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https://blacknerdproblems.com/i-would-just-call-my-art-style-fluffy-an-interview-with-umaimah-damakka/

The first word that comes to mind when I think of Umaimah Damakka’s artwork is PINK! Whimsical, soft, soul-lifting, pink. What follows that bright color, is a world of beautiful gowns, glowing women, and a steadfast devotion to the hidden strength found deep within the core of all of us. I see it in the portfolio, the print shop, and the Instagram of the brilliant SCAD (The Savannah College of Art and Design) graduate, Umaimah Damakka. I first came across Damakka’s work on Twitter. I was scrolling about my day, mindlessly wandering down and through my TL of beautiful illustrations, cosplays, and critical theory, when I saw a retweet of her gorgeous Princess Aurora illustration:

View this post on Instagram

Sweet Aurora? Edit: Her print is available in my store – link in bio! Thank you sm for liking this Aurora! . #art #characterdesign #SleepingBeauty #fanart #PrincessAurora

A post shared by umaimah (@coloured_braids) on Jul 5, 2020 at 10:11pm PDT

It was an instant follow after that! Her work showcases the femininity and softness of living, at least that’s what I gleaned from it. I took comfort in looking at the beautiful natural landscapes. I was lucky enough to be granted a chance to converse with her, so please enjoy the following in-depth interview!

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Commission dump? It’s so fun drawing people in dresses . #art #dresses #fairytale #commissions #illustrations #princess

A post shared by umaimah (@coloured_braids) on Aug 11, 2020 at 10:22am PDT

Oona (They/She): Please tell us about yourself! What’s your origin story and how has your Hero’s Journey been so far?

Damakka (She/Her): I’m an artist from Nigeria, specifically Northern Nigeria. I came to the USA four years ago to study animation at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and recently graduated. I traveled to the US for school because there isn’t really any place in Nigeria one could go to study animation or art as extensively. So, I had to convince my parents to let me travel this far for an art education. This wasn’t easy; a major obstacle I faced was comments from friends and family. They believed my dad shouldn’t let me travel this far for an education, especially one in animation. But I’m lucky enough that my dad had a different mindset and was willing to support me this far. He and my mom just wanted to see me doing what I loved, and it wasn’t easy convincing them either because parents aren’t very understanding when you say you want to study art. But they saw how much it meant to me and noticed how much happier I was when I was doodling away since I was little, and decided it was worth supporting me.

After 6 years in secondary school, I went to South Africa for a two-year course and it was there that I met a college counselor who recommended going to SCAD. It was also at this time that my art took a turning point. I was hardly drawing Black girls or African girls but being in South Africa really opened me to a lot of cultural discussions and conversations about representation. That was when I looked into myself and realized that there was a reason why I wasn’t drawing Black girls, and I decided to change that. I still stuck with the cliche’ fairy tale theme that I always loved, only this time I wanted the subjects to be dark-skinned girls because we hardly ever see that in the media. I am so happy that I went through that change because it was healing for me. And since I started sharing my work online, I’ve gotten messages or emails from Black girls about how much better my work made them feel about their looks. I’m sure 7-year old me would have been part of those girls too, so I’m hoping she’s proud of me.

Oona: How would you describe your art style? What is your process in creating like?

Damakka: I feel like as the person behind your work, it’s hard to see what your art style really is. Also, when discussing art, especially animation, it’s always between anime and Western-style, I can see why because those are the two main popular animation styles that we see on TV. And they both have definitely inspired my artwork, but I think I would just call my art style ‘fluffy’ because no matter what I’m going for in an artwork, it mostly always comes back to being soft and round. My drawing process is similar to a lot of other artists.

When designing a character, I start by thinking of their personality, the world they live in, and their age range. This helps me when I’m gathering references and what I always use for my references is Pinterest. I was recently introduced to the DuckDuckGo search engine. I truly believe both are the holy grail sites of references.

When using Pinterest, I create a mood board for the character. I like to include color palettes, images of an actual person that I think carries the personality of the character. I like to include background images because that can inspire the color palettes too. I always include looks and outfits. After my mood board is set, I move to sketch. I make around three to four different sketches. There’s this general rule between professional artists where you should never go with your first idea or sketch, but honestly, sometimes the first sketch just nails it for me, and I move from there. I only do one pass for my sketches. Some artists do two passes, but I’m always eager to get to the line-work and details. So, next comes line work, which is my favorite part. I then put down my flat colors, color in any line that I don’t want in black, and finally comes shading, highlights, and details. Something that I’ve really been enjoying lately is playing around with the color balance of a piece when I’m done with it, it helps give the perfect mood, and it really pushes the piece for me.

