Drawn Together
Once, pen and ink—and airbrushes—were the tools of the illustrator’s trade. Then the computer altered the landscape forever. Today, the talent pool in the Philippines is remarkably deep and the resulting portfolios consistently bewitching. Even as Filipino illustrators grapple with the conflicting demands of their commercial workload and personal creative projects, their scene remains the most vibrant in the country. Meet the millennium’s busiest artists . . .
=
Anjo Bolarda
It all started with a mix up. “I joined Noise Singapore, not knowing that it was an art community for Singaporeans only. They even included my works in their exhibit and book—unaware that I was Filipino,” remembers freelance illustrator Anjo Bolarda. “They only found out when they wanted to interview me. Boy, were they surprised! Because of that experience, I started to dream; I wanted to show the world what I could do. So I started to title myself as ‘illustrator’ and my journey began.”
And, setting off down the road of freelance, paint-tool of choice in hand, Bolarda has found many a project on the way, from commissioned t-shirt art and 200/70, a design blog started by Bolarda that profiles illustrators from around the world, to his current job as a graphic designer for Folded&Hung. With his fun and funky graphics, a marvelous mess of urban doodles, hipster imagery, and appropriately playful pop slogans that would look right at home slapped on the tee of an eager, young partyphile, it’s no wonder why the youth super-brand chose Bolarda. There’s plenty of that requisite teen angst thrown into the mix, as well. “I sometimes draw inspirations from daily life experiences—the worse, the better,” he explains. “My love for irony helps me alter negativities into something good, fun, and witty.”
“Words are scattered all over my works; I use them to create a connection with my viewer. It’s like he/she is decoding a message from my art.” And if one were to decode the greater message at the heart of all Bolarda’s work, it would be: “Design can save the world.” Perhaps the statement tee ain’t all that bad.
– Nicola M. Sebastian
