Blazing poster. Used with permission of the artist.

Ambigram.com: Sebastian, thank you for speaking with us. First, let’s get the expected question out of the way. How long have you known about ambigrams, and when did you first become interested in them?

Sebastian Lester: I first became aware of ambigrams in the early 90′s when I was in the first year of my graphic design degree. For as long as I can remember I’ve been interested in optical illusions and clever visual ideas with letterforms though. In 1992 I designed a logo for a proposed art college magazine called ‘Edge’. It wasn’t an ambigram but all the letters were the same shape rotated and flipped to create the word. In 1992 I also designed a somewhat lunatic font called ‘recycle’ made out of five characters that you rotated, scaled and flipped to create an entire lower case alphabet. That was the theory anyway. Making ambigrams was a natural progression from these kind of experiments.

Edge magazine logo. Used with permission of the artist.

Recycle typeface. Used with permission of the artist.

Ambigram.com: Is ‘Blazing’ your first ambigram design? If it’s not your first, what was your first ambigram?

SL: The first decent ambigram I drew was ‘Virtual Reality’ in 1993 whilst at art college. I liked the fact that the ambigram approach worked well conceptually with the idea of virtual reality and that the letterforms have a suitably futuristic style to them.

Virtual Reality ambigram. Used with permission of the artist.

Ambigram.com: When designing your ‘Blazing’ limited edition art print, what was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome? Was it creating ambigrams out of all the words, maintaining a consistent style, or another difficulty you’d like to mention?

Blazing poster sketches. Used with permission of the artist.

SL: The aim was always to create something that was as attractive as any other limited edition print I’d created before, but also happened to be a successful ambigram. So working with those constraints was difficult and I tried various approaches before settling on this treatment. I’ve written a short article here about the print for anyone who is interested.

Blazing poster close-ups. Used with permission of the artist.

Ambigram.com: Do you think your background as a type designer and illustrator helped when designing the ‘Blazing’ poster?

SL: Definitely. I’m well versed in creating consistency in shapes and working experimentally in a variety of lettering styles. A lot of the qualities you need as a type designer are useful for creating ambigrams. In both disciplines you have to be creative, think laterally, have a forensic approach to detail, and stay focused and persistent for the best results.

Ambigram.com: What do you love the most about typography and letterforms?

SL: I don’t really know. Letterforms just seem to make more sense to me than anything else I know. I find them endlessly stimulating and fascinating. The Latin alphabet is one of our most beautiful and profound creations. I feel incredibly lucky I’ve found something I love as much as I do that I can actually make a living from. And what’s not to love about ambigrams? The best ambigrams aren’t just clever. They have a magical, almost transcendent, quality about them.

Ambigram.com: If someone wants to incorporate custom hand-lettered typography into their work, what is a good starting point?

SL: Just work loosely and freely with your lines to start with. Read about type and lettering history. Be inspired by other artists and designers, but find your own voice. Just have fun. If you persist, and you’re having fun in the process, it will become apparent in your work.

Ambigram.com: What is your personal creative process, and where do you draw your inspiration from?

SL: I always try and research a subject or particular lettering style as much as possible before I start a project. I always start with a pencil and paper, rather than a computer, as it’s the easiest way to get a lot of ideas down fast. I brainstorm words and ideas and shapes, not just letterforms. It’s important to be totally unselfconscious about making marks on paper. I start with loose scribbles. I might take elements I like from six different scribbles and make a more resolved drawing. Then I’ll scan it in and start refining it on a computer.

I draw my inspiration from everywhere. I find beauty, in all its manifestations, inspiring. I have an appreciation of the history of type, calligraphy and lettering that continues to grow. I collect old ephemera. Sometimes totally random things can fuel an idea. Sunshine, trees, medieval armour, a piece of product design or music. I’m always thinking about and absorbing the letterforms I see around me.

Ambigram.com: Who is your favorite ambigram designer?

SL: There are some incredible ambigram artists out there. I guess, to my mind, the best ambigrams combine ingenious legibility problem solving with great aesthetic beauty and I think John Langdon consistently achieves the best balance of those two components.

Ambigram.com: What is your favorite typeface? Why?

SL: Typefaces are tools so it depends what the typeface is to be used for. I have a favorite typeface for on screen legibility. I have a favorite typeface for setting books about the Renaissance in. I have a favorite typeface for setting magazines about monster trucks in. So unfortunately I’ve given the question far too much thought over the last fifteen years to have a simple answer.

Ambigram.com: What is your favorite ambigram?

