Singapore Comic Con 2025 (SGCC) - Interview with Comic Book Artist Riccardo Federici (Guest Hosted By Fat Snake Comics)

You might not know this, but besides getting an art, Italian artist Riccardo Federici was a student at the Architecture faculty in “The Sapienza” University of Roma. At the same time while he was there, he also studied about physiology. The blend of these knowledge bases are evident in Riccardo's drawings of characters, featuring extremely detailed and realistic anatomy.

Since 2005, Riccardo has worked on comics with major publishers including DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Dark Horse, Blizzard Entertainment and others. One of the acclaimed comic book series Riccardo is known for is "Saria", a gothic fantasy tale in collaboration with writer Jean Dufaux and artist Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri. 

Riccardo also creates original artworks for private collectors and conducts workshops on concept design, painting and illustration in Europe. He is the first comic book artist to have his works exhibited at the Roma Biennale, alongside leading contemporary painters and photographers.

This will be the first time Riccardo Federici is featured as a guest at Singapore Comic Con, so Red Dot Diva was eager to have a little chat with him before he arrives for the event.

Red Dot Diva: While learning more about you on the internet, I found out that you started out in Architecture, and then grew an interest in painting, oils, sculpting, was this a normal progression of your art to illustrations and comics?
Riccardo: I've always had a passion for figurative art in general. Since I was a child, I've always drawn, painted, and designed everything. The important thing for me has always been to do something that felt natural. Therefore, I can say that there has been no transition or change. Architecture may have enriched me in terms of functionality and rationality, but it isn't something that, at least in my case, goes in a different direction than other figurative arts.

Red Dot Diva: You are also the first comic book artist to be showcased at the Roma Biennele. Tell us about what you displayed and what did you work on /collaborate for the event?
Riccardo: I participated in the Rome Biennale with an illustration I created as the cover of a French comic I worked on several years ago: Saria. To participate in the exhibition, I had to pass two selection phases, and when I was chosen among the participants, it was a tremendous honor for me. Comics and illustration, unfortunately, are often considered something that doesn't fall within the realm of art, and it was truly exciting to receive such a prestigious recognition.

Red Dot Diva: Which comic book project did you enjoy drawing the most, and why?
Riccardo: This is a difficult question, as I don't usually get attached to the work I do. However, thinking about it, I can say with certainty that "The Last God" series by Phillip Kennedy Johnson is perhaps the work that has excited me the most. It's a fantasy story reminiscent of a Dungeons & Dragons adventure, set in a rather ruthless, corrupt, and intricate fictional world. For this series, I created 12 issues, a cover, and designed every element depicted: from the characters to the settings, the objects, and so on. I love inventing and designing. Furthermore, Phillip is a fantastic person and writer, intelligent and very collaborative, allowing artists to interpret and express themselves freely.

Red Dot Diva: In your opinion, what is the best thing about being a well known comic book artist?
Riccardo: Many things, and among these, you have the opportunity to create important projects in different sectors such as film, TV series, video games.

Red Dot Diva: What will you be looking forward to most when you are here as a guest of Singapore Comic Con? On a food trail or local coffee hunt, perhaps?
Riccardo: Actually, I don't know: I'm very curious to get to know Singapore and the people who live there. I'd love to explore Singapore's less touristy aspects, those considered more traditional. I'm certainly very curious about the food, and it would be fantastic to draw and paint with local artists over a relaxing dinner.

Red Dot Diva: Please also share with the fans what they can purchase at your booth.
Riccardo: At my stand it will be possible to obtain signatures, commissioned works, purchase prints of some illustrations and also my original works of art relating to comics and illustration. I hope that my fans will be happy to stop by my stand, I will certainly be happy to meet them and thank them for their support of my art.

Can't help admiring Riccardo's sick skills as evident in this video:

Riccardo Federici is hosted by Fat Snake Comic's booth (L1-AA01- 12) at SGCC 2025! Do give him a warm Red Dot Island welcome by drop by the booth. You can buy his prints and art, and get your comics signed!


SINGAPORE COMIC CON (SGCC) 2025
Where: Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre
Date: 6 & 7 December 2025 (Sat and Sun) with special Preview Night on 5 December 2025 (Fri)
Time: 10 AM to 8 PM on 6 & 7 December 2025
Admission: Refer to details at SISTIC - https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/sgcomic1224


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Local Vedic Metal Band Rudra Riffs It With An Orchestra For Upcoming Cosmic Dissolution Concert - An Interview With Guitarist Vinod Vaskaran

This Saturday (29 November) at the Esplanade, roaring intense extreme metal music will collide with the precise harmonies of a classical orchestra for a unique concert entitled Cosmic Dissolution. Enduring local vedic metal band Rudra, which has a three decade plus run to date, is set to reverberate the theatre hall with their pioneering brand of aggressive, headbanging heavy metal music consisting of traditional Sanskrit chants. After all, the band is named after the ancient Vedic deity of destruction.

