text stringlengths 1 330k |
|---|
Mark: So Nikita, I know from my previous conversations with you that you have a background in graphic design and typography. Can you tell us how your background fits with your interest in ambigrams? |
Nikita: I received a “Master of Fine Arts in Ambigram Design” back in 2006, and…(laughs) |
I could only hope that it was a major offered in my graduate school, but when I found out it wasn’t, I had to dive into the world of ambigrams on my own. |
In the undergraduate stage of my education, I was a very bull-headed designer. I was under the (oh so false) impression that my design work & ideas were great, and that I could do no wrong. When I began attending graduate school, my thought process & approach to graphic design (and my own ability) changed drastically. ... |
Mark: Now, you seem to have developed quite a deep interest in ambigrams. What motivates you to pursue it to the extent that you have, and what was the purpose of starting Ambiblog? Be honest, it’s for the ladies, isn’t it? |
Nikita: If that‘s true, then I must be doing something wrong, because it hasn’t worked yet! Ladies, if you are reading this interview, you are encouraged to respond… |
My original interest was peaked when I read Angels & Demons, much like yourself & thousands of others. It happened at a perfect time, as I was in search of a creative outlet other than my schoolwork, and my first ambigram appeared mid-2005. Ambigrams immediately drew me in because they were unlike anything I have ever ... |
Every artist has an overall approach that is similar; first a general concept is developed, followed by rough, then detailed sketches, ending with the final ambigram. What really interests me is the individual thought/design process and execution of the various stages of ambigram development. On the blog, one artist fr... |
Phobia Fear ambigram<br />(used with permission from the author) |
Phobia Fear ambigram(used with permission from the author) |
Mark: OK, let’s just lay it out there. In your opinion, who are some of the best ambigram artists out there? What makes their work so special? |
Nikita: You just asked me a difficult question with a tough answer. I think there are several categories that ambigrams artists could be broken down to. |
There are the select few artists that initiated the ambigram movement (for lack of a better term), from coining the term ‘ambigram’ to creating the first existing ambigrams. In my opinion, they are in a league of their own & make up the upper echelon of the ambigram community. Not just for being the founders of a new m... |
Another gentleman in this group is Scott Kim, who, aside from ambigrams, creates wonderful games and puzzles for children, also agreed to an interview, the content of which is also published on the blog. The third is Douglas Hoffstadter, who coined the term ‘ambigram’ and has exhibited his work in various art galleries... |
The second category is…well, everyone else! There are, however, several smaller subgroups. |
(Sub-group 1) |
These artists continuously experiment with ambigrams. Never adhering to simple 180-degree rotational ambigrams, they create reflective ambigrams (reflected on a vertical axis), figure/ground ambigrams, 90-degree rotational ambigrams and mirrored ambigrams (when a word is split in the middle and reflected to complete th... |
(Sub-group 2) |
The work produced by these artists is overall very solid. Why are they in a separate group? Their body of work is just too similar! The ambigrams can be aesthetically pleasing and very readable/legible, but they lack individual personality, which I believe should be the ultimate goal at the core of each ambigram concep... |
The artists here create good ambigrams, but after a while they all merge into one because of similar appearances & aesthetic. They stick to similar styles for various reasons; it could be a comfort zone that developed after a period of drawing in a similar style, or a certain typographic style so abstract that you virt... |
(Sub-group 3) |
This sub-group is the last of the three, and ultimately, their body of work could use a lot of improvement. The ambigrams they develop are created just for the sake of being ambigrams. Traditional rules of typography/design are almost completely ignored! You have to remember that at its roots, an ambigram is still clev... |
The artists that belong to this group should attempt to create one aesthetically & typographically pleasing ambigram instead of a plethora that are not even close. |
My classification might seem harsh or unjust, but if you really take a look at the ambigram community in depth, you will realize that at least some of my assessments are well founded. I am not approaching this critique as just an ambigram designer, but as a trained graphic designer. My wish is not to offend anyone with... |
Mark: You’ve probably seen it all. What are some of the common errors being committed by new ambigram artists? What could they learn from the more seasoned designers? |
Nikita: This is another difficult question Mark, and you are two for two so far! Can’t you ask me an easy question, like what’s the meaning of life, or why do cats always land on their feet? |