SL: Sorry to choose one of my own pieces but I have to say ‘Blazing’. I just put so much into it and I’m so happy with it. It’s been quite an undertaking for me. It really pushed me creatively, it looks great in the flesh having been screen printed by hand to the highest standards, and it’s being sold by a gallery that sells the work of some very well known and successful artists. I feel very lucky to have been able to make it work.

Ambigram.com: Sebastian, the Blazing poster is beautiful, so you have the full right to toot your horn! Thank you for the insight into your daily work, life and inspiration.

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More of Sebastian Lester’s work can be found here: http://www.seblester.co.uk/

For the first time in ACAC’s short history, this challenge was sponsored by a reader of Ambigram.com, who wanted a unique ambigram. The word combination proved to be challenging for all of the artists involved, and even for some Ambigram.com writers, who secretly doodled the names Sadiq & Shana on various scraps of paper to see what combinations are possible.

Although the final decision was up to the sponsor of the challenge, the judges made comments on the top 5 ambigrams and provided their own scoring separate from the sponsor’s judgment. Interestingly, our blind internal scoring showed that the top 2 designs were only separated by 0.1 point! That just goes to show that with ambigrams, its the subtle details that can take a design to the top.

Comments from the Sponsor

Please express our deepest thanks and admiration for all the artists who participated, because although we can’t mention all the designs, each one got a reaction and was special in its own way. However, when selecting the winner, the thought was to choose a design that of course was aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but equally as important, one that captured both the masculine and feminine energy, and we think Bastian’s design did this and with a hint of mysticism in the design. This is because one of the top three could end up as matching tattoos! Maybe…

The choice was very difficult, and again, each design was awesome!

Thanks again to all the artists who participated.

The Results

[NOTE: All designs are copyrighted by the respective artists.  We have permission to post them here, but you must get permission from the artist for any other use of their design, or to post them elsewhere.]

1. Bastian Pinnenberg – WINNER!
Website – http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasty_basty

ARTIST’S COMMENTS (SUBMITTED WITH DESIGN)

“…Here’s my contribution for the ongoing ACAC. I tried to achieve a clean, legible look and, since there was no information about how the ambigram would be used, passed on all visuals and filters (Except for a drop shadow. But hey, that’s no real filter… ). The original design was made in blackletter, but I wanted something cleaner and changed it to a curvy serif. The most tricky part was the “S/NA” inversion, the rest came pretty much automatically…”

JUDGE’S COMMENTS

Mark – Congratulations! I thought that the S/Q was really the big challenge here, but you did some unexpected things with that S/NA combination, and I believe that’s what set your design apart to take the top honor! We’ll be in contact with you shortly to get you the prize money, and you’ll need to send the original design to the contest sponsor.

Nagfa – A solid work, indeed. The weights of the lines were played to perfection here, and being smartly utilised in the S-NA combination. This work has details in each stroke, most noticeably in the similarly-rendered tails of the S and N; and the very thematically-correct little diamond-dots. The effectiveness of using the consistent uppercased A made the reading easier too. Congratulations, Bastian!

Nikita – The legibility here is impeccable. The S/NA inversion, which Bastian specified as the most ‘tricky part’, is beautifully done. The other part which really speaks for the consistency of this ambigram is the similarity between the three lowercase ‘a’ characters. This to me was the biggest challenge of this ambigram; to make the letters (that are otherwise similar in a standard alphabet) appear similar in a complex ambigram. Another great submission from a seasoned ambigram designer!

2.  Michael Irving
Website – http://michaelirvingambigrams.blogspot.com/

ARTIST’S COMMENTS (SUBMITTED WITH DESIGN)

“This was a tough one. Since both names shared an S as their initial letter my first priority was to work out their respective inversions to the Q and the A. Through much trial and error the other characters eventually fell into place. The trickiest part I found was creating the lightweight thread device I used to help delineate the H and complete the A in Shana, without compromising the readability of Sadiq.”

JUDGE’S COMMENTS

Mark – You make this look easy, like you just happened to doodle a complex ambigram. However, when you look close at the design, you see just that is is not easy at all.

Nagfa – A surprisingly whimsical ambigram, this. Light-hearted and casual, this piece has elegance all over it. The manner in which the strokes transition into another still pleases me. That extra stroke between A and D fits in so smoothly. Ditto too the extra line for the ‘h’. The strength of this piece is its refreshing new style.

Nikita – What I love most about this ambigram are the subtle flourishes, which work great in both directions and really help define the letters well. There is a nice consistency and transition from character to character. The only part of the ambigram which stands out as inconsistent is the lowercase ‘h’, which strays from the thickness that is so apparent in the other letters. That being said, I understand the artists’ reasoning for doing it, and I think it’s a good solution.

