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July 18, 2017
A Whole Other World

If you’re a fan, like me, of comics and the related games and movies they inspire, you will undoubtedly have heard of, if not visited, Comic-Con. These conventions are held in major cities around the world and gather fans by the tens of thousands.

Comic Con 2017

Obviously, a major marketing tool for the industry they are also an opportunity for us, the aficionados, to immerse ourselves in the fictitious worlds we love, often dressing as our favourite hero (or villain) for the day and bringing the character to life along with our alter ego.

Dubai’s annual gathering, The Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC), held at the Trade Centre over 3 days in April, is now the biggest popular culture event in the region. I have been attending since the beginning in 2008 and the growth of interest and participation has been phenomenal.

Being such a youthful cauldron of nationalities and cultures, Dubai’s version offers a mixture of people which is probably unique in the world, all drawn by a common enthusiasm. That makes it truly fascinating. You have Batmen, Hulks, Spocks and Wonder Women from every corner of the earth.

Bushra at Comic Con_003For this year’s visit, I became a fully made up character of my own creation in the Japanese Manga style. I have loved manga comics since my teenage years, drawn to their detailed illustration, depth of character and life simulating story lines.

Having always enjoyed illustrating and drawing, I am inspired by the artists behind these comics and characters. Studio Ghibli, based in Tokyo, is a favourite, making incredible films for huge global audiences (and profits).

I am extremely happy to say that illustration has now become part of my professional life and I can create scenes and characters that communicate and influence on behalf of our clients.

For a unique spectacle of creativity visit Comic-Con in 2018. I’ll be there but you probably won’t recognise me.

 

Bushra Laota – Graphic Designer at Zaman

April 10, 2014
Not Your Everyday Project

Not Your Everyday Project

Here at Zaman we are used to branding challenges of all types and sizes, but recently we embarked on a truly unique project.

Working with the team from The Dubai Mall, we were briefed to create a brand and the collaterals for the exhibition of a dinosaur, a huge 80 ft long, 25 ft high, 5 tonnes, Diplocus dinosaur (http://www.thedubaimall.com/en/Entertain/The-Dubai-Mall-Dinosaur.aspx).

Bought and shipped from the Museum of Houston in the US, the permanent exhibit now gracing the Mall’s main entrance atrium is one of the most complete dinosaur fossils ever discovered. In keeping with The Dubai Mall’s approach of providing unique and world class experiences the exhibit is both an awe inspiring centre piece and an educational attraction.

Our challenge therefore was to develop an enduring brand identity that can be evolved and managed over time. Then to create an enlightening and entertaining set of collaterals – the video, to be shown on screens integrated into the exhibit’s base as well as a leaflet, a poster and the launch print advert.

For the launch we chose to tease, a close-up of the foot, an enquiry as to her whereabouts for 155 million years, all set amongst a dramatic red background and historic typeface. And then the content, researched in detail and with realistic images commissioned from specialist artist Andrey Atuchin (andrey-atuchin.blogspot.com‎) animated to bring them even more to life. Visitors are certainly learning something during their visit.

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In the next phase of this brand’s evolution the dinosaur will get a name, selected from public entries on the Facebook page. Zaman will then create a brand mark from the name and a campaign to announce the winning name. In doing so we will strengthen the personality of the dinosaur and deepen the public’s attachment to it. We are also developing a range of merchandise and a kiosk for its display that will help make our dinosaur a lasting memory for all those that visit her.

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We look forward to reporting on the next step of her new life her in Dubai.

February 1, 2014
COUNTING DOWN TO DESIGN DAYS

COUNTING DOWN TO DESIGN DAYS DUBAI 2014

The region’s first and leading dedicated design fair, Design Days Dubai, returns for its third edition to deliver a diverse, exhibition-quality collection of compelling, highly-collectible modern and contemporary design pieces and installations, alongside a public programme with leading design personalities and industry experts, from 17 – 21 March 2014. In anticipation of this, the organizers have planned a series of initiatives to whet the appetite of art & design aficionados. One such, is the exhibitor spotlight.

When Alexis Ryngaert established his design gallery in Brussels in 2008 he created Victor Hunt as an alter ego – an approach just as intriguing as the works that have given the gallery its strong and distinct voice in the contemporary design/art world. As seen in the work presented at Design Days Dubai since the fair’s inception, the designers represented by Victor Hunt produce bold pieces, often unexpected employing both new technology and new uses of old technology.