Oona: Are there any major inspirations for you?

Damakka: Oh definitely! I think I have a lot of inspiration because I fall in love with so many different things all the time. Ranging from Animation to Artists. Some cartoons that have inspired me are Adventure Time, Amazing World of Gumball, Tuca and Bertie, Into the Spider-Verse, and Owl House. These are all animations that made a remarkable impact in the industry. They’ve changed the way stories can be told and brought forward some voices that weren’t always represented; not to mention the amazing art direction they all have.

With artists, one of the main artists that inspire my work is Adrienne Brown, she was part of the team that illustrated those old Disney fairy books. She drew the fairies in this really magical way and painted the worlds in a way that still makes me wish I could just jump into them and live amongst the tiny creatures. I didn’t find out about her until recently and then discovering that she was also a Black woman was a great moment for me because I grew up loving those books and getting lost in them. Other artists that have inspired my work are mostly character designers like Cory Loftis, Alexis Page, Philip Light, and Dana Terrace. I love how these artists handle their shapes and line work and most importantly, how much story is in each character they draw.

Oona: If you could step into any painting or animated film, what would it be and why?

Damakka: I would have to say The Secret Life of Arrietty. In general, Ghibli movies have the perfect art direction that I would hope to get my work to someday. I got into them about 3 years ago. I adore the floral, flower fields aesthetic that is in The Secret Life of Arrietty. I would love to live in a place where I’m surrounded by plants, flowers, and yes even bugs, (I find bugs adorable). I can imagine being that tiny like Arrietty, viewing small fields as a whole forest. I love the classic fairytale whimsical stories, kind of like what we see in Sleeping Beauty and the beginning of Alice in Wonderland. It feels so peaceful and serene like you could simply escape into them and have no worries.

To see more of Damakka’s work, check out her social media handles below.

Twitter– @colouredbraids

Instagram– @coloured_braids

Tumblr– @coloured-braids

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The post “I Would Just Call My Art Style ‘Fluffy’:” An Interview with Umaimah Damakka appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

https://nerdist.com/article/australia-stinging-tree-causes-pain-dangerous/

Australia is notorious for hosting some of the most frightening creatures on Earth; including gargantuan arachnids and hawks that spread fire. Even some of Australia’s trees are vicious, like the gympie-gympie stinging tree. It produces toxins that can cause excruciating pain for months. Which is no wonder, as scientists have now found those toxins are similar to the ones venomous spiders and snails produce.

Researchers from the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) at The University of Queensland linked the stinging tree’s toxins to those of venomous animals. They recently published their findings in a study in Science Advances, which comes via a Gizmodo report.

“The Australian stinging tree species are particularly notorious for producing excruciatingly painful sting, which unlike those of their European and North American relatives can cause symptoms that last for days or weeks,” associate professor Irina Vetter said in an IMB press release. Vetter is a pain researcher at IMB and co-led the study along with senior research officer Dr. Thomas Durek.

IMB / Irina Vetter, Thomas Durek, et al.

The researchers say the gympie-gympie (Dendrocnide excelsa) delivers its horrid sting via needle-like appendages referred to as trichomes. These appendages (above) are .2 inches long and look like fine hairs, but act “like hypodermic needles” that inject poison. But while that delivery mechanism was well established, how gympie-gympie trees cause such uniquely terrible pain was not.

Historically, scientists have injected tiny molecules, such as histamines and acetylcholine, into test subjects, but found they do not cause the “severe and long-lasting pain” like the stinging tree does. That signaled to the researchers that an unidentified neurotoxin was at play.

When they looked, Vetter, Durek, and their teams did indeed find unknown toxins. In fact, the researchers identified a new class of “miniproteins” causing the pain, which they dubbed gympietides.

“Although they come from a plant, the gympietides are similar to spider and cone snail toxins in the way they fold into their 3D molecular structures and target the same pain receptors—this arguably makes the gympie-gympie tree a truly ‘venomous’ plant,” Vetter said in the press release.

Aside from learning about why gympie-gympie trees have such severe stings, the researchers also want to learn how to treat the injuries they cause. Vetter, Durek et al. want to use these findings to help produce new therapeutics for pain relief.

IMB / Irina Vetter, Thomas Durek, et al.

But it would make sense if the researchers want to prioritize healing victims of the venomous trees. Although Vetter only mentions the gympie-gympie’s sting lasting for weeks, it can, for some, last for months. Some have even described the pain the sting causes as akin to “being burnt with hot acid and electrocuted” simultaneously.

Featured Image: IMB / Irina Vetter, Thomas Durek, et al.