3.  Ruel Masacaya
Website – http://www.flickr.com/photos/cruel_butcher/sets/72157620504015847/

ARTIST’S COMMENTS (SUBMITTED WITH DESIGN)

“…I like working on specific words or names as compared with themes because I learn more this way after seeing other artists´ solutions.  I also like working with couples´ names, as you could see on my gallery.   It maybe because by making this kind of ambigram, you make 2 people happy instead of just one.  The greatest challenge I encountered in making this ambigram is the IQ-SH combination.  It also took a lot of time for me to decide whether to show only one name or both….”

JUDGE’S COMMENTS

Mark – Our sponsor seemed to like the interconnected names, and there is a hint of an ampersand between them, but I think that the design suffers from just one letter out of place: The “h” in Shana. At first glance, the second word looks like “Slana” (or even “Slang”), and you have to hunt to see that little “h” tucked in there. Otherwise, a very good submission.

Nagfa – This is a stylish smooth piece, with minimal strokes. Though the fused letters confused the reading of the names. The initial ‘Sa’ and the end ’na’ suffered the most. Having said these, the central Q-S made for an interesting link for the two names.

Nikita – The flow & readability of this ambigram reminds me of a straight line connecting two points: easy to read, easy to follow & no obvious imperfections. I love the consistency of the line, even when it tapers off at the ends of the ‘a’ and the ‘S.’ The biggest issue with this execution is the lowercase ‘h’: it work great when disguised in ‘Sadiq’, yet looks out of place in ‘Shana.’ In ‘Shana’, the ‘h’ and the ‘S’ almost merge together to form a very complex and illegible character, which is the only drawback to this otherwise beautiful ambigram.

4. Tiffany Harvey
Website – http://www.tiffanyharvey.com/ambigrams/

ARTIST’S COMMENTS (SUBMITTED WITH DESIGN)

“…When I did my first rough sketch of these names, I accidentally used “Shauna” instead of “Shana”. I was so pleased to get them to pair together, until I looked at the page again and realized it was not quite so tricky! I think the SH/Q combination originated there, though for a long time I was trying to use mostly lowercase lettering for the design. To get the height for a lowercase “h”, the “Q” dropped even further beneath the other letters and was just too gigantic and distracting. Luckily I was able to switch to a capital “H” and reel in the “Q” and “S”s a little….”

JUDGE’S COMMENTS

Mark – Tiffany, the judges scored this one higher than the sponsor, and your design was easily at the top of the competition. The legibility is excellent, and the dedication to maintaining the proper line widths is clearly evident. The line through the center of the design to cross the “H”s and the “A”s without looking out of place was also a great move, and you made a great decision to hide the “H” within the initial “S” in Shana to help the other letters line up correctly.

Nagfa – Consistent letterings and easy flow of strokes. The end-swirls added a feminine touch to the solution. The most intricate detail would be that nicely-concealed H-part behind the S, which rotates beautifully into a Q.

Nikita – Tiffany has a signature to her work, which makes it incredibly easy to identify as her work; it’s consistent. Her characters, regardless of how complex the ambigram is, look like the came from a well designed typeface. That can be an advantage and a disadvantage; in this case, it’s a slight disadvantage, as the characters look a bit too similar at times and become hard to distinguish from one another. That being said, the consistency and the flow of the lines in this ambigram is beautiful.

5. Cleber Faria
Website – http://www.cleberfaria.com/

ARTIST’S COMMENTS (SUBMITTED WITH DESIGN)

“…I did several sketches while trying to find a solution to this ambigram. The most challenging was the ‘I’ and the ‘H’ combination. That took several days to develop, and the final solution was a result of turning the uppercase ‘H’ into a lowercase ‘h’ while shortening several of the legs…”

JUDGE’S COMMENTS

Mark – Once again, the idea that the big challenge was in the S/Q is proven incorrect. Cleber knocks that combination out of the park! Both of those letters look completely natural, like there isn’t even much special going on. However, the bigger challenge (again) lives next door: the “h” in Shana. Overall, this was one of my favorite submissions on this round.

Nagfa – A simple and efficient design which makes it look so easy on the eyes. The names read easily, thanks to the good use of line thickness. The ‘n’ could well do with a less curvy bowl of the ‘a’ for an easier reading, and like most other solutions, the ‘h’ suffers the most.

