jokes and classroom pranks.

Electric Sir Fong Part IV + Ig Nobel Awards

This is End-Of-Year Week! This is the last 200 metres in your 2.4 km run! You're really tired! You're breathless! But you made it this far, so you're not about to blow it on the last leg of the race! Think of Deepavali, think of December holidays, think of Christmas! But remember: don't count your chickens before they're hatched!

Ig Nobel Awards: For those of you who have prepared for EOY two years ago, and are looking for new ideas for next year's Research Education project, may I recommend some really hilarious ideas? Click below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4318888.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5411816.stm

Electric Sir Fong Part III

Before we continue with the topic of Electricity, let's start with a serious test of your sense of humour. Within the Utube link below lies The Funniest Joke In The World. Noone who's read the joke survived. It is, gentle readers, a Killer Joke. Do you dare enter? For those of you who'd rather die than go thru the horrors of End Of Year, click NOW!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjbYNgIi5ss

In this segment of Sir Fong and the Electric Circuit of Death, we find out why we must learn about and appreciate the countless electrons dashing back and forth our computers, handphones and mp3 players. Enjoy! (Don't forget, u can click on any images to see the enlarged version).

Electric Sir Fong Part II