BKK Unzine Issue 10

Theme: Loving Bangkok

Published: 1st June 2021

BKK Unzine Issue 10 Cover

Welcome to BKK UNZINE art magazine, home to unseen independent artists from around the world.

If you look below, we will be your guide to the theme of this issue Bangkok . You can stop and admire at how our artists look at this city which brought us together. Art represents reality better than anything. That’s exactly what our artists have done.

We also have a new feature (the table of content) and a new section (Artist spotlight) Enjoy the ride!


If you are an artist and you want to get featured, the next theme for the July issue #11 will be “Portraits”, you can submit your artwork at this link: 

Artists in this issue

Songwit

Songwit

Ban Rak Sun

Ban Rak Sun

Elizabeth

SketchbookBrownie

Piya

Marc Kuegle

Piya

Venky

Mai

Olya Shu

Lizette

Menmopost

Piya

Chartlajam

Boris

Boris

Elizabeth

Elizabeth

Piya

Giuliano

Boris

Andi

Elizabeth

Myria

Piya

Jocelyn

Boris

Shen

Boris

Oley

Mothial Comic Page 1

Mothial Elizabeth

Digital: Krita
This is a page of my web comic “Mothial”, an Action-Drama. The cityscape was inspired by Bangkok buildings. Throughout the whole comic you can see a similar cityscape. You can check out the comic on WEBTOONS by clicking the link below

Elizabeth

My Friends

My Friends Ban Rak Sun

Watercolor paint and pen
What is your first thought about Bangkok? Hot and humid weather, som tum, pat thai, motorbike taxi, traffic jam, temples and palaces… When I first arrived in Bangkok, all these things came to my mind.
Now I am back in Korea after three years, the first thing in my mind about Bangkok is “My friends”. Even though we came from different countries, having different jobs, and different ages, we have one thing in common, enjoying exploration of hidden places in Bangkok together. Living in Thailand has been so much fun and full of beautiful memories thanks to these friends.

Ban Rak Sun

Do you want to suggest the theme for future issues? 

Civilization

Civilization Songwit
Drawn on paper and colored digitally in Photoshop

This set of illustration was for the TV show called “Kondeunmeuang” which means people walk in the city. This episode was about how the government manages trees in Bangkok city. This is a problem because it’s not done in a sustainable way, not only in Bangkok but in public spaces in general.
The city that does not take care of the environment nor the people’s quality of life could not be called a developed city.

Songwit

A Day at the Floating Market

Giuliano Evolution
Charcoal on fine art paper size 60×75 cm

This painting was inspired by the Floating market that I visited on my first visit to Bangkok. I particularly love the history of the floating markets because it goes far back before urban Bangkok was developed when the city was still a jungle. Back then, the only way to connect and trade goods were on the waterways. Nowadays the floating market is more a tourist attraction but it still carries the typical Thai flair of ancient trading. I captured the busy vendors on their boats, fully loaded with typical Thai fruits and vegetables as I find it very charming and exotic.

Giuliano Cavallo

TUK TUK

Marc Mickey "One Punch" O'Neil

Digital: Photoshop

This was taken wandering around Soi 11. ‘Tuk Tuk’ is a graphic art collage created in Photoshop. It was featured in my 2020 solo show at Goja Gallery titled “Rovers”.

Marc

Good Morning Bangkok

Myria Good Morning Bangkok

Colored Sumi Ink, Mineral Pigments
Bangkok is the place where my mom had spent her youth. So, although I have never been there, I grew up feeling Bangkok in my house, from photos, artworks, handcrafts, foods, TV drama, etc. In this painting, my imaginary character “Maro Dori” (noble bird from 1000 years ago) in Thai style enjoys the beautiful sunrise on banks of Chao Phraya River. I dream of going there someday. My favorite Thai food are Green Curry and Phat Thai.

Myria JP

Talad Plu

SketchbookBrownie Talad Plu

Talad Plu is the famous spot for Bkk foodies who crave delicious street food. I usually go there at noon to eat yummy braise beef soup at Gao Lao Neua Peui, and have dessert afterwards. My favorite shop is Gim Heng – the one on the right of the painting where Grab bikers are waiting to order. I strongly recommend trying Thai-style poached banana with coconut cream. I think it’s the best in the city!

SketchbookBrownie

Nong Ma Hachiko at Makkasan Station

Jocelyn Nong Ma

Pen and ink, watercolour on natural colour paper

I have a soft spot for retro things and the trains and train stations in Bangkok are iconic and very retro. What is really interesting too, is to see the living that goes on in the vicinity of the train stations. Food stalls, dilapidated homes, kids and the soi dogs. In this painting, it looks like Hachiko is waiting for her owner who may be arriving on the train.

Jocelyn

YAKS

Oley YAKS

Watercolor on paper

“YAKS (Giant) Wat Phra Kaew”: This place is landmark of Bangkok and one of the most important places in Thailand. I love Wat Phra Kaew because this place full of Thai history and Thai art.

Oley

Bkk Season

Olya Bkk Season

Watercolor on A3 paper

This May it’s been 3 years since I moved to Bangkok for 6 months (at least one thing is clear about my life – it rarely goes according to plan). Over these years Bangkok has treated me with hundreds of spectacular sunsets, and just as many breathtaking thunderstorms. Celebrating my Bkkversary with this painting.
Keep on dazzling us, City of Angels!
P.S: The painting is based on a true photo (truly amazing one) by Bernardo Miranda Pedrero.

Olya Shu

Bangkok in the Sky

Andi Bangkok in the sky
Digital: Photoshop and Lightroom

This is a matte painting based on a photography of Bangkok I shot from the plane before landing. I applied filters, removed the Chao Praya river and painted clouds and ground below with the graphic tablet to make it into a city in the sky. The original photograph I took has been used in a website about city construction planning regarding MRT.

