Patricia

For a friend - Patricia. It is drawn using traditional Old Blackletter script which is commonly found on churches, newspaper headlines, posters, etc.

I think this script lends a lot of beauty to ambigram designs. Designs such as these are very good contenders for tattoos. You can contact me if you want to get an ambigram made for tattoos.

Tags - ambigrams, art, calligraphy, tattoos, name, Patricia

Fibonacci Series

This wonderful piece of art is dedicated to the most intriguing series of mathematics, the terms of which when divided by their previous terms lead to quotients which converge into the most beautiful number in mathematics 1.618.

This is neither a wordart, nor a numeric art...its both!
These are neither letters, nor numbers....they're both!

What you see is Fibonacci Series written as Fibonacci Series. Period.

Still don't get it. I have drawn the word 'Fibonacci Series' using first 12 terms of fibonacci series (i.e. 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,144...). Hence you can see the letters of the word made from the numbers of the series (in exactly the same order!). Only the number 3 in 34 is written in reverse to make it look like a C.

I think the concept is mindblowing, and again the inspiration is John Langdon, who had drawn the word 'Dan Brown' using the first 10 terms of fibonacci series.

Tags - ambigrams, art, calligraphy, tattoos, fibonacci series, numbers, maths

Commission for Ambigrams

By commissioning an ambigram, you get a custom made ambigram artwork for yourself or your loved ones. What's more, you can even decide what style you want amongst the styles i've used in my blog's entries or some other style that you would like. Each ambigram is a unique piece of art designed solely for you. You can print the ambigrams onto cards, t-shirts, bags, etc. Ambigrams also make excellent tattoos (especially the calligraphic and blackletter designs).

Here is my professional offering -
(contact me at roopak.suri@gmail.com)

What you get
1. Ambigrams designed using Adobe Illustrator, suitable for printing anywhere.
2. I will make as many changes, within reason, as it takes until you are satisfied with the result of the ambigram.
3. Format - You will first be sent png files (pictures) of the ambigram designs, so that you can suggest any changes you would like to make. Finally all approved designs will be given in a scalable vector eps file which is suitable for printing anywhere you want to.
4. I will have copyright for all the artworks designed by me. You will be the exclusive owner of the artwork and hence are permitted to use this artwork anywhere and however you want but solely for non-profitable purposes.
5. You cannot claim copyright for your artwork anywhere since I retain the copyrights . For logos and trademarks, please contact me for copyright transfer. The fee for copyright transfer is per ambigram is same as current ambigram commission fee.

What you pay

Ambigrams with words less than 10 letters cost US $74.99 $49.99 (Rs.2499.99 Rs.1499.99 for Indian citizens).

Ambigrams with more than 10 letters will count as 2 commissions.

Symbiotograms (in which a name inverts to another name) will count as 2 commissions i.e. US$99.98 (Rs. 2999.98 for Indian citizens) 

For a more complex design (such as a diamond), please ask me for the quote.

Given the fact, that creating a personalized artwork takes up countless hours and every effort is taken to ensure your satisfaction, i hope you will agree that the fee ain't much.

How you pay
Click 'Buy Now' button below and proceed to pay via secure paypal transfer. You can pay either via paypal account or any international debit/credit card.

Wordplay Quiz Solutions

A week ago i had posted Wordplay quiz wherein you were asked to find the words and the connecting words by decoding shapes into letters. Only two people have managed to crack it till now, viz. my brother Mayank Suri and a friend Harshdeep Singh.
For those who are still stuck up, here are the answers:

The words in the same order are:
1. BOTTICELLI
2. LEONARDO
3. RAPHAEL
4. DALI
5. PICASSO
and connecting word being PAINTERS.
Cheers!

Ambigram through the Looking Glass

This is yet another unique ambigram. What you see is gibberish (and we call that art?):). To read the word's ambigram, you need this 'word'. Before you jump into chicken egg situation, let me tell you the word.

Mirror.

The ambigram and the accompanying text has been drawn using mirrored script (or in reverse) using longhand. I haven't used any software gimmick for this (although its as easy as rotating the image horizontally to produce this result). This is a true scanned copy without any digital alterations. After reading DaVinci Code, i have started writing backwards in longhand.