Victor Hunt’s website incorporates a series of beautifully filmed and skillfully edited documentaries following the designers represented through the production of specific works. By bringing production alive, showing it as an organic and often unpredictable process, driven by the materials used, the films also provide insight into each designer’s creative approach – and they highlight what Ryngaert, through Victor Hunt, defines as designart: the grey area where craft, architecture, industrial design, sculpture and other artistic disciplines meet.

Below are three such videos taken from the website. Enjoy!

 

By: Zaman
01-02-2014
Arab world, Art, Design, Exhibitions

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COUNTING DOWN TO DESIGN DAYS DUBAI 2014

The region’s first and leading dedicated design fair, Design Days Dubai, returns for its third edition to deliver a diverse, exhibition-quality collection of compelling, highly-collectible modern and contemporary design pieces and installations, alongside a public programme with leading design personalities and industry experts, from 17 – 21 March 2014. In anticipation of this, the organizers have planned a series of initiatives to whet the appetite of art & design aficionados. One such, is the exhibitor spotlight.

When Alexis Ryngaert established his design gallery in Brussels in 2008 he created Victor Hunt as an alter ego – an approach just as intriguing as the works that have given the gallery its strong and distinct voice in the contemporary design/art world. As seen in the work presented at Design Days Dubai since the fair’s inception, the designers represented by Victor Hunt produce bold pieces, often unexpected employing both new technology and new uses of old technology.

Victor Hunt’s website incorporates a series of beautifully filmed and skillfully edited documentaries following the designers represented through the production of specific works. By bringing production alive, showing it as an organic and often unpredictable process, driven by the materials used, the films also provide insight into each designer’s creative approach – and they highlight what Ryngaert, through Victor Hunt, defines as designart: the grey area where craft, architecture, industrial design, sculpture and other artistic disciplines meet.

Below are three such videos taken from the website. Enjoy!

 

Full list of Design Days Dubai 2014 exhibitors can be viewed here.

December 15, 2013
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN IN THE 1960s

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN IN THE 1960s

A new exhibition in London called “Systems” invited top designers to pay tribute with a series of 34 posters to industrial designer Dieter Rams’s work with Braun – an epitome of the ever austere German Functionalism.

At Braun in the 1960s, Rams put into practice a comprehensive approach to ID and brand strategy where products weren’t designed in isolation, but rather as a part of a family of iconic products. Many critics today say Rams’s influence can be seen today in the Apple-dominated world of highly stylized product lines.

“In the 1960s, the entire Braun program was a single system that informed the design of everything from the products, the packaging, the guarantee slips, and they brochures,” says James Charles-Edwards of Walter Knoll, a prestigious European furniture company which is hosting the exhibition at its London showroom. “What remains impressive today is the way that this great range of objects interlocked to produce a single coherent program.”

“Systems” celebrates the cohesiveness of Rams’s design program by displaying examples of the company’s classic 1960s products coupled with the exhibition of commissioned posters, which are displayed in an interlocked mosaic on a giant wall of the Walter Knoll showroom.

The exhibition showcases many different approaches: Artica Design emphasized the Braun LE 1 speakers with their clean functionalism and grid-like grill, while Swedish design studio Lundgren+Lindqvist opted to abstract Braun’s design language through pixelation.

Bernd Grenther’s design explores the evolution of Braun’s color palette from 1955 to 1995. Designer Tom Higston, on the other hand, showcases how the design of one of Braun’s iconic products–the egg-beater– is still a beautiful object even when splattered with batter.

Although, today Braun’s products have moved away from their utilitarian intentions and become more like decorative objects, Braun’s systemic approach to rational industrial design, under Rams’ legacy, provides a great blueprint for achieving branding cohesiveness which contributes to brand success and can be seen practiced even today by companies such as Apple.

For those traveling to London anytime soon, Systems will be on exhibit until January 31, 2014.

Original article: FastCoDesign

November 12, 2012
AL QUOZ – DUBAI’S COMMON GROUND

AL QUOZ – DUBAI’S COMMON GROUND FOR CULTURAL MINDS

Today’s post is inspired by a video we’ve found online, which captures the spirit of Al Quoz, or rather the growing constellation of artistic hubs such as Al Serkal Avenue, which are setting up against the backdrop of Dubai’s well-known industrial area.