There is no set ‘rules’ for creating any ambigram, hence the creation of Ambiblog, to explore the individual process for each artist. Since there are no set rules for ambigram design, you can’t really label unsuccessful ambigrams as mistakes. It is a matter of having a very open mind and ability to experiment almost en... |
You also have to be willing to swallow your pride and show your ambigram to various people, while asking them ‘What do you read?’ and be prepared to hear rather strange interpretations of what you thought was legible & readable. |
My suggestions for beginning ambigram artists: |
• When attempting to experiment with ambigrams, start with basic words and letter styles; avoid complex typographic styles such as script or handwritten. Begin with three to four letter words, and work your way up as you get more comfortable and experienced. Also, try mixing uppercase/lowercase together, or limiting ... |
• At first, your primary concern should be making the ambigram legible & readable. After you train your eye/hand to quickly and efficiently approximate the possibility of turning a word into an ambigram, then you can start to apply various styles and different visual aesthetics. |
• Experiment, experiment, experiment. Explore any and all possibilities of letterform interaction and do not be afraid to try anything! You are still sketching & developing your idea, so what’s the worse that could happen from an extra hundred or so sketches? |
• Create several legible, readable and unique ambigrams, rather than trying to turn every word into an ambigram. |
I have a unique approach that I attempt with some ambigrams. Once I am able to tell that a word will become a successful ambigram, and it proves to be true on paper, I start with a blank sheet and try to draw the same ambigram in a completely different style. It might not always work but it will force your mind/hand to... |
And who knows what successful letter interactions you might discover that can be used for an ambigram at a later point? |
Clean Dirty Figure Ground ambigram<br />(used with permission from the author) |
Clean Dirty Figure Ground ambigram(used with permission from the author) |
Mark: Now, I know that you’ve read the book “Angels and Demons”. What are your thoughts on the upcoming movie? |
Nikita: It’s not really a question of whether I read Angels & Demons, but how many times I’ve reread it… |
I am waiting anxiously for the movie, but I am very wary of book-to-movie adaptations. The last movie I saw adapted from a book was The Count of Monte-Cristo. Having read the full two-volume, 2000+ page edition, I found the movie to be accurate for all of ten minutes, nine of those minutes being the end credits. I hope... |
So, do you think ambigrams are going to become more mainstream? Or will they forever be somewhat of a niche phenomena? |
Nikita: Any trend has the potential for remaining a unique entity, as well as becoming ubiquitous and mainstream. If you look at this problem statistically, ambigrams were ‘conceived’ in the early 70s, and are just now becoming more mainstream. Exponentially, they do not risk becoming mainstream until the middle of the... |
Mark: Judging from your answers to some of my previous questions, especially where you talk about how unique each ambigram should be, you might be opposed to the idea of an ambigram generator. Can you tell us why, or why not? |
Nikita: I have to be honest with you: after seeing some of the previous ambigram generators, I thought that they do a horrible job and were completely useless. After seeing Glyphusion at work, and seeing what it can do, my outlook changed, at least from the aesthetic standpoint. I think that Glyphusion does a great job... |
I look at an ambigram generator much like I look at many predesigned website templates. For someone who does not have the time or the ability to create ambigrams from scratch, they can turn to a generator. You mentioned yourself that Glyphusion is constantly evolving, and there is no real limit to how ‘good’ it can be.... |
AC / DC ambigram<br />(used with permission from author) |
AC / DC ambigram(used with permission from author) |
Thanks for sharing your opinions and projections on ambigrams, generators and the upcoming movie, Nikita! I’m sure our visitors will enjoy reading this. |
One Comment |
1. 1 |
Scott Kim Says: |
Mark – |
Wonderful to hear about Glyphusion. I did indeed work on a similar idea back in the mid 80s. I never developed a program (I’m a programmer, but I couldn’t afford the time), but I did develop a typeface full of letter parts that could be combined into ambigrams. I bet it’s similar to what you did, but using a style ... |
RSS Feed for this entry |
On Air Now |
Listen Live Now » 101.9 FM Central Wisconsin |
Current Conditions(Wausau,WI 54403) |
More Weather » |
20° Feels Like: 10° |
Current Radar for Zip |
Partly Cloudy 11° |
Mostly Sunny 28° |
Sun Night |
Partly Cloudy |
Republican candidates slam Obama for appointments |
U.S. President Obama shakes hands with Cordray during trip to Cleveland |
U.S. President Obama shakes hands with Cordray during trip to Cleveland |
By Ros Krasny and Scott Malone |
SALEM/MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Republicans hoping to be chosen to run against President Barack Obama in the 2012 election blasted him on Thursday for bypassing Congress to fill politically sensitive posts. |
