He's painted many black and white Malayan Tapir, as well as indulged his hundreds and thousands of fans with his funny insights into his personal life...We present to you the very famous Cherng who can add an element of fun to 'black and white' like no other! When we brought out the La Sardina DIY Black, he seemed like the perfect match for this customizable camera. Curious about what he did with it? Read on and all will be unveiled!
Name: Cherng
Location: Taipei
Facebook Page: Cherng’s
Q1. Hello, how are you today? Please tell us a bit about yourself!
Hi Everyone! My name’s Cherng and I’m a popular Malayan Tapir. I paint with my left hand, oh yeah and I hate seafood!
Q2. When you first took a glimpse at the La Sardina DIY Black, what was your impression? Did a customization idea immediately spring to mind?
As soon as I saw its all black body, I thought OK, you’ve come to the right person haha! (Although I think I got even more excited by the La Sardina DIY White last year, haha!)
Q3. Feel free to talk about the design of your La Sardina DIY Black and your ideas! Does the camera have a name? What materials did you use? And where did you seek your wonderful inspiration from? Is there a particular idea you were hoping to convey with this design?
I call it ‘Cherng’s Ma La Sardina Mo’.
The materials I used are really pretty simple: a black marker pen and a white marker pen. I did a lot of drawings on the case and every time I would integrate a black and white Malayan Tapir. I just had to have one on there (I call this series ’I’m going to paint as many Malayan Tapir’s as I like and no-one’s going to stop me, haha).
Actually when I started this design I was a bit worried, because in the past I’ve normally painted on a white base, so it’s fairly easy to complete a design with a black pen. This time I had to change my design concept and put it in reverse. I thought about it and figured that a white pen will allow the design to stand out on the black body of the camera.
My exclusive design process
Step 1
Step 1 Originally I intended to use acrylic paint on the body of the camera, however I was worried about how troublesome it might be (seeing as using acrylic paint can be quite a process) so I decided to use a pen. However, this didn’t prove as easy as I’d imagined. The pen seemed to have a mind of it’s own and it was quite hard for me to control.
Step 2
Step 2 I stuck tape on the black parts to ensure I got a straight edge. I also needed to be very careful, so as to avoid painting it all white.
Step 3
Step 3 My original plan was to keep the back of it all white, but after looking at it for a while, I had a sudden urge to paint my signature on it, along with a Malayan Tapir.
Step 4
Step 4 Because I wanted to draw a big Malayan Tapir on the front, the lens became an obstacle. I decided to take it all apart and this was quite an intense process as there were quite a few layers. I actually spent the most time on this demolition of the lens.
Step 5
Step 5 The most important part of the process was ensuring the Tapir head was painted on the way I wanted it to be. I was really nervous about getting this part perfect, and in fact the first time I drew it on, it look terrible. Originally I planned to draw it similar to the profile picture, showing that of it’s left cheek but for some reason I ended up drawing it’s right cheek, and in the end it turned out the way you see it here.
Step 6
Step 6 And it’s done! I seriously spent a lot of time taking the lens apart, so if you plan on doing this make sure you remember the disassembling sequence so that when it comes to reassembling you don’t need to waste as much time as I did. Also, try and remember which screw goes where because I forgot the order when I was doing it.
Q4. Are you happy with your design? If you could have another La Sardina DIY Black, how would you customize it?
Hmm, not that happy (am I being too honest?). I don’t think my design will generate an amazing response, or stun anyone. If I had another opportunity, I’d like to experiment with a 3D design. I think this would create more hype. (For example, I would stick a Tapir head on the shutter and with one click of it, it will emit a squeak or a spray of something).
Q5. People might be reluctant to buy the La Sardina DIY Black because they believe they aren’t very good at designing. What advice would you give to them?
I believe that you don’t need to be an artist to customize the La Sardina DIY. Infact, an idea and a little bit of imagination is all you need to create your very own unique La Sardina DIY. (For example, if you’re someone who dabbles in the luxurious side of life, you could stick Swarovski crystals onto the body of your camera).
Q6. Where do you usually get your inspiration from?
From big crowds, life experiences and my own intuition.
Q7. What are your plans for the rest of the year? Any upcoming projects you’d like to share with us?
According to my intuition, I don’t think I’ll be accomplishing much in this next part of the year…
To browse this gallery please read this post on our website
Are you looking for a new analogue camera？Perhaps it’s the La Sardina DIY that best fits the bill?! Graffiti it, dress it up, stick sparkles on- with the La Sardina DIY you can be as creative as your heart desires; it’s your very own unique camera and all designs are welcome!