Colores. Vida. Alegria.

Last December, i had the chance to design the org shirt for the Faculty and Staff of Ateneo de Zamboanga University for the Ateneo Fiesta. The theme is "Colores, Vida, Alegria" (Color, Life, Fun) and the color of the shirt is black. I created these two different designs. First is in hand lettering / typography style and the other is more intricate tribal /aztec style.

Due to budget constraint, they chose the simpler design. Either way i'm glad they chose to print my design. I was estatic when i saw this photo of the University President wear it during the opening parade.

Selfie with the President 😁 Hi, Fr Karel :3 #AtFest2014

A photo posted by Nurmie Ninting (@missyuwr) on Dec 12, 2014 at 6:06am PST

Janice and Mark Invites

Here's an unexpected project that was referred to me by my officemate and former schoolmate, ate Jasmine. This is for her classmate back in high school who's about to tie the knot. Janice and Mark, both Chemists, decided to have caricatures for their invitation. Janice did the drawing and i traced it using Illustrator and added their faces based on their photos. They wanted a dark background so i added some glow in the smoke and chemicals. Overall, they liked it and that's all that i wish for. Good luck to both of them and i wish them a happy married life!

Love Heals 1.0 & 2.0

This is for the victims of the Zamboanga Siege. I did this last Christmas which was supposed to be printed as postcards and sold to which the proceeds will be donated to the internally displaced families in Zamboanga. We all need healing from that terrifying experience especially the kids. It's only through love that we can allow healing to happen.



Here is another version of the art which was part of the TimeOut Exhibit of the Faculty and Staff of Ateneo de Zamboanga University. It's a mixed media sculpture where I used wood, nails, strings and paint.

Handmade Wooden Signs

Two of the most creative visionaries of this city has commissioned me to create handmade artworks for their new studio. Vista de Lente Photography headed by Mr Reymond Ledesma and Mr Rey Fortuna, and Inkpressive Invitations by Doc Venus Fortuna, trusted my crafty side to create sweet decors with quotes or phrases and images that will add personality to their new workspace. Inspired by western wedding event styling and my recent relationship with Pinterest, I was challenged to do traditional painting using scavenged wood I found in our garage, by-products of our house's renovation. My output surprised me as well. I didn't expect i can do such things. The feedback were also positive and now, many are already asking me to do one for them. Here are the first set of my "Handmade Wooden Signs" which i created for Vista de Lente. Click photos for larger view. More after the jump.

The set is currently displayed at the reception area of Vista de Lente Photography office at the new L&F Blgd fronting Cecile's Pharmacy along San Jose Rd.

Festival de Verano 2014 Poster Design

Its summertime! Festival de Verano - erstwhile known as the Zamboanga Summer Festival - will officially open on April 25 with the Great Summer Escapade at Sta. Cruz Island, which also aims to promote the island as a prime tourism destination.

 A Kite-Flying Competition is also set and will be the opening salvo for Juego de Antes, an activity that will allow older generations to relive their childhood through traditional games they once enjoyed.

Juego de Antes will feature games such as kadang-kadang, sack race, tumbahan lata, shatung, Limbo Rock, Tug of War, Gerry Base, domino and tubigan. The Festival de Verano will also pay homage to two of the city’s well-known residents: former mayor Maria Clara Lobregat and Gen. Vicente Alvarez.

The Festival de Verano will culminate in a grand parade of lovely belles, gowns and arcs on May 24. Dubbed as the Festival de las Bellas y Flores, the parade will showcase the finest creations of the city’s renowned as well as up-and-coming designers.

Vamos a Zamboanga!

Words by Christian Olasiman
Poster design by Csz97

Day 30: Congrats Banner

Omg! It's finally done. The last one is dedicated to my hard work and for not giving up. After two years, i finished the 30 Day Drawing Challenge! It was not easy for me doing this because im a very moody artist. I'm also not that talented with "drawing" so i used reference halfway. I broke some rules along the way like in day 16 when i used colored background and text should be inside some sort of a banner. But all decisions were made because at that time it just felt right for me. This also has been a great activity for me. It didn't only challenge my skills but also it made me know myself better. I really recommend all artist to do this challenge. It may not be as serious as i did, but practicing your craft will always make you a better artist. I also learned many techniques and even developed my own. I love to explore and just be creative. I hope all these creative juices will never run out. This one I dedicate to everyone who believed in me. Thank you and God bless ^_^

Day 29: A Place You Want to Go

I love travelling! My first time to travel or have a vacation outside the city was after high school graduation. I went to Iligan with the entire Zabala clan. Travelling with family is great! We get to see new places, share new experiences and get to know each other more. My entire childhood was here in Zamboanga, and I always dreamt of going to Disneyland or Universal Studios as a kid watching cable TV. I know a lot of places coz i always read books (as in encyclopedia) and watch nerdy channels like Discovery Channel and Nat Geo. I also dreamt of travelling outside space and becoming an astronaut. As a teen i discovered Harry Potter and no doubt, i wanted to be a wizard and study in Hogwarts. A lot of movie and cartoons made me want to go fictional places like Neverland, Oz, Narnia, The Shire, Rivendell, Gotham, Smallville, and the Pokemon Universe.

But in college i get to travel for real. I went to Manila many times for the Graphika Manila conference. I traveled to Baguio for a Student Journalism workshop. I went to Naga for