To read all the contents, you can either take a printout and read it from a mirror, or you can rotate the image horizontally.

Tags - ambigrams, art, calligraphy, tattoos, reflections, mirror, mirror writing

Wordplay - Can you read these shapes?

To allow you to participate more in this blog, i'm putting forth a puzzle, using basic shapes of geometry, viz. a rectangle, a circle, a triangle and a heart. Let's see if you can read these shapes or not.

Please don't give any answers in the comments box and spoil the fun (although you can brag abt yourself that you've solved this quiz there). E-mail me all your answers. I will display the answers in this blog next week along with names of those who solved it correctly (if any!).

Here it is.

Clues:
1. Each shape bears a similarity to a particular letter of the alphabet.
2. The shape for a particular letter remains same in all words.
3. There are five words (wow, what a clue!).
4. The letters in each word are jumbled up.
5. A word formed by red encircled letters (shapes?) connects these 5 words.
6. Good Luck, i ain't telling you more.

Objective:
Simple- You need to find all the 5 words and the connecting word.

Tags - ambigrams, art, shapes, wordplay, puzzle

Grand Masters of Art and Science

I present before you ambigrams dedicated to the grand masters of art and science - Da Vinci and Newton. These ambigrams (i call them "double ambigrams") possess BOTH upside down symmetry and mirror image symmetry SIMULTANEOUSLY. My previous work of such kind was 'Galileo'. Da Vinci and Newton although belonging to quite opposing fields (art is the antithesis of science) were Grand Masters of a secret societies like Illuminati, Priory of Sion, The Free Masons, etc. Their masterpieces and theories are one of the most stunning and groundbreaking of all times.

To them i pay my homage in the form of these double ambigrams.

Da Vinci

Today is incidently also the birthday of Da Vinci. And this double ambigram is the most humble present i can give him.

Newton

p.s. Incorporating either one of these two symmetries in an ambigram is very easy, but incorporating both at the same time, is definitely not a kid's job and its not as easy as it looks.

Tags - ambigrams, art, calligraphy, tattoos, name, double ambigram, DaVinci, Newton

Unleash the power of your self (rather than your machine)

This is a different post in sense that there are no ambigrams in this, but the context is same - Art.

I have been experimenting with art for a couple of months now and showcasing it to you in this blog. After seeing many works in this area, i am a bit worried about the artistic skills which people are losing due to playing around with software too much. I know that vector graphics programs such as Adobe Illustrator let you enhance your designs a lot, add textures, shadows et. al. However they lack the essential skills which artists learn while using the traditional drawing methods (pencil/brush and paper) which force more concentration, intuition and introspection to the artwork and help build up the complete artist. As a result, people playing too much with their softwares produce uninspired work on paper.

This view is supported by the recent concern of art university teachers in U.S. that 'students are more comfortable manipulating computer graphics than doodling, drafting and drawing with pen on paper, and this has created a sharp decline in drawing skills in recent years.'

'Computer graphics allow artists to move briskly. By contrast, drawing on paper can be frustrating, forcing concentration, introspection and revision as an idea or vision takes shape. The process hones essential skills and sensitivity and personality that make artwork unique,' instructors say.

All the major artists till now have used brush or pencil or pen to create stunning pieces of work. I feel that if at all the software should be used, it should be only for the purpose for 'refining' the work and not for 'creating' it. All my artwork is hand drawn and scanned for the purpose of uploading it on blog. No refining is done in any sort whatsoever. Another reason I prefer to draw on paper is that i get most of the ideas while relaxing in bed. Using computer graphics is the fast way to sell your designs professionally (since it takes considerably less time manipulating designs on screen than doing it on paper).

After all don't you feel that using a keyboard has degraded your handwriting.

p.s. My bent towards creation of hand crafted artwork is perhaps drawn from my professional responsibility. As an analog design engineer, part of my work lies in building circuit layout designs ground up by hand (instead of writing a code/program for creating the layout, which is usually the path followed in digital domain). I love analog, i feel it has a sense of belonging to the glorious and beautiful past, a past where man achieved marvellous results out of his hands, rather than submitting himself to a machine. This doesn't mean that i hate PC, but i feel it should be used for its computing power rather than assisting your art.

