Tuls
Written by Melissa Sunjaya
Illustrated by Melissa Sunjaya
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I fell in love with art when I learnt the pointillism technique at eleven. The method involved placing dots on a realistic drawing measuring 40 x 60 cm for three months. The process is very meditative and clears the mind, as I forget everything I know about the identity of the object I am drawing and only concentrate on the light and dark sides. I learnt to inhale and exhale in the midst of not knowing. Since then, I have continued to explore this pointillism technique with markers and other tools such as cotton swab tips, short-cut brushes, or my index finger dipped in ink.

The dotting process has become a mental strength therapy, where I see myself as a ‘dotter’ who manifests the light and dark in my life. The control is in the hand and mind. Drawing allows me to discover the bold side of myself like a cheetah rather than defining myself based on external factors. —MS

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This illustration is available in Giclée – a digital reproduction on matte canvas with museum-quality of archival standards, stretched over a wooden frame.