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My name is Siew Tin, but most of my followers know me as “Timetotin”. I am a Singaporean, living in this little red dot. My interest in art started at a very young age. My art journey kind of ended when my parents did not approve of me taking up art as my full-time studies. But that did not extinguish my burning passion for art. Now that I’m working, I take up short art courses. I must say, it is an eye opener for me. The way you hold a pencil or a brush, the angle you use to shave your pencil, it never cease to amuse me.
My paintings are mostly of comfort food that can be found around Singapore every day. I enjoy using watercolour to recreate food on paper (and post it online to make my followers hungry *evil laughter*). I believe an artwork should make people feel happy and pleasant. For my art pieces, I want the audience viewing them to be reminded of the food that brings them comfort, and experience a sentimental moment of nostalgia. I capture the simple fare in our everyday lives with delicate washes of watercolour, before finishing them with strong, untamed lines using ink.
I usually share my pieces on Instagram, and it is truly heartwarming when you receive comments or even personal messages and emails from your followers telling you that they love your work. I guess, to many of those who have asked me how do I even start to draw, what materials to use, I would tell them to explore. Only by exploring and getting your hands on them, you will then get the feel of it. The softness that watercolours give you, the great mystique and buttery consistency oil painting presents and so on.
Why and how did I start this? Simple! I’m a HUGE food lover! Whether I’m bored, happy or even not hungry, I’ll be snacking away (LOL). On casual days, I like to sketch my food before I indulge. Rather than taking out your phone to snap pictures like everyone does now, I’d rather have my own unique picture; with my kind of “filter”. Like most of my favorite food, I prefer my drawings messy and untidy but harmonies together. On rarer days, you can see me putting out my set of brushes and oils.
I prefer to use watercolour. Watercolour gives the effect of soft and subtle effect. Watercolour leaves no space for mistakes, thus it trains me to be precise, spot on and daring. You can usually spot me with my art materials while having my meals. I usually have to do a quick sketch before I (or my friends) get too hungry. This also allows me to sketch and paint fast.
Siew Tin
Instagram
so now I’m hungry…
Hehe…these have that effect! 😉Glad you liked this feature Marcus!
You re so similar to me! Im Malaysian, and I also draw and paint. Your art reminds me of all the comfort food I eat when Im overseas. Love them!
So happy you liked Siew Tin’s feature!! 😃
Ah yes, Singapore has so many options for ‘comfort fooding’! Makes my mouth go all watery thinking about it. Speaking of watery, lovely watercolour illustrations!
Hehe…so glad you liked this feature! Thanks! 😃
Totally, 😋
Wonderful food drawing and painting Timetotin! Thank you Charlie.
Thrilled you liked these Sharon! Thanks! 😃
Time to make dinner…(K)
Hehe…yeah…these make a person hungry!! Thanks Kerfe! 😃
I love it when people draw food! I don’t know why I don’t and I don’t think I’d be good at it either. 😀 Good for Siew Tin for tackling food!
Glad you like these, Teresa! And you’d be great at these… You should try some!! 😉
Maybe one day…but not today! 😄
Timetotin, you make messy Asian food look … ummm….delicious! My cellphone/dSLR pix of that style of food NEVER look so good! Love the top pic, the bottles, the sandwiches. Excellent work! Keep goin’… 😀
Thanks Janina! Thrilled you liked Siew Tin’s work! 😃
Great, a foodie painting food! Appealing paintings that make me hungry for second breakfast. Following!
I agree! So happy to hear about the follow! Yay!
This is fantastic! Love the comfort food portraits, and some can be a challenge to draw and paint I am sure…not only because of details, but avoiding the hunger. Really inspired that their art found a way to not only stay, but obviously thrive…great looking work, wonderful perspective on fitting art into life’s rhythm. Thank you for a great feature post. Now I am off to the kitchen, these paintings made me hungry.
So pleased you liked Siew Tin’s feature, Haunani!😃💕 It made me want to try more food sketches as I’ve only done a handful. And yes… definitely made me hungry!!
Great idea, it might come back into style after everyone gets tired of seeing so many phone pictures of food 🙂
Glad you liked this feature! Thanks! Yeah, I’d much prefer to see more sketches of food! 😉