Alvin Mark Tan is a full-time artist based in Singapore. He paints traditionally in oil and illustrates in ink and watercolour.
Trained in Graphic Design and Advertising in Los Angeles, Alvin started out as a graphic artist at Ministry of Defence. Later, he branched out into advertising, environmental design and documentary-making at Singapore Press Holdings. He also graduated from an Animation programme, with a focus in concept art. After trekking 800km on the Camino de Santiago in 2012, Alvin made the decision to do art full-time. He sold everything and self-funded his studies in traditional oil painting. In 2016, he graduated from the Angel Academy of Art in Florence, Italy, where he studied Natural Realism under Maestro Michael John Angel for three years and did a one month stint at the Repin Academy in St Petersburg. Apart from commissioned works ranging from still lifes to portraits to wall murals, Alvin teaches figure drawing part-time at La Salle Animation and also runs workshops in and out of Singapore. Alvin loves studying nature, and is often spotted outdoors doing plein air paintings or urban sketching in coffeeshops. He documents all of his art expeditions and journeys on Youtube and has been invited to vlog for international art events like Art in the Open and Asia-link Sketchwalk. His goal in being a full-time artist is to encourage others to live their lives out as passionately as they can. |
Painting in St Petersburg
Painting demo in Bangkok
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Sketching at the Lourve, Paris
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Education:
Repin Academy Summer, St Petersburg (2016) Summer workshop Angel Academy of Art, Florence (2013 - 2015) Drawing and Painting Animation, Singapore (2009 - 2011) Concept Art at Eggstory Singapore / Concept Design Academy and the Animation Guild Woodbury University, Burbank (g. 1996) Bach. of Sci. cum Laude Major: Graphic Design under Sue Vessella |
Awards:
1st Place - Quick Draw, Art in the Open, Ireland (2019) Prize Winner - Pintar Rapido London, UK (2019) Prize Winner - Quick Draw, O'Briens Award, Art in the Open, Ireland (2017) 3rd Place - Strada Easel Video Competition (2017) Purchased Prize Award for Tuscany Plein Air Paint Out, Florence, Italy (2016) Best Designed Call-Centre Award, Singapore (2004) PANPA Award for Best Page Layout for Classified Youth, Singapore (2002) Best Logo Design for Singapore Press Holdings (2000) 1st Place - Land Transport Authority, Singapore Transit Link Card Design (1999) 1st Place - Apple Singapore Photography Contest (1998) Best Logo and Graphics for Burbank Local Transit (1997) |
Kinderdijk, The Netherlands
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Exhibition: Natural Realism - Part 1 in Singapore
Urban Sketching in Rome
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Exhibitions:
Art in the Open Exhibition (Group), Wexford, Ireland 3 - 4 August 2019 Paint Out (Group), Norfolk, UK 12 - 14 July 2019 Pintar Rapido (Group), London, UK 23 June 2019 La Kopi Exhibition (Solo), Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre 7 June - 15 August 2019 Sketchwalk Life (Group), Banda Neira, Indonesia October 2018 Angelico Art Award (Group), 10 Square @ Orchard Central, Singapore 20 - 26 October 2018 Still Life, Singapore (Group), Art Seasons Gallery, Singapore 31 August - 26 September 2018 Art in the Open Exhibition (Group), Wexford, Ireland 4 - 5 August 2018 Taipei Art Book Fair 2017 (Group), Taiwan 13 - 15 October 2017 Pig Yard Gallery (Group), Wexford, Ireland September 2017 Inkling 2 (Group), Open Deck, Singapore 4 August 2017 Art in the Open Exhibition (Group), Wexford, Ireland 5 - 6 August 2017 Singapore Art Book Fair (Group) April 2017 Illustrators Fest 2016 (Group) April 2017 LaSalle School of the Arts, Singapore 29 - 30 October 2016 Still Life and Portrait (Group), Federation of the Arts Society, Singapore - August 2016 Wexford Art in the Open (Group), Wexford, Ireland August 2016 Singapore Art Book Fair (Group) April 2016 Singapore Contemporary Art Show (Represented by Goldmann Sagg Art) January 2016 Natural Realism - Part 2 (Solo), Singapore November 2015 Studying Life (Group), Singapore September 2015 Natural Realism - Part 1 (Solo), Singapore December 2014 Angel Academy Student Show (Group), Florence, Italy May 2014 Singapore Art Garret Gallery Pop-up (Group) May 2013 Thirty Day the Camino (1st solo), Singapore December 2012 Urban Sketchers Annual Exhibition (Group), Singapore October 2012 |