Nikita – Cleber continues his outstanding ambigram work with this submission. What I love about this ambigram (as well as several others in this ACAC) is the consistency of the letterforms. My favorite letter inversion is the ‘S/Q’ combination. Beautifully done! What makes it a bit challenging is once again ‘h/i’ combination, as well as the consistency of the three lowercase ‘a’ characters. Other than those slight drawbacks, a very nicely designed ambigram!

OTHER EXCELLENT DESIGN SUBMISSIONS

As we specified in the original Ambigram Challenge Rules, we would only be able to post comments for the top 5 submissions.  However, we did want to post a few other favorite submissions from a few artists that did well in the competition, but not make it into our top 5 list.  It was a crowded contest, and the bar was set high.

In no particular order, here are the some entries that deserve to be recognized.

Daniel Dostal:

Daan Juttman

Rebecca May

Next Challenge: Holidays 2009

Many thanks to all the fantastic artists that contributed to this ACAC.

The next challenge will be “Holidays 2009“, and of course, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Years Eve will all be great choices.

The theme for the first ACAC (Ambigram.Com Ambigram Challenge) was “resurrection”, and it was truly an appropriate theme as it was the resurrection of the Ambigram Challenge, formerly run by husband and wife team NAGFA and known as the NAC (Nagfa Ambigram Challenge).

The first ACAC also marked NAGFA’s partnership with Ambigram.com, as they agreed to join the team and contribute to the site, as well as run the new Ambigram Challenge. And finally, it marked the beginning of some phenomenal ambigram challenges: if the first challenge is any indication, there is some incredible work in store for the future ambigram challenges!

The results

Selecting the final ambigram was probably just as difficult as designing it, as we had some wonderful work to pick from. After much deliberation, the judges selected the top 5 ambigrams. Here they are in order!

[NOTE: All designs are copyrighted by the respective artists.  We have permission to post them here, but you must get permission from the artist for any other use of their design, or to post them elsewhere.]

1. John Langdon – Reincarnation/Reincarnate – First Place

Artist Website: http://www.johnlangdon.net

Artist’s Comments (Submitted with Design)

I’ve recently been involved in a conversation about life and death with one of my daughter’s friends, so that may have triggered the choice of words.  But I wanted to work on a word that others wouldn’t be working on, and although it’s an obvious choice, at least it wasn’t on the Nikita’s list of suggestions.

I started with REINCARNATE. It’s kind of the ideal ambigram challenge, I think, when a word offers some natural inversions (the Ns), some relatively easy combinations (the CAR) and some real challenges (the Ei = a). A whacky combination like that last one usually calls for more a more ornate style to help disguise the atrocities within the ornamentation. Getting the CAR comfortable kept pushing me to make it wider and wider. I’ve long enjoyed the aesthetics of a contour outline, and find that it often helps unify what the main body of the letter has pulled apart (R = tE and Ei = a).

Somewhere along the line I realized that REINCARNATION would work as a chain, allowing for the appropriate symbol of the circle. This word also has a nice combination of easy inversions (tion and rn = in)  and more challenging ones (rE = A).

Chains are inherently a little harder to read, so having it as the subordinate ambigram allows it to benefit from the readability of REINCARNATION and makes its degree of illegibility a little less frustrating.  Both words are long, so the circle had a pretty sizeable gap in the middle.  What better symbol for the regeneration of life than yin/yang? Besides, it’s the deep foundation of all my ambigrams, paintings, and life in general.  I have admired the aesthetics of much of Awangpurba’s work, and so I have become quite fond of using the Gaussian blur shadow effect.

Judges Comments

• Nikita: The complexity of this ambigram is mind-boggling. The design conveys the nature of the Resurrection theme not just through the two different ambigrams, but also through the symbolism. Easy to understand & easy to read.
• Mark: The central ambigram is signature John Langdon, and you could just about name the artist just from seeing the curves.  There are some tricky letter combinations there, but John makes them look easy.  I don’t believe that the background circle ambigram was necessary, but it does fit well with the resurrection theme.
• Nagfa: This work exudes intricacy in its sheer simplicity – a mark of a good designer. His choice word – Reincarnate – is succinct. The cleverness of that subtly-hidden ‘i’ speaks volume of how a master ambigrammist works, conjuring nothing from something and something from nothing.

2. Daniel Dostal – Born Again

Artist Website: http://daneel75.wordpress.com

Artist’s Comments (Submitted with Design)

I’m pleased that the challenge is continuing, because it is an unrestricted source of inspiration for me.

This design is inspired by the classic Black Sabbath album “Born Again”, with Ian Gillan on vocals.

