nagfa's Ambigram Challenge December '06

And then, it's December.. and another episode of nagfa's Ambigram Challenge (NAC) coming your way! Already in its fifth month, NAC had seen more and more ambigram enthusiasts taking part and sharing original designs and concepts, fostering a mini-community of mutual respect and understanding. (click here for information)

While last month's challenge had seen a guest challenger in Fraga, things will resume as per normal this time round (the next guest challenger edition will presume in 4-5 months' time. Do look out for that!)

This month's phrase: 'home-coming queen'

*As a mark of the end of the year, several rituals and rites-de-passage will be re-enacted again. School holidays, examination results, new schools, graduation and prom nights, among others.. To us, the 'home-coming queen' not only represents the physical, but also is a symbol of rootedness, of humility, of representing the community.

This month's theme: 'happy new year 2007'

*Considering that the entries will be posted in late December, we feel it would be appropriate to have this as this month's theme. Designs could be anything relating to the coming of the new year - optimistic, sanguine, satirical, cynical - and with any phrases or graphics deemed suitable. We know this is by far the most 'open' or 'flexible' theme, so do feel free to express your originality and creativity.

Please submit designs to:

nagfa_ambigram@hotmail.com

hopefully before the 22nd of December (for allowance for us to compile them before January). Please also include the chosen word for the design (especially for 'theme'), your name (pseudonym allowed), country of origin and website/blog (if any).

We - Naguib and Fadilah - appreciate the many, many kind and encouraging words in regard to the NAC initiative. We do hope we have been good hosts, and may this little effort be an impetus of many bigger things to come...

salam & respects,

nagfa

singapore

ambigram: tiger-zebra

Inspiration: Koko the gorilla's ASL (American Sign Language) description of a 'zebra' as a 'white tiger'! His other creative descriptions include 'eye hat' (Halloween mask), 'cookie rock' (stale sweet roll), 'finger bracelet' (a ring), and our favourite: 'elephant baby' (Pinocchio doll)!

ambigram: dell.viking

The 50s had seen the emergence of Doo wop - a music genre incorporating jazz, blues and a capella - and amongst them all was the mighty Dell Viking who brought to us the classics 'Come Go with Me' & 'Whispering Bells'.

ambigram: percy.b.shelley

In a field dominated by the four Williams - Shakespeare, Blake, Wordsworth and Butler Yeats - Romantics Poet Percy Byshhe Shelley stood out as a rebel (he was kicked out of university), with a real tragic end (he drowned off Sicily).

His most loved works include: 'Love's Philosophy' and 'Ozymandias'.

Nag's favourite poet.

ambigram: jaywalker

ambigram: totto-chan

Totto-Chan: The Little Girl At The Window. One of the most heartwarming children's story ever, written by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. One of Fa's - and Nag's - all-time favourite books.

reflection: the.lord.of.the.rings

Life is bliss after the exams. Never a fan of LOTR, Nag spent the entire weekend watching 9 hours of this classic epic (his first time watching!) with brother Farid.. Maybe, just maybe, planning to watch Matrix and Star Wars DVD soon!

Fa (m-'i miss you'-niverse), meanwhile, spends her weekends baking cookies and cakes.

...my love for her / endures forever...

ambigram: happiness-&stupidity

'... if I could fly high above the world, what I'd see a bunch of living dots spell the word 'stupidity'...' (Bad Religion in 'Stranger Than Fiction').

NAC November '06 theme

A big welcome to all! nagfa's very own nagfa's Ambigram Challenge (NAC) has come into its fourth month! The theme given by our guest challenger - Fraga from Brazil - was 'Humorists, Satirists and Comedians'.

NAC this month has also seen new participants, notably Rrahmon Salihu (Kosovo), Darren Bent (New Zealand) and Maumau (Brazil). We - naguib and fadilah - welcome them to this little virtual ambigram community! To all contributors, thank you for the time and effort sacrificed to be part of this month's NAC..
.

'charles chaplin'
homero
(chile)
.
.
'les luthiers'
(Click image to view effects)
.
&

.
'landriscina la risa'

.
&
.

'polemica en elbar'

carlos penedo
(argentina)
.
.
'chaves'
cleber
(brazil)

.
.
'peter sellers'
.

&
.
'abbott & costello'
fraga
(brazil)

.
.
'woody allen'

maumau
(brazil)
.
.
'george carlin'
robert maitland
(canada)

.
.
'les luthiers'
jordi
(catalunia)

.
.
'charles chaplin'
.
&
.

