Cj de Silva – Page 7 – CJ DE SILVA-ONG

Musical Time Machine: After All This Time by Itchyworms

I always believed that just like how water refracts light, that is how the heart perceives time. The heart doesn’t recognize chronology, it may only knows two things: stability and brokenness. And we don’t realize it, but the heart could be the time traveling vehicle we’ve all fantasized all along.

Even just by hearing the intro of Itchyworms’ new single After All This Time, I can’t help but get transposed to my vague memories of the 80’s. (I’m born in ’87 but I’ve lived vicariously through John Hughes’ films. Some Kind Of Wonderful is my favorite.) But this musical DeLorian just didn’t take me back to the 80’s, it took me back to the most painful heartbreak of my life. And it’s no aged film, every memory is Blu-ray clear.

But every thing (and every person) has its limits - even heartbreak. After all, a heartbreak is just a memory. Yes, you can come back to it any time you want but there’s nothing you can change about it. You can only navigate your life now and the decisions you will make, pixels that make a clearer picture of the future. Like what Ely Buendia’s character in the movie San Lazaro said:

Thus, make art.

Make art that could possibly get used for your favorite band’s new single.

Nakakakilig, it’s available in the iTunes store, all ready and easy (and affordable) for download.

Thank you so much, Itchyworms, especially Jazz Nicolas. You don’t know how much happy this made me, it actually glued together some of the cracks of my heart!

by Cj de Silva

Guilty Pleasure Games

I remember my parents would usually take me to my cousins so I can play computer games. But I always felt like the console was never on my side - what I command the computer to do never actually happens. I end up too frustrated so I just watch my cousins blow up each other with their hadoukens and bring out their animal instincts.

My dad didn’t give up on me though! He bought me a Sega, with a Lion King game (maybe he thought I would warm up to cuddly animals and non-violent gameplay) but it was just fruitless. I’d just turn off the computer every time I reach level three, where Simba needs to jump from one hippopotamus to another. It was just simply too complicated for me and my poor motor skills.

So I gave up.

Well, until I got my own computer and iPad, and moments to myself - with nobody actually watching me fail. Now, I’ve gathered enough confidence (and mastery) for me to actually share with you the five games I secretly play!

Corpse Craft

Edward Gory-inspired illustrations, eery story and of course, war strategy - that’s why I’m hooked. The game play is actually simple: I just have to play tetris to gather supplies (blood, flesh, bones and some yellow thing that looks like cheese but I bet it’s not cheese, probably mucus) to create my army of monsters. Think of it as zombie scientist chess. Not to mention, there’s a time element - can’t send my troops to war when the sun is up!

Best played in: iPad

Download from: Corpse Craft on the Apple App Store

Price: Free

Design This Home

This is a no brainer, no effort. Design This Home relaxes me and actually allows me to design my virtual home (which strangely translates to real life now that Wincy and I got our space now.) I got to choose everything: from the flooring to the little furniture.

Best played in: iPad

Download from: Apple App Store

Price: Free

Streetfood Tycoon: World Tour

I first downloaded Steetfood Tycoon game as a substitute to my favorite and discontinued Ice Cream Tycoon. I’m rwThen I found out it was made by a Filipino game designer Erick Garayblas, whom I coincidentally rode the same FX a few years back. And Erick even invited me to collaborate with him - I illustrated Streetfood Tycoon: World Tour’s welcome screen!

Best played in: iPad (Also available for Android)

Download from: Apple App Store and Google Play

Price: Free

Guess That Movie

Guess why I love this game. Movies + clever graphic design, what more can I ask for?

Best played in: iPhone

Download from: Apple App Store

Price: Free

FoxyBingo

You might think this is such a “pang-lola” game but I’m really enjoying it. The game is very familiar and simple. It’s not too stressful and the interface is quite cute. Not to mention, their mascot looks like Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox!

Best played in: Desktop browser

Website: FoxyBingo

Price: Not quite, but it’s a fairly small amount.

So how about you, what’s your game guilty pleasure?

Image acknowledgement:

http://s49.beta.photobucket.com/user/WickedIron/media/Hadouken.gif.html

http://www.corpsecraft.com/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/design-this-home/id417272785?mt=8

http://monkeysesat.blogspot.com/2013/01/streetfood-tycoon-world-tour.html

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/guess-the-movie/id375276782?mt=8

http://www.impawards.com/2009/posters/fantastic_mr_fox_ver3.jpg

by Cj de Silva

The Marty's

I cannot say no to music. Some have shrinks, some go to parties, I have music to keep my brain screws in place.

Whenever I’m asked to design a gig poster or an album art, I do not think twice. That’s why when I got invited to contribute an illustration to The Marty’s, I was so excited to do it!

Wait, what is The Marty’s anyways? Two things: The Marty’s is a band and it is also Oishi’s vegetarian chicharon we all love. In www.themartys.com.ph, we can actually create our own band. Choose from the 8 finalists (from different schools) who gets to become your vocalist, guitarist, bassist and drummer.

Mix and match and you will get to see different artworks too!

Here’s the combination assigned to me!

oming up with an idea was a bit of a challenge at first but I decided to just make it simple and sincere - a thank you piece to all the musical geniuses that kept me sane. This artwork is basically filled with riddles and clues to my most loved bands.

Enjoy guessing! It would be so much fun if you put your guesses as comments!Clue: simply name the things you'd see. Example: Beetles - The Beatles.

And please don’t forget to create your own The Marty’s at www.themartys.com.ph! For updates, follow the Oishi twitter @oishi_tweets and Like their Facebook Page!

by Cj de Silva

You Snoopy Keds!

I’m back from a month-long wedding planning and I’m trying to enjoy the last few days of my leave. I decided to be productive and start on my Thank You gift to my ever-reliable and sassy web developer, Dianne. She’s been fantastic at work (check out our latest work here!) and she has also been helping me with personal stuff like our (me and Wincy) wedding website so I thought of customizing a pair of Keds for her.

Dianne adores Snoopy, bunnies and the color combination of baby pink and black. So here’s what I came up with! And I’m sharing it with you so you’d know how easy it is!

Materials:

Materials

A pair of black Keds
Mixing pan
00 (zero-zero) nylon brush - I use this to make fine lines.
Acrylic paints - to get the baby pink color, here’s the red to white ratio - approximately 1:40.
A small bucket of water - a 1 gallon container of ice cream is ideal.
Rag or maybe an old ratty shirt you can use to clean your brush.

Of course, I asked Dianne for some reference images.

After mixing the paint, I dipped my brush and started painting the line art. I tried sketching using white pencil but it was too messy for me, so I just concentrated and painted straight on. It’s a bit scary but with focus, you can do it. (Walang hingahan moment nga lang!)