ART PROCESS: EXPERIMENTING WITH DIGITAL ART

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Initially, I started experimenting with digital art because (a) it's very convenient and (b) I wanted to know if it was something I'd enjoy, before investing in an iPad pro. I find it's always easier to work towards a small & attainable goal, mine was stickers. I started creating designs I've sketched ages ago and experimented with color palettes.  

21.4.2017

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It has been 4 months since I started a full-time job, and since its projects' based, some days are quieter than others.

Anything on brown post-it notes, was a quick sketch I did at work and either left as is, or expanded to it when I got back home.

A YEAR OF CHIMCHE NIGHTS

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In the beginning of 2016, I made a hasty decision of attending an event I knew nothing about. Diplomantiq's CHIMICHE NIGHT has been a huge part of my emotional growth in 2016. Our last chimche night of the year was outdoors, and we reflected on the progress and the decisions we made through out the year. I realized that fear can indeed be a valid (yet odd) way to motivate myself. 

very """candid""" photographs of the last chimche night of 2016

very """candid""" photographs of the last chimche night of 2016

I got to know incredibly talented and smart people through this monthly get-together, and hope this circle grows next year.

After the session, we had an impromptu Diplomantiq podcast recording, where Amna and I talked about Jaffat El Aqlam outdoors before heading home.

Thank you for being an incredible human being, Mustafa. Looking forward to Diplomantiq2K17.

THE WORKSHOP DXB - SCREEN PRINTING WORKSHOP

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I've been researching screen printing for quite some time now because it felt like a technique I needed to get into as soon as possible. I was thrilled that warehouse421 organized this event with 'theworkshopdxb' because it was effortlessly my favorite workshop this year. We got to do our own screen printed posters and a tote. We were encouraged to mix colors and experiment to our hearts' content. 

Can't wait to set up my screen printing workstation to start on new projects!

The workshopdxb team were very nice and incredibly passionate about what they do. Definitely stay on the look out for their live stations!

FIRST SOLO WORKSHOP - ZINE MAKING

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I've been conducting workshops for 2 years now, and they're usually in events for kids. We train a week before, and just go for it on events' days.

2016 officially marks the year I gathered confidence to conduct my first zines' making workshop and hopefully many more to come. Couldn't have asked for a more perfect emirate and location to this.

National Day Putlock Dinner in Sharjah Art Foundation's Urban Garden

A huge thank you to Hessa Al Ajmani for this unforgettable opportunity and all the brilliant participants for a wonderful time.

WAREHOUSE 421

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Incredible experimental work by brilliant emerging artists in the UAE. 

Note: There are some that I didn't write their names, feel free to comment so I can credit you. Let me know if I mixed up any other names too.

WILD20S - a series of tweets that are not wild

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I'm in peace with the fact that I'm physically and emotionally incapable of being as wild as I'd like to be, so I started tweeting in the hashtag #wild20s the past couple of years all the non-wild things I've been doing. Here are my favorites.

 
 

i just advance searched your @’s to me to make a zine.

i just flinched because i made my hand squish *me* via shadow made from my phone's light.

i'm having skittles for breakfast.

if you want to hangout, meet me at the wathba prison.

earl grey tea & emotional auditions in shows i'll never understand.

my too awake VNs are as awful as my half asleep ones.

i secretly want the fly & the mosquito in my room to smooch whilst tracking out mcdonalds delivery.

honey butter biscuits, chai & major life choices.

that odd state of being hungry, sleepy, sad, & angry all mushed together. i'll just drink water & hope it fades.

can’t wait to tell my doctor that i had cold instant ramen at 12:12 am whilst watching the office in my neon pink wig.

lil joys: cheese on toast and chai.

seriously just want to go home, have sushi while playing uncharted.

first thing i look up to when i wake up is sleeping again.

so in SOMA i had to help a woman die so i can get power to move my shuttle and i started crying.

i watched the office's garage sale episode and i'm not ok but i'm also ok a lot

no offense but with every fucking rejection, i'm learning something completely new. next rejection, adobe illustrator.

productive for one day of the month & sleeping for the rest.

sometimes a good day is all about finding the shade of lipstick you’ve been imagining for quite some time.

earl grey and frustration. miley, whats good.

took some sleeping pills & rewatching the office.

drove a friend to the mall to get an xbox game & i'm wearing a jalabiya, praying scarf, zero make up & almost zero petrol.

i just bought lipstick instead of cleaning my desk.

adding more heaviness to my heart by reading pessoa because what's the point anymore. this is our reality.

a doctor saw a form i filled out and said nice handwriting.

i'm supposed to be working but my desk is a mess i can't deal with so i'll nap instead.

feeling: waking up to zaatar manaqeesh and coffee.

drinking redbull and watching people see color for the first time.

i’ve also been watching people make ramen for the past 3 hours.

I know I would never kill myself but I'm just so ready to not be alive anymore, yaknow.

GIF IDEAS

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me shrinking when my mother/friends introduce me as an artist to new humans.

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mama's face when she tells people i'm smarter than i look, then me doing a jim-face thing to the camera.

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baba's face when he tells people i write poetry and me shaking my head and mumbling, "they're just tweets".

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my lil tall whale brother next to me in public, then the camera zooms in to my face crying because he used to be so cute and tiny. now he has facial hair.

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my lil sister's face when i put the modem's wire around my wrist and say, "wire couture" in my "sexy voice".

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jadu's (grandpa) face when he tries to remember.
sequel: jadu's face when he gives up truing to remember.
finale: jadu's face when he sees puppies

 

ART PROCESS - CONTOUR DRAWING

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I stumbled upon this image of women dancing and thought I should try contour drawing. Of course, I need to explore this a bit more, but I absolutely love the results.

TODAY - ERRANDS AND APPOINTMENTS

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  • Made it through one week of recovery. I'm definitely surprised and pleased that my body is much stronger than I thought it was.
  • Onform Art workshop in Sharjah by Khalid was brilliant!
  • I miss waking up in the morning and being a productive citizen of this earth

MEMORY ZINE + OTHER PROJECTS

The past couple of months have been insane. I definitely haven't been updating this website enough, but a lot of new things are being worked on/figured out. 

MEMORY ZINE

Memory zine is definitely proving to be the project that requires a lot of work. Scanning photographs, illustrating and putting it all together in inDesign along with text is taking way longer than expected. Nonetheless, a beautiful emotional process so crying breaks definitely exist.

OTHER PROJECTS/EXPERIMENTS

JAFFAT EL AQLAM STORE

Definitely happening so damn soon. A little details we have to figure out but it's basically ready and the packages are ready too!

TODAY - QUICK ERRANDS

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  • All pictures were taken via snapchat.
  • Came to the conclusion that I'm a better navigator when I'm alone in the car.
  • I treated myself so hard today, I definitely won't be shopping any time soon.
  • I got a lot of things done, and I'm proud of myself. Good job, self. Thanks, self.

FAKE IT TILL YOU'RE OK WITH IT

Been trying to figure out ways to take proper product photos for the online store. Still trying.