Judges Comments

• Nikita: The letterforms in this ambigram are exquisite! Not a stroke nor a shape out of place, perfect legibility, and a beautiful job all around.
• Mark: The balance of the functional versus decorative elements in the initial B is excellent, and the choice of words is perfect.  Even after choosing the phrase, I’m not sure that many ambigram artists would have tackled it, but Daniel made it shine.  In fact, this design came very, very close to winning the whole competition, coming in second to the winning entry only by fractions of a point.
• Nagfa: Daniel Dostal: This is trademark Daniel Dostal. His mastery in the flourishes and swooshes is second to none. The interesting solution of the B-in is breath-taking. What makes this artwork so aesthetically pleasing is his ability to balance successfully the thick and thin strokes. Coming from the land of Metal and awesome band logos, perhaps it is in his innate nature?

3. Mark Palmer – Resurrection

Artist Website: http://www.wowtattoos.com

Artist’s Comments (Submitted with Design)

This Ambigram is a circular, chained, rotational Ambigram with the chosen word being “Resurrection” – selected for what hopefully is obvious reasons.  I found that the best solution (for me) came about by exploring the chained orientation, which seemed to yield the most naturally-occurring letter combinations.

My favorite way to display chained Ambigrams has always been in circular form; there’s just something so pleasing about the symmetry of the Ambigram when it’s repeated in the shape of a circle. The Ambigram itself is engulfed in flames and given a white-hot appearance, which symbolizes the first step in the resurrection process of the phoenix where the bird is reduced to ashes by fire.

Judges Comments

• Nikita: Chain ambigrams are very challenging, yet this ambigram is a testament to how beautiful one can be if done right. The only distraction here (for me) is the background, which is almost overpowering the ambigram.
• Mark: It could have been the theme relating to the “circle of life”, but we received several circular chain ambigrams in the Resurrection challenge, and this was the best in the field.  You start to realize the complexity of this design when you trace out the individual occurrences of the word “resurrection”.  I would have to agree with John and Nikita that the absence of white space clues in a circular chain can make them somewhat more difficult to read.
• Nagfa: A powerful image on its own, the background does somewhat engulf the classic clean letterforms. The choice of using the ‘t’ as the main pivot is clever, to say the least. We wonder if repeating ‘Resurrection’ three times instead of four would provide for an easier reading.

4. Bastian Pinnenberg – Lazarus

Artist Website: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasty_basty

Artist’s Comments

“Lazarus”, aka “Lazarus of Bethany”, aka “Saint Lazarus”, aka “Lazarus of the Four Days” was resurrected by Jesus after being buried for four days, according to the Gospel of John.

Judges Comments

• Nikita: The letters are beautiful. Not as complex as some of the previous ambigrams, but great legibility and readability.
• Mark: Both of Bastian’s submissions in this contest placed well, but this was his design that made it into the top 5.  Despite some very unique letter contortions, the design manages to finish with very good readability, especially at first glance (and I’m still trying to figure out why…)
• Nagfa: Unique, clean and easily readable. Bastian’s entries are outstanding in using the most whimsical of letterforms. He did well with his ‘Lazarus’ especially in accomplishing a consistent ‘A’. That L-S (always a bugbear): brilliant.

5. Michael Irving – Renaissance

Artist Website: http://home.comcast.net/~mirving

Artist’s Comments

The word “Renaissance” is defined as “a rebirth of interest or creativity in an area”…  My style of letterforms is intended to suggest the type of calligraphy associated with the “Renaissance” of the Middle Ages. I added flourish accents to the top and bottom in a lighter weight to complement the typography and give it a more finished look. The background also helps to further the concept of rebirth with it’s use of flames of orange transitioning to fields of green.

Judges Comments

• Nikita: Very legible and nicely done. The ’special effects’, which consist of the background image & the bevel/emboss effect on the letters really takes away from this ambigram.
• Mark: Great legibilility.  I’ve always maintained that a big part of creating a successful ambigram is excellent word choice, and you picked a word that leant itself to the task at hand.  Of course, after the word selection, you still need to deliver the goods, and you definitely did.
• Nagfa: Loving the flow of this artwork. The ‘r’ that metamorphs into the ‘N’ and later the ‘N’-'e’ is smooth. The usually troublesome E-C fits with the overall style. So too are the pivotal letters ‘ISS’. Good cohesion, easy readability. Nice.

Other Excellent Design Submissions

As we specified in the original Ambigram Challenge Rules, we would only be able to post comments for the top 5 submissions.  However, we did want to post a few other favorite submissions from a few artists that did well in the competition, but not make it into our top 5 list.  It was a crowded contest, and the bar was set high.

