A Lokal Foreigner: Design Elements Explained

This collection of flowers is an interpretation of both countries. The Edelweiss surrounded by Sampaguita flowers, which is a symbol of the Philippines, aims to convey the passion for both countries.  

Once I decided to pursue this passion project of mine, I knew I wanted to work with artists and showcase their talent throughout the blog. The first people I turned to were old friends, Jaycie Tanseco-Flores and Honey Machuca. Months before the reveal, I sat down with them and explained this new project. Having worked with them in the past, it was natural that I turned to their talents first. 

Jaycie's creative juices stem from her love for calligraphy. I gravitated to her because I wanted to mimic the beauty of calligraphy and the way it works its magic on words. It was in Austria that I held my very first calligraphy pen while in school, and I wanted to pay homage to that in my blog. Honey, on the other hand, dabbles into free-form drawings and sees inspiration in daily mundane things, transforming them into unique works of art through her creative mix of patterns and symbolism. After an afternoon of conversation that later led to weeks of continuous exchange of ideas, deciding from a selection of color palettes as well as the use of color and symbolism, all the design elements fell into place. 

Jaycie's current works combine handwritten script with typographic fonts. She says, "I know this style has been overused, but I still find that it works for most requirements. I don't think I have a noticeable form yet, and I hope I get to establish that in the future."

Lea: What inspires you as an artist to do what you do (calligraphy, drawings, etc.) and how did you start or know that you had a talent or wanted to continue it?

Jaycie: I have long been in love with crafting and working with my hands, but I only realized I wanted to dabble in calligraphy in 2014. Recognizing that calligraphy does not require perfect penmanship, I got my "starter pack" and began to practice and learn it on my own by doing drills every night. A hundred practice notebooks after, here I am, still needing a thousand more. 

You'll usually find me drooling over posts and profiles of artists during my free time, and that's one way for me to get inspired. I just adore calligraphers and artists who have become masters of their craft through patience and practice. Drawing is something I have yet to learn, but I try. Handlettering is also something I'd love to learn more about.

To get me going, I try not to limit myself regarding what I can do. When a project requirement comes up and is alien to me, I try to explore and see if I can do it. I find it exciting to work and learn new things.

Honey: I look at drawing as a chance to relieve my stress, so my desire to do it actually comes when I feel anxious. There are also times when I just get struck by inspiration and see images in your head. Most of the time, I hurry and try to capture the picture in my mind using ink and paper.

I am entirely new to this type of art. Back in 2014, I was thinking of trying to learn a new skill, and I thought it would be nice to learn how to draw. Being in my 30s, I thought to myself that it might be too late, but I tried anyway. I started sketching living things, and it wasn't long before I learned about Zentangles. It's the art of putting together lines and shapes to create beautiful patterns. It's easy to learn and quite relaxing -- I instantly got hooked. 

Most of the time, Honey's style is just black and white. She adds, "I like how the patterns are enough to look pretty. I believe my works are ironically complex and simple at the same time.  Basic shapes, lines, and patterns combined to make intricate, detailed, images."

Lea: When do you find time to do this artwork and how often? 

Jaycie: I admit that I don't practice as much as before, but when I do, I really make sure it's time well spent. When my son is asleep, and the house is quiet, that's when I begin working on projects with deadlines.

Honey: There are different times when inspiration strikes and gives me the urge to "tangle." When I am stressed, I try to draw, and it helps me relax. When I'm idle, and I want my mind to work by thinking of patterns, I feel it's the perfect time to be productive and create artwork. To me, this activity is constructive in making me feel better and enriching because I don't feel like my time is wasted. 

Lea: What is your preferred medium when you do the calligraphy or drawings? 

Jaycie: My favorite pointed pen (a Brause Steno nib) paired with my favorite Sumi ink for formal envelope addressing, and brush pens/watercolor for brush calligraphy and drawings.

Honey: The art I do is very simple. I just need clean sheets of paper and different tips of Unipin pens or other brands like it. Sometimes though, I like drawing on black paper with white ink. I have also realized that there is a bit of a vandal in me. When I see everyday things, I want to jazz them up by drawing on them.

Lea: How do you enrich your talent? Do you teach yourself or attend classes? 

Jaycie: This is something I owe myself. I have been eternally busy with my day job and momma duties. I seriously need to find time to attend classes and learn from others. We REALLY have a lot of great calligraphers and hand-lettering artists locally, and I hope I can visit their sessions one day.

Honey: Practice. It is a guaranteed way to improve one's skills. I am glad information and inspiration are readily available online. Although I was given books about this type of art with tips, it's the constant drills and time spent making actual drawings that made me better at it. There's so much more to learn which is a good thing. It makes me go for more significant projects in the future.

One of a few "working lunches" to brainstorm for the site's design. 

Lea: What inspired you to create your unique designs for the website? 

Jaycie: For the calligraphy work for the logo, I wanted to achieve a fluid, linear combination of words. This, I think, strengthens the overall concept of the blog, which is to CONNECT Austria and the Philippines. It took some time to come up with my final output because I had to practice writing the words as one. Modern calligraphy is quite forgiving, as it gives you the freedom to combine various styles to find your own. 

Throughout the years I seemed to have already developed my own style and (favorite) letter-style combinations. As mentioned, I had to practice how to write the logo in a single pass. This is what actually sets calligraphy apart from hand lettering – it is an art form using a pen or tool one single pass. 

I was fortunate to be given specific directions regarding the color palette to be used. I just had to experiment on which combination of colors per word would work well with the overall design. Aside from the reason that both words must cut through the colors and stand out visually, these two countries will be the stars of the show for this blog.

Honey: It's actually an honor to be tapped for this project. I was delighted to be able to share my take/interpretation of the website's general objective, which is to showcase the beautiful intertwining of Austria and the Philippines. I like symbolism. I like thinking of representations. Having been given a chance to create something that will symbolize this juxtaposition of the two countries really got me excited. 

                                                  The flowers are added to both sides of the site name to depth add character. 

This custom design created by Honey is placed after every blog post to indicate that the story has reached its conclusion. At first glance, it looks like a stylized Edelweiss flower, however, when scrutinized, the patterns used to invoke the merging of two cultures. 

These descriptions of the Edelweiss flower design is Honey's interpretation of the flower.