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By Eric Leung
Peter Ng, 30, is the creator of leading characters Foo Wing and
Siu Fu Mui in First Love Noodles. The comic artist is also
a Gold Award winner in the Hong Kong Independent Short Film and
VideoAwards.
Reminising about his past 10 years, Peter said it has been like
a train coming out of a tunnel.
“The scenario is so powerful and energetic, just like my 20s.
I don’t know where I will go afterwards. Tai Wai may not be the
station after Kowloon Tong. Who knows if it will be London?
“Foo Wing always says ‘Keep running, running and running.’ He
is just like me in my 20s,” said Peter.
His participation in a drawing exhibition when he was 20 was
the cornerstone of his artistic career. The displayed piece is
Life.
“When I saw those plants could grow in a harsh environment,
such as steep slopes and crevices, I was impressed by their vitality,”
he said.
To Peter, as he has said, life requires incessant energy. He
said he always treasures opportunities and learning experiences.
His interest in art and illustration has propelled him to acquire
skills in oil painting, watercolour painting, computer animation,
computer editing and even shadow puppetry.
His effort proved to be worthwhile when the First Love Noodles
achieved a great success.
The First Love Noodles was Peter’s first comic. Ms. Vincci
Cheuk, alias GCGooBi, is a Commercial Radio 2 disc jockey and
the writer of First Love Noodles. It was originally a radio
drama called GCGooBi Family hosted by her.
His illustrations were first displayed at Hong Kong Book Fair
2000. The reaction was quite satisfactory.
Peter’s design is mainly based on the script written by Ms.
Cheuk. He said the script was highly contributive to the success
of the comics.
To him, the script does not restrict his ideas.
Said he: “I think it enables me to concentrate on my drawing.
“To make Foo Wing and Siu Foo Mui look more realistic, I use
the ‘mix media method’ and incorporate humans into the radio drama.”
Peter’s interest in comics took root years ago.
Choi Chi Chung, who converts Chinese literature classics into
comics, is one of Peter’s favourites. “Mr. Choi seldom applies
colours to his drawings. He is able to illustrate the meanings
and create the atmosphere successfully simply by using a few lines,”
Peter said.
“He alters difficult philosophy into simple comics. I can learn
a lot through his comics.”
Yet Peter’s artistic career is not confined to illustration.
At the age of 27, Peter was lucky enough to produce his own
animation. He took part in the Hong Kong Independent Short Film
& Video Awards and won a Gold Award in the Animation Category.
Said he: “I have always wanted to produce my own animation,
and that’s why I joined it. I wanted to do something that really
belonged to myself.
“I had all the software necessary, so why shouldn’t I take a
shot?”
The animation entitled Mr. Salmon is about a school of
salmon that swim to the upper course of a river to lay eggs despite
hardships and injuries. Even if at the moment Mr. Salmon is killed
in the kitchen, his spirit will never die.
Said Peter: “Human beings, however, often give up when facing
difficulties.”
He shunned dialogue so as to allow people who don’t speak Chinese
to understand the story.
Said Peter: “The idea of using a salmon as the leading character
is fresh. People like it very much.”
However, winning the award was not easy.
“I did all the production work, including the script, research
and editing,” Peter said.
Peter was invited by BBC to participate in the British Short
Film Festival.
Later, Mr. Salmon was also shown in film festivals in
Hong Kong and England.
Indeed, the award has given Peter immense encouragement.
Peter said, “If I failed, I would not be determined to stay in
the field.
“The award also has made me realise my inadequacies.”
According to Peter, photography and children’s books are his
sources of inspiration.
“Photography teaches me how to create moods, apply colours and
use angles.
“Children’s books are meaningful and beautiful. I like their
simple characters and straightforward plots,” said Peter.
Regarding his 20s, Peter thinks that it was a fruitful and interesting
time.
“It was fruitful because I changed jobs several times,” said
he. “I learned different skills and met different kinds of people.
“It was interesting because I was able to do what I wanted.”
The past 10 years also have been powerful, like a train exiting
a tunnel.
To Peter, one’s 20s is a period for for learning and self-discovery,
despite an unpredictable destination.
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