The post Australian Stinging Tree Causes Months of Excruciating Pain appeared first on Nerdist.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/tamala-baldwins-episodic-series-bubbly-brown-sugar-to-premiere-on-the-new-streaming-service-urbanflix-tv/

Tamala Baldwin Executive Producer, Writer, and Actor award-winning series Bubbly Brown Sugar premiered on the new streaming service, UrbanFlix TV (Urbanflix TV) Friday, September 18, 2020. 

Independently produced in New York, with a cast and crew of over 30 individuals, Bubbly Brown Sugar the nine-part series revolves around two soul mates that are being led to each other by some inexplicable magic that allows them to meet while they sleep. The show follows two soulmates, Jewel (Tamala Baldwin) and Caleb (Rich Lowe), as they begin their journey to finding each other – starting in their dreams. Every night they meet each other for an intense rendezvous and wake up the following morning longing to see one another once more. While Jewel is trying to manifest love in the real world, her mind constantly preoccupied with thoughts of him, Caleb is more confused than anything just wanting a good night’s sleep or maybe some answers. 

In 2019 and into 2020, Bubbly Brown Sugar accumulated several awards at prestigious film festivals across the country including, Best Series at the International Newark Film Festival, Best Series at the National Black Film Festival, Best Series at the SITA Awards, Best Series at the Direct Monthly Online Film Festival, Best Actor at the Austin Revolution Festival, Best Actress at the SITA Awards, Best Series Finalist Black Web Fest, Best Series Finalist at the First Glance Film Festival Philadelphia, Best Script Finalist Imagine This Women’s International Film Fest with several nominations and official selections. 

Bubbly Brown Sugar stars Tamala Baldwin (Asunder the Series, Curvy Girls Rock, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Hairspray, Dreamgirls) as Jewel Patterson and Rich Lowe III (Over There, V for Vindicator, The Royale, Least of All) as her dreamy soulmate. The series was directed by and edited by LaVarro Jones, shot by Ty Stone with original score by Tristan Leral. Other members of the creative team include Rachelle Le Blanc, and Randall Holloway. 

“I am over the moon to commence this new partnership with UrbanFlix TV, who is giving a platform to emerging filmmakers with unique stories to tell,” said series creator Tamala Baldwin. Not only does this opportunity introduce our story to audiences across the world but represents what is truly possible in the world of independent filmmaking when parties on both sides of the camera come together to bring a story to life,” said Baldwin. 

The remainder of the cast is rounded out by Tyrone Reeves (Josiah), Jennifer Figueroa (Kimmie), David Crownson (Zeke), Quincy Giles (Gabriel), and Jacinth Headlam (Angela) and James Pierce III (Kwame). The series co-stars Jeree Haze (Elise), Shawn Dawkiskiba (Mike), Cassagnol Leonidas Jr. (Gregory), Maria Tholl (Meagan), Reina Cedeno (Trinisha), Sabrina Athena (Gigi Hernandez), and Greer Morrison (Mrs. Patterson.) Featured and supporting actors Verta Maloney, Rachelle Le Blanc, Randall Holloway, Estelle Lee, and Sarah Hanlon. 

Bubbly Brown Sugar is a romantic odyssey that is a much welcome rebuttal to the stereotypical and negative images of Black and Brown people in media. It is a sorely needed balm, especially given the very uncertain times we are living in. Audiences can watch the series currently streaming on UrbanFlix TV.

https://nerdist.com/article/bishakh-som-interview-spellbound-graphic-memoir/

In her graphic memoir Spellbound, Bishakh Som blurs the mundane and the fantastic—the facts and the truth—in the story of how she wrote her first graphic novel. Through mirrored protagonists—herself, Bishakh, a Bengali American trans woman, and Anjali, her cisgendered stand-in—Som tells a story about creativity, process, identity, and self-love. After Som’s brief introduction, the memoir plunges readers into Anjali’s story. Anjali has quit her New York architecture firm and she sets an intention: use this next year to pursue her passion project, a graphic novel.

It’s a narrative of confusion, angst, growth, and rebuilding. Instead of jumping on a morning train into the city, Anjali holes up at her Park Slope apartment. She draws panels and shoots the sh*t with her cat Ampersand. Her days dissolve into wine and vegetarian meals. This steady narrative of quotidian process is intercut with vignettes from Anjali’s life—her childhood move from Ethiopia to New York; her teenage years in ’90s New York replete with punk shows at CBGB’s and awkward explorations of sexuality; then her college years when she changes majors from the parentally-prescribed pre-med to architecture; her parents’ decline in their old age; and also her ongoing struggles with dating. Throughout, Anjali makes sense of it all with wry observations and lamentations. Bursts of emotion and magical realism punctuate the narrative. Ghosts visits her—you know, basic memoir stuff.

