I can't believe my submission for a national creative magazine would be choosen as a cover art! Novice is "a platform made by young creatives for the passionate, the wanderer, and the free-spirited." I first knew about them during the elections when they released a printed issue of all works inspired by VP Leni Robredo, a presidential candidate who I am also supporting.

In their 4th Printed Issue, I also submitted some of my artworks which were also featured. In their 12th digital issue, they had a theme inspired by a Filipino cultural icon, the Jeepney. I submitted a digital illustration which i titled "LAKBAY," which means journey. I was informed that it was selected to be featured but little did I know that they chose it to be as one of the covers! What an honor!

This digital issue is also very special as it advocates a very important cause which is the #NoToJeepneyPhaseOut. As a cultural symbol of the indomitable Filipino spirit, we should not allow the government to remove the colorful Jeepneys in our streets. Novice features 180 pages of artwork and literature which pay tribute to the jeepney's impact in the lives and psyche of Filipinos.

Patók stands as a testament to the enduring spirit and cultural significance of the Philippine jeepney. It celebrates the unique identity of the Filipino community, paying homage to the extraordinary legacy that this vehicle represents.

Get the chance to purchase the complete digital issue for just Php 250.00. Your contribution will go to funding The Volume Project: Patók Edition, a fundraising initiative aimed at providing grocery packs worth Php1,000.00 to random jeepney drivers in various locations nationwide. The fundraiser will run from June 30 to July 31, 2023.

To download and donate, visit:

https://bit.ly/44AgbsF or

https://noviceph.shop/products/patok-12th-special-digital-issue

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On 30 January 2020, the Philippine Department of Health reported the first case of COVID-19 in the country with a 38-year-old female Chinese national. On 7 March, the first local transmission of COVID-19 was confirmed. Several measures were imposed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines, including bans on travel to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and South Korea. On March 7, 2020, the Department of Health (DOH) raised its "Code Red Sub-Level 1," with a recommendation to the President of the Philippines to impose a "public health emergency" authorizing the DOH to mobilize resources for the procurement of safety gear and the imposition of preventive quarantine measures.

On March 9, President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation No. 922, declaring the country under a state of public health emergency. On March 12, President Duterte declared "Code Red Sub-Level 2," issuing a partial lockdown on Metro Manila and extending the metropolis' class suspensions up to April 12, to prevent a nationwide spread of COVID-19. The City Government of Zamboanga has formed various task groups to ensure preparedness in all levels of response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).



The local government closed the entry points on March 17, 2020, Tuesday, and implemented strict guidelines on the community quarantine. On the same night Mayor Climaco addressed the people of Zamboanga once again to declare an enhanced community quarantine due to the increasing PUMs and PUIs. To avoid the pandemic from happening in Zamboanga, the government assumed that COVID-19 has already infiltrated the city and thus preventive measures were strictly imposed.



On March 24, at 7PM, while an advisory was aired in TV, radio and social media, the authorities received the saddest news, and Mayor Beng immediately called a press conference 2 hours after. At 10PM, Mayor Climaco went live in Facebook to announce the first positive case of COVID-19 in the city. Watch the announcement here:



As of March 26, 2020, the City Health Office, through the Zamboanga Task Force COVID-19 released this map of barangays with PUMs and PUIs.


Barangays with Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) in Zamboanga City as of March 25, 2020 [Source City Health Office]


Barangays with Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs) in Zamboanga City as of March 25, 2020 [Source City Health Office]

For inquiries and emergencies, please contact the Zamboanga Task Force COVID-19 Risk Communications Team Upgraded Communications Center 24/7 Hotline Numbers:

Globe Hotlines:
0975-073-0150
0975-073-0151
0975-073-7221

Smart Hotlines:
0998-175-8705
0998-175-8709
0938-300-4110
0938-300-4007
0938-300-4004

PLDT Hotlines:
975-3800
975-3801

ZCDRRMO:
955-9601

Health Lines:
0966-175-4298
975-3802

#COVIDreadyZambo #COVID19PH



For news and updates follow the official social media accounts:
Facebook: Beng Climaco | City Government of Zamboanga
Instagram: @zambocitygovt
Twitter: @zambocitygovt
Youtube: Zamboanga City Official

So i created this simple animation for a group of high school student's class project. They asked me to animate a baby from its conception to birth. It was challenging but i guess i need to do this coz i want to practice my animation skills. At first I thought this would be so difficult but they told me they just want a simple animation. So i created this simple masking animation and add a bit of animation with the text presentation, too. The time limit was 2minutes only that's why some text went so fast. Anyways, here's the video.



So here's my process for doing this. First, i looked for references online and i found these images and became my references for the shapes and colors.


