Hidden Stream

Happy Holidays

2010-12-26T19:07:00.004+08:00

Seasons Greetings and Happy Holidays to all my viewers!

For the coming year, I'll be trying to expand my repertoire of art styles, and I hope to work more on fantasy and conceptual art. I think I need to work on my composition, color and making my fantasy art more believable. If I could turn back time, I would really like to study as an apprentice under the shadows of past masters. As it is, I'm a self-taught artist. I find it easier to work digitally than using traditional methods though I've not completely given up on traditional (I still do pencil art) However, I find I'm able to experiment more on digital canvas, especially with the 'undo' command. The workflow is cleaner, and I don't have to take photographs or scan and adjust the color/contrast as I would if I were to do traditional art.

As the year is drawing to a close soon, I hope you will all continue to work on whatever you have been striving to do, keep reaching out to the stars and most importantly, have confidence and believe in yourself!

Horse Study

2010-11-09T16:42:00.006+08:00

Took me about half a day to complete. This is dedicated to all horse lovers.
Thank You for watching.

City in the sky

2010-10-10T12:34:00.003+08:00

Another work inspired by Avatar's floating islands.
Full view would look better.

Climate change

2010-09-22T18:56:00.003+08:00

This is just a response to the fluctuating weather changes that is going on around the globe which could get rapidly worse. I don't have anything to offer as a solution for it...except maybe we could established base on moon, which will be used for further exploration and colonization, in particular Mars. We could ask people like Bill Gates to donate half his fortune to fund extra-terrestrial farming, for example. Just a thought.

Beautiful Japanese Artwork

2010-09-22T17:50:00.005+08:00

Shu Mizoguchi is a truly talented and unique artist. I lost the link to his site a few years ago but I'm thankful to have found his site again. There's such a celebration of colors and nature in his paintings. Although my painting style is more towards Western classical semi-realism, I find his paintings very inspiring each time I look at them.

Michael Jackson Tribute

2010-09-22T17:39:00.004+08:00

Pencil drawing.
My tribute to MJ whose birthday falls on Aug 29th.

What fascinates me is his passion to use his songs to harmonize the world and highlight the plight of suffering children. His music really brought healing to many people around the world.

Cleopatra's Dream

2010-09-22T17:26:00.003+08:00

I've always wanted to paint this to show how connected we are to this universe which to me is both a beautiful and dangerous place to be. A place where time has no beginning and no end.
The recent discoveries by the Kepler space telescope of abundant earth sized planets in the universe will push us further toward space exploration and perhaps make contact with intelligent beings - if they ever exist.
Whatever it is, there's no escaping the fact that we are all made from stardust....we may even share atoms with some legendary historical figures, and we may not even know it!

Model reference: Jasmin OK (used with her permission)

The universe is filled with Earth-like planets

2010-07-22T20:05:00.002+08:00

The earth is just a pale blue dot compared to the universe. By age, the universe is 13.7 billion years old but our earth is 4.5 billion years.
Since space and time are both interacting parameters, we may be very insignificant in space but NOT in space/time.
The discovery of abundant Earth-sized planets have given hope that we may be able to witness life in these planets in the near future with the invention of large aperture space telescopes.
The Copernican Revolution continues!

Angelina Jolie

2010-07-15T20:52:00.004+08:00

Faber Castell pencils mainly F, HB, B, 2B
Kneaded eraser
Cotton pads
Q tips
Tortillion
Highlighter gel pen

Contrast slightly increased post-scan

Thanks for watching!

Eva Longoria

2010-07-08T20:09:00.002+08:00

Pencil drawing on smooth drawing pad using

Faber Castell 2B pencil
Kneaded eraser
Cotton pads
Q tips
Highlighter gel pen ~

Thank you 4watchin'

A Poet's Dream

2010-05-09T18:48:00.004+08:00

Model photo reference: Jazz Weir from Sydney (used with her permission)
100% digital painting, no repainting done; model outline digitally traced

Keira Knightley

2010-04-29T17:45:00.002+08:00

This one took me many hours to complete but I love a big challenge and anyway, I'm still in learning mode.
Thank You for watching.

Scarlett Johanssen

2010-03-26T16:25:00.004+08:00

Trying to refocus on portrait paint, and hoping not to relapse into selective detailing syndrome as I did many times before.
I think this one turns out OK. I've added a light green tint for that cinematographic effect.
Thank you 4watching.

Timeless

2010-03-11T15:11:00.004+08:00

If time travel is possible, what would be the first thing that you would do if you could travel either to the past or to the future and back. Wouldn't you want to save the lives of the ones that you love? How would this disrupt events in your present day?
I still hope the construction of a stargate or time travel machine to be not impossible but I'm not so sure about what the consequences will be. A much awaited dream of a unified theory of quantum mechanics and gravitation will be able to help us explain the process in a long way.

A Rising Legend

2010-03-09T18:56:00.003+08:00

Birth of a rising legend

Rose Galaxy

2010-02-24T20:31:00.005+08:00

This is my first attempt at space art.
Some facts about our universe and some new concepts in today's world of cosmology:

* The age of our universe or more precisely the time since the Big Bang expansion is estimated to be 13.7 billion years.
* There are about 100 billion galaxies in our observable universe, each able to accomodate billions of stars.
* Our universe will decay either thru rapid expansion (imaging blooming of a flower) into nothingness or it may collapse and we will tunnel out of space/time. However, that is still a long way to go...
* String theory and cosmic chaotic inflation have given rise to the possibility of infinite multiuniverses around us - no longer fiction or a far-fetched idea :)
* Though we are anchored to this one observable universe, we are continually differentiating into many versions of ourselves, even as I paint/write this, out there in other dimensions or as we say, other 'realities' with different sets of 'physical' laws.
* If this is true, it will inevitably lead us to the fundamental question: Is this universe created by intelligent design for us only or is this seemingly bio-friendly part of the universe created out of randomness from an infinite number of multiverses?

Because no one really knows for sure, a little humour is necessary:
We are not only given free lunch (our existing universe) but we are also served free lunch with all possible dishes you can ever imagine (multiverses), except that you won't be able to taste them at this point in time/space, if ever.

A Distant Dream 2

2010-02-10T20:12:00.003+08:00

Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks Plutarch

Greatly inspired by classical seascape artists...
Thank you for watching!

Pandora Rainforest Paradise

2010-02-03T14:12:00.003+08:00

In the movie Avatar, Jake Sully successfully completed his ritual path that a Navi chose that culminated in bonding with an ikran, a native bird found in one the many floaty Hallelujah Mountains.

Greatly influenced by the magnificient views of Pandora, a rainforest paradise that only the magic of film and digital art can produce.

Thanks 4watching!

Earthquake Survivor

2010-01-20T10:20:00.005+08:00

As the chaos is still raging in the Haitian city, we see the child survivor being pulled out of the rubble and looking at life again. Beyond her wounds, we also see much more: confusion, anger, sadness, emptiness...
Gratitude is something we should be feeling right now, and for me, I'm just thankful to be living another day, and not looking beyond for any afterlife.

Digitally painted from blank canvas using a photo reference.

Search n Rescue

2010-01-18T14:58:00.003+08:00

Search n Rescue Leatherback turtle submersible crafts looking for signs of life after another volcanic earthquake hit the underwater community in a post-apocalyptic scenario.

100% digital painting with references using leatherback and Angkor Wat images.

Final Goodbye

2010-01-08T16:49:00.004+08:00

...on the precipice of life.

Nature's Glory

2009-12-19T14:29:00.004+08:00

My version of what nature may look like decades after 2012, d movie. A wilder looking place, no doubt, but maybe this is what its meant to be.