In no particular order, here are the some entries into the contest that placed well.

Björn Wichmann - Birth/Death

Cleber Faria - Jesus Christ

Diego Columbo - Life is Born Again

Robert Maitland - Phoenix

Tom Banwell - Arise

Words of wisdom from the judges

This is a place where the judges can post some general comments about the entire field.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Comments (Nikita) – There are two difficult steps in ambigram design. The first step is the design process itself; the second step is deciding whether the ambigram needs any extra visuals & effects, or is it good enough to stand on its own. Some of the entries we received conveyed a perfect balance of ambigram & secondary elements.

Yet there were quite a few ambigrams that were ruined by overuse of filters, effects & extra design elements. For the next challenge, try the following; design the ambigram by itself & get it to the point of perfection. Then, take the same ambigram, and surround it with secondary design elements, images, etc. Finally, take the stand-alone ambigram and compare it to the same ambigram that has the extra design elements. That comparison will almost always indicate the better of the two solutions. Sometimes, it will even convince you that the ambigram by itself is good enough.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Next Challenge: Sadiq / Shana

Welcome

Welcome to the brand-new Ambigram.Com Ambigram Challenge (ACAC).

The ACAC is not entirely new… because it will be run partly by NAGFA, the inventors of the original ambigram challenge.  It’s really a rebirth of the Nagfa Ambigram Challenge (NAC) in a new form and a new location.

Since the Ambigram Challenge is being literally being “born again”, there are some new rules, new details, and a couple of twists (pun intended).  The first ambigram challenge theme is also quite appropriate:

“Resurrection”

Like a phoenix rising from smoldering ashes, the ambigram challenge is coming back from the dead.

What better theme to use for the first ACAC than “Resurrection”?  The creators of the original ambigram challenge (NAGFA) even came up with the theme, which somehow seems appropriate.  The theme offers a lot of possibilities: Phoenix, Ashes, Dust to Dust, Rebirth, Second Chance, Second Wind, Part Two, The Sequel, Afterlife, Born Again, New Epoch, etc.  You can choose any word or phrase that deals with the theme of resurrection or rebirth for your submission to the first ACAC.

Rules and Details

1. Select a word or phrase dealing with the theme of “resurrection” or “rebirth” and create an ambigram from your selected word or phrase.
2. Render your your final ambigram in uncompressed, or barely compressed JPG, GIF or PNG format.
3. Your submission should be at least 600 pixels wide and 600 pixels high at no lower than 72 dpi.  We will resize it for display.
4. Create an email message with your final design attached and address it to:
5. In your email message, include your full name and web site URL (preferably to your ambigram gallery, if you have one).  This will be published for all designs chosen for display (usually the top 5 designs).
6. Also, include one or two paragraphs about your ambigram: your word selection, design decisions, challenges, etc.  This information will be posted along with your design if your design is selected as the contest winner.

If you want further details, you can view the full Ambigram Challenge Official Rules.

Due date: Friday, September 25^th

Submissions for the Resurrection challenge are due on Friday, September 25^th, and submissions received after that date will not be eligible for the contest.

The winners will be posted on the site on Friday, October 9^th.  At that time, the next challenge will be posted.

The Ambigrammy Awards

The winner of each ACAC will automatically be nominated to win an Ambigrammy Award.

What is an Ambigrammy Award?

Just as the music industry recognizes outstanding music with a Grammy award, and the movie industry awards top performances with an Oscar award, the best ambigram designs will be recognized with an Ambigrammy award.

The Ambigrammy will be the annual recognition of excellence in ambigram design.  You will be hearing more information about the Ambigrammy awards closer to the award ceremony.  For now, just know that the winner of each ACAC will be automatically nominated for an Ambigrammy, and you will be given bragging rights that you can publish on your own web site (“Nominated for an Ambigrammy”).

Questions

We are very excited about the launch of the ACAC and looking forward to some fantastic submissions from the ambigram community. Feel free to post general questions below, or email specific questions to: .

NAGFA: We started off doing laterally symmetrical typography, commonly known now as ‘reflections’ – those usually found as logos for metal bands. Like many, we were first acquainted with ambigrams via Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons. It was an almost-natural progression from lateral symmetry to a rotational one.

Laterally symmetrical "New York" ambigram. Used with permission from NAGFA.

Ambigram.com: What was the very first ambigram you created? Would you be able to provide an example of it?

NAGFA: It was in 2004. We were in the lecture theatre during our early courting days. We challenged each other to come out with an ambigram (the first NAC [Nagfa Ambigram Challenge]?) reading ‘Naguib’ one way and ‘Fadilah’ another. The outputs were combined and scribbled out and the final piece was left in its full amateurish glory. Looking at this again brings back sweet memories.

