Digital arts another Cebuano strength

I was invited by Informatics (SM Cebu Branch) to be one of the resource persons in a symposium about IT trends and to provide a few insights on how students should put themselves in this very competitive industry. I came in 30 minutes ahead of my schedule and as I entered the conference room, I was awed to find really very magnificent graphics and animations from a speaker before me. He was getting better and better as he flipped through each of his portfolio with his self-styled presentation program. I felt like not wanting to speak anymore as I only had my jaded powerpoint slides with me and my taste for graphic design is no better than a fifth grader (lol). 

The lights of the conference hall were all shut and the colors of the visual presentation were all that was needed to illuminate the room in such surreal ambiance. I was virtually carried away by the whole presentation and wished I was a few minutes earlier so I could see some of his stuff that he showed earlier. For most of the time, it was his presentation that did all the talking. He was only audible when he chatters a terse introduction from one graphic to another. Having seated at the back, the voice behind the presentation seemed to be from someone I know -- and I was right. It was from Joseph Mayol.

If the Bible has Joseph the Dreamer, Cebu has Joseph the dream-come-true in the realm of Cebuano digital arts. And I would like to consider him among Cebu's iconic symbols in rich media and Web 2.0. And every time I get to see his works, I feel deeply honored not only to have known a friend with such great talent, I feel mighty proud as a Cebuano to see a person with so great a vision for Cebu’s promising digital arts.

There are talents that are innate or God-given. Joseph Mayol's case is different. At 17, he was starting to do graphic design not out of passion but for survival. Joseph recalls that his family had to live literally on the streets some ten years ago because of poverty. His parents had cancer and one of them had to succumb to the dreaded disease as therapy was beyond their means to afford. The woeful events that shook their family prompted Joseph to quit school but that never stopped him from improving his craft that he received awards year after year not only here but also abroad.

Joseph's recent works include skin and interface design of interactive elements as well as 3D models for popular Hollywood websites, movies and celebrities. And by far the most interesting I saw was the "gesture recognition" program he experimented a few months ago that caught the interest of shopping malls and the creative division of an expensive signature clothier. The program, in gist, renders a gaudy and multicolored simulation of a person moving while at range of the camera connected to the computer. The program can also be used as a visual accessory to a hip bar or a vogue discotheque.

Joseph was and is still the prime mover and initiator of the Annual Visual Design Conference in Cebu. The event features some of the best digital designs that have built names for locally-made shirts like Nick Automatic; multi-awarded and trusted brands in web design and development such as iDesign by Wilmer Olano just to name a few. The conference is also a venue to discuss new tools and exchange experiences about their success with the works they have done for giant brands in the movie and film industry.

But above all, he serves as a humble inspiration for the young and creative minds to stand out in what they do. Joseph recounts that in his time, the tools for digital creation were limited and expensive. Joseph says that the new generation is more fortunate -- computers are getting cheaper and there are a lot of new and powerful software that would make graphic design easier and faster.

And yes, the visual design field holds a big promise for Cebuanos who want to learn and improve their skill even without looking at the opportunities outside the country. If you are the roamer type, there’s a nook on Arlington pond famous for its Robo Muffin shirts – students are crazy about their “indie shirts” that they have to wait all day to buy their new designs. There’s also 6K Promotions that also sells the same clothing line at P.Del Rosario. I had to wait for the shop to close to buy a shirt as people braved the heat and rain outside their store just to have their latest collections. These can only mean that Cebu is quite a huge market for those who would like to try their skill in designing for casual clothing.

But overall, the need for Cebuano creativity is there – but the success is reserved only for those who are willing to improve, persevere and innovate.        

Send emails to [email protected]