The building is part of the White House, miraculously standing though in ruins. You don't want to know what had happened to Mr President. The global tectonic shifts have caused clusters of bio-migration from one country to another, in search of energy and food. The whole of Washington DC was wiped out on the night of tsunami major.

Disney Christmas Magic

2009-12-13T19:07:00.004+08:00

A little Disney magic's always good for the heart...
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Another in my 'Dreams' series
100% painted
Model and Disney Castle are referenced.
Thanks 4 watching ^^

Dreams 2

2009-11-27T14:31:00.003+08:00

Another painting for 'Dreams' series

Thank you for watching

Dreams

2009-11-18T11:36:00.004+08:00

This is a digital painting entry for an international contest.
Below is the comment I made as interpretation of my work:

I see 'dreams' as floating islands, somewhere in between reality and heaven. 'Dreams' helps to soften the impact of life. It could be a place, or it could be a person.
It is created out of spontaneity whenever inspiration comes. It calls me out of myself. Though it is imperfect, it holds everything in tension between stark reality and ideals of Love.
I would actually place it just a shade below the grand idea of Love but it's enough for me.
It is still indescribable, it still inspires strong emotions; it is larger than words, whether spoken or written, that try to contain it. In other words, it cannot be defined.
My dream will include being for people in this world not having to go hungry again. Children too would not need to suffer or die from malnutrition or diseases.
I could move my dream a few notches closer to ground zero or I could pull it all the way until it vanishes into heaven.
My 'dreams' is a place I'd rather be than heaven itself.

Tree of Life

2009-10-16T11:28:00.004+08:00

A very old tree but providing a useful canopy shield to the undergrowth.

Here's a Darwin inspired video on The Greatest Show on Earth and how life began here. Enjoy!

Rough Seas

2009-10-07T13:52:00.003+08:00

I especially enjoyed painting d waves in this piece :-)

Lately, strong winds n rough seas have been hitting the region, causing boating n fishing on small boats to be really hazardous. It seems natural catastrophe has been making the news, including a series of strong earthquakes in Sumatera. Why is this happening all at the same time?

It is no small wonder that fish is scarce n expensive nowadays. Nobody wants to risk his life on turbulent ocean. I come from a family of fishermen (maternal side). Sometimes, even during such times, there's still a necessity to feed d family. My grandad used to go out fishing by himself, n the danger is that there will be no one to help him out if he fell off the boat. It didn't happen to him but it happened to my uncle - his body was later found a few days after the tragedy.

A distant dream

2009-09-28T10:14:00.003+08:00

Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks Plutarch

Been some time since I've painted a seascape, just to loosen up a little from my other works.

Thank you for watching :)

The Love Note

2009-09-21T11:06:00.003+08:00

As the stars appeared in the midst of fairy dust, and sparkled like the eyes of his beloved, an elven prince sent his message thru his pixie fairy.

Models:
Lee Cheu Eil from Malaysia (Elven princess)
Used with her permission.
Amber G of mjranum-stock

Mostly painted

Undressing of the Heart

2009-09-03T11:21:00.005+08:00

She was deeply in love with him, but he got killed while trying to save a girl during the Great War. Devastated, she retreated into the Temple of Sirius Crest, at the foothills of the Himalayas, and was accepted into the nunnery. There, she found healing and solace. In turn, many victims of war and the sick also found healing in her gentle loving hands.
Then one day, she found his spirit in the temple compound! He appeared to her in human form only towards nightfall. Their love was rejuvenated! But, as all Heaven’s decrees have been sanctioned from eternity, he was finally spirited away.
His love was needed for a greater cause …..

Mountains sxc.hu #1026796
Temple sxc.hu #467488
Waterfall sxc.hu #917829
Waterlilies sxc.hu #309693
Fabric texture cgtextures.com
Image canvas texture sxc.hu #1051930

and finally, model is Filipino artist Jasmin OK, used with her permission.

Hair, eagle and spiral clouds are painted.

©2009 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Thank you v much for watching.

When H1N1 strikes

2009-08-27T09:02:00.006+08:00

During this stressful pandemic times, it is understandable that people are getting alarmed and confused. There is also a sense of helplessness as we see the death toll continues to rise (71 dead in Malaysia as of today). And of course, it is human nature to apportion blame to certain quarters especially the Health Ministry and healthcare workers.

I, myself have not been spared the misfortune of blame, even by my regular patients. Not only that, 2 nights ago, a lady who claimed to be the wife of a 60 year old man, stormed into my consultation room demanding to know why I had given her husband, who is a known hypertensive and had high fever and URTI sypmtoms antiviral treatment without doing any test to confirm H1N1. I told her since we are now in pandemic, all influenza like illnesses will be presumed to be H1N1, and this is also the directive from the Health Ministry. Not happy with my explanation and not giving me a chance to clarify further, she continued to reprimand me and to my surprise, snatched the patient record card right in front of me. I was injured in my effort to prevent her from running away with the card (with the help of another accomplice) and this matter has now come under investigation by the police.

The clinic does stock up antiviral for H1N1 as with other clinics around the nation who had partipitated in the program. The cost of treatment has now come down to RM80 (previously it was RM180) for clinics which is in the list Just key in the area code in the box, and you will find the list of clinics in your locality.

The article below is another example of blame apportioned to a private doctor before further investigation.

Tuesday August 25, 2009
Results show teacher died from A(H1N1)
By MAZWIN NIK ANIS, IAN YEE, TheStar

PUTRAJAYA: The primary cause of death for the SMK USJ 12 teacher who died on Aug 19 was Influenza A(H1N1), said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

The 38-year-old only received the right treatment when she came to Kuala Lumpur Hospital six days after a private clinic tested her positive for the disease.

Liow said the teacher, who was in the high-risk group as she was obese, had sought treatment from a clinic on Aug 13 after suffering from fever and cough for two days.

Although she tested positive for Influenza A, the doctor only gave her symptomatic treatment and not anti-viral medication.

On Aug 18, she sought treatment at a private hospital after experiencing breathing difficulties and cyanosis and was referred to Kuala Lumpur Hospital where she was given anti-viral treatment immediately.

However, the woman died on Aug 19 due to pneumonia. The next day, results from the victim’s throat swab confirmed she had Influenza A(H1N1). The teacher’s death bring the total number of A(H1N1) fatalities to 69.

The following article quoting Dr Steven Chow, confirms my treatment stand that we should presume all influenza-like illnesses as H1N1, and the rapid test kit is not sensitive enough to detect the virus in many cases.

Sunday August 23, 2009
Doctors confused by many ministry guidelines
By LESTER KONG, TheStar

PETALING JAYA: Some private medical practitioners are confused by the Health Ministry’s guidelines on how to treat patients with influenza-like illnesses (ILI).

Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations Malaysia president Dr Steven Chow said the many guidelines that were issued were often conflicting.

For example, Dr Chow said general physicians (GPs) had been asked at one point to send all cases to the nearest hospital for testing; and when the hospitals could not cope, they were asked to send only selected cases.

He added when deaths were first reported, private doctors were blamed for late diagnosis and referrals to government hospitals.

“When dengue was not controlled, they were blamed and then the A(H1N1) came.

“This does not help the doctors on the ground. It is a nightmare for our GPs,” he said in an e-mail interview.

He added that private sector GPs also faced a shortage of anti-viral drugs to treat the virus.

“The main stockpile is with the Government and we are not aware of the type prescribed by the Minis-try.”

However, Dr Chow reminded that the A(H1N1) strain was resistant to existing antiviral drugs.

“Antiviral drugs are not the magic bullet for stopping or controlling this pandemic. There has been too much hype on the usefulness of these medications,” he said.

Dr Chow also pointed that rapid test kits, which increased the cost of care were not specific or sensitive enough for diagnostic use.

On Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai’s directive to private healthcare providers to raise the level of suspicion on the virus, Dr Chow said the Federation had advised members to treat all ILI as A(H1N1).

He said the federation was ready to work with the Ministry to fight the virus and take pre-emptive measures to decrease future fatalities.

H1N1 - An observation from ground zero

2009-08-18T14:47:00.005+08:00

My first full length H1N1 journal.

For the past week or so, the patient load in most clinics has increased tremendously due to the dreaded flu. You may want to know how I go about managing my patients with suspected H1N1 when this country is having such an alarmingly higher than average morbidity and mortality rate compared to the rest of the world. The first thing I would ask myself is, if one of my own family members were to come down with it, how do I treat the illness?

The most important thing to do is to look for deteriorating signs and symptoms as per guideline that I have posted earlier link. Next, the doctor needs to screen for those high risk category groups namely the very young, the very old, pregnant women (more predisposed to respiratory distress and also due to the fact that you are dealing with 2 lives here), obesity, co-morbid chronic medical conditions which may range from diabetes, heart failure to cancer, immunosuppressed conditions, congenital heart disease, kidney failure etc, co-existing lung conditions in particular asthma, smokers' lung otherwise known as COAD, tuberculosis etc. The doctor must always have a high index of suspicion for worsening clinical state for these groups as they may deteriorate quite rapidly if not monitored closely. They are the ones who would benefit most from antiviral treatment, esp. if given within 48 hrs from the onset of any symptom (and not only fever), though it is still beneficial if given outside that period depending on individual clinical status.

There are 2 other new indications for antivirals, released by MOH which is quite controversial though the public have not realised it. One is high grade fever for more than 48 hrs (which is too general for an indication anyways), and the other being a positive rapid influenza diagnostic test (RIDT). If we think about it, we will know that many forms of viral high fever esp the still dreaded but a little sidelined dengue fever could last for more than 2 days for most of the cases. Dengue fever can actually mimic many forms of fever though the predominant symptom is that of a bone breaking pain which is also found in novel A (H1N1) patients to a certain extent together with high grade fever.

As for RIDT, it becomes less useful once the pandemic sets in as most flu cases would be H1N1 anyways. Further more, as I've blogged on it earlier link, the sensitivity rate is as noted by US CDC is quite low, thereby giving false sense of security for those with H1N1. Of course, there are now many marketing agencies selling RIDT kits telling us their sensitivity rate is almost 100%, but these have yet to be verified in scientific studies as in CDC. Furthermore, they are expensive. However, I won't be surprised if many clinics are already performing such tests in 'compliance' with patients' demands.

What's the reason for the high morbidity and mortality rate in our country? I'm sure this must be a burning question in the hearts of many responsible Malaysian citizen. Is there a co-infection with other respiratory viruses? Why do I feel sadness tinged with embarassment? Are we such an unhealthy nation on the whole because we consume too much nasi lemak and fried food, or is this is part of the globesity trend facing effluent societies? Before you start poking fun at your seemingly obese friends, I suggest you do a measurement of your own waistline because abdominal obesity is considered more dangerous to the heart, compared to generalised obesity. In other words, if you have a choice to become an apple or a pear, you would be better off as an apple.

The other question is, how efficient are the doctors in starting antiviral treatment early? I dont want to point a finger at the govt hospital staff because they have been heavily criticised already by the 'court of public opinion' and because these poor souls are already working beyond their limits. However, I need to point to the fact that many a horror story given by my GP colleagues lately when they referred very ill distressed suspected H1N1 patients, only to be turned away from getting that magical antiviral elixir.

Why do private doctors refer patients to hospitals though they could easily administer the antivirals themselves? (I do stock both forms of antivirals, oseltamivir and zanamivir, though I cannot promise they won't run dry) Well, here's the reality check for the top officials in MOH – for the simple reason that most cannot afford it, or they may be able to afford it for one person, but imagine if you have a few family members down and require the antivirals. (this can easily happen given the fact that H1N1 is a very infectious virus) The other reality check is we may be running low on original stock. When the govt says to give Tamiflu, do they actually mean those generic 'proudly-made-in-Malaysia-but-still-shockingly-expensive' ones because the original oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is definitely unavailable to order as far as I know unless you are getting those with extended expiry dates. I would like to know how stringent has any testing being done on the effectiveness of our own brand of antivirals in the past. What about the safety profile? How's the recovery rate of those in ICU treated with the generic compared to original?

So again what's the reason for the high mortality rate? If we join the dots carefully, we will arrive at the answer sooner or later. Of course, politicians will try to mix things up. Declare national curfew if the mortality rate touches 0.4%. Where do they based the figures from – what about unconfirmed lab cases? Have they factored in the millions of foreign workers, whether legal or illegal? If someone is found to have influenza-like illness and not wearing masks, they want to impose a RM10,000 fine.

Whether we like medical prophecy or not, it's predicted that we have to live an altered lifestyle for at least another year or so. Everyone is going to be affected one way or another. Ignorance is stupidity, and the first thing to do when you are down with flu, even if its a mild one, and even before you see a doctor, is to please practice social distancing, pay attention to hand hygiene and get a 3-ply face mask because you are definitely going to spread this around and cause more distress to a lot of people.

So, in conclusion, I wont give antiviral to my family member unless there is a clear indication. I hope every doctor with the power to prescribe wont just give it to any Tom, Dick and Harry if you really love humanity, and if you really are serious about stemming the tide of resistance which may happen sooner than you think. Don't let greed come in the way at this time when we should be working together.

An update on influenza A (H1N1) by Dr David Quek can be found here

Miracle of Love

2009-08-14T10:07:00.003+08:00

Model Reference: Xi Zhang from Texas, USA. Used with her permission.

This is created out of spontaneity. It may look to be symbolic of the merging of self into Love. A transfiguration, a sort of creative force, a 'miracle' of love so to speak.
Yes, love is truly magical. But it is not easy for the beholders to interpret what the artist is trying to convey. Most of the time it is based on their own belief system and how they see the world.
For me, I do not now have any grand idea of what love should be. I do not see myself as only an artist but also an imperfect human being, and I seek only to communicate what I see. This is not part of my life story, but it can be anyone's story.
I see love as a shade lower than what most will interpret as flowing from the 'Creator of the Universe', and its flow as an extension of the soul. For me, love exists only between human beings, but nothing more than that. It cannot be measured, it cannot be weighed and it is certainly indescribable. Maybe you know better than me on this, I'm sure. But one thing I do know is there exists a strong but real chemistry between 2 persons, and that's all there is....but its good enough for me.
Its true that my thinking has evolved over the past 3 years, but people do need to change for the better.

Peace

The Unstoppable Flu

2009-08-14T09:31:00.009+08:00

I'm a little skeptical about the use of Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Test (RIDT) for detecting novel influenza A (H1N1), despite it being strongly advocated by the Health Ministry, probably as one of their desperate measures to contain the unstoppable pandemic, apart from liberalising the use of antivirals which hopefully does not get out of hand.

The above table (click to enlarge), sourced from CDC Atlanta, USA showed the latest finding that among the three commercially available RIDT kit, the overall sensitivity was low (40%--69%) among all specimens tested and declined substantially as virus levels decreased. Only QuickVue did quite well with detection rate of 69%, compared to using the more accurate rRT-PCR which is only available in certain labs in this country, notably Institute of Medical Research (IMR) but then they only run them on very ill patients who are admitted for complications of influenza.
According to CDC, a negative RIDT result should NOT be interpreted as indicating the absence of infection, especially since the sensitivity declines as the viral levels decreases.
More updates to come.

