Young Malaysian Artist Exhibition & Behance + Creative Cloud

I like to invite you to visit my latest digital art masterpiece (the latest digital space painting series) called 'Jupiteraya' that are now currently exhibiting at Galeri Petronas, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur. This is not the first time Galeri Petronas have been the pinnacle to support electronic artists, digital artists, video artists like myself but it's been 3 times.

Quoted by Galeri Petronas: "who engage in a ‘self-referential‘ relationship with new technologies to discover the ‘self’ in making contemporary transformation determined by technological developments - new media". So far, I could only can spot four electronic artists who complement their work according to the theme.

Further information about our exhibition: http://www.galeripetronas.com.my/Pages/Exhibition.aspx?MenuId=2&ItemId=73

'Antara Callisto & Europa' (Jupiteraya Series), by Muid Latif. 

The Jupiteraya Series

Using combined conventional media from acrylic & poster color on art paper, I orchastrate my work on digital canvas using the latest version of Adobe PhotoshopCC & Illustrator CC.
This took 28 weeks of R&D, production, improvement and revisit of my three works until I meet my satisfaction. Stereoscopic imaging gave the final touch for the viewers to enjoy my work using 3D anaglyph glass. More story of my work will be post on my behance portfolio and newspaper, New Straits Times soon.

To my e-art brothers and sisters, my close friend Syafiq Abdul Samat, Latif, and newfound fellow artists; Andrialis Abdul Rahman and Firdaus Herrow, I'm glad to share this exhibition with all of you. I hope this exhibition will uplift your spirit and encourage to harness your passion in continue the legacy of our father of Malaysian Digital Art, the late Ismail Zain. I may not know close enough about you guys but I am pleased and proud to be a part of your presence. 

Throwback: Knowledge Development Centre (KDC) 2nd Anniversary with Adobe After Effects TECHTALK at Cyberjaya.

Was given the opportunity to represent Behance once again as the Malaysia ambassador to promote and showcase what Behance is all about to KRU Academy students and AEMY participants. Thanks to the awesome and cool inspiring guru, Hussin Khan for the invitation.

This time I talk about how creative professionals can empower themselves by showcasing their works through Behance.net portfolio. With Creative Cloud, Adobe users can now synchronize and upload their work directly from http://creative.adobe.com or upload their work-in-progress via Adobe Photoshop CC and Illustrator CC. 

Photos are courtesy of Adobe After Effects Malaysia & MDeC. Thank you for those who attended.

Stay creative, keep on shining and stay awesome.

- Muid Latif

Malaysia: Jobless Malaysians?

Written by Muid Latif, edited by Aniqah Husda

It's pretty sad that albeit the 4,000 thousand graduates with great untapped talents that were produced annually have not been able to fulfill the relatively few job vacancies from local creative and advertising field. It is with great insult that the nation's best 3D animators, compositors and GUI designers are recruited by international companies abroad such Codemaster, not that it is an insult to the employee or employer per se, but since we have an embedded stigma that the foreign (i.e anything that spells white) is better, we forgo our local talents and lose them out to the big guns overseas.

Same goes with most other professions anyway, but the field of creative multimedia and advertising is uniquely localized and hiring foreigners who have no clue of our circumstantial differences does not really help the country go forward. Hindsight, we are still too far behind and if not well-planned outright, our future talents would just be "born in Malaysia - made elsewhere in the world."

Are the policy makers in this country aware of the following facts?

Did you know that China is extensively recruiting good designers from Malaysia and now most of them 'migrated' to Shanghai & Beijing to work in a better job opportunities with better payment.

Did you know when I wanted to approach the graduates from local colleges such as The One Academy, all the top students had been booked by other agencies from Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong?

Did you know that to apply for a job in Malaysia is like applying to become a model in a modeling agencies? Local companies are getting more superficial and requires candidates to have looks more important than a portfolio. (I'm talking from experience!).

Did u know that a lot of Art Directors & Creative Directors in local advertising / interactive agencies are 'managed' by expats? It's not bad, but does this prove we have no standards and quality AT ALL to achieve such position? or

Are we that prejudice over our own talents that we bank our trust on the future of the creative and advertising field in the hands of short-term/contract workforce whose loyalty to Malaysian brands are questionable?

Of recent, I was offered a vacancy by few parties (some very famous and popular international brand firms) in China due to my reliable merits, strong work credentials and sound portfolio (hope I don't sound too boastful or condescending but I am fully confident of my work). However, I've decided to remain in Malaysia backed by strong faith that there is hope still for the expansion of local talents. Having said that, my fire is fading fast and I've contemplated moving to greener pastures if things doesn't work out here and the local employees/agencies are still in their post-colonial mentality.

