Friday 25 December 2015

Collaboration With Hong Kong Film Director

Photo from Making Film Facebook Page

This is my collaboration project with Hong Kong Film Director Pang Ho-Cheung 彭浩翔 to design a tea box that uses nano bricks to show the logo of his film company =D ... The Chinese character in the center of the logo can be customised with some extra bricks provided =)

Only 500 of this box was manufactured as a special Christmas gift for his friends and business associates. I am honoured to have been invited to be part of this colloration. Thank you! ^^


The message inside the Christmas Card included with the box

Hong Kong actor Ronald Cheng


Links to others who also shared photos/videos of this gift that they received: 林兆霞June, Koyi Mak, Bart Wong, Kurt Tung, whatasunnyday, sunnyfish32, chiub, subyub, slimless, dikwai, janet_yung, boojunfeng,  ggtsoi

Thursday 24 December 2015

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

BB-8 pretending to be a snowman .. Hahahaa ^^ ... Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! =D ... To those traveling back to hometown, have a safe journey! =)


Tuesday 22 December 2015

2015 Year In Review


It's that time of the year again, where we look back at everything that happened in the past 12 months. For me, it has been a very busy year, especially in the final 3 months. My highlights for this year was:

  • Managed to do 3 exhibitions this year, two in Malaysia and one in Singapore. 
  • Had a lot of fun meeting up with fans in Bangkok, Thailand and also Singapore. 
  • Completed many corporate projects for agency clients.
  • Visited the Tokyo International Toy Show and met up with Kawada.
  • Invited by MediaCorp to appear on their Hello Singapore live show, but did not go ahead because I can't really speak Mandarin well. Nevertheless, it was an honour to be invited. 
  • Had my nanoblock Apple Watch featured by the media worldwide.
  • My limited edition Blocky Bear sold out in 24 hours.
  • Fan base in Facebook more than doubled to over 45,000.

It has been a crazy year indeed and I believe next year will be even more so!  Thank you all so much for your support! I hope to bring you even more amazing designs next year ^^

Here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Happy holidays everyone! =D

Best wishes,
Chris

Wednesday 16 December 2015

Christopher Tan x nanoblock - It finally happened!

So many of you have been asking me for ages on when you will be able to actually buy my creations. Well, great news! It finally happened! Hahaahaaa =D ... Here, I present to you, my nanoblock mini-series Japanese Food collection =) ... Yes, they are official nanoblock sets from Kawada, Japan. 






They are essentially miniaturised versions of the deluxe sized Japanese Food series I created last time, still remember those? =) ... It took a lot of effort to bring them down to mini-series level, while still trying to maintain as much detail as possible. I hope you guys like them ^^

This series will only be available in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. I am still trying to get confirmation on how many in total will be manufactured and whether it's a single run item (what I heard so far is that only 3000 of each will be made). Will update here when I have more info.

The release date is expected to be late January 2016. I am starting a preorder now. Stock is limited, first come first served! Just CLICK HERE to preorder. You don't have to pay anything yet during preorder. Shipping will only cost around USD2.50-USD3.00 to ship all 4 items ANYWHERE WORLDWIDE by Registered Airmail (Trackable). Also, I would be happy to autograph them for you (if you wish) =)

By buying this from me, you are directly helping to support my work =) ... Truth is, I would need to sell over 1200 of these myself just to cover all my time and cost spent on this project to date. It would mean a lot to me if you could help me spread this by sharing and inviting all your friends to this Facebook event

The Story

This project to turn my creations into actual nanoblock sets have been a very long process that spanned almost 18 months. It took a lot of meetings in Singapore, Malaysia and Japan to accomplish this. I actually flew over to Tokyo twice at my own expense! Yes, that is how much I wanted to see this dream happen! Hahahaa ... 

We started with my deluxe sized Japanese food creations, but those items used a ton of bricks. They would fall into the medium or advanced series, so it would cost way lot more. After much discussion, it was decided that we should try and shrink it down to mini series level so that everyone can afford to buy all the items in the series for a complete collection. I would have loved to see my deluxe sized sets commercialised, but unfortunately, realities of the marketplace dictates the path we take.

I actually did several rounds of scaling down before we got to a size that was small enough for a mini series. There were definitely a lot of challenges in doing this. On one hand, I would love to capture as much detail as possible. On the other hand, I needed to reduce the number of bricks used. They are both opposing goals, so I had to strike a delicate balance between the two. 

If you look at the above photos, you can see that one of the first thing I did was to get rid of the chopsticks. A pair of chopsticks would use up a lot of bricks, but they are not crucial to the design, so they were the first to go. Other side items like soya sauce, miso soup, etc were removed as well. I also obviously scaled the whole thing down in size, but I think I managed to maintain most of the detail, even if they are not as refined as the larger version. For most of these items, they were scaled down by over 80 percent!