Reference source: CDC Atlanta via Malaysian Medical Resources

Contemplation

2009-08-05T20:20:00.002+08:00

International model: Audrey Lai from San Francisco, USA
Photographer credit: Delmott Patrice from France - used with permission

My first painting on traditional Chinese costume.
100% painted - no paintover

Influenza-like illness: some important guidelines on self-assessing

2009-07-31T11:29:00.007+08:00

Here are some important guidelines taken from a slide presentation by Dr Christopher Lee (no relation to Count Dracula!), a leading infectious disease specialist. It is important to know that this Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic will linger on for another 1 to 2 years with a global mortality rate of 0.4-0.6% (current statistic) in the most optimistic scenario.

The first slide Home Assessment Tool(HAT) is for you to observe, while the second slide Clinical Assessment Tool(CAT)is more for clinicians' reference of moderate to severe influenza-like illness (ILI).
The complete and comprehensive slideshow presentation can be viewed online

If possible please counter check with this excellent slideshow or have a consultation with a clinician as I feel there has been enuf misinformation regarding the role of primary care doctors in helping to prevent the spread of H1N1 in the mainstream newspapers.

Thank you for reading this.
I shall update whenever possible.
Images sourced from Malaysian Medical Resources

Elven Enchantress

2009-07-30T15:29:00.004+08:00

Model photo ref: Anna Grigorieva from Ukraine
Used with her permission.

Apple

2009-07-15T10:23:00.003+08:00

Model reference: Calista Liew from Kota Kinabalu
Used with permission
©2009 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Outline traced. 100% painted from blank digital canvas.
Painted using Wacom Intuos 4

Thank you for watching

Up where we belong

2009-07-10T12:12:00.003+08:00

Childhood fantasy stuff
100% digital painting from blank canvas.
FULL VIEW much appreciated

Inspired by the song of the same title

Natural Bridge

2009-07-02T21:04:00.003+08:00

I used the background from my previous work found here
Painted some waterfalls and played with lighting and shadows for an environmental study to achieve depth and distance.
Thank you 4 watching!

Deep hidden treasures

2009-06-24T11:47:00.002+08:00

A mermaid begs for the guardian turtle to allow them a few more moments to luxuriate in their newfound discoveries...

FULL VIEW much appreciated.
Thank you for watching

A Lovely Smile

2009-06-20T14:34:00.004+08:00

This is an image of one of my paediatric patients. When she falls sick, she hardly complains - she is indeed a brave little girl, always putting up a smile which shows how well she deals with her difficulties in life!

Apart from the English country home and butterflies, everything else is painted from scratch. Pavement is a texture from cgtextures.com

All my artworks are created using Wacom pen and tablet.
Thank you for watching!

A Fragrant Bath

2009-06-09T17:53:00.004+08:00

In this piece, I try to bring in as many colors as possible, but keeping them in relation to one another, and hoping that none of them is too intense or straining to the eyes....a sort of color crusade for me.

Painted from scratch, meaning no painting over a photo image. Model photo is that of my artist friend.
Feel free to comment :-)

Age of Disbelief

2009-05-29T15:18:00.004+08:00

© 2009 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

She is the last of the legion of angels to survive in this age of disbelief, but she knows that her time is up. Soon she will be transformed into stone, like the others. She will have her freedom again but not after another thousand years when she will be released by the sheer miracle of prophetic words.

Thanks much for watching! In FULL VIEW, it may look better

Applegate

2009-05-20T18:16:00.003+08:00

Christina Applegate, breast cancer victim and survivor - voted World's Most Beautiful by People's Magazine recently

Painted from blank digital canvas using Wacom Graphire 2 pen and tablet. I've been using this same old tablet for the past 8 - 9 years, and it hasn't given me any issue. Problem is the hair didn't turn out well because it doesn't have pen pressure function, unlike Wacom Intuos series.
Overall I'm quite happy especially how the cool/warm colors turned out - no color filter used btw
Thank you for watching. FULL VIEW much appreciated ^^

Releasing the crystal ball

2009-05-15T14:06:00.002+08:00

Apart from the model and hut, everything else is painted from scratch.

Thanks for watching!

A Bleeding Heart

2009-04-25T11:05:00.004+08:00

It was early morning. The night creatures were returning to their hiding places and the mist were starting to disappear. There were some rustling of large leaves and crackling of grass and undergrowth as a soft thump was heard. A jungle rodent was seen scurrying from one end of the clearing to another.
A wing had fallen off from a young timid angel as the first rays of morning light kissed her body. She was bleeding from the stump, and in pain, just as her heart was bleeding love. There was no one to wrap his arm around her, to feel safe with. It was way back, when Love was always there for her, but the memories were fading. With disbelief, came the disappearance of her fellowship of angels. Sometimes, she too had wondered if god really existed. The evidence grew stronger everyday – it was really part of human’s wish fulfillment. Everyone had been wishing for a ‘secret garden’ to feel complete with, if he or she so desired.
But it didn’t matter anymore. Her survival depended on the human will. If everyone could still work out their own ‘celestial destiny’, even if in their imagination, then she would one day be able to grow back her wing and soar above the clouds, and she would be able to air dance to the delight of her makers.

Story mine (c)

Painted from blank digital canvas.
Crap! I'm not good with wings, that's why I left out one. Hopefully, I'll be able to make better wings next time :-)

Song for inspiration: Flying without Wings by Westlife

Those Wandering Thoughts

2009-04-14T18:08:00.004+08:00

She loves to sleep under a bright blue sky but still she is afraid......that when she wakes up, everything that she dreamt of will be gone.

Painted from scratch (blank digital canvas) using Wacom stylus and tablet. Model is referenced
Thank you all for watching. In order to appreciate my work, full view is necessary ^^

A Mother's Legacy

2009-04-02T11:22:00.004+08:00

A long, long time ago, in the Valley of Hope, surrounded by tranquil forest and on this very spot where you're standing, a mother whispered her last parting words...

Just listen to your heart. A bit of tender love, a bit of Jurrasic Park (without the commercial XD), and a story that needs to be retold over and over again. This is my small contribution to a mother's undying love.

FULL VIEW may look better. Thank you for watching.

Reflections

2009-03-29T10:16:00.005+08:00

Painted from blank digital canvas, using my reliable Wacom Graphire2 stylus and tablet, which I've been using for the past 8 years, and free GIMP painting software.

From top to bottom:
Sun-kissed River
Quiet Reflection
Phang Nga Bay, Thailand

In FULL VIEW, they look much better =D

Kiss The Rain

2009-03-27T12:09:00.005+08:00

Emma was devastated since she heard news about the death of her foster mother. For she had not known her biological parents ever since the government banned all forms of natural procreation due to a radiation leak that had attenuated the reproductive system of more than three quarters of the male population.
The whole world was plunged into dark ages since the social unrest and civil wars that occurred after the Greater Depression in 2010. She had been living in the poor, as it was with many people, in the slums near an abandoned 21st century industrial plant for as long as she could remember, and her now deceased foster mum and one other sister were her only family.
Not much technological advances had occurred for the past 100 years or so, except for prosthetic implants and gene therapy that could help the population live a better life towards their twilight years and prolong life. Climate migration too had been taking place, as the population strived to survive on whatever little resources that were available on this dwindling earth.
But Emma wasn't into all these! For her, she had been born into the wrong reality. The government had prohibited all forms of close proximity between the opposite sexes which had made life difficult for many young people in their productive lives.
Life held little meaning for Emma, until she met this man who had escaped from a health quarantine facility in the neighbouring zone. She had found the man she had been waiting for - someone to protect and comfort her. But their bliss was shortlived, as the Gestapo, a government arm that flushed out all forms of activities against the Code of Conduct quickly got wind of their tryst, and Emma could find herself in the convict chamber for the rest of her life. Welcome to the brave new world....