Street Noise Books

As we read Anjali’s life story in its colorful particulars, we almost forget that Anjali is not technically real. Deviations between the pictures and text also raise questions about what Anjali’s narration leaves unsaid and what truths are hidden or brought to light in the act of substituting Anjali for Som.

Evocative, too, are Som’s drawings in their rich detail. Som’s architecture background shines here. Panels are scenic, and room interiors specific. One can recognize different architectural signatures as Anjali travels through New York, Kolkata, and the Adirondacks.

I sat down with Som (via Zoom) to talk about Spellbound, her profound story of defying external expectations, and finding the courage to follow your desire—even when it’s not glamorous. Along the way we talked about the quagmires of genre, being read by your own work, and realizing you’re trans part-way through writing your memoir.

On writing about her life

Som started writing short diary-esque comic strips after she completed her first graphic novel, Apsara Engine, a haunting book of fantasy vignettes, and sent it off to prospective publishers. “I didn’t want to draw myself, so I created this other character to be my substitute. It was just a way for me to not close up, or get jammed up with my creative process. I just wanted to have a reason to keep making comics,” Som said.

Eventually it became more than a diary. Som added longer narratives about her past and her family. At first, Som didn’t particularly like the idea of writing a diaristic piece, but she wanted to challenge herself to try something new. “Once I got into the rhythm and once I had someone playing me, it was much easier.”

The “simple substitution” of Anjali for Bishakh led Som to understand a fundamental truth about herself

Street  Noise Books

“[H]aving written a lot of women characters in my comics, and having Anjali be my sort of ambassador very directly was sort of the last step in me coming out as trans,” said Som. She continued, “It was like the door was opening and Anjali was sort of doing that for me. This was how I projected myself in my head. That simple substitution became much more of a psychic strategy for me.”

Spellbound blends genres

Som said, “I don’t have the perfect two-word description. My publisher and I call it a graphic memoir, with the caveat that it’s not 100% true.” Others have called it a “meta-memoir,” or an “almost memoir,” or “a displaced memoir.”

“If you’re looking for accuracy and veracity as far as my experience goes, that’s not the main point of the book,” Som explained. “Anjali as a character does represent me, but she goes off and does her own things too. And those things can either be attributed as fantasies or desires or projections or whatever. That might not be 100% my experience.”

There’s a third manifestation of Bishakh in one of Anjali’s love interests

Throughout the story, Anjali has various short-lived love interests and bedroom encounters with partners who feel far away. Then she meets the beautiful Titania at a party. The two form an easy bond while waiting for friends to arrive at a party. Titania says, “At least you’re not the only trans person in an apartment full of cis folks. You’re not trans, are you?”

In that moment, the trans-ness of the narrative is pulled into the open—so open as to validate the potential trans-ness of someone who might appear cis.

From then, Titania and Anjali form a strong connection, leading Anjali to confront her own internalized fears about her queerness. That includes what her family might think about it. In a spectacular sequence, ghosts of Anjali’s ancestors visit her. Som did not confirm whether this happened in real life.

Titania is so important to the story that she gets her own little chapter with panels told from her point of view. Som said this had to do with her aversion to writing about herself. She explained, “There’s some sense that she’s a different aspect of Anjali or of me, she’s like almost a second mirror in this like, trio of like selves. Yeah. And she’s not exactly like a outsider. She’s actually part of this trinity.”

Som doesn’t want readers to think she wants to be cis woman

Street Noise Books

Som said, “When I did the Anjali substitution of that was like, sort of a trans strategy, right, but it’s very implicit, whereas Titania as a character is the explicit trans motif, let’s say.”

It’s powerful, because Anjali loves Titania, as she gets closer and closer to loving her full self. But as Som notes, Anjali’s character being cis might give the impression that she wishes to be cis. “But when I first started writing the book, and before I, you know, had this sort of gender reckoning, I wasn’t going to adopt the voice of a trans person because I didn’t [yet] know I was trans. And I think Titania comes in to sort of mitigate that? Maybe not enough. But yeah, I don’t know, I don’t think I got to the bottom of any of that.”

By the time Som realized she was trans, she was already about eighty pages in. “So I just kept it and then, but, I think that’s a mirror of my process of my experience as a person who came out later in life,” she said. “It’s a mirror of my uncertainties and the things that I was going through. In that sense, it is it is quite honest and authentic but it’s also very tangled.”

But in the end, Som said she felt her choices were legitimate. She added, “I’m just writing my truth, the way I see it.”

Featured Image: Street Noise Books

The post Bishakh Som Discusses the Very Personal Process of Writing SPELLBOUND appeared first on Nerdist.