When you buy these items, you are not just buying another nanoblock set. You are buying a designer product and you know the artist behind the product. When you build my creations, it is like a window into my mind, you see what I see.  Hopefully, it gives you a deeper appreciation for the design =)

Big Thanks

I have to thank Lancashire and Elite Toys, the distributors for nanoblock in Singapore and Malaysia respectively, for all their support in this project and making it a reality. Special thanks to Mr Ng who pushed so hard for this, really appreciate it! Also, I have to thank Kawada for agreeing to collaborate with us on this. 

Lastly, I want to thank all of you, the fans, for all your support through the years! This would not be possible if not for you guys. A very big THANK YOU! =)

About Chris

If you are new here and want to know more about me, please take a look at the links below:

Wednesday 9 December 2015

My Giant nanoblock Hina Dolls

My deluxe nanoblock Hina Dolls smile emoticon ... These were commissioned for my exhibition in Liang Court mall recently. What do you think? =D


Hinamatsuri, also called Doll's Day or Girls' Day, is a special day in Japan. Hinamatsuri is celebrated each year on March 3. Platforms covered with a red carpet are used to display a set of ornamental dolls representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian period. - From Wikipedia


Saturday 5 December 2015

My XL nanoblock Maneki Neko and Shishimai

Here is my extra large nanoblock Maneki Neko and Shishimai that was specially commissioned for my exhibition in Liang Court mall in Singapore recently =)


The maneki-neko is a common Japanese figurine (lucky charm, talisman) which is often believed to bring good luck to the owner. In modern times, they are usually made of ceramic or plastic. The figurine depicts a cat (traditionally a calico Japanese Bobtail) beckoning with an upright paw, and is usually displayed—often at the entrance—of shops, restaurants, pachinko parlors, and other businesses. The maneki-neko is sometimes also called the welcoming cat, lucky cat, money cat, happy cat, beckoning cat, or fortune cat in English. - From Wikipedia




Japan has a long tradition of the lion dance and the dance is known as shishi-mai (獅子舞) in Japanese. It is thought to have been imported from China during the Tang Dynasty, and became associated with celebration of Buddha's birthday. The oldest surviving lion mask, made of paulownia wood with an articulated lower jaw, is preserved in Tōdai-ji in Japan. The dance is commonly performed during the New Year where the lion dancers may be accompanied by flute and drum musicians. - From Wikipedia



Tuesday 1 December 2015

nanoblock gudetama

Any gudetama fans here? =D ... for those who didn't already know, gudetama is a character from Sanrio. He's a lazy egg ... Hahahaa ... 


Sunday 29 November 2015

My XL nanoblock Daruma and Fukusuke

Here is my extra large nanoblock Daruma and Fukusuke that was specially commissioned for my exhibition in Liang Court mall in Singapore recently =)

The Daruma doll, also known as a Dharma doll, is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. These dolls, though typically red and depicting a bearded man (Dharma), vary greatly in color and design depending on region and artist. Though considered an omocha, meaning toy, Daruma has a design that is rich in symbolism and is regarded more as a talisman of good luck to the Japanese. Daruma dolls are seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, making them a popular gift of encouragement. - From Wikipedia



A Fukusuke doll is the depiction of a man kneeling seiza style, with a large head and a topknot. It was originally a doll enshrined in tea houses in the Edo period to bring good luck. In those days, it was considered that Fukusuke would bring "perennial youth, wealth and honor." - From Wikipedia



Tuesday 24 November 2015

Full Coverage of My Exhibition in Singapore

Here's the full video of my latest nanoblock art exhibition in Liang Court mall in Singapore! =D ... See the setup till wee hours of the morning, the crowd who came to see the exhibition, the gathering with fans and more!


Thank you so much to all my fans for the fantastic support! It felt awesome to be there! ^^ ... and big thanks to Liang Court's amazing team for pulling it all together!

Gathering with fans!

Check out this wonderful write up about the event and the fantastic photos by Dejiki.com! 

You can also hear the radio ad on Kiss FM Singapore for this event here:

Tuesday 17 November 2015

Gathering with Fans in Singapore

Hi guys, as you probably already know, I will be in Singapore for my exhibition in Liang Court mall from Nov 21-22. So, let's have a gathering of nanoblock fans! =D ... 

It will be held in the exhibition area at the atrium of Liang Court mall. There will be tables and chairs there =) ... Special thanks to Liang Court for letting us use the venue.

I will talk about what's been going on and my future direction. We will have Q&A session and also a lucky draw to win some nanoblock! =D ... Hehehe ... Looking forward to see all of you! =D 

Here's the Facebook event for this gathering.

Previous gathering with Singaporean fans

Monday 9 November 2015

My App Is Out Now!

