Pixel and Flavor: Illustrating the Essence of Chinese Cuisine

 

During the height of the pandemic, amidst erratic government policies and rising food prices, I was commissioned to revamp the brand design of a family restaurant recently inherited by the younger generation.

 

Working on the logo went smoothly, but not so much for the menu. I had initially planned to do some food photography, but the cost of ingredients was prohibitive for all 20+ dishes. Eventually, we opted for food illustration instead.

 

 

 

Illustrating food, especially in Chinese cuisine, requires several layers, much like the approach to its ingredients and cooking. It took a while to finish each dish, but I enjoyed the process.

 

As the wise Cleaner from Toy Story 2 says: "You can't rush art!"

South Mandarin Restaurant is located at BF Homes, Parañaque City, Philippines.

© Kenny Tai. All Rights Reserved • R.A. 8293

Carlos Celdran

Happy Birthday, Carlos. For me, you’ll always be that squishy cartoon running around Manila, at yung nagkakalat ng bulaklak sa Intramuros. 🎩❤️

Manila Girls : Manila Madness

Sharing a pretty picture of Manila seems pretentious where everything in the city is the contrary. Let these ladies show you a different angle where each borough is unpleasing at first glance but then grows beautifully in you. These are the love child of Manila’s madness and the Filipino obsession of personalities and beauty pageants. These are the Manila Girls.

© Kenny Tai 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Pekpek Shorts

A Wistful Afternoon

Manila Biennale : Open City 2018 (Trailer)

“It’s about bringing back the soul of the city of Intramuros.”

The first Manila Biennale was set inside the walled city of Intramuros from February 3 until March 5, 2018. For an entire month, its many gardens, plazas, chambers, and museums will be transformed into platforms for art, performance and expression. Manila Biennale: Open City 2018 is a collaboration between major art institutions in Manila.

It has collated the programming of Anthology Architecture and Design Festival, The Cultural Center of the Philippines, Fringe Festival Manila, Intramuros Administration, and Viva Manila. These collective efforts will all fall under a common biennale calendar.

The theme for the Manila Biennale 2018 is “Open City”. This term refers to Intramuros as the genesis of Manila’s culture; a homage to the city’s beginnings as a port for the Galleon Trade, a time when the capital opened itself up to the world and welcomed new ideas, products, and people. “Open City” also refers to December 26, 1941, a vulnerable moment in World War 2 when Manila was cleared of all military presence; a moment of tense freedom between two colonized periods of our history.

Draft Music:
"Sonata for 2 cellos, No. 10 in G Allegro Prestissimo" by Yo-Yo Ma & Bobby McFerrin.

Executive Director: Carlos Celdran
Chief Curator: Ringo Bunoan
Graphics & Animator: Kenny Tai

Okja

OKJA

Asuka Strikes!

The One-Eyed Second Child

End of Evangelion

From the Google Gooeys

So honored to be featured in Googly Gooeys, I am tickled in pink after reading the article. Thank you so much for the coffee time Tippy, you have describe my observations and inspirations very well!

Click here for the full article.

Komm, süßer Tod

Come Sweet Death

Third Impact / Instrumentality Project

End of Evangelion

Laundry Day

Market Mondays

Labor Day

Saving the Planet

One of the ways to save the planet is to stop producing new people.
Happy Earth Day. 🌎

Oxfam : Women's Month | Indigenous Women

A short film I've worked with Oxfam Asia / Philippines about Asian indigenous women and their economic rights.

What fascinates me is that these tribes remain pure, humble and intact despite the strong colonization of the West for centuries and thus the commercial abuse and exploitation of the modern world.

I have enjoyed studying and designing each minorities and knowing only a morceau of their lifestyle and history.  So much to learn, so little time!

Credits:

Project Manager : Ella Quiogue

Speaker : Elina Horo
Direction & Animation : Kenny Tai
Music: "Where Silence is Nonexistent" by A Himitsu

© Oxfam 2017

Oxfam : Women's Month | Domestic Workers

For the Women's Month, here's one of the three animated shorts that I've collaborated with Oxfam Asia - Philippines.

This film is about the current status and struggles of domestic workers around Asia, this project hopes to give them a voice and reach out to give awareness and respect to one of the oldest job in history.

Credits: 

Project Manager : Ella Quiogue

Speaker : Veny Non

Direction & Animation : Kenny Tai 

Music:

"Danse Morialta" by Kevin McLeod

"A New Beginning" by Bensound

© Oxfam 2017

Valentine's Day from Sunshine Manibay

Meet Sunshine Manibay.

My secret / experimental project that I've longed to post since last April.
Please share the love and as I've said every year, Happy Valentines Day to all couples and Happy Independence Day to all singles. VIVA AMOR!

❤ ❤ ❤

Audio taken from a Youtube video.
Voice by DJ Kristine Dera (Colleen Parrilla)

© Kenny Tai 2017. All Rights Reserved

Yakult : The Tale of Tommy Chan (Visual Development)

In late 2012, I was working with a creative team, Watusi Manila for their client Yakult to promote good bacteria and proper digestive awareness for schools, children and families. The film was about an energetic boy who loves martial arts and has a massive appetite for street foods that got out of control. 

  

We’ve come up many exciting ideas such as comics, webisodes and other online approach to make the campaign viral. As expected, a lot of ideas were scrapped from the boards as the client would prefer mass-appropriate contents. The video above is the unpublished version of the film, the music was borrowed from Patrick Rondat “Vivaldi Tribute” treated as a dummy music for the arranger to compose before the animation was shelved. Here are the design studies that I have worked with the team.

Early Sketches & Studies

Final Output

 Only a portion of the animation was included in the final render of the video. 

Click here to view. 

 

Credits:

Tommy Tiyan: Ogie Escanilla
Kuya Kiko:  Earl Ignacio

Director: Dan Gil
Creative Director and Head Writer: Geri Gil
Writer: Marian Hernandez
Art Director: Brian Sergio
Animation and Visual Development: Kenny Tai
Music: Mikey Amistoso and Jazz Nicolas of Liquidpost

Designs © Kenny Tai.

All Rights Reserved.

Anak : The Confrontation - Studies & Breakdown

This short clip is a self-study project that I've come up applying the basic knowledge of Character Animation from what I have been taught in Gobelins Summer School of 2013.

This on and off project took me exactly a year to finish while juggling in between client and personal works. Nevertheless, it is quite a satisfaction that I was still able to finish this clip and I hope you enjoy.

Reference: The audio of this clip was taken from a Filipino film in year 2000, "Anak" (The Child) directed by Rory B. Quintos, starring Vilma Santos.

Animation Breakdown & Character Head Studies

© Kenny Tai 2014 / 2016.

All Rights Reserved.

Love Bunnies

Last snippet from the film.