Story mine (c)
Is Big Brother watching? :-)

Model is courtesy of my sporting artist friend. Male model painted, using reference from posermaniac
Others are photomanipulated, some are painted

Music for inspiration Kiss the rain

Sultry

2009-02-21T10:05:00.003+08:00

Portrait painting of Chinese actress, Liu Yi Fei
Took me many hours, spread over 1 week. I lack the imagination to put in more accessories on the woman XD
Hope this one's OK
Thank you for watching

A miniature gift

2009-02-14T10:10:00.004+08:00

A VALENTINE MESSAGE for my viewers:

Sometimes, LOVE is like the miniature dog - hold it too tight, you will squish it; hold it too loose, it will run away.

Like the wind

2009-02-01T17:18:00.005+08:00

The war was finally over, but the enemy had won. The Himalayan people were oppressed and heavily taxed. Whole villagers were burned down by the armies of the Empire, temples destroyed and there were rampant killing of villagers everywhere and looting of their belongings.

On the night when the Temple of Sirius Crest were destroyed, the Matron dying from internal injuries, gave Enlil a spellstone to protect - because of the evil it would bring if it fell to the wrong hands.

Not knowing what to do initially, she quickly hid herself with the spellstone among the commoners who were by now ruthlessly driven from their mountainside homes. One night, while meditating by the beach, the stone lit up, illuminating the sky. She thought the light was good, but actually it was camouflaged as so , and was about to bring about a terrible storm. She saw the incoming storm, but it was too late. She harnessed all her magical spell to fight the evil, but it only consumed her energy, and soon she was taken over by the evil spell.

Storm after storm followed, causing great havoc to the people, wiping out whole batallions, and sinking cargo ships, the only lifeline of the Empire, in their trade with the wealthy Persians.

The Empire, sent armies after armies, to fight against the Stormbringer, as she was now known, but she was blinded by the evil that had taken over her, and the more she was infuriated by the sight of the Empire's army that killed her sisters in the nunnery, the more devastating the storm she created.

Then , the Empire sent an able magician from the Alchemy Dept, named Caleb, powerful in his own field of magic, and was in love with Enlil before circumstances forced him to leave her and join the empire.

Caleb knew that he must save her, though it might mean death to himself. Saving her could mean saving the entire humankind..

Story mine (c)

Everything is painted from scratch.
Model is referenced from my artist friend, with her permission.
Ship is referenced from wikimedia commons.

Thank you for watching - FULL VIEW please! =D

Inspired by the instrumental Like the Wind, by SENS

Before the storm

2009-01-19T20:34:00.002+08:00

Digital freehand painting from scratch.
Minimal reference used.

Free at last

2009-01-09T20:36:00.005+08:00

Due to be married to the Dark Prince Camulus , Eshara belonged to a royalty of god and goddesses that ruled the sea and land of Kingdom Earth. She was always wary of her father, King Teutates who has been given dominion over the coastal population and sea creatures, for being part of the scheme of non intervening in the affairs of humans despite numerous wars and famine, tribal rivalry, jealousy, rebellion, and lately the killing of each others’ children that threaten to wipe civilization from the face of this world. She had always supported her father’s decisions with pride but sometimes, they stood on the verge of apathy to the plights of the people, almost to the point of cruel silence.
One day, in the quiet of dawn,as she was looking down at the fishing village of Inuit, a sweet sorrowful music from a lute being played by a lonely sea hunter captivated her. Heartstriken for the people of the war torn country and desirous to know the man better, she tore herself from her lofty abode, and made the floor of the ocean her permanent home. Due to her immortality, she could only live as a mermaid (she was worshipped by the sea creatures as a goddess), but that was enough to get her near to the people that she loved and the hunter everytime he went to sea for his catch.

Story mine (c)

doves
rocks
Model image belongs to an artist friend doing her yoga pose
Dolphins are digitally painted
Water and splashes digitally manipulated

Passion 2009

2009-01-05T20:45:00.005+08:00

The Final Goodbye

Model Ref: Jessica Trusscott

A long, long time ago, an angel dare to thread the forbidden path.....

Apart from the model, wings, hand, roses and rose petals, everything else including hair and accessories is digitally painted.

Listening to How to save a life (from Grey's Anatomy)

Thank you for watching! (FULL VIEW is required) :D

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

2008-12-23T15:53:00.006+08:00

North Pole Express Special Delivery.....for all the children in the world! w00t
Inspired by my all time favourite Christmas movie, Polar Express

HAVE A WONDERFILLED CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

FULL VIEW much appreciated!

Sources:
Presents, Santa and Train: sxc.hu
Bridge: wikimedia commons

Everything else digitally painted: sky, mountain, hills, snow, icicles, smoke, lights and Santa's sleigh trail.

Song for inspiration:
My GrownUp Christmas List

Someone Who Believes

2008-12-23T15:46:00.004+08:00

When cancer threatens to eat your flesh away
And you’re kept awake by constant pain
Let me help soothe that inner hurt
And revive that illusive rainbow
Show you another pathway
To reach that dream
Only I ask that
You believe
You can

Words r mine (c)

As long as there's a someone who can just be there for the cancer victim, whether its the spouse, family member, friend or even the healthcare provider, it can go a long way to help the person thru the journey.

Song for inspiration
Someone Who Believes In You

Stairway to Heaven

2008-12-17T15:34:00.003+08:00

This is made for an artist friend of mine whose favourite tagline is 'Love hurts' but 'somewhere' there is a 'stairway to heaven'.

Model is her own photo
Statuettes from my Bali Collection
Moon is from sxc.hu
Others from various sources
Cloud,mist and hair are digitally painted.

FULL VIEW please.
Thank you for watching.

Quantums of joy

2008-11-27T17:46:00.004+08:00

If giant jellyfish have souls, here's how their prophecy of rapture might read:

At the sound of the thunder, the dead shall rise first from the seabed. Then we who are alive shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet our Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with our Lord. And the humans shall be our witnesses.

These creatures have emotions too like humans. The woman, being very close to them, tried to guide them as they struggled out of the water for the first time with mixed feelings of ecstasy, fear and bewilderment,as they leave their world to meet their Maker.

The seascape and lighthouse is taken from my earlier work posted here.

I also use jellyfish images as reference, taken from sxc.hu

Thanks for viewing!

The Whisper of a Single Verse

2008-11-13T16:18:00.007+08:00

Their final moments.....

The breathless whisper of a single verse
And loneliness blossoms within my heart
The shimmer of a single dream
And my world is undone
The memory of a single tenderness
And the sting of love reignites my wounds
In the moment when a single tear falls
All hatred becomes a distant blur
I can love you with all that I am
But even this cannot return you to me
From now on I will live as a shadow
Forever in the past…..

(Lyrics for Only for Love)sung by Jane Zhang, themesong from the movie 'The Banquet'

Dedicated to the Apple of My Eye ;-)

In solidarity we stand

2008-10-21T10:55:00.007+08:00

This one's made for the people of Myanmar and for the loss, the grief and the silence that they have endured all thru the years.

Some facts about Myanmar, one of the poorest countries in the world:
*23 percent of the population had incomes that placed them below the poverty line.
*Many poor people are forced to send their children to work.
*The number of street children has also increased, and malnutrition among children is widespread.
*Large outlays of money have been spent on the military, while only meager funds have gone to education and health issues.
*The recent Nargis Cyclone have caused deadly flooding with loss of lives reaching 100,000.

All temples used in this work are located within Myanmar.
Temple1, Temple2, Temple3, Temple4

Clouds are digitally painted, freehand.