Naguib/Fadilah Ambigram. Used with permission from NAGFA.

Ambigram.com: Both of you work as Malay-language teachers. Has your linguistic/teaching background influenced your ambigram work in any way?

NAGFA: This is an interesting point to ponder.  An ambigram is a combination of typography and calligraphy, the art of writing. It is unsurprising, therefore, that ambigrams relate very closely to language.  As Malay-language teachers we are still learning every day.  We do come across new, refreshing concepts, words, and their etymology which ‘instigates’ a need for us to share in the form of ambigrams.

The Malay language – in its linguistic and geographical history – has borrowed words from many other languages, including Arabic, Sanskrit, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Tamil, and of course English. Designing an ambigram which hints of this shared language (or at least in its etymology) is a subtle reminder of how we all share a common thread, where compartmentalization of races and/or languages does not exist. It gently puts us back in our places and roles in this world.

On another hand, sometimes we use ambigrams as a topic starter / lesson induction. For example, a Racial Harmony ambigram was used to begin a class discussion on the importance of racial harmony, and a Maria Hertogh ambigram was used to introduce the race riots in 1964.

Racial Harmony Ambigram. Used with permission from NAGFA.

Maria Hertogh Ambigram. Used with permission from NAGFA.

Beyond the classroom walls, ambigram designing is a good mental exercise to keep the mind alert, especially in between long lectures. Our experiences being invited to other countries, to special events, being featured in the local paper, being involved in an ambigram-based charity project, for example, were good anecdotes and real-life proof to our students how a simple hobby, added with passion and a willingness to learn and improve, could be fulfilling.

Ambigram.com: Speaking of languages, artists such as Scott Kim & David Moser designed ‘dual-language’ ambigrams. A good example would be the Tokyo 90 degree ambigram designed by David Moser: originally written in a vertical orientation using Japanese characters, it would read “Tokyo” when rotated clockwise. Have you ever attempted to design a Malay language ambigram?

Used with permission from David Moser (http://www.cognitive-china.org/)

NAGFA: Yes, we have. Some are titles of texts we were to read and analyze during our University days.  The titles themselves are renditions of Hindu folklore. ‘Hikayat Seri Rama’ is the Malay version of Ramayana, the Prince of India while ‘Durga/Umayi’ are two manifestations of a Goddess in the Hindu religion.

Hikayat Seri Rama Ambigram. Used with permission from NAGFA.

Durga/Umayi Ambigram. Used with permission from NAGFA.

Some other Malay language ambigrams are merely a duality, much like their English counterparts: Hitam & Putih (Black & White) and Malaikat & Shaitan (Angel & Demon).

Hitam & Putih Ambigram. Used with permission from NAGFA.

Malaikat & Shaitan Ambigram. Used with permission from NAGFA.

A Malay-English ambigram example would be ‘George W. Bush. – Orang Minyak’. ‘Orang Minyak’ could be taken literally to mean ‘Oil Man’, alluding to the war. ‘Orang Minyak’ also refers to a supernatural being in the Malay folklore who sneaks into villages and rapes the womenfolk, similar to the Western incubus.

George W. Bush/Orang Minyak  Ambigram. Used with permission from NAGFA.

Ambigram.com: Why do you think that ambigrams are so much easier to create in English, rather than any other language? We don’t really see too many foreign language ambigrams out there!

NAGFA: This may come as a surprise, but through our NAC (the NAGFA Ambigram Challenge), we do know of many talented artists who design ambigrams in other languages, mostly in Spanish, Malay, and the Indian languages. One common factor between these ambigrams is the fact that they are all written using the Roman alphabet. We figure that the Roman alphabets provide the easiest form of recognition (or re-cognition) to the viewers’ perception, perhaps due to familiarity.

What is rare is an ambigram in another written language altogether; Cyrillic, Arabic, Tamil, Japanese, Chinese… even cuneiform! Even some Scandinavian words prove challenging due to the diacritic signs.

Ambigram.com: Ambigram interest has exploded since the movie Angels & Demons was released in theatres. With so many more people  aware of ambigrams, ambigrams blogs, websites & online groups (Flickr as one example) have been springing up left and right. Where do you see the ambigram culture heading?

NAGFA: We are just excited to be part of this culture. Due to the dual nature of ambigram, many would see an ambigram as an appropriate personalized design for tattoos, wedding gifts, humour products, band logos, etc. On a similar note, a product logo / logotype which is an ambigram doesn’t require any correct orientation to advertise its name.

