For those who have been coming here for Babymag updates, please accept my humble apologies for failing to post anything about Baby for the last month (or two.) I have been involved with other pursuits and my blogging time was really cut down immensely. I am so excited to write about what I've been doing the past weeks but that will be for next time. Anyway, I am back on track now and Baby updates will resume its regular appearance soon.

PEMSEA and HP Philippines present the EAS Congress Regional Photo Contest with the theme, "The Coast, The Ocean, My Community."

Contest entries should demonstrate local actions/implementation and good practices in sustainable coastal and ocean protection, development and management. Entries can show local and national initiatives that address natural and man-made hazard prevention and management; habitat protection, restoration and management; water use and supply management; food security and livelihood management and pollution reduction and waste management.

The contest is open to nationals of the East Asian region, and is divided into three (3) categories:

• Youth category - for amateur practitioners who are college students or young professionals, between 18 and 25 years of age.
• Hobbyist/Amateur category - for amateur practitioners, beyond 25 years of age, who pursue photography outside of his/her regular occupation, engaged primarily for personal fulfillment.
• Professional category - professional practitioners who derive income from the sale of photographs and/or provision of photographic services.

Click here to download the complete contest mechanics.

The above information are taken from the Pemsea website. This blog claims no ownership of any images or text above this line.

Good typography...
Excellent photography...
Three revisions at most...
A client who knows what he wants...
Concise design brief...
Learning in the process...
Unlimited budget
Enthusiasm to actually do the job

Filipino illustrators sharing their visual style, process, and how they made it in the art scene. Featuring works of Isabel “Pepper” Roxas, Sergio Bumatay, Armand Serrano, May Ann Licudine, Chris de Joya and Gerry Alanguilan. Speaker Fruits, a Filipino collective society in the US gives their views on Philippine contemporary art. We also had a blast with the launch of “Ugnay,” Gene De Loyola’s solo exhibition at the Alab Artspace.

This month's GPM grips me in so many ways. It made me remember the past, recognize the present and look to the future of my own path as an illustrator. Well, I'm not exactly an "illustrator," rather I just get to stretch my legs on these waters much more now than ever before. I had to do some serious re-thinking after reading this issue. Precisely the reason why this post is soooo late...

I never thought I'd see Mang Gerry in the pages of GPM. Being a fan of comicbooks as a youth, my early influences we're Sir Gerry Alanguilan himself and those whom he worked with. I remember screaming like a girl when I saw the initial artworks for STONE where Sir Gerry worked with Sir Whilce Portacio. I also remember flipping through the pages of WASTED and feeling Eric's pain (that book saved me.) Also in this issue are Children's books illustrator Pepper Roxas, and Sergio Bumatay, 2008 Philippine Board of Books for Young People (PBBY)-Alcala Silver Prize winner for his artwork on Naku, naku, nakuuu! by Nanoy Rafael. Both illustrators are already familiar since I come across children's books quite a lot in my "day job" as layout artist for Baby Magazine. I also found the feature on Armand Serrano and May Ann Licudine so inspiring they we're actually the ones who made me remember why I loved drawing in the first place.

Download it here

Graphikapinoy is a free downloadable pdf magazine in support of the Filipino creatives. A convergence of best talents from all aspects of the design industry whose works shall be showcased in every issue.

This illustration was used as main visual for an article in the July 2008 issue of Baby Magazine with the title "P" as in "boy"? Understanding the dyslexic child by Sankie Simbulan. Dyslexia is an impairment of reading and spelling skills despite the dyslexic persons normal or at times superior intellect. It is said to be inherited.

My heart was breaking as I did this illustration. I was thinking how scared and confused the boy probably is when he can't make sense of the written word and realizes that this is something he can't do as good as any "normal" kid. Dyslexics describe words "flying" off the pages. Gee, I thought I had it rough as a kid when I can't figure out d's from b's. Come to think of it... I still mistype them on my keyboard.

An editable copy of this illustration is available for FREE... BUT! only if you are subscribed via email, that is, and remember to ask nicely.

Yesterday, I walked around with unmatched shoes. Why? you ask... No special reason at all. I just thought I'd try to get a reaction, any reaction at all. I'd chat some people up everywhere... in the office, on the store across our building. All while studying their faces to catch a glimmer of realization that I am wearing shoes from two different pair. Only one noticed, though. This little experiment got me thinking towards two directions: 1)Your shoes only matter to you. Other folks don't really care. 2) Those around me probably think I'm the type to go around sporting unmatched sneakers. I choose not to answer and leave this experiment inconclusive.

It has been a long day and I was ready to turn in for the night when I decided to check on Graphikapinoy. Lo and behold! I was surprised to see that this months GPM is already up and ready for download. This months focus is on Street Art or more commonly referred to as "graffiti" featuring the frontrunners in the underground Philippine Street Art scene (quite an oxymoron if you ask me.):

• Jakarta-born Filipino graffiti artist, Graver
• Wheat paster, among other things, Krayolaeater
• 14 man bombing crew, Crime in Style (CIS)
• Urban Aestheticists, Pilipinas Street Plan (PSP)

Also in this issue is a rundown on the events that happened on the recently held Pecha Kucha Night written by yours truly. I hope to secure permission to have the article published in this here blog of mine. Nudge nudge, hint hint. ;P Oooooh! What great way to cap off a busy day.

Download it here

Graphikapinoy is a free downloadable pdf magazine in support of the Filipino creatives. A convergence of best talents from all aspects of the design industry whose works shall be showcased in every issue.

Very nutritious... Baby's nutrition month offering is very healthy to say the least. Learn about the value of reading food labels in "Read the Label! and take a peek at what's inside the refrigerators of two of Baby Magazine's crew in "Refrigerator fun." Learn to have fun in the supermarket with the kids in " Grocery-shopping made meaningful: How to get your preschooler involved."

Aeleina Reese Ocenar loked very much the happy healthy little girl that she is on this cover shot by Ralph Alejandrino at St. Francis Shangri-La Place, Level 1, Shangri-La Plaza Annex.

Sometimes I get an ad material I'd have to set in a page in a magazine I work on and then I find out the ad doesn't have bleed on them. Many times I receive materials in this state despite efforts to enlighten the guy who makes them and I am tempted many times to write (and hopefully, do something) about it. I am weak against temptation so here it is. Yes, I made this post for you! you'll know who you are if ever you stumble on this blog somehow. If you don't, then at least I have helped someone else learn about bleeding and prevent some other guys from bleeding their brains off. I'd be happy either way.

Well now... Bleeding, as the name implies, is about making the artwork spill out of it's container. The container being your page's physical size, your artworks colors or images that are (supposedly) touching the page's edges should be made to EXCEED the page's trim edges. The reason for this is simple: This is to prevent having unprinted "white" areas from creeping into your page should the cutting misses it's mark. Remember, magazines, books and other publications are chopped cut as a whole-making it impossible to be sure that every page is cut accurately. If you would look at the corners of the image, (click to enlarge) the inner cropmarks show the page's trims and beyond it... you guessed it, BLEED AREA!

A bleed is usually 3mm or 0.125" on each side of your page making your letter size document 8.75" x 11.25 instead of 8.5" x 11". capisca? entienda? verstehen Sie?

Note: I am not the arrogant, egotistical, presumptuous, overbearingly assuming fellow that this post makes me to be. It's just that I believe that one should learn at least the basic rules of print design before being let loose in the industry. This is the reason Graphic Designers get no respect in this country. There is no bar to keep the standards up and there's no stopping anybody who can use photoshop effects from advertising himself as a Graphic Designer. That just grinds my gears.