I'm a born-again free thinker. My only true religion is human rights. You can say that I'm a humanist who doesn't exclude animal rights as well. Praise Dog for that! I strongly believe in free inquiry and the freedom to choose. This post is about the evil of human oppression. Down with child labour!

Music for inspiration: Greatest love of all, sung by Whitney Houston

Far between us

2008-10-15T20:33:00.005+08:00

You gave me a vision of Earth
It happened all too suddenly
We are of different worlds
Separated by empty space
Sadly now I must part from you
Holding onto treasured memory

If my words sound too depressing, please let me know!

Credit:
Floating island by rokatesh
Cherry blossoms by capetan
Roots by pakelius
Castle
Building lights by CraigPJ

Clouds, hair extension, tall grass, sticks and twigs are painted digitally.
Distant mountain is part of my oil painting.

This whole piece has taken up more than 500MB of my HD drive!

I realised I have not been posting for awhile! Hopefully this work will make up for lost time. This work received quite a favourable response when I posted this to an online digital art community. So, I hope you will enjoy this as much as I do working on it! ;-)

Model Ref: Jessica Trusscott

Song for inspiration: 'This is my now' by Jordin Sparks

Complicated

2008-09-17T19:59:00.004+08:00

Avril Lavigne was recently in KL for the launch of her Asian tour.
Apparently some bigoted group tried to complicate things and spoil the party, but everything went on smoothly despite the 'tension'.
Malaysia again was in the news, this time entertainment news, for the wrong reason!
Title was a song track from this sweet Canadian pop singer!

Buttercup Reedweb

2008-09-05T13:23:00.003+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com
All rights reserved.
All the materials in this artblog may NOT be reproduced, copied, edited, published, transmitted or uploaded in any way without my written permission. My images do not belong to the public domain.

Mr Thimbletack of Spiderwick Chronicles, one of the best children fantasy story that made it to the big screen since Narnia.
Character is referenced and painted from scratch.

Your fairy is called Buttercup Reedweb

She is a panpipe player and enchantment singer.

She lives in clover fields where fairy rings grow.

She is only seen in the mist of an early morning.

She wears bright clover green. She has gentle green butterfly wings.

Get your free fairy name here!

Golden Sparrow

2008-08-25T17:17:00.005+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com
All rights reserved.
All the materials gallery may NOT be reproduced, copied, edited, published, transmitted or uploaded in any way without my written permission. My images do not belong to the public domain.

Crystal Liu Yi Fei - rising young Chinese actress recently seen as Golden Sparrow in the movie Forbidden Kingdom.

I've used a small reference but I was determined to get the job done!
Painted from scratch.
It was rough sailing in the beginning but I'm glad to get this completed! Looks like I've a lot to catch up on.
Comment and Critique is most welcome, in view of blind spot/s!

Thank you for watching! (:

Pondering

2008-08-10T10:46:00.005+08:00

©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

A rustic Chinese rural scene.
A photograph of real people in real setting would have been better but I leave it to your imagination to make up little stories from my digital photo collage composition here.

Stocks from sxc.hu, deviantart.com and cgtextures.com.

Partly inspired by this song:

The Colors of Love

2008-07-23T17:03:00.006+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Love is the only reason we make art. Art without an initial passion to create is not art. The only colors we use to paint is called love....

Just walk away
Don't say goodbye
Don't turn around now you may see me cry
I mustn't fall apart
Or show my broken heart
Or the love I feel for you

So walk away
And close the door
And let my life be as it was before
And I'll never never know
Just how I let you go
But there's nothing left to say
Just walk away

Just Walk Away: Sung by Celine Dion.

Stock image credit:

Female Model
Male Model
Tree Tunnel

The Color of My Love (lyrics and composition by David Foster, sung by Celine Dion)

Be creative for a second

2008-07-17T18:53:00.004+08:00

I want to highlight a book called 'Creative for a second' written by people who suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). In case you are not aware of this condition or maybe your doctor here have not told you of this difficult to diagnose condition, a reliable source can be obtained from here. The entire book and the artworks are available entirely free online, while awaiting printed copies to come. So, do go through it while it is still free!

The works of art are fantastic and varied, comprising many mediums including traditional and digital art, drawing, handicraft, photography, beading and many more. I find the articles written by the sufferers of CFS to be totally sincere and eye-opening. Though targetted for these group of patients, it is also useful for those suffering from secondary fatigue arising from chronic ilnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, chronic skin conditions etc. It is also applicable for people with chronic depression or having emotional turmoil in their lives. CFS is still a condition which is a mystery as to its cause. It remains a diagnosis of exclusion and treatment is geared towards symptomatic relief with no permanent remedy at the moment.

I hope after reading their testimonies and browsing thru their arts, you will discover creative outlet in visual art and even in writing and poetry.

Scarlett Johansson

2008-07-03T11:16:00.004+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Just a photo retouch.
Guess I'm having scarlet fever!
Note: Since this is my first try in portrait photo retouch, any constructive critique is most welcome! I think I might've just hyperwhitened her teeth - they looked like paste now!

Reference photo
Background from Renderosity.

Blown Away

2008-06-18T14:15:00.005+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Cyclones and hurricanes, anyone?
Lately, I've been dreaming of people being blown away, roof tiles yanked off piece by piece and flying objects.
This is not a very difficult work although it took me a great deal of time to blend it all together.
I get the greatest pleasure pulling shingles off the roof!

I'm also doing this with the hard hit people of Myanmar in mind - the recent Nargis Cyclone have caused deadly flooding with loss of lives reaching 100,000, apparently because of lack of mangroove cover in the coastal line. The deathtoll in the aftermath of this storm could be even worse due to widespread pollution and infection, either water or air-borne.

All stocks from sxc.hu

Winter Solace

2008-06-12T20:25:00.002+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Mother Nature has provided many wonderful mountains to marvel at!
This is based on my oil painting Green Pasture posted last year.
I try to make that transformation from traditional to digital with as few alteration as possible.
Ample time spent on brush tip shape and dynamics to mimic my oils, especially the mountain and evergreen trees.

Thanks for watching! :)

Mystery of the Crystal Necklace

2008-06-03T09:51:00.002+08:00

Just watched Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Since 'Sex and the City' edged out the latest Indy flick at the recent weekend box office, I thought I'll do a female version of it. Let's call it The Mystery of the Crystal Necklace!

This is a digital/traditional combo. The mountain range, sky and distant trees are part of my oil painting, Blu-Truth which I have posted much earlier

Except for the beautiful model, all other stock images are taken from sxc.hu.

Ships that pass in the night v.2

2008-05-30T17:44:00.006+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Did some alteration to my previous posting. I decided turn the image into grayscale and layer a golden colour filter on top it. I wasn't happy with the main tall ship (too low resolution) so I've decided to replace it with another stock image.
Stock credit for this posting remains the same as the last one here.

Ships that pass in the night

2008-05-19T20:59:00.005+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

We sat and watched the distant light
Two ships that pass in the night
We both smile and say its alright
We're still here
It's just that we're out of sight
Like those ships that pass in the night

(Lyrics by Barry Manilow)

I'm really shocked today to learn that an acquaintance of mine had passed away due to a cardiovascular event last evening. He was undergoing follow-up in the National Heart Institute. I was halfway thru this when I heard the news. In fact, I just saw his son 2 days ago. He's working in a cafe/bakery while on his school break.

This is a moment of great sorrow. I hope the grieving family will stay strong in this time of tribulation. I shall email this to them real soon.

To the whole family, this one's for you. Listen here

Farewell, my friend.
As for me, this will be another soul searching journey.

