Have An Artsy-Craftsy Time At SM ArtFest 2018

arts & crafts as a whole is a skill i’ve never quite gotten the hang of, though not for lack of trying. i’ve always wished i had more natural talent in such things, and thanks to SM stationery, i got to experience a bunch of artsy fartsy activities all in one afternoon!

if any of you guys are keen to explore your artistic side as well, be sure to read ’til the end to find out how. (spoiler alert: it’s super easy 😉 )

a bunch of colorful booths and work stations have been set up in SM makati, where shoppers can explore and purchase from amazing art brands: Faber Castell, Elmer’s, Sakura, Pilot Pens, Tokyo Finds, Ifex Fine Paper, and Dong-A.

besides all the fun activities, there are also lots of little bits n bobs for sale in the area. i wanted to take everything home, they were so cute!

the highlight of course was the many different workshops we took part in throughout the day. there were two calligraphy classes (brush pen and script) taught by the talented carl chua and paolo tugano, respectively.

i was so excited to learn calligraphy, but it was A LOT more challenging than i anticipated. it’s definitely a skill that requires consistent practice, so i’m not giving up just yet. i took home a few necessary tools to help me improve and i am determined to get it down — wish me luck!

(photo below is of someone else’s work; i wish i were this good haha)

an interesting class that took me by surprise was called oriental pattern collage by ian de jesus. it’s basically doodling taken to the next level, by mix-and-matching patterns and shapes, colors and sizes. this is one that i can easily see myself doing in my downtime and i’m excited to see what colorful things i can come up with.

slime making was insanely fun. the instructor, teacher jill, was super sweet and her directions were easy to follow. even though i made a mess of things (i accidentally dropped in 10x the amount of food coloring required and nearly had a heart attack), the end result was still pretty perfect.

say hello to my little slime baby! i was initially going for a dainty pastel green, but the #mermaidvibes in this one is actually gorgeous so i’m very happy with it.

another delightful class offered there is nightscapes watercolor painting by avin del rosario. we were taught how to build complex colors with multiple layers, create stunning gradients (water is key!) and design masterful scenic pictures — all in a matter of minutes. everyone in attendance felt like a budding picasso by the end of it.

see anything that tickles your fancy? you, too, can learn a fun new skill from some of the country’s finest artists! from today until sunday, april 15, 2018, all you have to do is make a minimum single-receipt purchase worth P300 from any of SM stationery’s participating brands located at the ground floor concourse, SM makati.

purchases from any of their booths qualify 1 shopper to attend one workshop of their choice. for the complete mechanics and schedule of workshops over the coming weekend, checkout the flyers below (click to enlarge):

which of these art classes would you want to experience for yourself? they’re all really fun and an awesome way to spend your day!