I traced the basic shapes of the sperm and egg cells in Illustrator. Then, I imported the layers in AfterEffects and animated them. For the tail of the sperm cells i used the wave warp effect. I also used some 3d camera for the zoom. I duplicated the egg cells for the cell division then introduced a new layer for the cell with multiple divisions. Then a pink layer comes in which represents the uterus wall where the fertilized cell attaches. Then the little fetus slowly grows. I used one layer for the body during the entire animation that's why there are awkward parts like the part where the hands are deforming as it animates. I added a new layer for the right arm and leg add added some gradients to add a little depth.

For the stages of labor i transitioned the pink background into the reproductive system. This is the toughest part. I have to create a lot of keyframes so that the vagina (haha) layer will follow with the baby's shape as it is moving outwards. I also added a hand for the nurse/doctor to usher the baby as it goes out of the womb. ;) Well, basically that's it. I learned many things from this project, too. I realized that i don't need to trace the shapes in illustrator. I can do it directly in AfterEffects. It will also help reduce the number of layers. I'm looking forward for more Motion Graphic animation in the future.

It has been almost a year since i did my last "artwork" which is my poster design entry for Animahenasyon. I also did some doodles for the 30 day drawing challenge which is still unfinished. I posted those works in my doodle blog but whenever i ran out of ideas i tend to get stuck XD.

Recently, ive been watching US shows like SYTYCD, Glee and ANTM. I'm an active tweet peep, too! I followed celebrities and enjoyed reading their tweets about their daily lives. One day, I stumbled upon this photo of Chris Hernandez (@Iam_ChrisH), a "model-testant" of America's Next Top Model Cycle 20, which he posted in twitter. I like the photo because of the lighting and colors which i thought will be a good vexel/vector art. I like the hair style and his expression, too.

Surprisingly, I was inspired to work on it one day. I used Adobe Illustrator to "vectorize" it. I almost gave up when i started doing the hair. It took me more than 5 hours to finish it but i was very happy it came out nice. I rested and decided to continue it the following day. After three days, I finally finished it! The most challenging part is where the magenta and cyan blend. The hair and lips are my favorite part of it :)


Check out the original post in my DeviantArt account for larger view. Dont forget to hit the fave+ :) Here are some details. Watcha think?

The summer classes has come to an end and it has been a fun time for me. For my Digital Multimedia class, I  pushed them to the advanced level of Photoshop and introduced them to Vector illustration using Adobe Illustrator. For their final project, I taught them how to use the basics of flash to create a simple portfolio showcasing their outputs in class. Here are some my favorite works using illustrator to create text effects.















If you want to know how they created their works, click on their name to be redirected to their blogs. Aside from using softwares, I also make them write blogs so that they will realize their new learning and, perhaps, some insights while doing the activity. I see a great potential from these kids and I hope that they will really pursue this career in web development and someday become professionals. Drop by some comments below to show your love :)

So, i've been teaching Digital Multimedia again this summer but for IT students this time. We're done with Advanced Photoshop lessons and it's time for them to learn vectors with Illustrator. This week, I gave them activities to practice their vector muscles by tracing shapes with the Pen Tool. It is the most basic skill one must have in order to make vectors but takes a lot of time to master vector Illustration. I asked them create their own logos based on their made-up company or organization. Some were pretty okay, others impressed me but most were just blah. XD hehe. Anywyas, here are some of the output of my students.



Basically, there are 5 types of Logos. First is the Brandmark or the icon/graphic style logo such as the famous Apple Logo and Nike swoosh logo. Second is the Wordmark that simply uses the name of the brand or company with a specific font style / treatment that embodies its brand. It's very common for technology companies like Sony, Samsung, Microsoft and websites like Facebook and Ebay. The logo above and below are examples of wordmark logos.



The third type of logo is the lettermark. It is like the wordmark but it uses the initials of the company which has a long name. Examples of lettermark logo are the logos of IBM, HP and KFC. The logo below is an example of a lettermark. The fourth type of logo is the combination mark. It combines both brandmark and lettermark or wordmark. Some logos like the famous swoosh logo of Nike can stand of its own but if the word Nike is combined, it can be considered as a combination mark. This is also called as a "lock up" version of the logo.




The last type of logo is the emblem. It incorporates the whole name of the company or organization. It is sometimes called a "Seal" such as the school seals and government offices. They are also used in coat of arms and car/motorcycles logos such as Ferrari and Harley-Davidson. The logo below is an example of an emblem.




I also shared to the class some tips on designing a logo. Some of the best logos are the flexible ones. They can be in colored version, greyscale or black and white. They can be placed in letterheads, resized as a tiny icon for a website, enlarged for billboards, or engraved in wood without losing its legibility and brand quality.



So these are some of the creations of my students. Some of them have the innate talent in creating on their own and some really had a hard time just even sketching on their own. I know that not all students can come up with a nice logo such as these ones but all i can do is guide them and give them the materials they need to create one. It's always up to the student if they want to push their limits and do something beyond the four walls of the classroom. Anyways, what can you say about my student's works? Ill post some of their previous works soon. For now, im back in planning my lessons and checking assignments. :D