Stockroll:

Puffin birds
by http://www.sxc.hu/profile/horsch
Ships
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:TheEnduranceInFullSail.jpg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Cisne-2g.jpg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Alex_von_Humboldt_%28ship%29_Grosssegel.jpg
Mountain island church
Galaxy

Wind beneath my wings

2008-05-13T16:22:00.006+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Some of the stocks used:

Stock credit:
sxc.hu :
middle mountain by vxdigital
temples
temple 1
temple 2
eagles
eagle 1
eagle 2
eagle 3

Wikimedia Commons
foreground mountain

Inspired by Bette Midler's song of the same title.
This is a Mother's Day Tribute.

In good company

2008-04-30T17:38:00.005+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Initially I was thinking of doing some sort of sky parade with hot air balloons and all that stuff but decided against it later as it would obliterate the city skyline. Maybe I'll try again in my future posting.

All stock images from sxc.hu including gargoyle statue.

Autumn in my heart

2008-04-26T14:16:00.003+08:00

Earth Day

2008-04-23T15:11:00.005+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Blessed are the weak for they shall inherit this lovely Earth.

Yesterday was World Earth's Day. Of course there are a host of environmental issues that comes with this celebration like the thinning of the ozone layer and raising sea levels. However, we should not forget that this Earth is the only planet that we have - at this moment, that is. So let us cherish it while it lasts and while we are still alive!

All stock images from sxc.hu.

Song that inspired me:

Close Encounter

2008-04-18T21:02:00.003+08:00

copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

A visit to a prehistoric park resulted in a very close encounter.
I now refer to a very pertinent question - Are we, as a human species, here by chance (or luck if you prefer) or by Intelligent Design? It is pertinent because it is related to the evolution of species since the beginning of life on earth. The Darwinian answer to this question is NEITHER. With such a lush diversity of species since prehistoric age, nothing is created by chance and there is no Intelligent Designer. Every species evolved purely by natural selection, and this is an ongoing process of adaptation. We evolve to survive and adapt to our environment and this process can take a very, very long time. So long that we forgot where we came from!

Stock images from Wikimedia Commons and sxc.hu.
Penang Ferry from Dreamstime.

Landscape and sky created with Terragen as posted here.

The Abdominal Obesity Timebomb (Part 6)

2008-04-14T16:18:00.004+08:00

Malaysia, as well as other Asia Pacific countries along with other emerging economic nations cannot be said to have achieved their target in controlling the worsening 'epidemic' of their population getting impaired glucose tolerance (a prediabetic condition) and finally full blown diabetes with all its complications of proteinuria leading to kidney failure, retinopathy progressing to blindness, diabetic skin disease, stroke and heart attack.

What needs to be urgently tackled is aggressive campaigning against unhealthy lifestyle and strict monitoring of parameters that are known to contribute to increased cardiometabolic risks coupled with aggressive therapy to lower the levels of cholesterol and keep blood pressure and blood glucose within the internationally accepted safe standards.

The new treatment paradigm is now in favour of treating the new emerging cardiac risks factors, in particular abdominal obesity, besides lowering blood pressure, LDL, Triglyserides,and certain (blood vessel) inflammatory markers.

As a fitting end to this series, our Honourable Health Minister, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, himself a vegetarian and nutritionist by profession, is quoted in the Star yesterday, saying that the number of obese adults have risen to 50% among 13 million individuals. Though 10 to 15%, he said, is due to genetic predisposition, we all know that there is still a long battle to go for many people to keep themselves from bulging to dangerous proportions.

Dolphins Galore: Born Free

2008-04-13T11:18:00.005+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Stock images from sxc.hu including
rocky beach
pigeons

Dolphins are my own (digitally painted).

After watching live dolphin shows in Gold Coast, Thailand and Hong Kong, I thought it would be very nice to be able to watch them up close. Welcome to my mini seaworld! I believe this is way better than watching them in captivity in theme parks, what with all the gruesome tales of animal suffering.
Doplhin Captivity
Free Dolphins

The Abdominal Obesity Timebomb (Part 5)

2008-04-11T17:19:00.004+08:00

T2D (Type 2 Diabetes) is the type that most diabetics have compared to Type 1 which occurs in the younger age group and is insulin dependant.

So, now we have a new nemesis to contend with, i.e. abdominal obesity, apart from the 3 establised risk factors stated above.

Peace and Harmony

2008-04-08T19:08:00.005+08:00

The Abdominal Obesity Timebomb (Part 4)

2008-04-07T19:41:00.003+08:00

Gentle Night

2008-04-05T09:09:00.004+08:00

The Abdominal Obesity Timebomb (Part 3)

2008-04-03T16:36:00.003+08:00

The above study is a joint effort by Medical Research Council(MRC) and British Heart Foundation(BHF) done in 2002 which is a really, really big trial involving more than 20,000 individuals from various age group and medical conditions (diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease) to prove that simvastatin, a cholesterol lowering statin drug does lower LDL cholesterol level and prevent cardiovascular event over the 5 year study period and may obviously confer more benefits if carried over long term. There is no significant adverse effects such as cancer or osteoporosis.

However, do note that despite being on simvastatin and a lowered LDL cholesterol level, there is still an almost 20% chance of getting a cardiovascular event (stroke, heart attack etc) though this is much lower compared to those who are not on statin medication.

So far, we have considered high cholesterol levels (LDL), diabetes and hypertension as major contributors of coronary artery disease but there are other factors as well such as HDL and Triglycerides which I will not elaborate further. Did we miss out anything else?

Land Of Many Temples

2008-03-31T21:09:00.008+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

All stock images from sxc.hu including Japanese Temple.

The Wind of Change is a very commonly used phrase nowadays to describe our political landscape after the recent general election 'tsunami' victory. We are swimming in uncharted waters. Now is not the time to be complacent. We have to learn to soar above mediocrity, as in every major aspects in life.

The Abdominal Obesity Timebomb (Part 2)

2008-03-28T18:39:00.003+08:00

High blood pressure and diabetes are just 2 major cardiometabolic risk factors that can cause increased incidence of MI (myocardial infarction = heart attack)as noted in the findings above.

More to come....

Tsunami over Paris

2008-03-26T17:40:00.004+08:00

Copyright ©2008 hiddenstream.blogspot.com

A boat cruise along the Seine River turns out to be a nightmare.

All stock images from sxc.hu
doves
taxi
lamp post
L'Arc de Triomphe - one of the favourite attractions in Paris
Statue of Liberty - this mini statue is situated beside River Seine

The Abdominal Obesity Timebomb (Part 1)

2008-03-24T17:17:00.003+08:00

I'm starting a series on the cardiometabolic risks of abdominal obesity based on peer reviewed research papers made locally and worldwide. Studies have shown that being overweight/obese is a major underlying cause of heart disease. A worrying trend is that, for the past ten years, the number of Malaysians affected have increased by 78% (National Morbidity Survey 1996 - 2006). To start off, let's look at the common causes of death in Malaysia (and United States for comparison).

(part of Sanofi Aventis educational program)
Please note that these findings are based on facts, and is not part of any promotional drive.

London Paris New York KL

2008-03-22T15:46:00.003+08:00

Copyright © ~ hiddenstream.blogspot.com

Image stock from sxc.hu including London scenery.

Different cities, different people, different lifestyle - all in one compact image.

Nature's Organic Ipod

2008-03-21T09:33:00.004+08:00

Copyright © ≈ hiddenstream.blogspot.com

All stock images including landscape scenery from sxc.hu
.
Doves link

Inspired by a beautifully written article by kevlewis on 'The Balance of Nature'. Enjoy the read:

We feed the wildlife and occasionally help with injured and sick animals and birds but, what does nature give us in return?

Nothing? Are we that arrogant and self-centred to see what she gives us freely and without expectation?

