Artist creates stunning Chinese-style paintings using cosmetics
“Red” Hong Yi is a Malaysian artist-architect who creates brilliant and unconventional works of art . Known as “the artist who loves to paint, but not with a paintbrush,” she uses mascara, foundation, and other cosmetics to give rise to misty mountainsides, vibrant fire crackers, and shimmering ponds.
Ethnically Chinese, Red’s family moved from their home in China during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and settled in Malaysia, where Red was born. She currently works in China and draws inspiration from the culture of her ancestors in her art series titled “Make-up meets Chinese Art” and another series published during Chinese New Year 2014. Here’s a small sample of her beautiful artwork:
Bamboo with black and grey eyeshadow 👀 #redhongyi #makeupart
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Feb 18, 2014 at 8:28pm PST
These were meant to be autumn leaves on a branch made of eyeliner pencil shavings…but now they look a little like sprouting leaves to me! Spring is my fave season. What's yours? :) [This is part of my make-up Chinese art series where I'll be posting up work throughout Chinese New Year!] #redhongyi #makeupart
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Feb 5, 2014 at 11:58pm PST
I've always thought mascara brushes resemble cattails – a kind of plant found on the edge of ponds! The rest were painted with liquid eyeliner. Apparently cranes are seen in many Chinese paintings because they represent longevity…and google just told me that two cranes in a painting symbolises longevity in a relationships because cranes are partners for life! Aw! How cute! I should have drawn another crane….ahh maybe next time! :p [This is part of my make-up Chinese art series where I'll be posting up work throughout Chinese New Year! Here's to looking at makeup differently!] #redhongyi #makeupart
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Feb 4, 2014 at 2:44am PST
「福到了！」"Good fortune has arrived!" 💎💰💴Today I'd like to tell you a bit about this Chinese character 福 (Fu, pronounced foo) which you'll see a lot during Chinese New Year. It means "good fortune". Notice that I've created an upside-down "Fu" character? That's because "upside-down" sounds like "arrive" in Chinese. So "upside-down Fu" sounds very much like "Good luck has arrived"! Many Chinese decorate the entrances of their homes with "upside-down Fu" to wish for prosperity and good fortune upon their families! So…I wish a year of "upside-down Fu" or 倒福 for you!❤ (This is part of my make-up art series; I'll be posting them throughout the 15 days of Chinese New Year! This one's made of crushed blusher, representing burnt firecrackers scattered on the ground. And my granny was my hand model!) #makeupart#redhongyi
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Feb 1, 2014 at 2:33am PST
This piece of firecrackers and lanterns was made with a fiery red lipstick! In about an hour, China and many parts of Asia will go NUTS – we'll be setting off LOTS of firecrackers and fireworks to welcome in the New Year! 🎉🎊🎆 To my non-Asian friends – have you seen firecrackers in your countries? I'm curious! According to legend, firecrackers are said to scare away a mythical beast called the "Year".👹👹👹 At the night of New Year's Eve, the "Year" will come out to harm people and animals…but "Year" is afraid of the colour red (yay!), fire, and loud noises. So, on New Year's Eve, firecrackers are set off and people stay up till pretty late to fend off the "Year". HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!! #makeupart #redhongyi
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Jan 30, 2014 at 6:46am PST
祝你马年马到成功！Wishing you great success in the year of the horse! Tag friends to wish them! Notice the "2014" on his body? The year of the horse comes galloping in this Friday, January 31! Already I hear lion dance troupes in my neighbourhood…firecrackers will be next!! Neighhhhh~~~!!! 🐎🐎🐎🐎 (part of my make-up art series where I'll try to post a piece a day until the last day of CNY – it lasts 15 days! Oh! And this series is on www.designboom.com ) #makeupart #redhongyi
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Jan 29, 2014 at 4:28am PST
春节快到了！Chinese New Year is almost here! Did you know that CNY is also known as Spring Festival? Here's a bunch of cherry blossoms blooming in spring! (Bringing back my make-up series! 15 posts coming up!) #makeupart #redhongyi
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Jan 28, 2014 at 6:03am PST
Day 7: Tiny village and a red hot sun, painted with nail polish. Inspired by a a 500 year old village called Hong Cun 「宏村」that I visited two years ago. Google it – it's so beautiful! Anyone been there? I want to go back again! I like that it's not very touristy…yet :) #makeupart #redhongyi #china
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Sep 22, 2013 at 2:56am PDT