An existing scenario prevails; if all the good designers had received offers to work abroad (Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Australia, Canada, etc) that leaves us the mediocre designers struggling for survival and left misguided with the notion they are never good enough in their alma mater.

One last note; I've discovered some good designers (previously evaluated and ranked by qualified professionals back in university) working as Direct Selling Agents, Bank Officers and Sales Assistant in Carrefour, Giant, McDonalds, Starbucks, and the list goes on. People still need to eat yeah? And that Art School Degree is left wasted.

Does anyone really care?

Work Updates: LAMU Project



I would like to thank Wing, Saubin, and the rest of the LAMU committee members including our sponsors and KTM to give us the opportunity to realize the vision of the project that I'm involved with, Let Art Moves You (L.A.M.U) is also on the way, with my newest artwork. It was a great launch. Finally, some exposure! ;)


More photos can be found in my Flickr page here.

Four (4) of my artwork installed in train no. 39 is just mesmerizing. This exhibition also runs until 4th of November 2007 among other artists such as my friend Shieko, Orkibal, Donna and others.



My artwork also mentioned in TheStar Metro Saturday and New Straits Time Sunday. Article 1 via NST Sunday, Article 2 via NST Sunday People, KakiSeni & TheStar Metro.

Personal experimental:


New digital artwork by Muid Latif in collaboration with notable Malaysian photographer, Johan Sopiee. Congrats Johan on his special occasion last week! ;)

Photography:


Title: A Solitude Mutiny
Model: Afiqah.
Thank you to KLFlickr group for making this photo as winner of 10th weekly theme competition.


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Transformers Mania

My dream came true (yeah baby!).Though Michael Bay didn’t bring the best of transformers for their die-hard-fan (macam saya), but it’s worth watching. I mean, come on, can’t expect every freakin’ transformers to be in the movie right? But I bet there’s Transformers 2, and hopefully ada Omega Supreme or Fortress Maximus atau Metroplex. Cool eh? Although the game for PSP was f****ng boring, I still watch it few times in the cinema. (Hopefully to be on IMAX). I’m sure by now, all transformers collectors are increasing their current collector price to $$$$ (4 digits) Ringgit Malaysia.

Here’s my recent transformers collection




Yang Baik (Autobots), mostly Takara version.


Yang Jahat (Decepticons). R.I.P. to my Insecticons, Starscream G1 & Demolisher. Sedey.. Ni semua gara orang gaji yg tak tahu menahu pasal kepentingan toys aku. Boleh tak dia buang time kitaorang pindah from Kem Sg. Besi to Selayang. Aku redha...

To calculate the total of my transformers collection, I spend more than RM4,971 since 2002 excluding DVD collection and other merchandise. Gosh, I can get a new MacBook with that figure. Tapi sayang pulak nak jual all my stuff kat eBay. Let me keep this as my only permanent hobby. (Tapi tak leh lawan my boss, giler satu rumah penuh koleksi from A-Z). Kalah Afdlin Shauki). More of my Transformers Collection @ My Flickr. Talk about hobby, my new hobby is playing PSP! yeay! (Gosh, macam budak2... umur dah nak dekat masuk 30 tahun).

TF Wishlist (jer!, bukan confirm beli):

1. Optimus Prime Electronic Mask (Macam not necessary)
   
2. Bumblebee (TF Movie version)
3. Optimus Prime (TF Movie version)
4. Ultra Magnus Masterpiece
5. Starscream Energon
   

And I know all of these stuff I can get at only oooonne (1) place, that closes at 3 o’clock in the morning, right here in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. But having said that, I will be spending my money buying a very freaking cool WACOM tablet for improving and increasing my illustration skills using Photoshop CS. Better right?


_Work Updates:

Illustrations:



And my sketch of a robot tengah membaca. Very cute one.





I have to do it since everyone in the office starts to illustrate their own version of transformers including Junning, Iman & Eisu.. Duh!


'Dambaan Jiwaku', My first LP CD, Edited by Kromosom / Keribang

Talk: ‘Generating Creativity Through Interactivity’
I will be flying to Johor Bahru to give a talk on ‘Generating Creativity Through Interactivity’ together with my big man, ‘Kanye West’ & Ke’Kamal’lan under MSC Malaysia Creative Multimedia Content Initiative (CMCI) program on the 24-25th of July.

2nd’Exhibition: 7 July 2007 (7/7/7)
Digital Malaya will be showcasing it’s demoreel and my second public art performance at Central Market for the grand opening of 7/7 Malaysia First Digital Art Gallery. I will be rework on ‘Body Movement’ performance with a wyyeeeetle bit of contemporary dance for the gimmick launch. Nak tengok muid buat aksi lipat roti canai dan teknik sakit urat badan, teknik tangkap biawak, mari sama-sama ke Central Market Art Zone this 7th of July, 7pm!



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I still miss my Perodua Kancil. I will never forget you!