Walking alone in the early morning mists of spring, smelling the unpolluted air of the countryside, hearing the crisp frosted grass cracking under my feet, my warm breath condensing as it hits the sharp cutting air. My body and soul relaxed, my thoughts drifting like clouds, freed from the humdrum pressures of work and all the minor irritations that bring discord to my being.

My eyes wander over the monochrome landscape as nature awaits the first rays of the sun to creep over the horizon; the sky painted, by the greatest artist we will ever know, in the pastel pre-dawn hues of blue and red.

A movement at the edge of a misty dark wood stops me; a young timid fallow deer is foraging for food. The mist clings to the deer wrapping her in its ethereal embrace as she constantly stops and looks for danger, quickly dipping her head to eat a small fresh shoot in the ground. I realise that I’ve stopped breathing as I strain to be silent and invisible, relishing the moment that nature is offering me and then with a flick of an ear she is gone and the mist closes behind her.

As the sun lazily breaks over the horizon the soft light warms up the animals and insects stretch their wings and legs. Birds welcome the start of a new dawn with natures own organic IPod; constantly changing melodies drift across the fields as each bird sings to its friends, its lovers and its rivals. Small flocks fly overhead, flitting from tree to tree endlessly searching for food and the chance to find a mate.

The ground is kissed by the first weak rays of the sun; the dew on the ground glistens as each droplet becomes a sparkling light, turning each blade of grass and plant into a miniature crown. Each deadly spider web becomes a necklace adorned with perfect liquid diamonds.

Sunlight filtered through the mist spot illuminates the flowers and plants that hug the ground as the larger trees reach upwards, their limbs making the sun rays dance around them.

Strolling by the side of a lazy river that meanders down through the green cloaked hills and listening to the bubbling of the water as it glides around the rocks and pebbles.

Watching the overhanging leaves and branches kiss the surface as the water tries to rip them from their precarious grip on the bank, the water flowing around the obstructions and then merging once again.

Dragonflies dance over the surface dipping into the water to surrender their precious offspring to chance and the fish, unseen, wait below the surface for a free meal.

As the sun rises higher the keen eyed aerial hunters circle slowly on the rising warm air thermals searching the fields far below for their prey, their world is one we can only dream of being part of.

The shadows grow longer as the sun bows to meet the earth. Other hunters emerge from their resting places to start the nocturnal fight for survival. The owl silently quarters the fields as the voles and field mice scurry from hiding place to hiding place.

Nature constantly enriches me; it never demands anything and yet it gives everything. It feeds my soul and brings me peace.

It is time to open our hearts and minds; to bathe in the wild untameable beauty of nature and to delight in the sights and sounds that challenge our understanding.

It is time to realise that nature doesn’t belong to us because we belong to nature.

When we hurt nature we are only hurting ourselves.

Silent No More

2008-03-09T08:24:00.005+08:00

I woke up this morning to a new Malaysia. OMG, the opposition parties have taken over the states of Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor (Wilayah as well if not for the fact it is under Federal Govt control). These are easily the most industrialised states in the country. Feeling a bit groggy due to lack of sleep last night, here's an initial wishlist to what I would consider the beginning of the path to the realisation of the Malaysian dream:

1) Freedom of expression. This is one of the most fundamental rights of the people. This election is not only a bread and butter issue. Its about quality of life. There should be more responsible freedom of expression through speech, blogging, art etc, without any fear of threats from the authourities.

2) True meritocracy in education - right from primary thru to tertiary education, especially in terms of university placements and awarding of scholarships. There should be a more healthy racial mix in appointing university vice-chancellors, deans and heads of department. Underperformers should step down.

3) Let the rakyat gather peacefully to voice their dissatisfactions. Let them hand over the roses one more time to the PM. For heaven's sake, no more tear gas or water cannons this time. This could be one of the main reasons for the ruling party's defeat.

4) Make live telecast of all parliamentary sessions for public scrutiny. Even though they can still pass bills with a simple majority, the govt cannot make constitutional changes now without consulting the rakyat's representatives. The debates should draw a huge audience as there is so much to reform.

To sum up, I feel this election is not about who won but which party the rakyat chose to represent them more effectively. This is the dawn of a new Malaysia. Don't let the momentum lose its force. There's work to be done. The rakyat have spoken. Power does not belong to the politicians but to the people who have cast their votes. We are no longer the silent majority.

Hidden Treasure

2008-03-06T15:53:00.006+08:00

The Awakening

2008-03-01T11:37:00.004+08:00

Mona Lisa smile

2008-02-28T11:16:00.003+08:00

Change for the better

2008-02-27T09:05:00.002+08:00

Even as the election fever spreads, for those fence sitters or those who are simply not interested in the changing political climate around them, may I suggest that you vote for Barrack Obama. After reading about him and watching his fiery and inspirational speeches on Youtube, I'm more and more convinced that Obama, his personality and ideology, really represents the commoner in America. I gather he is more awe-inspiring than Martin Luther King.

While Garry Kasparov, the former world chess champion and Russian presidential candidate hopeful, talked vehemently about the imperialistic policies of President Putin and his corrupted and crony officials, Obama focuses on great and humble matters such as love, faith and hope. He talked about America's deficit, not of trade and economy, but of moral high living - the empathy deficit. He talked about the simple and shining examples of his work with the underprivileged - the bright young girl who could not afford higher education, the backstreet boys who were neglected or abandoned by their parents, the elderly woman who became a victim of the insurance healthcare policy. He talked about his background. He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His father, a Kenyan, had abandoned his family. His single working mother has struggled to make ends meet. Criticising his opponents who say he is only a hope-monger, he said that without that little hope to believe in during his formative years, he would not have stood amongst the crowd today and talked about his hope for the people of America.

He talked about how we could pray together, work together and march together. Nobody could fight inequality alone. There is a need for unity and it is not without hard work and sacrifices. This political meteor himself is the change that America can believe in. One day, I trust, America can look back and be proud that they had a black president serving them. And if this can happen in America, it can also happen anywhere in the world, most certainly in Malaysia. Vote for change.

Chap Goh Meh

2008-02-21T17:02:00.006+08:00

Copyright ©2008 Truasian (hiddenstream.blogspot.com)
All stock images from sxc.hu

It's time to open a bottle of champagne to celebrate the last day of the Lunar New Year. In Penang especially, the people are fully aware that after this celebration, they have the Battle of the Century as they ready themselves to vote for the next general election. As politicians are busy campaigning, we should constantly remind ourselves that true power really lies with the rakyat.

Politicians are good in the sense that they are able to negotiate and form alliances. However, when it comes to matters such as corruption and injustice, there should be no compromise. I hope all politicians will be truthful and fight for justice and equal rights. All elected politicians must prove themselves to be objective in their approach. It is like a game of chess where the best defence is to be aggresive in finding new ideas to reach their objectives. Many politicians have gone into that win-win situation (read: compromising) which appeal mainly to business people. In chess (here I go again!) as in real life, it is a zero-sum game where one has to be mobile and dynamic in finding new resources instead of remaining stagnant and rely on one's 'secure' position, title or even worse, wealth. Also, as in chess, one has to abide by the rules of the game, which sadly is not what is seen to be happening here. Anyway, life is not always about campaigns.

For those who have a good time during this 15-day period, its going to be the Battle of the Bulge as a form of damage control for the weight gained. May I recommend going to an established gym such as Jacky Chan's California Fitness which is actually a happening place with lots of group exercise activities. However, if you can find one that is nearby and suited to your needs, than I think it is preferable to the hassle of traveling especially to jam-packed areas. Better yet, if you have the selfdiscipline, do your own exercise program, whether indoor or outdoor. Dancing is also a healthy cardio-pumping form of exercise. Fyi, even some of the lucky convicts are privileged enough to dance/exercise during their assemblies.