27.2.19

digital nomad

hayaan tech logomark . 2019

hayaan tech logo . 2019

a friend of mine approached me to design a logo for a new online platform that serves the young information technology community in somaliland. hayaan tech, is an online platform that '[...] connects, learns and shares knowledge and skills needed to position somalis in the new era of digital africa [...]'.
the community involved in hayaan tech label themselves as 'digital nomads', and the word 'hayaan' is an old somali term meaning 'journey to a better place'. with those two ideas in mind, i worked on a logomark that incorporates a somali nomad, a symbol defining the roots of somali culture. the nomad is represented in motion, on a journey towards the future perhaps! the final logo includes the mark alongside type that spells out hayaan tech, in one of the selected brand colours.
bearing in mind that i have not worked on a brand logo in a long time, and the deadline was quite tight (like most projects!), i think i did a fairly good job with the logo. i personally prefer the logomark on its own (i know you typography nerds will probably dislike the type treatment!), but i think overall it works as a logo.
to the hayaan tech team, hope you like the logo, and good luck on your journey...

20.2.19

thank you for flying km air

km logo . 2019

what a busy month february has been! i turned 34 a few days ago, and i've been occupied with tons of projects that i hope to announce vey soon in time for march's art season. i forgot how hectic things get over here before march madness. i've been disconnected from dubai's way of working for the last two years, and i'm slowly being reminded that it's not always a fun ride!
as busy as things are at the moment (i'm truly blessed to be working on multiple projects since moving back home last july), i'm sad to see that there's a weird shift in the expectations of clients and the way they work. in a nutshell, people want fast work for cheap! i think people in dubai are still trying to grasp the idea that there are full-time independent creatives like myself who survive on commissioned work. my time and rates are just as legit as any agency or studio in town. i hate being rushed or asked to work on something within a ridiculous timeframe. i'd like to think that i provide quality work, and forcing rushed jobs doesn't allow room for that.
with that being said, i've realised that this post has become more of a rant then about a project i'm working on – a first in krossbreed blogging history! so, in hopes of never having to blog about my problems ever again, here are a few suggestions to anyone reading this and is interested in working together before approaching me or anyone in the creative industry:
– make sure your brief includes everything you need. no one appreciates additions or new ideas after the end of a project. 
– a week is never an appropriate timeframe to work on any project. if you've approached someone late, then expect a realistic deadline in order to get the job done.
– there's no such thing as free work. neither is paying someone less then they deserve.

now, back to the fun stuff – i've been working on a little rebranding for myself when taking a break from client based work. as much as i love krossbreed, and will still have it very much be a part of my studio practise, i think people immediately identify my name as a 'brand'. i've always wanted to create a monogram type of logo, and i think it's finally happening. above is a little gif of a new logo i would like to start using sometime in the near future. i've realised that next year will mark 10 years of my artistic career as well as starting this blog. and what better way to celebrate than with a nifty new monogram!
until i start using this (and when i run out of my current business cards), i just want to thank all the krossbreed lovers out there who've been following my work and have been supportive over the years. i don't think i would've stuck around this long if it wasn't for your support and opportunities. as a certain pop star, who happens to shares the same initials as mine, said in one of her songs – "thank you for flying km air".

stay tuned for announcements and posts on upcoming exhibitions, workshops, and client based work very, very soon.