The four-man band has toured in various countries like the USA, India, Thailand and Indonesia, and was also the headlining act for Baybeats 2010 back on homeground. This time, the veteran metal stompers will be accompanied by Resound Collective, a 56-strong symphony orchestra led by the multifaceted bandleader Chok Kerong.

With such a bold and intriguing musical amalgamation in the works, Red Dot Diva had to find out more about what makes Rudra rumble. She managed to catch hold of their guitarist Vinod Vaskaran, and drummed up some very nosy questions for an interview:

Red Dot Diva: I am curious about your musical journey. How young were you when you fell in love with metal music? Do you recall your first band?
Vinod: I was exposed to metal music very early at home. My mum was into the pioneer heavy metal bands like, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple. While I was introduced to newer thrash metal bands like Metallica, Pantera, Iron Maiden, and Testament by my brother. By around age 12, I started to really appreciate the intensity and depth of the music and at 14, I finally bought my first guitar. From that point on, I was completely immersed. During weekends and school holidays, I would spend nearly 10 hours a day practising and learning my favourite songs. I knew even then that music was going to be a lifelong pursuit. By age 16, I joined my first band, Chaos Aftermath, a melodic metal band and within that year I joined a 2nd band, ‘Narasimha’. That was a Blackened thrash metal band. I recorded my first ever album with them. Did a number of shows and that experience cemented my path as a musician.

Red Dot Diva: Why did you choose to play the guitar? What is it about the instrument that moves you?
Vinod: I chose the guitar because it felt like the perfect instrument to express everything I was feeling energy, emotion, aggression, and melody. There’s something incredibly personal about it; every note, bend, and vibrato carries your character and intention. And whenever I listened to music growing up, I always found myself waiting for the lead guitar solos, that moment where the guitarist poured their soul into a few powerful lines. That feeling drew me in and made me want to create that same impact through the instrument.

Red Dot Diva: How did you all meet to form Rudra?
Vinod: We all crossed paths through Singapore’s metal scene, which was quite small community. So, passionate musicians naturally gravitated toward one another. An interesting twist in my journey is that my brother actually introduced me to Rudra when I first started getting into metal. He bought the band’s debut album and told me, “There’s a Singapore metal band you need to check out.” I became a fan long before I ever imagined playing with them. Fast forward to 2009, when I was asked to join the band. It genuinely felt like a dream come true.

Red Dot Diva: For those who are not familiar with Rudra's type of music, how would you describe it to them?
Vinod: We call our style Vedic Metal. It’s a blend of Indian classical influences, spiritual and philosophical themes, and the aggression of extreme metal. Think of it as ancient texts and mantras delivered through heavy riffs, driving rhythms, and intense stage energy. I personally find it both meditative and powerful.

Red Dot Diva: How do you prepare for each time you go on stage?
Vinod: Before any show, we spend time in the studio tightening the set and ironing out transitions. On my own, I warm up, run through key parts and mentally centre myself. Once I’m on stage, it’s all about being fully present and delivering and having fun. The crowd’s energy always elevates the experience and makes each show truly exciting.

Red Dot Diva: How did the idea of playing with a Western classical orchestra come up for your upcoming concert?
Vinod: Over the years, we’ve collaborated with dancers, classical musicians, and even Chinese puppeteers, and as musicians and artists, we’re always discussing new ideas to push the band forward in creative ways. During one of those conversations, we met someone from Esplanade who shared an idea that instantly grabbed us: Rudra, a Vedic metal band, performing alongside a Western classical orchestra. We were blown away by the concept and immediately wanted to make it happen.

Soon after, we met Chok Kerong, the orchestral arranger for this concert. I still remember him saying, “A show of this scale would normally take about a year and a half to compose and arrange.” Yet he managed to pull it off in under four months. His dedication and talent made this collaboration possible.

Red Dot Diva: What other bucket list items does Rudra have as a band?
Vinod: We’ve always dreamed of bringing Vedic Metal into more artistic spaces, and our collaborations with the Chinese puppeteers and the Western orchestra have opened our eyes to even more possibilities. We’d love to see our music featured in films and theatre productions, reaching audiences beyond the typical metal scene. Beyond that, we want to keep creating music that pushes cultural and musical boundaries, collaborate with traditional art forms, and share our sound with listeners around the world. Anything that breaks new ground is on our bucket list.

Red Dot Diva: In one sentence, tell us what the audience can expect in Rudra's upcoming Cosmic Dissolution concert on 29 November.
Vinod: Expect a transcendent, immersive experience where Vedic Metal collides with the power of a full orchestra to create something truly otherworldly.