So why is this particularly significant? Well for our readers who’ve been following our announcements on Facebook and Twitter regarding the Watani T-shirt Design Contest we launched in the lead up to the 41st UAE National Day – the venue of our exhibition for winning designs is Shelter Gallery. For those who haven’t yet had a chance to visit this area, perhaps this video can persuade you check out one of the many galleries in this area.

Note: The Watani T-shirt Design Exhibition will be held on November 28th at Shelter. The event is open to the public. For updates head to our our Facebook page here.

May 23, 2011
FAPCO

FAPCO – Powerful Event for a Powerful Plant

How does one of the largest desalination power plant in the World celebrate its inauguration? With a Royal event.  FAPCO Fujairah 2 met all the environmental and construction challenges and was built right on schedule. So the directors wanted to share their success with the owners, partners, and general public, a Royal event was the best way to celebrate its inauguration.

To view our full gallery of images for this event click here

Zaman teamed up with FAPCO to create a historic event at the site. The event astonished the Royal guests and dignitaries. Set in a unique tent that was placed on the plant premises, the event was staged to take the audience through a crescendo of stimulations that culminated in a grand opening.

The invitations were created at two levels. Royal and VIP. Both reflected the sophistication of the event by using handmade silk paper, calligraphy, and gold foiling. There were different celebrations, so we created a clever mechanism for layering various messages.

The reception space was created like an art gallery. We wanted to exhibit the  achievements of FAPCO and by the same token celebrate the partners. Architecture Graphics showed the positioning of Fujairah F2 on the National Grid. The timeline of building the plant was demonstrated in a huge panel where more than 200 images were juxtaposed with important milestones.

To view our full gallery of images for this event click here

The show was attended by the Supreme Council Menber and Ruler of Fujairah Sheikh Hamad Bin Mohammed Al Sharqui,  HH. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and  various ambassadors . So we liaised with Protocol to enhance their experience by creating a dramatic exit and a ribbon cutting finale that astonished the audience and media. The stage opened to the reveal the plant in all its glory.

The imagery was stylized to create a sophisticated backdrop on the stage and around both rooms.  We wanted the plant to look like a piece of art. And one of the gifts was a limited edition fine art print of the stacks.

Every detail in the event exudes sophistication, innovation, and minimalism.

To view our full gallery of images for this event click here

 

March 23, 2011
The Emergence of an Art Brand

The Emergence of an Art Brand. Zaman develops Sikka for Dubai Culture’s new Art Fair

In March Dubai Art & Culture Authority launched ‘SIKKA’ as a fringe art fair to coincide with the ever successful Dubai Art Fair. Housed in the evocative Al Bastakiya area of Bur Dubai, the fair was intended to expose emerging Emirati and other locally based artists as well as support the artistic community at large.

Zaman was commissioned to create an identity that differentiated this fair from all actions around Dubai Art Fair, and the result is as vibrant as the art it represents. We based the identity on a fluorescent color palette and the English and Arabic fonts were stenciled with a raw, artisanal style. This ensured high and immediate visibility and its contrast with the historic environs recognized the artists achievement in creating bold and breakthrough compositions.

As well as a memorable visual experience, SIKKA intended to create an interactive relationship between the artists and audiences so Zaman created maps and way-finding signs that ensured visitors enjoyed the ‘gate to gate’ event program. This was supported by a matrix of branded information stands, merchandising and a web site that will continue to be a point of reference as the 2012 SIKKA Art Fair is developed.

We adapted our graphic design to create a geographical map of Al Bastkaiya and an information booth that allows visitors to visually experience SIKKA before they get there.

An array of colorful flags surrounded Al Bastakiya adding life to the venue.

The fluorescent pink logo was seen all around the ‘Sikka’s’ on many people’s shoulders, bringing life and color to the Fair.

We developed a micro website with a tight deadline of one week both in Arabic and English. The web design was done in  such a way to create an instant impact with strong images taking much of the space and the practicality and functionality of the website itself giving the ability for users to download the program for the fair. Social Media feeds were introduced to establish a close connections to Art lovers and followers to receive to up to the minute information on talks, workshops and exhibitions.

 

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