Tag: Creativity

Take a Moment, Be Thankful

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Take a Moment, Be Thankful
take a moment and be thankful,,,
Take A Moment and be thankful to those that want you to succeed.

It’s been a while since my last post. Hope you are well. Last time I uploaded a post was on 1. 1. 19., how can I forget. To be honest, I am still saying my ‘Thank YOUs’, especially for being on this platform and meeting so many amazing and talent people. Life in general have been a good teacher despite its sweet and sour combination.

I learnt so many things from reading, listening and watching some incredible video contents. A lot were motivational, inspirational and educational. I guess you see why my ‘Thank YOUs’ lingers on. Collaborating with Dr Perry on Life is an ever-changing blend of sweet and sour was truly special. I gained more friends in the community as a result.

Without wasting time, I am starting another website http://www.zedtears.com where I try to explore experimental image making to visually represent nerve pain or nerve sensations in abstract forms. It is a different kind of challenge I know, but it is truly remarkable how the nerves work if you’ve ever experienced any form of nerve issue or nerve pain. I will also attempt to explore pain in general. I have carried out a few interviews where I try to examine how people describe any form of pain condition they are going through or been through. Some of these will feature on the platform.

Pain, be it psychological, emotional, or physical is non-visual. The question is, can abstract images visualise pain? A Picture speaks a thousands words they say. One thing I can say though is that pain by its nature is abstract. People describe their pain in metaphorical or in abstract terms because they can’t physically see it but they can feel it.  Let’s attempt to capture our pain in writing or other forms and express these in a form of art, how about that?!

The images that I create are visual representations and are entirely open to interpretation. You are welcome to join me as I explore the abstract world of pain.

Your thoughts and comments are highly welcomed.

Visualising pain by Philip Abang

Abstract image denoting the a form of nerve sensation.

Design, Art direction, Post
By Philip Abang

 

 

 

31.12.18 and Thank YOUs

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31.12.18 and Thank YOUs

Thank You.

I know it is New Year’s day at some regions/places. It is 22.40 GMT here at the United Kingdom. I will like seize this moment to thank you all for being part of this adventure of mine.

I started my website in late February 2018 and posted my first blog post on Mar 4, 2018 7:07 PM titled Happiness followed by Potential and Confidence respectively.

Some of my favourite posts have been Living, Together, Storybook, and of course, Kojo and Not Just a Pretty Face by Tambu Geeray respectively. I must state that Collaborating with Tambu Geeray brought out the best in my design concept to bring his story to life.

96 posts and counting, I wouldn’t have been here without the amazing followers and readers that have become a huge part of this journey.

My initial intention when I started was to at least have someone have a peek at my portfolio (which seems outdated now) having gone and studied Graphic Design as a mature student and doing the best I could. Life is about learning and discovery, and also rising to challenges. Studying Graphic Design in my mid to late thirties was no exception. It was very tough, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Imaging not trying at all. I gave my all despite my struggles, and in the end I graduated with a First Class Honours in Graphic Design.

“Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” _Jack Canfield

In all these, I have met so many wonderful people along the way, and on the WordPress platform I have discovered some gems in people, their writings and stories. Simply amazing!!

Thank You

This post barely has the space to express my gratitude. But here is to you all that have helped shaped and moulded me to who I have become. I can proudly say that I blog, I design, I inspire (I’d like to think so), I aspire, I illustrate, I……,  I TRY.

2019 holds greater challenges but we will all rise to the occasion. Let’s go!!!!!!

Thank you again from the bottom of my heart and have a blessed 2019.

Happy New Year.

Yours sincerely,

Philip Abang

Design, Art direction, Post
By Philip Abang

Life is an ever-changing blend of sweet and sour

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Life is an ever-changing blend of sweet and sour. _Dr Perry

Life.png

Life is an ever-changing blend of sweet and sour, sometimes it parallels the sweetness of honey and other times it can be as sour as a lemon. It is easy to become overwhelmed when we think of the frailty of life. Every day of our lives we have one foot stepping forward into the unknown while the other momentarily remains suspended in the past. Life is a flux of constant energy in motion. We grasp for it, only to momentarily hold onto it, as it slips away.

I wish I had the ability to suspend the forward motion of time. I would choose to live in certain moments of my life; only moving on when I was completely ready to do so. Sadly, life does not allow us to hit the pause or replay button. Every moment blooms and wilts replaced by countless others. We must treat our time with reverence and not waste it foolishly. Life should be lived consciously and not in a state of reverie.

Dr Perry.
MakeItUltra™ Psychology

I read Dr Perry’s Awaken The New Year 2019 and I was totally blown away by how he poetically summed up ‘life’. Being a lover of words and quotes, I reached out to Dr Perry to permit me to post these two paragraphs from his post. Being the gentleman that he is, he kindly accepted. I did what I usually do as a designer and that is to give a visual context using text and image to elicit the emotional connotation of what he was trying to convey.