Feel the powerful distortion of Rudra's music in one of their recent videos here:

COSMIC DISSOLUTION CONCERT
Where: Esplanade Concert Hall
Date: 29 November 2025 (Sat)
Time: 7:30 PM
Tickets: Starting from $45.65. You can use your SG Culture Pass!
Get your tickets at this link: https://www.esplanade.com/whats-on/festivals-and-series/festivals/2025/kalaa-utsavam/events/cosmic-dissolution

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Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2023 Artist Highlight - Comic Book Artist Stephen Segovia Is Eager To Be Back In Singapore

As part of Scott Collectable's stable of artists, Stephen Segovia has been invited as a special guest at this year's Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC). Red Dot Diva first met Stephen Segovia more than 10 years ago when he was here in for an opening of a comics and toy shop located at Funan the IT Mall. Click here to see how young and innocent we looked back then!

Ever since he was a breakout artist in the comic book world as a teenager, Stephen has continued to produce fabulous artwork - the kind of mindblowing work that is in recent titles like Marvel's on-going Moon Knight series, and the Spawn spin-off called The Scorched.

Being able to reconnect with Stephen again this weekend will be a happy and long awaited occasion, for sure. Here's the joyful electronic reunion before both Red Dot Diva and Stephen gets to meet in person again!

Red Dot Diva: Welcome back to SGCC! It has been awhile since you are back as a guest of the show. How does it feel to be back as an established artist with a portfolio of work with major publishers?
Stephen: I can't believe it's been a whole decade since I was last in Singapore! I'm so happy to be back and excited to be a part of the SGCC once again. I have a bunch of published work to share with you all, so let's catch up and have some fun!

Red Dot Diva: Lately, creators around our South-East Asian region are seeing a resurgence in terms of demand. For example, Sonny Liew winning the Eisners, Netflix adapting Filipino horror graphic novel series Trese. Do you think there should be more South-East Asian stories out there in graphic novels?
Stephen: I really think that there's a whole lot of amazing content out there from Southeast Asia that hasn't been shared with the world yet. It's mostly because these stories and artworks are self-published and only circulated on a small scale. Wouldn't it be awesome to see these creations being celebrated on a global platform like Netflix? I think it would be really cool! :)

Red Dot Diva: How do you think South-East Asian artists and creators can help to get more of our stories published?
Stephen: I really believe in the importance of appreciating and celebrating the fantastic creations that different creators bring to the table. By sharing them on various media platforms, we can inspire people all over the world and help them learn about different cultures. It's an awesome way to promote understanding and bring people closer together!

Red Dot Diva: You did a number of awesome covers for Marvel's Moon Knight series. Did you watch the Disney+ adaptation, and what did you think of it?
Stephen: Moon Knight has been a favourite of mine since my childhood, and I was delighted when Marvel commissioned me to produce several covers for them. Although the live-action adaptation differs from the comic book version, it remains an engaging and entertaining viewing experience. Despite its deviations from the original, the show retains the essence of the character and provides a fresh take on the source material.

Red Dot Diva: You have drawn professionally since the tender age of 16. How different do you think your art style is now versus back then?
Stephen: I have noticed that my style has been evolving towards storytelling rather than line details. Although I still enjoy creating detailed work on covers and commission art, I have been able to find a good balance between the two, incorporating storytelling with line work details on sequential art.

Red Dot Diva: What most distracts you from getting your work done?
Stephen: PS5 games hahaha!

Red Dot Diva: What are you looking forward to most when you are back in Singapore?
Stephen: I just can't get enough of Singapore! It's always an absolute delight to explore this vibrant city, make new friends and spend time with amazing fans. I could spend an entire day chatting away and signing books, and it still wouldn't be enough! And let's not forget about the delicious food - it's simply divine!



You can find Stephen Segovia in Scott Collectable's section within the Guest Zone of the L1 Exhibition Hall. Do give him a super warm welcome!!


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Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2023 Artist Highlight - Digital Artist OSHred's Dark Fantasy Works Is A Sumptuous Blood Bath

Local comic book store Pink Ponk Comics returns to this year's Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) with a bang. They have invited notable comic book artists to grace their booth at L1-AA14 - 25. During the weekend of 9 and 10 December 2023, comic book fans will be able to meet overseas artists OSHRed, Emma Wu, Maria Sanapo, Marco Santucci and Ivan Tao as well as well as artists from our local community like Johnny Lau, creator of Mr Kiasu, Ye Zhen, James Leong, Collin Yap, Kang Jing (Chiral Comics) and Shahril Azizi - just to name a few.

While admiring the artwork of these special guests, Red Dot Diva is especially attracted to the dark fantasy, gothy style of Philippines-based digital artist and illustrator OSHred (S. Red Amparo). Red Dot Diva is quite the macabre soul, you see. OSHred has mentioned that she loves the colour blue, and that is so evident with her liberal use of indigo hues in her recent portfolio. It's absolutely ravishing.

