Steem-Cartoon

I really must applaud this young man @sireh for his effort in bringing up the community. He is what I call a diminishing breed, humble and hardworking. This community impresses me. Not only did it attract attention from the big boys, but it is equally as appealing for the small boys. I got to know that the big boys are called whales and the small boys are called minnows. I am trying to get used to these terms.

Finding My Way

Like they always say, it is tough to teach an old cat (*sic) new tricks. I am trying to understand how cartoon can be digitalised and place as an online content. Then my mind is blown away when not only cartoon can be digitalised it can be profitable. Wow...I guess the world has changed.

This is me with my traditional marker pen and canvas.

Since @sireh is guiding me with this, I decided to prepare one post of my own and he is none other than Malaysia's number 1 sports personality, Lee Chong Wei.

(I choose to place him beside R2-D2 because his fame in Malaysia is just like this Star Wars figure)

(I was told that it is good practice to show people how it is done, by a step by step process. I don't know how to work the GIF so here is my traditional way of showing off)

(This is my standard medium whenever I am not into black and white cartoons)

I like Lee Chong Wei, because he is one figure with very distinct feature. His slanted eyes, his thin frame, his Beckham hairstyle. I let you be the judge. This is his actual picture.

Source

@sireh also told me that it is good to show me with my piece of work, so here is what I did.

This work was recently created by me and it has been placed in the Malaysian Cartoon and Comic House in Kuala Lumpur.

Struggles Today as an Artist

I guess I belong to the generation that is adverse to technology. The only advance technology that I control is my Smartphone. I took sometime to master that. So, I can't blame the rest of my cartoonist colleagues that is finding the switch from traditional printed media to the online media a difficult task. I appreciate the effort taken by @sireh in introducing Steemit to us and I think it is high time that we must move with progress otherwise we will be a relic of the past.

I am also very surprised how this platform is used for multiple purposes. It plays the following roles quite effectively:-

i) Support community;
ii) Appraisal and critique;
iii) A platform for generating income; and
iv) A platform of showcasing and exchanging ideas.

We are only as strong as our community. I am lucky because my livelihood is not fully dependent on my income from cartooning. I wear multiple hats and one of it that has been sustaining my lifestyle is my day job as an Architect. But, not everyone of my colleagues are fortunate enough. I am ever hopeful that what I have seen so far in Steemit is as promising as it looks. It verily believe that it is true a picture that has been painted out to me.

My Baby Steps into Steemit

I am at the age that I no longer strive to make my fortune and name. What I have been blessed with thus far has been more than I have wished. I have one small wish that I keep in my heart, I hope that my friends in the cartoon and comic industry will utilise this platform and earn their keeps. It is not always rainbow and sunshine in our industry. Hopefully this is their ray of hope.

Thank you @sireh for making this possible. Thank you @perennial for helping this old man understand this thing called steem and blockchain. Thank you @bitrocker2020 for being the pillar behind #teammalaysia and #steem-cartoon. It does mean a lot to our community. Pardon me if I rant too much. It comes with age.

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(me ranting on the national television lately)

(the piece of work that took me a while to complete)

(me trying to look as young as @sireh)

Learning new things make me feel young and I am just as excited as I am when I first discover art. I wish you guys a good 2018 ahead. May it be a good year for #steem-cartoon.