I would highly recommend that you visit Dr Perry’s blog which is packed with words of wisdom and super knowledge on psychology and state of being.

Have a beautiful time.

Many Thanks.

Design, Art direction, Post
By Philip Abang

You’re never too old to set another goal

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You're never too old to set another goal

You're never too old to set another goal,,.png

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” _C.S. Lewis

Design, Art direction, Post
By Philip Abang

The shackles of human expression

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The shackles of human expression

The shackles of human expression.png

If common sense tells us now that living with passion is the key to leading a successful life, why are so many of us still miserable? Why do we still struggle to live out loud as inventors and pioneers of our creative process? Why do hierarchies, racism and hate even still exist? — What I discovered on my journey is what I now believe to be ‘the shackles of human expression’. For as long as we continue to define ourselves as nouns, — race, nationality, gender, age, religion, career specialization, social statues, — we will never live to our fullest potential.

_Deji Akingbaje.
Be the Verb, Not the Noun

This quote says a lot in my humble opinion, period!

Design, Art direction, Post
By Philip Abang

 

Let’s all create

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Dear ZedTears, Let's all create

Let's all create.png

“You should bring something into the world that wasn’t in the world before. It doesn’t matter what that is. It doesn’t matter if it’s a table or a film or gardening—everyone should create. You should do something, then sit back and say ‘I did that.'” _Ricky Gervais

Design, Art direction, Post
By Philip Abang

Art #2. Into The Unknown

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Art #2. Into The Unknown [Artwork]

Philip Abang. “To me art is an adventure into an unknown world, which can be explored only by those willing to take the risks.” _Mark Rothko

“To me art is an adventure into an unknown world, which can be explored only by those willing to take the risks.” _Mark Rothko

Philip Abang. “To me art is an adventure into an unknown world, which can be explored only by those willing to take the risks.” _Mark Rothko

Mark Rothko’s quote inspired my initial post ‘Art‘ and also this artwork. I created this artwork ‘Into The Unknown’ as an abstract representation of the conscious, subconscious, and the unconscious mind. The eye denoting the conscious, the subconscious represented by the abstract layers and patterns of type and forms floating in space and the unconscious are the ‘blacks’ found in every existing space.

There is a complexity about the subconscious and the unconscious mind, and human behaviour is influenced by the abstract nature of this complexity. The floating layers of information in the subconscious are a culmination of things seen, heard or experienced. In the unconscious mind lays a deep tunnel of things the conscious mind cannot conceive or comprehend. In it lays a wealth of uncharted knowledge, strength, weaknesses, potential, goals, wisdom, vulnerability, power, you name it.

Like Mark Rothko’s quote, exploring that space of our subconscious and our unconscious mind can help unravel our inner stardom and realizing our full potential. Being the hero of our story lay in how deep we are willing to dive, how deep we are willing to look from within to make our story a best seller.

Lest I forget, I created this artwork exploring with torn pieces of papers, sketch and ‘scanography’. I tried something different and the result is this digital collage. Let’s take an adventure into the unknown (our inner self) and see how we become a beautiful piece of art.

Philip Abang. “To me art is an adventure into an unknown world, which can be explored only by those willing to take the risks.” _Mark Rothko

Design, Art/Creative direction, Post
By Philip Abang

Change is Good

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Design. Change is Good _Ina Saltz. #1

Change is good. Ina Saltz.png

Great advice from one of my favourite typography tutors on Lynda.com. Ever thought about a change in career or life in general? Well, it may seem extremely difficult in most cases especially when faced with fear of the unknown. I like the fact that Ina Saltz highlights that change in your career path (even life itself) can pay off in happiness, balance, and quality of your life. What is that thing, job or position that needs changing from your perspective? Ever thought about that?!!

Having to listen more has change the way I gather or dissect information. Taking a leap of faith in doing a graphic design course completely changed the way I viewed the world around me. My interpretation of colours, things and their meaning definitely changed. Needless to say that my problem solving skills have gone up a notch.

I was listening to a radio show called The Rich Dad Radio Show by Robert and Kim Kiyosaki on Find out How to find your Purpose in Life featuring Steven Pressfield, and I wrote these lines that Steven Pressfield had said about what stands in the way of change (if you put it that way) and finding purpose in life, thus;

It’s kind of the rule of life that anything that is really positive for the evolution of the soul is very freaking hard to do and you feel an enormous resistance to doing it. — Capital ‘R’ resistance from something as simple as going to the gym to facing your true destiny whatever that is, there’s going to be an enormous wall of resistance.

The above relates to making that change that will impact your happiness, balance and quality of life that Ina Saltz had stated.

Change is good. Ina Saltz..png

Thank you Ina Saltz, and thanks to your Typography tutorials on Lynda.com. I have benefited immensely from these including your book Typography Essentials: 100 Principles for Working with Type (Design Essentials) which I have in my mini library.

Design, Art direction, Post
By Philip Abang