Besides variant comic book covers for titles such as W0RLDTR33, Good Boy, Vampirella, and Red Sonja, OSHred has drawn book covers and album covers for independent creatives. To get to know her a little better, Red Dot Diva managed to catch OSHred for a quick interview:

Red Dot Diva: Hello OSHred! Your art is simply sumptuous. Did you start drawing when you were very young, like many other artists out there?
OSHred: I've loved drawing ever since I was a kid and spent a lot of time copying from manga, children's books, and drawing the Powerpuff Girls. I discovered digital art by drawing in MS Paint on my mom's laptop using a mouse. I've been doing digital art for about 14 years now and I take a great deal of enjoyment in composing my artworks and connecting with other artists online.

Red Dot Diva: I read in one of your sites that you graduated from 3dsense Media School in Singapore? What was the experience like?
OSHred: I graduated from 3dsense Media School in Singapore in 2017 from their 1-year diploma course in digital illustration and concept art. It's frequently described as an "intense" course and they truly do mean it. My days were jam-packed with studies, exercises, lectures, and illustration homework. My sketchbooks were filled with figure drawings, skeletons, and musculature studies. We studied fundamentals such as perspective, anatomy, light and colour, as well as more advanced subjects such as character, creature, and environment design. I was able to connect with likeminded people who were passionate about art and some of them are still my friends to this day. I learned a lot from the instructors and I had the opportunity to study under Artgerm, whose work I'd admired since I was a young teen. I'm certain that studying at 3dsense significantly altered the trajectory of my art journey.

Red Dot Diva: I am most interested to know what inspires your art style. Which artists’ work have influenced your style?
OSHred: Artgerm inevitably had a great deal of influence on my art. Some other artists whose works inform my current style are Phil Hale, James Jean, Dave McKean, and João Ruas. I also draw a lot of inspiration from horror & psychological thriller films; I enjoy the work of directors such as Park Chan-wook, Robert Eggers, Alejandro Jodorowsky, and the Cronenbergs. In my free time, I also enjoy consuming dark media in various forms (film, books, music, manga) all of which help inform my work.

Red Dot Diva: I see your love for the macabre, but mostly with a cutesy spin to it. Do you love visiting actual physical sites that are macabre, like gothic cemeteries and catacombs? Some of these historical sites have beautiful sculptures and art.
OSHred: I have been lucky enough to visit places in Europe and the Middle East (such as France, Germany, Egypt, Turkey, to name a few) where I spent some time observing very old churches and surrounded by very dead things. There is a lot of beautiful architecture out there which take on a frightening air because of time and dust. I think because of the religious nature of these trips, the effect is that some of my artwork has a subtly blasphemous flavour (although when actually visiting, I am always respectful of these sites). That said, the most macabre places I visit are frequently in my own head and in the heads of other people.

Red Dot Diva: Which kind of supernatural creature or monster do you love drawing? And why?
OSHred: My favourite monster to draw is the human being. :) But to answer more seriously, I love drawing vampires (which is basically human-shaped anyway). I read Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles when I was a kid, which I think had an effect on my preferences. A few years ago I was playing a decent amount of Vampire: The Masquerade, so I drew a lot of art of my vampire character, as well as the characters of others. Vampires are easy because if you add a splash of blood to any character, you can basically get away with saying they're a vampire.
Red Dot Diva: I get ya. Vampires are also my thing!

Red Dot Diva: How did you become the cover artist for W0rldtr33 and Source point’s Good Boy? Do you have any tips on how artists can get noticed by publishing companies?
OSHred: I hesitate to give advice on getting hired, because what worked for me might not work for others, and I don't know how applicable the advice will be in a few years considering how fast our industry tends to change. That said, as embarrassing as it may be, don't underestimate the power of networking. I was lucky enough to be noticed by a comic retailer through social media (Instagram specifically), who saw that I was connected with Artgerm and he apparently requested that Stan help establish communication between the two of us. Stan was kind enough to do so, which led to me getting hired for my first variant covers for comic retailers. I like to think it was not one element, but many, that led to me getting hired and continues to help me get hired: I put effort into creating decent quality work with a consistent, recognizable style, as well as maintaining a solid presence on social media and connecting with artists I admire. Maintaining good relationships with current clients also makes them more likely to recommend me to others, and few things are more effective than word of mouth.

Red Dot Diva: Is this the first time participating at Comic conventions in Singapore? Please let us know what can we look forward to, along with your appearance in this year's SGCC.
OSHRed: Yes, this is my first time participating in a comic con in Singapore. I've attended a couple for fun in the past, but it will be my first time tabling. I'll be offering signatures and remarques, dropping off some pre-convention commissions, as well as selling prints of both my original artworks and more popular fanarts. If you are friendly and vaccinated, I might provide hugs (free of charge).

Red Dot Diva: That sounds like a plan! See you soon at the convention!.


You can check out more of OSHred's artwork at her DeviantArt page!

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If you enjoy Red Dot Diva's content, feel free to help her efforts going by showing your support through ko-fi. Thank you!