Tags - ambigrams, art, calligraphy, tattoos

Special Requests II

I have been swamped with special requests to an extent i wonder if i should call them 'special' anymore :). Still I found some time to draw ambigrams for two friends who had requested them. I have been too busy with other designs to fulfill the requests of more people. Not to mention, i also have substantial work at office. So all this has to be done in the night.

Anyway here are they-

Akhil

This one is dedicated to Akhil, my junior. A sweet guy, very friendly, he and rahul were our favorite juniors in university. He had been insisting a lot that i make an ambigram of his name. So here it is. Go ahead, put this label on some t-shirt and roam around. This ambigram is purely based on Langdon inspired styling.

Leo

This ambigram was requested by Patricia for her son Leo. If you remember, i had made an ambigram for her also, a while ago. Since Leo is a kid, i tried to give a kiddish look to ambigram. It wasn't as easy as it looks.

Tags - ambigrams, art, calligraphy, tattoos, name, Akhil, Leo

Current Designs

I am currently trying to create ambigrams which have both mirror image and upside down symmetries (like the one you saw in Galileo). The subjects i have chosen are the great scientists and mathematicians who are believed to have been a part of much famed Illuminati brotherhood. They are
- Galileo (completed)
- DaVinci
- Newton
- Einstein
You will see them when i am satisfied by their designs.
If you have any ideas or suggestions on these ambigrams, do tell me. Your inputs will be acknowledged.
I have also received a huge number of requests from people to make ambigrams for them.
Cheers!

Boomerang - What goes around comes around

The idea was sparked off by a close friend Vinay, who has made boomerangs in his aero-modelling club in IIT. The implementation is mine :). If you notice carefully, you will find that 'b' and 'g' have boomerangs in their design. The boomerangs are connected to each other by the message (which is also an ambigram!) that reads 'what goes around comes around'. This design has taken a lot of time to make - 6 hours from conception through drafting to final coloring. An average ambigram takes around 1-2 hours to make.

Life is like a boomerang. What we spread around (whether be hatred or enemity or love or joy), we receive it back in the same measure some day.

'And i fling joy- beyond my next-door neighbor's fence, clear across town, and into universe. Then it curves right back to me. Sometimes with a whack on the head when i need it. Sometimes with a thwack into my heart. Sometimes landing with a crack at my feet. But it always comes back. No doubt about it.'
Boomerang Joy, Barbara Johnson.

Tags - ambigrams, art, calligraphy, tattoos, boomerang

Galileo

I would call this my masterpiece. It has got a classic appeal of beauty and simplicity. Eveytime i see it, i am left mesmerized. I call it a double ambigram. It has both horizontally bilateral symmetry (mirror image) and rotational symmetry (180 degrees). It draws inspiration from John Langdon's version of Galileo (which is only 180 degree rotationally symmetrical). As you can see the 'ear' and 'loop' of 'g' are made similar and just enough for readability. I have yet to see any other ambigram which incoporates both these symmetries at the same time.

'That's exactly how the search for truth is supposed to work. You see something and then you try everything you can think of to make it go away; you turn it inside out and upside down, and push on it from every possible angle. If its still there, maybe you've got something.'

The Universe and the Teacup: The Mathematics of Truth and Beauty, K. C. Cole.

Tags - ambigrams, art, calligraphy, tattoos, name, double ambigram, Galileo

That Pretty Lady!

This ambigram is a token of thanks to that pretty lady - Anju Grover, from ICICI Prudential Bank for helping me out on a problem (regarding my policy) i was facing for quite some time.

This ambigram is one of the finest efforts by me and is as pretty as the lady herself. I will be giving the original copy to her when i meet her next time.

UPDATE: Well, she turned out to be Anu Grover. I hadn't asked her name last time and just read it off her nameplate. It was quite a funny situation (i was a bit embarassed, she was laughing), but she accepted the ambigram gladly. I will see if i can make Anu Grover.

Tags - ambigrams, art, calligraphy, tattoos, name, Anu Grover