Balisong

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Over the past few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with GML (Graffiti Markup Language) to analyze my Baybayin handwriting. If your familiar with XML, GML isn’t very different. In terms of use, check out this video to see what people are doing with it.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=8072358&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1

GML = Graffiti Markup Language from Evan Roth on Vimeo.

Besides stroke analysis, GML can be used as art. It was only natural that I combine the my interests in technology, art and Baybayin. Below is a piece I did on a 24″x24″ wood panel.

How it was made:
1. Capture my writing with the DustTag iPhone app
balisong baybayin gml
2. Export the tag to 000000book.com
3. Download the GML code
4. Load the GML code in GraffitiAnalysis desktop program
baybayin balisong gml
5. Adjust the many parameters, rotate and zoom to my liking then export the image
6. Invert the image in a graphics program
gml balisong baybayin
7. Blow the image up and stitch it to print on multiple pages
8. Cut out the graphic
balisong baybayin gml
9. Stain the wood
10. Wheat paste the graphic
11. Add the GML tags

Baybayin GML

Although I like the rough lines it outputs, I do hope a future release will export SVG files. Look out for my video on the 17 characters. Interested in GML? Check out all the links above and join the Facebook page.

The script is Balisong written in modified Baybayin. Characters from left to right are Ba-Li-So-Ng. What is Balisong?

From Wikipedia

A balisong, otherwise known as a butterfly knife or a Batangas knife or sometimes called Bente Nueve, is a folding pocket knife with two handles counter-rotating around the tang such that, when closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles. In the hands of a trained user, the knife blade can be brought to bear quickly using one hand. Manipulations, called flipping, are performed for art or amusement.

Baybayin motion analysis experiment

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Here are some photos of my initial Baybayin motion analysis.

The thickness of the line is based on your handwriting speed. Faster = thinner and Slower = thicker. The dust particles fly off the lines based on your stoke speed and direction. The 3D aspect is based on time as it moves away from the line stroke.

The representation of the tag is a data visualization of the hand motion. The line thickness is based on speed; the faster the movement the thinner the line. The particles are thrown off based on changes in speed and direction, and are intended to visually emphasize the movement. Time acts as the third dimension and moves linearly away from the drawing point.

Looking at the end result, looks like most of the motion is from the Ka character. Makes sense since it has the most motion. It was probably due to the cursive style I used. Stay tuned for a 17 character analysis.

Want to see some test video? Check it out on the Baybayin Facebook page.
baybayin-02_2
baybayin-02_3

How was it done? More info here

Online Baybayin Art Gallery coming Feb 2010

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Baybayin art gallery

One of my goals this year was to exhibit a Baybayin art gallery at a venue here in the San Francisco Bay Area. That didn’t happened due to a few factors:

Movie Screening
I wanted to hold a screening of a Baybayin movie from the Philippines. After numerous emails to the director over the past year, no commitments from their camp. I felt that it would draw people to the event being that Baybayin is relatively unknown.

Venue
I would probably would have to rent out space to hold this event. Without the movie screening, the draw might be minimal.

Artists
There aren’t that many Baybayin artists around. If they are, I haven’t found them online yet. in 2009, if your not online, you unfortunately don’t exist.

With the physical exhibition on-hold, the next best thing is to have an online gallery. Launching in Feb 2010, the site will feature artwork from Baybayin aficionados.

How it works:

  • Each month will feature a maximum of 10 artists
  • Each month will have a theme (1st one is 2010)
  • Artists can sell their work keeping 100% of sales
  • FREE guidance of Baybayin so that artists who don’t know the script can learn

Interested in joining? Contact me at info[at]baybayin.com / twitter.com/baybayin / facebook.com/baybayin

Affliction Clothing: Brandon Vera Baybayin shirt errors

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1st of all, I think it’s cool that Baybayin is on a MAJOR clothing company like Affliction but unfortunately, there are a few issues. Here’s Affliction’s Signature Series shirt of Brandon Vera. The front has an eagle and “The Truth”. The back is where it get’s interesting where there are 4 Baybayin words that are tattooed on Brandon’s back. They represent the 4 elements Earth (Mundo), Wind (Hangin), Water (Tubig) and Fire (Apoy). Starting with the tattoo, Earth should probably be “Lupa” as in dirt. Mundo while conversational Tagalog (Spanish rooted) for world/earth. When your speaking about the element earth, I believe one means dirt not the planet Earth. Also the Ma character in Mundo is missing a kudlit that would make it Mu. The tattoo actually says Mando. Easy fix though.

Now to the shirt. The graphic below is a screenshot of the back. Besides being out of order as it s on Brandon’s back, there are some inconsistencies in kudlit writing. I think it’s fine in handwriting and even in art but for a commercial shirt, it should be uniform.

brandon vera tattoo affliction shirt

Tubig (Correct)
The characters written are Tu-Bi-G. Notice the cancellation kudlit under the last character. Without the + kudlit, it would read as Tubiga.

Apoy (Incorrect)
Looks like the characters written are A-Po-Yo. It should have a + just like the Ga character in Tubig. If using cancellation + kudlits, it’s important that you make sure they look different than your traditional kudlits.

Mundo (Incorrect)
Besides the Lupa and Ma tattoo issue I mentioned earlier, this also has the + issue but this time for the 2nd character Na. The last character looks like it was combined with the kudlit. With the + kudlit and DA errors, it looks like it says Manoda or Manade.

Hangin (Incorrect)
Again, the last character is missing the + kudlit. Now it looks like Hangino.

What sucks is that some people will probably get those wrong words tattooed. How did this happened? Probably the designer found a photo of Brandon’s back online and just reworked it and didn’t bother to research or ask around it it was correct or not.

Check it out at Affliction Clothing

Asian Art Museum recap

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Had a great time at the Asian Art Museum on Sunday 12/6 for Parol and Baybayin demo with Ray from Malaya Designs. People learned how to make a parol and learn about Baybayin. Ray carved bamboo tiles on the spot. I brought over some of my prints and paintings as well as my book.

Masamang balita galing sa mga bituin

Malakas

Mahal

Ka

Showing some artwork

Ray carving bamboo

People making parols

Here’s my nude parol. Guess what I’ll be doing with it?

Baybayin dance & martial art

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In 2008, Bonifacio Comandante developed seven forms of movement, miming the ancient script and referred to it as the Liping Baybayin.He developed a fitness dance and aerobic exercise, not patterned after Western fitness programs but acting out each Baybayin character. He describes another wellness exercise “to be better than Tai-chi and smoother (to perform) because Baybayin (characters) are not angular (in form).”

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