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2023 Booth Highlight - This One Is For the D&D Dice Gobbos (Ammybunny / Sambal and Mages)

We are on the final lap toward the mega pop-culture festival of the year! Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) spans two floors - L1 and B1 - at Sands Expo & Convention Centre (MBS) - again this year. So, there is a lot to see and do for fans young and old on 9 and 10 December 2023.

This also includes die hard Dungeons and Dragons (Dnd) fans. If you are looking for awesome looking dice sets, you can acquire them at Artist Alley and at the Tabletop Arena in B1. Red Dot Diva's pal Edward, who is a DnD player, found a couple of exhibitors who will be bringing in some enticing dice sets. Here's a quick rundown on Ammybunny and homegrown collective, Sambal And Mages.

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Comic conventions are like a mecca for enthusiasts of all things geek, where people of diverse backgrounds and interests come together to celebrate their shared love. It's a place where you can let your inner superhero shine, embrace your inner wizard, or boldly go where no one has gone before. Me? I like my dice.

Though I have all but stopped tabletop gaming and D&D, my insatiable obsession with shiny dice finds me lurking around gaming stores or convention booths, my eyes gleaming with a covetous glint at the sight of glistening dice sets. After all, I still need some for my Magic the Gathering games.

Legend has it that dice goblins have elaborate hoards filled with an eclectic collection of dice, ranging from glittering gem-like D20s to metallic D6s.

Precious materials? YES.
Vibrant, iridescent colours? YES.
How do you find space for more unnecessary dice? YES.

So I went for a quick scout at the wares, and am pleased to report to fellow gobbos my finding.

AMMYBUNNY'S DICE PALS BOOTH [L1-AA19]

Not dice dice but still good. Hard to resist chibi Baldur’s Gate cast with oversized dice but clearly, Astraion should have been nibbling on a D6. Australian-based Ammybunny has dice pet charms and dice pet pillow charms, but will not be bringing them to SGCC. (Very Sad face emoticon).

BGDP will be available as charms ($10) and sticker sheets ($10). Other merch offerings include the very very very inappropriate Ayato Mousepads ($40) and tote bags (see pic below).

Short Q&A with Ammybunny

Ed: If you do not mind sharing, and I'm assuming here, what is your deal (obsession) with dice?
Ammy: I love the unpredictability of them in any RPG. They help make every session fun and memorable!

Ed: What is your ideal seggsy dice?
Ammy: Nicely crafted semi precious stone dice are my fave! I have a set of rose quartz dice that I use for all my DnD sessions.

Ed: Who's your daddy in BG3?
Ammy: I went into the game thinking I would simp for Astarion but fell for the Emperor instead XD


SAMBAL AND MAGES BOOTH [B2-C05]

In the heart of our own community, a group of artisanal dice makers has emerged, crafting gaming treasures, unlike any seen elsewhere. They have appropriately named themselves Sambal And Mages.

I’m in love with the three sets above but they are costly - the washi tape series will set you back $200. They have dice sets that range from $135 to $180, and generally, and we know how things work, the prettier they are, the more expensive they get.

They have yet to announce their SGCC 2023 offerings but don’t expect them to sit around. I bet my last dollar that they will sell out.

If you like some dice jewellery/accessory, check out one of their designs here.



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If you enjoy Red Dot Diva's content, feel free to help her efforts going by showing your support through ko-fi. Thank you!

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2023 Artist Highlight - Nathelie Yong's Emo Trash & Etc! Is A 90's Pop-Punk Music Fan's Dream Booth

Gosh. This year's Artist Alley at Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) is giving Red Dot Diva lots of exciting vibes. There is such a wide range of creative talent offering intriguing collectibles and wares. While scrolling through the list of exhibitors, the unusual booth name of Emo Trash & Etc! caught Red Dot Diva's eye. She did some digging and found that it belonged to Malaysian illustrator Nathelie Yong.

Nathelie found her niche designing merchandise of bands of the early 2000's. You know, popular bands of that era like My Chemical Romance, Simple Plan, Paramore and Fall Out Boy. Nathelie got into art when she was very young, and went on to study Illustration as a major at university. Red Dot Diva  admires how Nathelie is able to combine her love for music and her art by putting her own spin to the concepts of band album covers and songs. It is pretty amazing!

Read on for Red Dot Diva's nosy interview with Nathelie Yong:

Red Dot Diva: Hi Nathelie! I couldn't help but notice your illustrations while checking out artist-creators who will be at SGCC. What made you decide to start "Emo Trash & Etc!"?
Nathelie: Hi there! My artwork came from doing fanart for the recent revival of 2000's pop punk music as a way to pass time during the pandemic, and it eventually led on to me turning it into a small venture! I found myself surrounded by music too when I was growing up and combining art and the music I love is something that keeps me going. Since then, I have been setting up my booth at gigs and conventions around Malaysia and Singapore, and hopefully further in the future!