'cantinflas'

.
&
.
'capulina'
.
&
.
'chespirito'

.
&
.
'tintan'

alberto portacio
(colombia)
.
.
'bill hicks'

derren lee poole
(england)
.
.
'ali g'
rrahmon salihu
(kosovo)

.
.
'charlie chaplin'
darren bent
(new zealand)

.
.
'naguib el-rihani'
nagfa
(singapore)

NAC November '06 phrase

The following are the much-anticipated entries for NAC November '06. This special edition saw our invited challenger - Fraga from Brazil (big, big thank you to him!) - post 'Laughter is life' as the phrase.

Frankly, this has got to be the toughest phrase challenge yet, but still, as the saying goes: 'when the going gets tough, the tough gets going'. The submitted designs are not merely pieces of good art of pen on paper but also a process of mind over matter as well. Some clever tweakings include the inclusion of '!' at the end of the phrase.

Again, the entries are arranged according to countries alphabetically. The ambigramists' links can be found under Ambigram Mates in the sidebar.

nagfa - naguib and fadilah - would like to congratulate each and every artist on a great job well done. Astonishing!

amafirlian
(belgium)
.
.

cleber
(brazil)

.
.
'laughter is life!'
fraga
(brazil)

.
.
'life is laughter'
matrixadi
(brunei)

.
.
robert maitland
(canada)

.
.
.
&
.
.
&

.

'riure es vida'

txescu
(catalunia)
.
.
.
&

.
jordi
(catalunia)
.
.
.
&

.
'la risa es vida'

alberto portacio
(colombia)
.
.
'laughter is life!'
derren lee poole
(england)

.
.
ruel
(philippines)

.
.
.

&
.
'a laughter is life'
nagfa
(singapore)

ambigram: butterfly-hunting

This is a good experiment / exercise to practice designing ambigrams. The steps are:

1) Find a random word.
(Could be the first word you see in the morning headlines, a random dictionary search or even the first word you hear from a person on the streets. The word 'butterfly' in this example was inspired by Fa.)

2) Write the word down.

3) Rotate the word around.

4) Try to 'see' possible words that may 'appear' or 'present itself'.

5) Construct the 'ambigrammatic formulae' (first draft).

6) Design the final draft.

...and, hey presto, you either get a 'surrealistic word coupling' or an 'absurd ambigram'!

ambigram: tattoo

We've been getting a lot of emails regarding requests to design personalised ambigram tattoos. We do not provide tattoo designing services, for it contradicts with our religion. But instead of ambigram tattoo, we do have a 'tattoo' ambigram (above), a 90-degrees ambigram.

reflection: garam-&asam

Two of the most commonly used spices in Malay cooking: 'garam' (salt) and 'asam' (tamarine). A similar-themed reflection (one of John Langdon's favourite nagfa's pieces, no kidding): sugar & spice.

ambigram: blues-gang

Malaysia's cherished blues-folk band, whose trademark is using the Malay dialect - Dialek Negeri Sembilan - in its 'social commentary-laced' lyrics.

Their most recognised song: 'Apo Nak Dikato?' (What else is there to be said?) and its lyrics.

ambigram: i.am.dead-help.me!

Drawn on Nag's examination question paper. Thematically appropriate?

ambigram: paper-jaded

(Do not turn over this question paper until you are told to do so). Drawn on Nag's examination question paper. With a pinch of salt, please.

ambigram: el.fadilah

The Fadilah.

The Dinda, The Ganja, The Minda, The Manja.

- tksih, kksih -

tika kita kait sebuah kisah kasih
kita masih
di detik memetik kecapi dan kejora
bergelora

di angkasaraya yang layang Musytari
yang mencari
bilikamar sebalik purnamatahari
menyinari

wahai sabitah sila jatuh patuh ke riba ini
alahai ganu bila gerbang terbang kan tiba di sini
kukan tunggu di sini dengan bulan di dalam genggamanku

kankukucup dahidagudadamu
akanku pasti
kankuukir namanadinadamu
diatas prasasti

kankubawa resahrisauragumu
kekaki lautan
kankuhembus liriklistriklagumu
keributaufanan

wahai fadilah telah padam malam hiba ini
alahai jadilah kita eposajaklasikal begini
kukan tunggu di sini dengan bintang di dalam dakapanku

sajakabur dari Kandamu
buat harungi badai yang melandamu,

The Naguib.

ambigram: dunia&-akhirat

In Malay, 'dunia' (derived from Arabic 'dunia') refers to 'the world' or in this context, 'the mortal world'; 'akhirat' (derived from Arabic 'akhirat', 'akhir' means 'end') refers to the 'eternal afterlife'. Teachings from the Holy Qur'an emphasize on the importance of embracing and seizing both.

Another Arabic / Islamic inspired ambigram: Syaitan-Malaikat.