Are you sick of visiting the same old places to fill up your daily schedules? Most people’s routines involve going to the same few areas to fit some form of regularity into their lives. Instead, wouldn’t it be nice to look at places you regularly frequent from a new perspective? This cartoonist day, we are pleased to highlight a revelation not just in the art of visual storytelling, but also in the art of dropping hints at the unique characteristics of our most beloved places in Singapore.
Wander through your neighbourhood estate and you will see the familiar stride of an early-morning jogger; a shopkeeper may even be busy organizing his merchandise on a sidewalk rack without you noticing. Likewise, visiting the shopping district during weekends may point out the many sights and landmarks common to you.
Through drawings and illustrations, Dixie Koty, the artist behind Singapore Area Gijinka, pushes our understanding of Singapore towards the beat of a different drum. Leveraging on an art form known as gijinka, Dixie Koty transforms the various districts in Singapore into unique humanoid characters with their own unique personalities.
These characters not only bring insightful details about the various places, they also prompt viewers to reflect on their own lives in relation to these places, which are often characterized by a sense of home and belonging. As such, we’re excited to be able to share Dixie Koty’s inspiration with you, as well as her creative ideas that sketches Singapore in a different light.
What inspired you to start this project? Did you struggle throughout the years, or did it come easy to you?
The inspiration for this came suddenly. Originally, I liked to gijinka (personify) something, and at that time, I was [wondering] if there was anything interesting and unexpected to gijinka. And as it turns out, the answer was actually right in front of me.
Another trigger was a comment I saw online that said “Singapore doesn’t have much characteristic except for the sightseeing locations”. However, the more I look around, I realised that the different Singapore areas are actually quite unique, and that gave me a lot of ideas for the Gijinkas.
Once I decided to try gijinka for my first character, which was City Hall, the ideas for the designs and personalities for other areas flooded out. I think it took around one month to draw out the first 10 characters with colors and profiles. Before I realised, I managed to produce quite a fair bit of drawings, so I decided to open a facebook page to share a different perspective and point of view when [my fans] are walking around town.
What is the process for creating a particular gijinka of Singapore’s districts?
Firstly, I make a note of whatever I find interesting. After that, I do research, either online, or ask around among my friends. If I have time, sometimes I will go to the place itself and take some notes, photos or sketches. I always use a keyword for each character, such as “Celebrity girl” for Orchard, and “Concert/Music” for Esplanade. Sometimes, they are based on legends or the theme of the area, such as Red Hill and Haw par Villa.
As for the process of some characters, like the 5 Polytechnics, I exaggerate their characteristics quite a lot, otherwise there will not be much difference between all 5 of them. Such as Temasek Polytechnic, I understand that not all the students there are learning fashion design, but since the school is famous for that, I decided to push that as his characteristic.
Were you self-taught, formally educated, or a mixture of both?
I am currently studying at Digipen, and came from an art course in a Polytechnic. Thus, my basic skills are mostly learnt from those schools. However, before I entered polytechnic, I was self-taught, mainly by tracing the art styles of my favourite artists. As for now, I’m learning from the school, but at the same time, also trying to improve my own style of drawing.
Are there any artists / creators you turn to for inspiration?
There are a lot of illustrators I like and got inspired by. My illustration style is influenced by chibi (Japanese 2-4 head tall style), but I’m trying to make some variations of it.
What is your favourite art piece in this project?
I do love all of my characters, but if I pick some in particular, I like Chinese/Japanese Garden, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Bishan, and Haw Par Villa. For all of them, I have a lot of ideas and sketches that I haven’t released.
What do you hope to gain / achieve from this project?
If people see my work, and if they take interest in an area that they haven’t gone before, or have a different perspective while traveling around, I’ll be happy. Though if someone asks for merchandise, want to produce fan art, or want to cosplay my characters, I’ll be even happier.
And finally, if a young beginner came up to you asking for advice on how to get started in your specific craft, what would you tell them? What advice could you give?
If you come up with an idea, just make a note of it first. I believe that if you keep drawing whatever you like, you will automatically become better. When I’m designing the characters, I always try to imagine how they talk, how they react to certain things, and what kind of story I can create with them. Once the character starts to talk to you, he or she is completely your own.
Recognising the stories particular to each area, and having a chance to portray them in drawings is what she has accomplished. Not only does she transform the areas into humanoid forms, she also makes comic strips to play out its details.
Very often, the places we surround ourselves with are at once familiar, but never seen in rose-tinted glasses; the virtuosic display of different personalities in Dixie Koty’s drawings speak to many Singaporeans’ hearts and weave a fascinating presentation of Singapore’s landmarks and district.
To find out more about her work, or simply to show appreciation for all she has done, visit the Singapore Area Gijinka Facebook page here~
Although we are usually too engrossed in the tough times and everything that’s wrong with our day, cheer up, laugh at those worries, and stay tuned for yet another installment of a quirky holiday soon to come in next week’s issue of “Quirky Holidays”.