Red Dot Diva: How did you decide on your moniker "Emo Trash & Etc!" ? Tell me more about Emo Nights!
Nathelie: When I first started boothing at conventions under that brand, I realized my booth needed to stand out among others to set myself apart from the anime-centric crowd. With garbage bags, shipping boxes and duct tape lying around the house, I decided to use that to as my set-up as my budget-friendly solution to solving my branding issues. So it's not me deeming my artwork as trash, it's just me finding a way to settle my decor within a budget to fit the theme of my artwork, especially for a genre of music that some closed-minded public considers as "trash" in the early 2000's. After scrawling my shop sign with markers and using it at every event since, the name stuck till today!

Since then, I have boothed for numerous ACG events,festivals and gigs, including the ones thrown by S4D.KL in Malaysia where everyone enjoys emo and pop punk music together. Emo Nights are like a louder, wilder version of karaoke where everyone who loves this same kind of music gathers together and sing-along to our favorite 2000’s music! It’s a perfect opportunity to make friends who like the same genre and sing-along in unison!

Red Dot Diva: What (or who) inspired you to be an artist?
Nathelie: Being raised in an environment where both my parents are artists in their own right, making art wasn’t a foreign concept in my household! I am also exposed to a lot of music from the 2000’s by my older brother, and that in turn led to the influence of a lot of my interests. From there, I drew a lot of band portraits and random doodling of artwork inspired by lyrics from that time. After drawing many things within that subject matter, it made me comfortable with the idea of being an artist, and I guess it sort of shaped me to become who I am today.

Red Dot Diva: Do you work with any local bands? How do you go about collaborating with these bands/musicians, e.g. deciding on the aesthetics that would best suit their merch?
Nathelie: Well, I am in the process of working with some projects with local musicians in Malaysia ! For this one band I am working with currently, they do invite me to watch them record their music. Meeting the people and hearing the stories behind their music lets me gauge what artwork best visualizes their sound! From there I will try to pick up elements that call out to me from their lyrics and try to reference things from their personal stories as much as possible to make their album art and merch. Besides that, I also occasionally provide illustration services to emo event organizers too,. Depending on the theme of the event, I am mostly given total creative freedom to draw based on how I feel about the event at that very moment!

Red Dot Diva: What has been the most interesting critique you have ever received regarding your works?
Nathelie: I think so far, I have gotten a lot of encouragement and support from the public to keep going with what I do! As far as I know, there are not a lot of people doing this in the market. I do enjoy seeing familiar faces come back to support me, and it brings me so much joy when they recommend me to their friends as well! The community has been generally amazing to me and I do cherish everyone’s support for me so far. Oh, and I also get requests to get my designs translated into tattoos at almost every event in the past.

Red Dot Diva: If you were not an artist, what do you think you’d be?
Nathelie: I think being an artist has always been my plan A. Though I did consider journalism as I enjoy writing as well. Being an event coordinator may have been an option too cause I enjoy going from event to event and talking to people!

Red Dot Diva: Do you feel that there is more competition in the artist alley/ art fairs & market spaces these days? What are some tips you can offer with regards to making your art, your booth and wares stand out amongst the rest?
Nathelie: Yes I do, and I think the market will keep on expanding as more and more talented artists will come up to share their artwork as well. I think the best way to navigate this is to be true to yourself and your interests no matter how niche they may seem to be. There will always be someone out there who will enjoy the same things as you and it’s up to us to fill that gap in the market! The best way is to ask yourself what would you really like to see at these events, and go all out to make them with whatever skills and capacity we have, and keep improving yourself! It will always be tempting to do a fandom or character that is most popular at that time period, but here I am completely happy with doing merch of bands that have existed for around 20 years, so you do you!

Red Dot Diva: Is this the first time you are boothing in SGCC? Please let us know what we can look out for at your booth.
Nathelie: Yes, this is my first time! This year, you can expect to see stickers, prints, charms and you can event pre-order band T-shirts from me! I have merch of Bands like My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Green Day and more. With the arrival of the band Fall Out Boy in December as well, I am teaming up with Emo Night SG too to do a free sticker giveaway at my booth, as well as on the day of the concert itself! I am so excited to see everyone at this event, so see you guys there :)


Visit Nathelie Yong's Emo Trash & Etc booth at SGCC's Artist Alley, L1-AA107 to get uniquely designed emo music merch for your collection!


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Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2023 Artist Highlight - Stay Cool and Cheery With Ven Wong's Adorable Cubemelt

Ever since its debut on social media a few years ago, a web comic featuring a cute, wholesome ice cube named Cubemelt captured the hearts of fans with his optimistic take on life. The foibles of the little ice cube and his friends were later brought to life in an episodic series entitled The Misadventures of CubeMelt. By the way, you can still watch these episodes for free on MeWatch.

Senior Art Director of 7 Productions Peng Ven Wong, is the creator of the loveable Cubemelt. Red Dot Diva thinks it is amazing how Ven is able to construct these relatable story nibblets of Cubemelt's struggles in life that makes you go awwwwww...

