“I suppose what I do on my creative works has been based on “what if” spirit and editing (mixing/collaging) methods.”
iPad Art by Ako Lamble / Procreate app
The gif animation was created with Corel Painter.
NSA: What doodle / drawing / painting did you do in your early life that you were the most proud of? How old were you?
AKO: I suppose that the comic manga book I made when I was around 9-10 yo was the one I was proud of. I wrote a story about me and my best girl friend who lived a few doors away, it was a success story of us becoming a duo pop star who could sing and dance (that’s what I desperately wanted to do those days). It was all hand made and approximately 15 pages long. I wish I kept it but who knows where it is now.
Ako (left) and her childhood best friend Naomi (right), both are 13yo.
Ako made a comic manga book inspired by the Pinklady’s comic book (above).
NSA: Have you been always artistic / creative? if so, in what way?
AKO: “WHAT IF…?” has been always the top phrase in my dictionary. Unlike Mike as a single minded artist since he was young, I had too many minds (and still do)… I was a doodler, an obsessive letter writer, a member of choir, trained to be an announcer for 6 years in the school broadcasting club (which was a big thing to me)… Everybody around me expected that I would be an announcer (in Japan) but I went to collage to learn Photography because I wanted to make a film (oh dear…).
Make a long story short, learning Photography (before the digital photography era) has taught me “how to see” which helped me a lot when I drew and painted afterwords. I still remember the words from the “mastering editing” book which I read in my college days, it said “there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9), so there is no point to be striving to create “originals” because there is no such thing, what you can do is mixing them, collaging them or editing them nicely” I thought that was absolutely true and instantly took off my unnecessary pressure which was “i have to create “originals” to impress people”, rather I enjoyed my experiments. I still do the same. So I suppose what I do on my creative works has been based on “what if” spirit and editing (mixing/collaging) methods.
Broadcasting was a big thing to Ako (17yo)
AKO: I fell in love with the felting a few years back, making scarves and small items like book marks, coasters, Jewellery … I made my original brand called “
woolhug” and sell them on
the net and
the shop but it’s getting slow because I put more my time on iPad Art these days, I am not going to give up my felting which can satisfy my needs to do 3D craft.
“Reading Mate” (felted bookmarks) – designed and felted by Ako Lamble.
The eyes popped out when the book is closed and it can sit because of the wire in the body.
The felted coasters – designed and felted by Ako Lamble.
Fried egg, Bacon, Tomato and Swiss cheese
The felted scarf – designed and felted by Ako Lamble.
One of her customers asked Ako to make this when she saw the egg and bacon coasters.
This was a gift for her friend who loves bacon and egg.
Ako was selling her felted products at the Glebe Markets.
NSA: What made you join NSA? Where did you hear/find about NSA?
AKO: I originally joined Mike’s cartooning class at Mosman evening college and he introduced me to his art school, I joined the following year. It was my first experience painting with oil paints which I enjoyed very much. I started with a simple flower then after a few paintings I painted a cat quite well that led me to paint pet portraits and human portraits.
Ako’s very first oil painting at NSA.
The oil painting of a cat which encouraged Ako to paint pet portraits
“Berney” oils, commissioned work.
“Henry plays at the beach” Oils
“Bella and Silver” Pastels, commissioned work.
“Emi” Oils
“Twins” Oils
NSA: If you are allowed to have any famous painting in the world on your wall, what would it be and Why?
AKO: I would love to have “The Ball” by Félix Vallotton on my wall if you ask me now, it might be different another time. I did not know the artist but when I saw his painting in the exhibition “Masterpieces From Paris” at NGA in 2010, I instantly fell in love with it. It was not a huge painting but I was drawn to it very much. I like the composition and setting, it tells a story. I can look at the painting all day long and wonder how the story develops, the child chasing a ball reminds me of “Alice in Wonderland” and the ladies in the distance reminds me of a private conversation between Anna Karenina and her niece, Kitty.
“The Ball” by Félix Vallotton
NSA: What creative project are you working on right now and what would you like to achieve with your art within the next year?
AKO: To establish the
iPad Art Classes /
Workshops involves a large part of my creative mind, I understand so many people are skeptical about iPad Art because it’s new and digital. My creativity comes in to “show and tell” in the way people can easily relate to it and see the potential as a powerful art tool which they can use straight away.
Also I’m responsible for the art school’s website and organising blog articles, Mike and I constantly talk about how we can grow our art community and how we can interact with each other. The interview “Ask Our Students” is the most fun job for me to do. I enjoy knowing each one’s story about their creativity, it’s so inspiring. This will be an ongoing project.
To create my own iPad Art itself doesn’t need much of my energy, my time or even my creative mind, as I said I still have too many minds to do things and iPad serves a person like me very well. It can be my sketch book, art journal, art references, canvas to paint on while listening to music or I can even read something to feed my spirituality… wonderful!
NSA: why do you teach art, or what do you get out of it?
AKO: I teach iPad Art because I would like to encourage and inspire those who gave up their art due to difficulties in life to pick up their art again. I constantly have a lack of energy and limited time to do creative things, so without the iPad I couldn’t pick up my painting again. It is my pleasure to share my knowledge and experiences with others, in return I also learn and get inspired by them.
NSA: Finally, would you design a T-shirt for Mike to wear in the class?
Mike said “Darling, your breath isn’t too good, I think you ate too much curry last night, will you please take your toung out of my ear?…….. Oh hello Henry!”
ENROL NOW!
Weekly Classes for iPad Art (for All Levels)
10am – 12pm TUESDAY
1pm – 3pm TUESDAY
$330 for Term (10wks) / $35 for Casual
The weekly classes for iPad Art is going very well. Once you decided to start drawing with your iPad, we believe that you might have many questions to be answered and need instructions on a weekly bases, so come to the class with your well-charged-iPad, have fun and make your iPad a powerful art tool which you won’t want to be without!
DOWNLOAD ENROLMENT FORM
Go to iPad Art Weekly Class Page >>
Henry is allowed to lick the cup if it’s a Chai Late.
Written by Mike Lamble
Written by Steve Murnaghan (joining 