Day 7: 「桂林山水」Guilin mountains and river made of loose powder… Who has been to Guilin before? It's got such beautiful sceneries and I love Guilin noodles! Btw, if u plan to make a trip, do visit 'Longji' (meaning: Dragon's Backbone),it's an area nearby with terrace rice paddy fields that just left me in awe. I gawked when I saw the village and terraced fields! (This is an entry for my 20 day challenge called "Make-up meets Chinese Art". ) #redhongyi #makeup #makeupart #instaart
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Sep 17, 2013 at 2:51am PDT
Day 4: Koi and lilypads! Lilypads made of green shimmery eyeshadow; koi of orange nail polish :) (This is an entry for my 20 day challenge called "Make-up meets Chinese Art". Thanks to @aggie_ye for this idea and for carving out the Chinese stamp! )
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Sep 12, 2013 at 7:35pm PDT
Goood morning! ☀☀Day 4: Pine tree painting! Leaves made of fake eyelashes stuck on with eyelash glue, and liquid eyeliner for the trunk. :) Guys – I've always wondered: can u tell when a girl's wearing fake lashes? 👀 (This is an entry for my 20 day challenge called "Make-up meets Chinese Art". Let me know if u hv any other ideas! )
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Sep 7, 2013 at 5:56pm PDT
20 day challenge: Make-up meets Chinese art!! Here's #1: goldfish drawn with mascara. 💄💅🙋 ***Chinese art requires a lot of precision and skill – one stroke can make a huge difference, and many times, less is more. I felt that this is similar to how a woman carefully puts on her make-up. Over the next 20 days leading up to mid-Autumn festival 「中秋节」 I will be challenging myself to rethink how make-up can be presented differently by incorporating Chinese art into it. I'll be in Shanghai and Beijing this month and will be trying to learn this beautiful art which I really am not familiar with, though I'm ethnically Chinese…(I'm Malaysian, btw!) If you have any ideas or suggestions, let me know! :) here's to looking at eyeliners, blushers, BB cream etc differently this month! xx
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Sep 1, 2013 at 3:27am PDT
Red doesn’t only use cosmetics; showing off her creativity, she uses a variety of tools. Here’s a portrait she did using a football:
World Cup fever is in full swing! Painted portraits of Ronaldo, Neymar and Messi with a football dipped in paint – it's been watched by 750k people so far! you can watch it on youtube.com/ohiseered . Let me know if you've seen it by posting this emoticon 🎥 #redhongyi #worldcup
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Jun 22, 2014 at 9:39pm PDT
Red also has an entire series of flower petal art:
Happy Monday! Here's a northern cardinal made of red gerberas and deep purple chrysanthemums…and he's standing on some dill from my garden! Special thanks to these guys for the cardinal idea: @illyanoris @twochickies @obivia @jaggerpeyton @nicoleespina ! I plan to make about 5 more birds for this series…thanks for the suggestions y'all! Will be going through them! Thinking of doing a bal eagle next :)
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Jul 14, 2013 at 9:28pm PDT
"And I will rise on eagle's wings…" A soaring bald eagle made of white, yellow and maroon chrysanthemums. :) making a special kinda bird next, especially for all you guys who are in love 💚💛❤
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Jul 18, 2013 at 9:11pm PDT
▼ Here’s how she did it.
Time lapse of my bald eagle made of flowers! Thanks for the suggestion guys :))
A video posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Jul 17, 2013 at 8:18pm PDT
You may have even seen her flower artwork featured on Google (if you happen to be in Malaysia):
Last screenshot before the clock strikes midnight and before my Google doodle artwork disappears from google.com.my ! Made this for Malaysia's Independence Day; check out my other versions in my two previous posts. Have a wonderful week ahead everyone and hope you had a beautiful Merdeka Day, my Malaysian friends. Good night from Melbourne ! ⭐️🌙 (where u at now?)
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Aug 31, 2014 at 7:01am PDT
She also created a portrait of Jackie Chan using 64,000 chopsticks!
This portrait of Jackie Chan is made of 64,000 chopsticks for his 60th birthday yesterday!! I've uploaded the video on youtube.com/ohiseered ! Subscribe and share the love #redhongyi
A photo posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Apr 8, 2014 at 7:59am PDT
▼ Check out a video of the chopsticks Chan!
A short clip of my Jackie Chan portrait – longer version at youtube.com/ohiseered ! I look forward to releasing a new series of artwork on IG soon! how has everyone been? It's been a rather tough week for me and I can't wait for the weekend…
A video posted by red*hongyi (@redhongyi) on Apr 17, 2014 at 7:38pm PDT
We are absolutely in awe of the talent this young artist possesses. If you’d like to check out more of “Red” Hong Yi’s work, be sure to visit her website and instagram ! And for a behind-the-scene look at the making of some of her art installations, head on over to her YouTube channel .
Source: Naver Matome , Red Hong Yi
Images: Instagram ( redhongyi )