Ven will be showcasing Cubemelt to old and new fans at Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) 2023's Artist Alley, booth L1-AA29. Red Dot Diva had a quick chat with him before the convention kicks off on 9 and 10 December 2023.

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2023 Artist Highlight - Collect 'Em All From Pokémon Fanart Illustrators Abz Art and Trainer K

Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) 2023 is just two weekends away!! There is so many aspects of pop-culture that will be featured at SGCC, of which one of them is the love for Game Freak's/ Nintendo's Pokémon series. In the magical hallways of Artist Alley in SGCC, you will be able to find a number of artists who specialise in Pokémon fan art.

Edward, Red Dot Diva's long time friend from the Glam Bloggers Alliance, spoke to two of such talented illustrators - Abz Art, who is based in Australia, and Trainer K (Kelvin) from Indonesia! Both of them will be looking forward to meet fellow Pokémon fans at the convention, and if you want to collect 'em all, do drop by their booths to check out their wares.

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2023 Artist Highlight - Wonder At Takahan Tan's Captivating Toy Photography

Stroll down the Artist Alley section of Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC), and you will spot talented artists, crafters, designers, comic book creators and toy photographers. This year, events planner and visual artist Takahan Tan, will be at the pop-culture convention showing off his toy photography. His photos - most of them consisting of Funko toys - have such a cinematic style and uses the Red Dot Island landscape to great effect. So, it is not surprising that his works have captured the attention of personalities such as directors David Ayer (Suicide Squad), David F Sandberg (Shazam), film set still photographer Clay Enos, production designer and art director Bill Brzeski, actor Ray Porter, and yes, even prominent producer-director Zack Sydner.

In this interview, Red Dot Diva chats with Takahan to learn more about his craft. She was also happy to know that he is a fellow DC Comics fan!

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2023 Artist Highlight - Discovering Artistry: Allen Erie (Andrea Rosaline)

The Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) may feature a smorgasbord of activities, like opportunities to meet esteemed comic book creators, a cosplay competition, stage activities and talks by industry professionals. However, Red Dot Diva thinks the soul of SGCC lies in the talented creators at Artist Alley.

It has been a Red Dot Diva blog tradition to interview a selected bunch of creatives who will be boothing at SGCC's Artist Alley. This year, Red Dot Diva's friend Edward helps to kick off this year's slate of interviews with a chat with Canadian freelance illustrator Allen Erie (Andrea Rosaline). Read on to check it out!

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Like any other kiasu attendee, I religiously combed through the exhibitor list and stumbled upon a treasure trove of creativity that left me utterly spellbound. The moment my eyes laid on Scaramouche, I knew I was doomed. As I scrolled through her entire IG, her fanart of mobile titles Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail, held my attention a willing hostage; generic chibi wares have a hard time registering a bleep on the radar of a convention veteran like myself but this - this - was something else.

Writer/ Director Anthony Ferraro Talks About The Making of Horror Sci-fi Short Film Wakener

Horror sci-fi short film WAKENER is a laudable contribution to the enduring Cthulhu Mythos that originated from iconic American writer H.P. Lovecraft. The indie piece, starring Rhomeyn Johnson, Nimo Purcell, Sapna Gandhi, Anthony Di Petro and Jonathan Castile, is the brainchild of writer-director Anthony Ferraro. Ferraro is best known as the creator and host of the popular Create Scifi Youtube channel.

WAKENER tells the story of an impromptu mission to investigate the sudden appearance of a mysterious ghost ship that carries ancient tech. Despite budget constraints, the cinematography look sleek and very well-executed. Ferraro is undoubtedly a skilled scriptwriter and world builder. He manages to set up each of the character's individual motivations that propel towards the unfortunate events at the finale.

It is also impressive how Ferraro and his team were able to visually capture the audience's attention through artful lighting of the cast, accompanied by detailed self-built costumes, props and sets. Some of the acting was not as nuanced as Red Dot Diva would have preferred, however, the atmospheric feel of the film as a whole, was a haunting and memorable experience.

After watching WAKENER a few times, Red Dot Diva wanted to find out more about what goes behind the scenes. She had the pleasure of chatting with Anthony Ferraro about the production process.

Interview With Actor-Producer Jonathan Cheong About Award-Winning Action Short Film Bullet For Vengeance

At the age of 26, local actor-producer-action director Jonathan Cheong not only owns a film company called Raging Fire Productions, he already has a couple of award-winning action short films under this belt. Jonathan played a conflicted hitman in his 2021 film “Deadlock”, and he was awarded Best Actor at the World Film Carnival Singapore (WFCS) for the role. “Deadlock” also won Outstanding Crime Film and Best Outstanding Director for Samuel Delitans Lee at WFCS, and was selected for seven international film festivals.