For more serious ambigram artists, we see them using its potential in a 3D world. We have seen superb installation pieces by Frenchman Patrice Hamel, some of them practical and relevant even in the real world. Then there are the ‘ambigram automatons’ by Tom Banwell, who incorporates mechanical movement into ambigrams. Of course, John Langdon and Robert Petrick had done more than a few reflective pieces / sculptures.

Our prediction for ambigrams in the near future is its marriage to other popular typography / calligraphic art.  Ambigram graffiti – or graffiti ambigrams – would be interesting.  An Arabic Khat which has rotational or lateral symmetry would be mind-boggling. A Sanskrit-based ambigram would be awesome.

Ambigram.com: Currently, how would you rate overall quality of ambigram design out there?  Are there any artists that come to mind that are an inspiration to you and the rest of the ambigram community?

NAGFA: Personally, we see three waves of ambigram artists: the first comprises of the ‘pioneers’ like Douglas Hofstadter, John Langdon, Robert Petrick, Scott Kim and Kevin Pease.  The second wave comprises artists who started after reading Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons and the third are those who came in later.  Hence, it is difficult – and inaccurate – to rate the overall quality of all ambigram designs.

Of course, we are inspired by the works of the pioneers; they came from a time when their only tools were some pencils, scraps of papers and the most perceptive of minds.

Having said that, there are many brilliant artists from the second and third waves which we find inspiration from. Like the Malay idiom, ‘A bird’s strength is in its wings; a crab’s strength is in its claws’, we each have our own individual styles and strengths, and we all learn from one another. We still do.

Ambigram.com: Do you have your own unique process for developing ambigrams? What’s the typical approach for you, from start to finish?

NAGFA: Typically, our ambigrams are the result of either a need to make an ambigram out of a particular word or phrase, or a realization that a word or phrase could be made into an ambigram.

We don’t think we have a unique process. We started by writing the word down and manipulating the letters stroke by stroke. Then once satisfied with the overall look, we scanned the hand-drawn design and add in colors and effects.

Quite recently, we have been doing ambigrams using a ‘template’ we made using PowerPoint. That eliminates the scanning process and does save some time. And being teachers, and parents, we need all the time-saving strategies we can get our hands on!

Ambigram.com: For quite some time, you’ve been running the Nagfa Ambigram Challenge (NAC) but have put a hold on it recently. Are there any plans to resume the NAC in the future?

NAGFA: Ambigrams – being an art-form – were always about transcending boundaries, and in our case, the bridge to create bonds and friendship. That part of our journey would always be the peak of our ambigram experience; NAC allowed us to be part of a big family which we had fun interacting with, learning from, sharing ideas and concepts and solutions, regardless of our respective background.

The knowledge that there are dedicated individuals from all corners of the world doing something similar to what we are doing, sharing a passion was surreal. Imagine once a while, when the NAC entries were posted on our blog that you have people from New Zealand to South America to the States to Europe to India mingling in the most Spartan of blogs, discussing the entries submitted. We do miss the interaction.

There are indeed plans to resume NAC, given the right circumstances, and we are sure ambigram.com would be one of the first to know.

Ambigram.com: We’ll be looking forward to it. Before we wrap things up, we have one more question for you, perhaps the most difficult one. There are a lot of new emerging ambigram artists, ranging from casual ambigrammists to ones that want make a career out of it. What advice would you give a brand new ambigrammist?

NAGFA: We believe the most important thing is to enjoy one’s self. Once you find enjoyment and a sense of fun in discovering the ‘workings’ of an ambigram, you would be more than willing to learn more.

It is also good to find your own individual style first. This foundation could prove useful in the creating a unique ambigram experience. Having seen many – but never enough! – ambigrams, we could tell who the artists are simply by the solutions, style and presentation of the ambigram pieces. Alberto Portacio, Tomas, NastyBasty, Diego Colombo, Mark Palmer and Serpiente are some artists whose designs are synonymous with the designers.

Another thing is to be bold; to explore new solutions, new concepts, longer phrases. Who knows, you might discover a new category of ambigram!

And of course: to share. It is more fulfilling to share your creations with family and friends, and to learn from their feedback. A general rule is if they cannot decipher / read the ambigram, then most probably others won’t be able to, either.

We wish all ambigram enthusiasts – experienced or otherwise – the best in all endeavors, and may we get to interact again in another domain in the near future.

Salam (peace),
Nagfa

Ambigram.com: Nagfa, thank you for the insightful interview. We look forward to seeing more great work from you.