Heavenly beasts - Tien Lu/Pi Xiu Series

This is another series of photopaintings that I have created with the help of Mother Nature. The image has never been seen before. They are not the mythical dragon or lion or the qiling. The closest I could relate this to is the pixiu, a smaller creature claimed to be the proetector of the owner and his wealth. Many images of the pixiu have been crafted, mostly in stone or jade, and displayed in homes or business premises. This photopainting could be hung on the wall at the entrance area, or the reception area of an organization in place of the carved varieties. A great piece of gift for new home owners.


The unique feature of this kind of photopainting using the Art of RAR technique is that the images must first be photographed using a camera as the originals are unrecognizable in the water and will be there only momentarily. They will only appear in the full glory after some processing. This is a very unique and revolutionary way of painting, like painting the thoughts of Nature.

My tree of Life series is also created in the same manner.

A little mystery, a little miracle, a whole new way of painting.

Cauldron of Life Series

This is a series on life and the the fire one has to go through. Surviving the cauldron of fire of life, one comes out as solid steel. Failure will see a melting down and turning into scrap iron. Living is a test of will, a test of character to survive in a path one chose to tread. It is not a walk in the garden. There are many twists and turns and one could be burnt any time in this journey of a life time.

Aung San Su Kyi - The Inhuman Lines Series

I am seeing this gutsy woman everyday and several times today on TV. She is definitely the woman of the decade or the century, the feminine half of Nelson Mandela. I can't resist showing off a painting of her by Mother Nature. Don't expect a photographic representation of Suu Kyi as the canvas used by Mother Nature is nothing but water. The nature of water is ever fluid and changing and any images will be changed completely the next moment. This did not prevent Mother Nature for creating an image of Suu Kyi displaying her as a very strong will lady. In the painting she is all cool and filled with steely determination to stay her course and her fight for the freedom of Myanmar. Mother Nature likes her.

This painting is done using the Art of RAR Technique with Mother Nature as the master painter. This technique is developed by yours truly, a native art form invented by me, a Singaporean. Yes, it is a new Singaporean art form, not recognised by the conventional art community yet. The uniqueness of this technique is that you do not need an object to take a photograph. I have shot the Tree of Life without a tree and Suu Kyi without her presence. I have painted women, historical relics, celestial beasts, abstract faces, fishes etc etc, all from nothing. The women series which I called The Inhuman Lines includes Angelina, Catherine, Jodie, Meryl, Merkel, Oprah, Fei Fei and Zoe, to name a few.

In this aspect, it is like a painter painting something from his head, an image or form that he conceived of but not necessary an object. Only a painter can do that but no photographer can, until now. Photographers must have an object to shoot. Shooting an ideal or imaginary image is just not possible in photography until I discovered this technique. The images forming in the water are just like the images inside the head of an artist that no camera can capture. Now in a way I can.

I am claiming this unique photography technique as a Singaporean invention. It is still in its nascent stage of development and all my paintings were captured in environment that I have no control of. If I have the facilities and set up I would be able to make a more conducive environment and condition for Mother Nature to show much more of what she could do.

This painting is one of a series called the Inhuman Lines. The others include Angelina, Meryl, Jodie, Merkel, Oprah, Zoe and more.

Key features of Art of RAR

There are some unique features using the Art of RAR technique

1. The painting is done using the camera. Without the camera, it cannot be done.
2. There is no object to focus on, or the 'object' is literally a passing image in the water.
3. The process is like an artist painting an idea or image in his head, not painting a physical object.
4. The final image is a mystery and can be anything.
5. The image can be totally out of this world.
6. The image is not conceived by a human mind.
7. Technically the painter is Mother Nature.
8. The final product is a photopainting, a thought of Nature, not a photograph of an object.
9. The technique bridges photography and painting, when it was impossible to shoot a photograph without an object, now it can be done, in a way.

Chua Chin Leng

What is Art of RAR?

This is a new technique in photography that bridges photography with paintings. The end result of this technique is photo painting or rar art as I called it.

In photography, an object is needed for the camera to create an image. No object means no image. In painting, an artist can paint from an object or from an idea or image in his head, ie no physical object.

The Art of RAR Technique allows an image to be captured in the camera without a physical object. It is like photographing the idea or thought of Mother Nature. There is no object, just a passing image that exists for a moment, like a thought, and gone forever. This technique happens to be able to do just this, capturing this momentary image and allowing it to be printed on paper like a painting. The final painting or image created can be out of this world as they are not conceived by the human mind, and can be totally refreshing.

It is a new and revolutionary technique that I claim as my very own, a Singaporean art form. I don't think anyone has yet done what I have done. The photopaintings or rar arts are one of a kind. Some may look conventional but some are totally out of this world.

Chua Chin Leng