Social Portfolio

In the creative industry, one always looks for different ways of doing things. In the past, I’ve lugged around a traditional leather-bound portfolio which safely guarded the few print pieces I’ve kept over the years. And, of course, I have this here website to update with projects that I’m proud of and want to share. But as social media becomes the dominant presence in the digital age, I felt I needed to update and showcase my work in a different way.

With a bit of inspiration from fellow designer Ji Lee, I am re-imagining how to showcase my body of work.

Visit and follow my new creative grid portfolio at instagram.com/obladacreative for the full experience.

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2018 Halloween Animations

While brainstorming and sketching the series of animated gifs I created for Halloween this year, I knew I wanted to incorporate a backdrop not traditionally known for horror. I wanted to skew our perception of familiar, perhaps banal, locations with an air of sinister unease. I finally settled on our workspace, initially concepting the series to include varied occupations like retail and hospitality but finally settling on an office. With a touch of inspiration from Caravaggio, one may now wonder what lurks behind those cubicles.

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Exposure

Years ago when I was starting out, I was approached by an editor who wanted to include a poster series I created in an upcoming publication he was overseeing. At the time, I was ecstatic. Getting to see my work in print for a potential world-wide audience was (and still is) a big deal and the book itself—a higher end coffee table tome featuring artwork by several well-known figures in the industry—seemed a prestige piece that could only enhance my portfolio and professional reputation. High on the possibility of exposure it could entail, I naively agreed to remuneration of just one copy of the book.

I never received a copy of the book.

After attempting to contact the editor numerous times, I instead shelled out sixty dollars (plus shipping and handling) to add it to my library myself. It led to virtually no further work. No art directors were ringing me up. Its milestone in my career was instead a two-fold lesson learned:

1) compared to the other pieces included, there was no doubt I was still a junior in the industry. I needed to cultivate my style and personal brand.

2) exposure means shit. My work, and time, were still deserving of being compensated fairly.

I recently came across a very similar situation to mine after reading reviews for a book I wanted to order:

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The review continues with more evidence that the book was put together by someone who did not value (or properly acknowledge and compensate) the contributions of the people who actually created the content. Needless to say, I immediately took it off my WishList.

I think about this practice often in the new era of “content creation” and how creative professionals have ever more enticing carrots dangled in front of them, all for the possibility of something which may not be defined and often doesn’t come into fruition anyway. It’s a situation ripe for exploitation. People are being conditioned to work for less and to settle for it. The promise of exposure and all it entails, such as new followers, is certainly a form of clout … but the best clout to receive in business is still financial.

Writers, photographers, designers and other artists deserve to be shown the money.

Vintage Travel: Dubai

Was hit with a bit of inspiration today and now want to create a series of vintage-style travel posters based on places I have been. In particular, I want to explore different – and unexpected – ways of incorporating colour in my designs. First up: Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which I visited in 2016.

Connect with me if interested in purchasing a signed, limited edition print. 

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