There were some delays, but my app is finally out on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store! =D ... The app contains my profile, portfolio of my work, my latest blog posts, build instructions, videos and more. It works on smartphones and tablets too! Try it out now!



Saturday 7 November 2015

Upcoming Exhibition in Liang Court @ Singapore

Great news! I will be bringing my nanoblock art exhibition to Singapore! It will be held at the atrium of Liang Court mall from Nov 21-22, 2015. 

I will exhibit over 100+ of my creations there, plus many others that are commissioned specially for this event =D ... so, mark your calendars now and invite all your friends and family! =D

There will also be contests running on those two days where you stand a chance to win nanoblock  prizes and shopping vouchers!

Are you ready? =D  ... Click here to join the Facebook Event for this exhibition to stay updated!


Sunday 1 November 2015

Building Overtime!

Working overtime to finish all the exhibits for my exhibition later this month in Liang Court mall, Singapore from Nov 21-22, 2015 =D ... apart from my exhibition, there will be other activities like nanoblock building contests, so keep yourself free that weekend okay? ^^ ...


Saturday 24 October 2015

My McDonald's ChocoTop!

Who here loves McDonald's Chocotop? =P ... This is my own creation, so don't go looking for it in McD okay? Heheheee =D ....


Monday 19 October 2015

nanoblock Prosperity Burger & Curly Fries

My favorite seasonal burger from McDonalds! ^^ ... Hehehee ... Prosperity beef burger with curly fries! This is my own creation, so please don't go asking for it in McD okay? =P ... LOL


Friday 16 October 2015

Monday 12 October 2015

Exclusive McDonald’s Malaysia nanoblock Promo!

Hey guys, I have some really awesome news for you! You heard it here first okay?! McDonald’s Malaysia will be partnering with nanoblock to bring all your favourite McDonald’s icons to life, in block form! How cool is that?

Many of you may have already seen this in a recent promo by McDonald’s Hong Kong and I know many of you were wishing so hard that we get it here. Well, your wish came true! =D ... Thank you McD Malaysia! Hahahaa!

There will be 7 designs available for you to collect. I should point out that these are all exclusive limited edition items. Here are photos for you to drool over =P










In the special display case

The promotion starts on Oct 15, 2015 and is available while stocks last, so you know what to do right? Do go early if you don’t want to miss out on the chance to grab these items.

Details of the promotion

New designs will be released each week!
  • Week 1: Starts 15 October - Big Mac & Fries
  • Week 2: Starts 22 October - McFlurry & Pie
  • Week 3: Starts 29 October - McCafe & Cold Cup
  • Week 4: Starts 5 November - McDonald’s Restaurant

With a purchase of any McDonald’s food or drink, you can purchase the above items at McDonald’s restaurants nationwide at RM6 for all designs except for the special design McDonald’s Restaurant which costs RM8.

Do note that while these are official nanoblock items, they come prebuilt and glued together for child safety reasons. So no, you can’t disassemble it, but who cares? They’re so cool, you wouldn’t want to take it apart anyway!


Wednesday 7 October 2015

nanoblock C-3PO Bust

Yessss, another Star Wars creation =D ... Hehehee ... I am really really out of yellow bricks now ... Hahahaa ... 


Tuesday 6 October 2015

nanoblock Hap-pee Dog

Hap-pee Dog ... Get it? ^^ ... Haha ... He found a fire hydrant ^^ ...

If I were to release a happy smiley animal series like the one below as limited editions, priced around USD10, would you buy it? =D ... If yes, please comment "i want" over here .. Hehe ^^


Friday 2 October 2015

nanoblock Inari Torii Gates

If you have travelled to Japan, you have probably seen these =) ... I hope to see the Inari Torii gates in Fushimi someday ... Hehe ..


Thursday 1 October 2015

Saturday 26 September 2015

nanoblock R2-D2

Well, you saw my nanoblock C-3PO yesterday, so I guess you probably saw this coming =P ... Hahahaa ... It's R2-D2 today =) ... and yes, this is the extra cute version =)


Friday 25 September 2015

Wednesday 23 September 2015

Coming Soon to iOS and Android!

Yes, there's an app for Chris too =D ... Here's a sneak preview ^^ ... You can view his portfolio, browse his Facebook page, read this blog, watch his videos, lookup instructions and more, all in one place!


Tuesday 22 September 2015

Chris In Bangkok Next Month


Hi guys! I will be coming to Bangkok next month, so I would like to arrange a meet up session with nanoblock fans over there =) ... Please click here for the details.


Thursday 17 September 2015

nanoblock Han Solo in Carbonite

How many of you are old enough to remember this? =P ...


Here's a photo of the complete series so far =) ... Yes, I did create some Star Wars creations previously, but they are different in scale and design direction, so they are not part of this series =)


Tuesday 15 September 2015