He upset Republicans by making four recess appointments - naming Richard Cordray to run the new Consumer Financial Protection Board and filling three vacancies on the National Labor Relations Board. |
Republican politicians who fanned out around New Hampshire to campaign ahead of next Tuesday's primary election criticized Obama for bypassing constitutional procedure and not waiting for Congress to approve the nominees. |
Republican front-runner Mitt Romney labeled Obama as a "crony capitalist" in an attack where he said the president had stacked the labor board with "union stooges." |
"This president is a crony capitalist. He's a job killer. This president has engaged and is engaging in crony capitalism," said Romney, a former venture capitalist who made a fortune buying and restructuring companies - often closing plants and offices in the process. |
"It scares away real entrepreneurs," Romney said. "We don't want crony capitalists running our country." |
He pointed to Obama's move to assign three people to the NLRB - bringing the five-member board to full strength for the first time in two years - as an example. |
Romney said in a statement Obama's appointments to the NLRB give his political labor allies a "dangerous level of power over businesses and workers." |
A recess appointment is made when Congress is not in session and it temporarily circumvents the requirement for Senate confirmation for those positions. Obama's picks for the four posts were all facing drawn-out Republican opposition. |
White House spokesman Jay Carney defended the appointments, noting that while banks had well-paid lobbyists, ordinary Americans need someone like Cordray to protect them. |
"Average Americans need someone representing their interests in Washington," Carney said in Washington. |
Former Senator Rick Santorum, who made a stunning surge at the end of the campaign in Iowa to finish just eight votes behind Romney on Tuesday, said Obama was trying to go above the law since Congress was not actually technically in recess. |
"We are a country of laws. Will I like it if the United States Senate blocks my appointments? No, I won't," Santorum said in Manchester. "But I respect the law, because that's what you are as president. This president routinely runs roughshod over the law." |
"If the rule of law means nothing in this country ... Why don't we just say, 'Go ahead Mr. President, let you run the country out of the executive office, ignore the Senate, ignore the rules, do whatever the hell you want.' It's wrong and someone needs to stand up and say, 'Enough, Mr. President,'" Santorum said, drawi... |
Santorum's rival, Ron Paul, a Texas congressman who came in a close third in Iowa, accused Obama of acting in "clear disregard" of the constitution. |
"The president must be called to account for his actions," Paul said in a statement, adding that Congress may need to take action to rein in Obama's "flagrant contempt" for the rules. |
"It is disappointing that a former constitutional law professor does not understand that the president is not a dictator or a king who can simply ignore the constitution whenever he feels frustrated by the system of checks and balances wisely put in place by our founders." |
Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, called Obama an "imperial president" and urged Congress to respond by refusing to fund the labor board. |
"The National Labor Relations Board now has a majority that have never been confirmed by the U.S. Senate, which is a violation of the law," Gingrich said in Plymouth. "When a president decides to violate the spirit of the law and use the power of the presidency to reshape the government against the Congress, the Congre... |
(Additional reporting by Laura McInnis in Washington and Michelle Nichols in New Hampshire; writing by Deborah Charles) |
GM Igor Novikov Print E-mail |
GM Igor Novikov |
Igor seems pleased with his next round opponent- Photo J.S |
Novikov is known as the “grinder” because of his technical and positional skills. A weaker player often gets an equal, dry position against Igor Novikov, and becomes excited about a draw. “Not so easy!” is the Novikov philosophy. |
Novikov famously said to chess journalist Jerry Hanken that he doesn’t enjoy playing chess. This stark statement is countered by Novikov’s second point: He loves the social, experimental act of analyzing chess. The playing on the other hand, is a job. |
Novikov has a solid, narrow and well-studied opening repertoire, consisting of 1.d4, the Najdorf and the Semi-Slav. |
In both Europe and America, Igor Novikov has played in many tournaments in which he is the highest rated player in the event. Often, these tournaments are Round Robins in which other players are after Grandmaster norms (you need three to get the title); as a high-rated Grandmaster, Igor is paid to play in such events. ... |
In addition to chess, Igor is a part-time travel agent. He helps friends find nice, cheap hotels near tournament sites—if you’re a GM staying at a central Holiday Inn for 39$ a night, chances are that Igor Novikov had something to do with it. For an American professional, this reduces tournament expense overhead, effec... |
Shallow Thoughts |
Akkana's Musings on Open Source, Science, and Nature. |
Tue, 11 Aug 2009 |
Breaking out of the Walgreens Infinite Loop |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.