Andi

The Beginning and the End at Rama VIII

Giuliano Evolution

Category : Aerial Photography – Camera : DJI Mavic Air – Method : 9 Photo – Equirectangular Panorama

This beautiful structure of Phra Rama VIII bridge or dearly known to me as Palaam-pet (with indian accent) is the first thing that impressed me as I started my four year long relationship with Bangkok and was also the last thing to see when I left the beloved city and so much in between . So it remains an icon in my memories of this place.

Venky

Memories of us

Shen Memories of us
Digital: 1920×1080 Procreate on iPad Pro

I have been going through major art block recently, and I was really struggling to make something that I was happy with. I wasn’t sure what I was going to draw or whether or not I should submit something I wasn’t proud of. I have tons of amazing memories of Thailand, and to be honest they were one of the best memories of my life. I wanted this piece to be really special and I took days to plan out what I wanted. I met a lot of amazing people, went to beautiful places, had some of the most delicious food in Thailand. Although the issue is about Bangkok, I spent most of my time outside the main city. I want to emphasize on one of the most precious memories of Thailand was to hangout with these three people who are near and dear to my heart. Memories of us going out, shopping and eating, especially to night markets. Although we are all in different parts of the world right now, I will cherish all our memories of us spending time together. I am actually happy how this piece turned out.

Shen

Bangkok Jam

Menmopost Bangkok Jam

Digital: Procreate

The Bangkok buzz has recently been on the quieter side for obvious reasons but here’s an illustration that aims to depict the uncontrollable traffic we were all use to.

Menmopost

Meet Our New Artists

Let’s hear from the new artists featured in this issue…

Songwit

As an artist, my work consists of drawing with pens, pencils and coloring with colored pencils or digital coloring. I love focusing on the small details and portraying images with interesting angles. I wish my audience feels fun and enjoyment when they look at my art, not only from the message of the work but also from the creative process.

SketchbookBrownie

Urban sketcher Thailand.

Olya Shu

Hi there! I’m Olya. I am not a professional artist but recently I’ve been drawing quite a lot to keep myself sane during the lockdown times. You may find it hard to find a particular technique or style in my paintings, but you’ll see a lot of me … looking for one. Enjoy and bear with me, please 🙂

Menmopost

I’m Yui but my art alias is Menmopost. I’m a Bangkok based food illustrator most of the time. I draw other things occasionally. I love cooking and eating, basically anything to do with food! I’m also super passionate about creating visual content for small food businesses.

Can’t Bang Since 2020

Jam Austin Girl

Mixed media: pen drawing colored in Photoshop

Bangkok night life is known worldwide. I made this piece after I thought about the Beautiful girls in Patphong Soi, Nana Soi Cowboy and elsewhere who lost their jobs due to the COVID pandemic and had to go back to their hometowns mostly in the northeastern and northern part of Thailand.

My inspiration is from 2012 on my way to university I walked through Soi Cowboy and saw two strippers having their local breakfast (Somtam) in front of the bar with their uniform on, gold bikini with high boots. In this picture you’ll see the same kind of the outfit but I made her skin look unhealthy and pale to represent that they are not in their element or in a good situation. The swag bag on the right side is cheap and strong enough for them to carry a lot of stuff back home.

Chartlajam

Artist Spotlight

Artist spotlight is our new section where we interview artists to get insight on their craft.

For our first interview we asked Mr. Songwit 5 questions. (Translated from Thai by Chatlada)

How were you as a kid in school?
I was a kid who drew all the time, my schoolmates knew me as such. At the beginning I drew what I saw in comic books and developed my own characters and stories. My friends loved to read my comics and that inspired me to put them in my stories too. Thinking about it again, it wasn’t only the drawing skill but the skill of storytelling.

What do you do when you are not motivated to create?
Good question, during my first three years that I started drawing I’d say this wouldn’t be my problem and even wasn’t able to understand why people have this motivation problem as they are following their dream but after some years i learnt that dream is also “work”. There’re so many types of problems when it comes to work and one of them is the “lack of motivation” and I thought the fire of my creativity was going down. After staying like that for years I started to do some activities that I don’t have to think about much such as riding a bicycle around my village and talking with artist friends. Then I found out that everyone has the same problem. Now I understand that it’s normal, just don’t focus on it too much, it will pass.

Do you think artists have a responsibility towards society?
It’s very important how our work affects people. There are ways to show our responsibility as artists to the society, reflect on the problems, use humor to relax stress or cheer people up. Either way our work is important.

What is your take on algorithms dictating the content?
Indeed one of the big problems of artists! The way people judge the artwork by the number of views or likes makes everything look the same. I personally create the work the way I like even if it doesn’t match the trend which is a problem but I’ll just keep doing it this way haha.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Sometimes it’s money and sometimes it’s the happiness and joy of the readers, the journey that I created for the readers sharing my imagination. It’s a great feeling. It boots up my passion for the hard work I’m doing.

Our Upcoming Events

Meetup

We would like to let you guys know about our weekly drawing hangouts where we get together ONLINE and draw together every Sunday afternoon (Thailand time GMT+7).

Meetup Facebook

If you are not on Meetup, you can join us on our Facebook page under the Events section.

Artists in this issue

Songwit

Songwit

Ban Rak Sun

Ban Rak Sun

Elizabeth

SketchbookBrownie

Piya

Marc Kuegle

Piya

Venky

Mai

Olya Shu

Lizette

Menmopost

Piya

Chartlajam

Boris

Boris

Elizabeth

Elizabeth

Piya

Giuliano

Boris

Andi

Elizabeth

Myria

Piya

Jocelyn

Boris

Shen

Boris

Oley