Q. What does it take to create an ambigram? Solve et coagula; here are the various steps as I progressed from the initial idea, working, toiling, labouring through to a final masterwork.
Background and purpose for this project, found here.
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0.
Virginia! – While doodling, while daydreaming, while riding a tsunami at the downgoing of the sun, a flash of inspiration. Inside the coffee shop and at the perfect hour for magick, I jot it down, post haste!
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1.
Inspired by a previous ambigram I’d created, the V to A flip instantly presents itself to me, and, as well, the two outer i’s seem to compliment each other easily enough. Good. Half done! The two end letters, even at this first step, have taken on an essential form that will carry through to the final.
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2.
Reworking the initial idea, I begin to play with the various letterforms, keeping in mind they must read differently – and successfully – from two different directions. Quite the challenge.
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3.
Generally I’ll try some basic ‘tricks’ with a piece at this point (inversions, colors, resizings, etc), without needing to resolve any particular details. Fun and surprise now become part of the process, allowing the piece to further suggest itself to me – o seductive muse.
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4.
Inspired again, I begin a more resolved pencil linear – old school rocks! Scanned in, I can better explore the balance and overall harmony of the piece. Virginia, do you understand this?
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5.
Noting how a solid block-in helps to shape and weight the ambigram, ‘Her’ personality now begins to emerge – tough, sharp & vibrant; elegant, delicate, and with an appropriate, tempestuous joie!
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6.
Initial inked studies are now begun. The intention is to follow the natural curve and line weights which are produced when using a calligraphy pen, to help determine the final rendering.
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7.
Again, inversions, additions, colour, and feel are explored …
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8.
I decide from these encouraging studies to now create an cleaner vector file as run up to the final file. Stars replace diamonds, and details now emerge as possible narratives.
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9.
Lovers gaze out at the stars reflected in the pond below. A gentle breeze is blowing, rippling on the surface of the water. The radio announcer translates some such lyrics just at the moment I am working, staring directly at the piece. Wow, nice, a welcome coincidence. Even more welcome and startling when it happens again under similar circumstances, 11 days later (and yet again after that)!!
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10.
Overall, the file is further, further and still further refined, death by a thousand (micro) revisions. Hmmm. Beautiful, wonderful, it’s now starting to look great, well worth all the effort.
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11.
Verifying the proportions by means of the golden section, I’m startled to see the Fibonacci ‘fit’ so well. Again, highly encouraging. The artwork takes on a life of it’s own.
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12.
Evolving slowly, but thoroughly, our original flash of inspiration now edges closer and closer to it’s Realization – we’re stalking the Ineffable!
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13.
Yet – something still seems incomplete. What’s missing? Aha! It needs a more ‘swashbuckling slash’ to compliment it’s appearance. More inked studies are drawn, an attempt to catch that oh-so-perfect roughened edge. All this, for the illusion of spontaneity.
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Okay, now to conjoin, to wed with great sagacity, the two edged versions; the cleaner, smooth precise left hand side curves together with the rougher, calligraphic edges of the right hand side (at least for the first four letters).
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15.
Ultimately the details are all further refined, embossed, polished and delicately ripped, just so.
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16.
! Abrahadabra
Final tweakings, a textured background, smoothing out some of the rougher spots, and then lastly, the tag-line added.
Coagula.
; )