Terry Lim pursues his childhood dream with great gusto, says MEERA MURUGESAN

AS a child growing up in Bentong, Pahang, Terry Lim used to spend hours at a boutique near his home. But it wasn’t fashion that fascinated the young boy but the mannequins that stood on display at the shop window.

Lim’s mother would often find her son staring in rapt attention at the mannequins as he sketched them skilfully.

In school, his teachers would discover his notebooks full of illustrations and he even used to draw comics for the amusement of his friends.

“My parents were so supportive of my interest in art even though they owned a goldsmith shop and business was more the favoured line of work,” says 34-yearold Lim who’s now a portrait painter.

“They were very open to the idea of me following my dreams,” he says.

Lim, who’s the youngest in his family, eventually completed a three-year art course in Illustration at The One Academy Of Communication Design, graduating in 1993 and is now an upand- coming portrait artist.

He has also set up Skycomic Studio, his own company, to take in both commissions for portraits and advertising work.

“Portrait painting is what I love best and it can be very challenging because it’s not just about capturing the image of a person on canvas but also the essence or spirit of that person in your work,” says Lim.

The majority of the faces Lim paints are well-known Malaysian personalities but the portraits are not commissioned by these famous people themselves, but by individuals who want to present these paintings as gifts.

“Most of my clients are people who organise official functions and have invited a VIP as their guest of honour,” says Lim.

“They want to give the VIP something special as a token of appreciation so they ask me to paint a portrait of the VIP,” he explains.

“A portrait is not only a unique gift but also one that the recipient can keep for life,” he adds.

Among the personalities Lim has painted are the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet.

He has also worked on portraits of popular actors and singers.

It usually takes Lim about a week to complete a portrait and since he doesn’t have his models sitting for him, he works instead by referring to a current photograph of them.

He always starts by thinking about the mood, colour and setting which would suit the person he is about to paint and then does a pencil sketch.

It’s a skill that requires him to be very meticulous as he slowly and carefully brings onto the canvas every tiny detail of a person’s face.

“The eyes and lips of a person can be the most challenging part for a portrait artist,” says Lim and when it comes to colour, being able to mix shades to produce the exact skintone of a person is crucial in order to present an accurate image of them.

Sometimes, the motivation to complete a portrait is so strong that Lim will paint throughout the night, even skipping meals, but after each portrait, he usually needs a break of a few days so he can recuperate physically and mentally.

“It can be tough on you because it requires full concentration but when you see the finished product, there’s always a sense of satisfaction in knowing you’ve produced something,” he says.

Depending on its size and whether it’s an individual or family portrait, Lim charges between RM3,000 and RM10,000 for his work.

“Some people may consider this excessive but overseas, portraits fetch so much more,” says Lim.

In Malaysia, having your portrait painted is still something new, especially for the average person.

“I believe as an artist today, it’s important to know the value of your work and to understand the importance of marketing yourself.

You can’t just stay locked up in a room painting the whole day,” says Lim.

Lim has also extended his passion for art into the world of comics and his illustrations can be seen on popular comics on Chinese history which are being sold in Taiwan and Singapore.

“Nothing beats the joy and enjoyment of pursuing something you love and I am lucky that I can indulge in my passion every single day,” says Lim.