Fueled by his passion for action genre films and ardent admiration for veteran martial arts actor Donnie Yen, Jonathan consistently puts in time and effort to hone his craft. His latest Raging Fire Productions offering entitled “Bullet For Vengeance” is an action thriller about the personal feud between between a criminal and a police inspector over a shooting gone wrong. The short film written and directed by Raphael Lim, stars Jonathan Cheong, Gary Gan, Johanna Van, Agnes Goh and Kris Mavericko.

To date, “Bullet For Vengeance” has clinched an impressive total of 8 Awards, 8 Official Sections and 7 Special Mentions at the local and international film festival circuit. This includes Best Cinematography by Benny Tan at the World Film Carnival Singapore (WFCS), Best Supporting Actor awarded to Kris Mavericko and Best Supporting Actress to Agnes Goh at the Golden Reel International Film Festival (Massachusetts, USA).

Ahead of the official release of “Bullet For Vengeance” for the general international audience, Red Dot Diva grabbed hold of Jonathan Cheong to ask him some nosy questions:

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Interview - Multi-Disciplinary Artist Quinatasya and Her Unique Creative Vision

Are you counting down to Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) 2022, the pop-culture event of the year? Personally, Red Dot Diva cannot wait to walk through the show floor at Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 10 & 11 December 2022. She is all ready to stalk the guests, prowl Artist Alley, and most of all, yak with the geek community after two long years!

There are so many convention guests this year, even more than previous shows. On the SGCC 2022 guest list is locally based multi-disciplinary and award winning artist, Quinatasya Afridi. Quinatasya has a unique way of visualising neuroanatomical structures and incorporating them into her art, including unforgettable renditions of well-known pop-culture figures, like Batman and Neil Gaiman. She is also a co-founder of a media agency called Ohai Media, a creative video production company, which names Ferrari, Cartier, Harper's Bazaar and National Arts Counctil in their portfolio.

Red Dot Diva had the chance to ask Quinatasya's some nosy questions, and the multimedia creator's curious, tenacious and vibrant personality was evident in her answers. Here's how the interview unfolded:

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Artist Highlight - Creative Sibling Team Up Lunaliliputian and Yumu Arts

Only 5 more days to Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC). This year, the show is an in-person event after a two year-break due to Covid-19. Held at Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 10 & 11 December 2022, and taking up 2 floors (Level 1 and B2) this year, SGCC is set to light the fire of pop-culture fans out there.

At the convention's Artist Alley, look out for two artistic sisters who create artwork and craft items under their own brand names. Desiree Chaw aka Lunaliliputian makes lovely and sparkly accessories and has acquired a sizeable fanbase for her collection. Marina Chaw aka Yumu_Arts draws emotive art pieces which are inspired mostly by nature. She also handcrafts cute dolls.

Sisterhood is a unique kind of bond, and the two of them have been boothing together at different shows on many occasions. Red Dot Diva was interested to know how more about Desiree and Marina, and their respective artistic journeys. So, here's an interview with the creative and talented siblings:

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Artist Highlight - Edison Neo, The Brains Behind Martial Arts Comic ‘Snake Claws’

Tick, tick, tick. The clock's ticking down to Singapore Comic Con (SGCC), which will be happening at will return to Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay on 10 & 11 December 2022.

Ahhhhh! Mild panic setting in. Red Dot Diva does not feel that she is quite prepared for the pop-culture convention of the year. Are you all set for the comic con already?

For the second installment of the SGCC 2022 Artist Highlight interview series, Red Dot Diva is pleased to introduce local cartoonist Edison Neo. Edison has self-published comics like the martial art rouser SNAKE CLAWS as well as the anthology entitled NO-BRAINER.

After reading SNAKE CLAWS, Red Dot Diva has been kicking herself as to why she has not gotten to know Edison sooner. His artwork and storylines are wildly exuberant, and funny as hell. Well, Red Dot Diva cannot make any more excuses now. This is because she has asked Edison a list of nosy questions, a number of which are about SNAKE CLAWS!

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Artist Highlight - Filipino Illustrator Bea Gomez aka BlueToaster

It is just two more weeks to Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) (previously known as Singapore Toy, Game and Comic Convention), the island's pop-culture event of the year! The comic convention, featuring over local and international 40 guests (Red Dot Diva is beginning to lose count!) and 350 exhibitors, will return to Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay on 10 & 11 December 2022.

Having a slew of renown guests appearing at SGCC is exciting for sure. However, Red Dot Diva has a soft spot for what used to be called “Artist Alley”. This segment of the exhibition show floor, filled with booths from aspiring artist, craters and writers to well-known one, is the indie heartbeat of the creative community. Generally, everyone there is friendly, which helps when you are hoping to make new connections!

In previous years, Red Dot Diva publishes interviews with a few indie artists before the physical convention kicks off. After a two-year hiatus due to the recent pandemic, the RDD pre-SGCC interview tradition returns! To kick-off this year's “Artist Alley” spotlight, Filipino creative Bea Gomez aka BlueToaster bravely fielded Red Dot Diva nosy questions: