Ayala Malls Christmas Paper Bags

Hello Guys!
I’ve been working on this project a couple of months back and I was so happy but overwhelmed at the same time! :O  I kept asking “Really?” until I realized I should stop questioning & start working on it.  Haha.

Above: One of the early design submissions for the Ayala Malls paper bags.

I’m just really appreciative of all the projects that I’ve been a part of this year.  I was teary-eyed last night while sharing this on social media.

Grateful for all the projects I did this year including these bag designs for @ayalamalls ???❤️ pic.twitter.com/CpNeZyBjy0

— Googly Gooeys (@googlygooeys) December 4, 2016

Get yours with a Php 5 donation for every Php 500.00 accumulated purchase ??❤️???❤️@AyalaMalls @trinomatweets ? #LovEmThisChristmas pic.twitter.com/G9tGfDf6kB

— Googly Gooeys (@googlygooeys) December 4, 2016

I didn’t really plan for any thing when the year when I was pregnant & 2015 was coming to a close.  I was opening my 2016 for anything that might come my way.  I was worried that I might not even be able  to do any workshops or projects as soon as I had a child.

Then, for some reason, one workshop came after another and I started working on projects here and there as soon as they fell on my lap.   It’s pretty much the same process I have with projects in general.  Usually, I do have something in mind but I just keep my options open as I work on a project because there will be a lot of changes in between.  (Well, okay. My younger self wasn’t so open to revisions in life & work in general. Hahaha. It was a loooong process of learning.)

These days, when I get to catch up with family and friends, they’re always quick to point out that I’m following my passion.  That would always send me grinning because they know the journey is pretty long from my days of just drawing and drawing on paper during siesta time since I was 5 or so.  It’s pretty much like doing lay-outs and projects in general.  The final result seems instant but the process is an interesting journey in itself. 🙂

I was just really lucky that majority of the clients I had this year including Ayala Malls was such a pleasure to work with.  I’m sharing with you a peek at my process because I really I’m just amused how the palette has evolved and I was able to document the project at its different phases.  (You know me: I love all colors and I’m pretty much okay with any combo just as I’m okay with any topping on my pizza.) 😀  *How did pizza get here?*

I would get asked if I studied Fine Arts, Graphics, or Design in college when really, I took up Management Engineering in college which is a combo of business & math and with a quench of curiosity for all things design. 🙂  (It’s just so embarassing that I’m writing this paragraph following an awkward photo from my file.  It’s a snapshot of my pencil lay-out as a reference for my digitized work. Haha.) 

If you’re ready for the long story, click here. 😀

To cut the story short, after graduation, I had marketing, trade marketing & sales related jobs in the FMCG industry (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods / i.e. grocery items). I would always volunteer to edit posters and presentations as well as scan the market for activities, analyze consumer data & such.   When I left the corporate world, I continued doing freelance work for companies.  I was daunted & grateful that I had the opportunity to do that.

There was a pesky pea that was bothering me though.  I had to work with brand colors, brand properties, logos and photos have already been provided so I just had to rearrange them.  I was still looking for my personal style then and I promised myself that I will practice tinkering with a design software every day.  By doing so, the Googly Gooeys was born.

Above: Watercolor option submitted for the hand-lettered quote. I usual, I may have had too much fun with colors as I was thinking of the words ‘Merry’ and ‘Bright’ (haha) which we had to trim down in the end to give it a more obvious Christmas feel. 🙂

Related:
Finding Your Own Style
How to Make Your Colors Vibrant

Above: Just one of the initial sheets where I did my brush lettering.  My problem with my handwriting is that I usually write before & during workshops that I end up being comfy writing really huge letters.  (Think 4 inches high. *Oopsies.*) 😀

These are the virtual mock-ups I submitted.  Photo of the white paper bag borrowed here.

I spent the last 6 & 1/2 years doing comics and  doing corporate lay-outs while working for the family business.  The months after that were spent juggling motherhood & freelance work. 🙂 But it never really dawned upon me that someday, things would turn full circle I would somehow go back to doing corporate work now with my personal style.

For a while there, I was confused.  All these years spent on doing comics & now what? I would always feel guilty about doing comics which I would rather spend with Riley when I’m not busy chasing deadlines.  Doing a single comic takes a good 3-4 hours from conception >> editing >> uploading >> posting on all social media sites or longer if I get stuck with a frame / dialog or if I need to create new props, I’m not yet contented with the palette, comical timing, title et cetera.

Then, recently, my college friend Val pointed out that these where the years spent trying to figure out my identity, palette, style, workflow et cetera.  It’s true!  I guess this makes the journey all the more bittersweet.  When I was younger, I really didn’t understand all the quotes about focusing on the journey & not the destination and now I do!

I still am grateful as to how I’ve been a part of this project, wide-eyed and smiling how a series of fortunate events through the years led to this (sometimes even in the guise of unfortunate events).  I just felt I had to fight for my right to party draw and color throughout my journey.

2016 is again coming to a close and as much as I do have a few plans for next year, much of it is still open and I still get that overhwelmed / bewildered feeling but I know I only have to trust the fact that just like the lay-out & lettering workflow, the solution will eventually present itself as I continue to work and live. 🙂  Just like the palettes in this post: the only thing constant is change.

Wahh! It’s been a while since I had a pensive post but as I always say, my blog is my pensieve where I put all my thoughts down for me to retrieve later!

Thank you again Ayala Malls for giving me an opportunity to work on this project. 🙂
Remember, you may get your Christmas Gift Bag from the concierge in any of the following branches for every Php 500.00 accumulated purchase (that includes food!) with a Php 5.00 donation to Hero Foundation, an organization that helps educate & rear orphans.  They also send military orphans to school.

Abreeza Mall
Alabang Town Center
Ayala Center Cebu
Ayala Malls Legazpi
Ayala Malls Serin
Ayala Malls Solenad
Ayala Malls South Park
Bonifacio High Street
Centrio Mall
Fairview Terraces
Glorietta
Greenbelt
Harbor Point
Market! Market!
Marquee Mall
Serendra
The District Imus
The District Dasmarinas
Trinoma
U.P. Towncenter

Get to know more about Ayala Malls by following them here:

Website: AyalaMalls.com.ph
Facebook: @AyalaMalls360
Twitter: @AyalaMalls
Instagram: @ILoveAyalaMalls
Learn more about Christmas in Ayala Malls by checking out the #LovEmThisChristmas hashtag on Twitter & Instagram

If you finally get your own bag, I would love to see your photos too! 🙂

GooglyGooeys on:
Facebook: @TheGooglyGooeys
Twitter: @GooglyGooeys
Instagram: @GooglyGooeys

OMG. It’s almost Christmas!
‘Til then!

🙂

Related Reads:
Serendra Heart (Part 2)
Brush Lettering Workshop with Globe
INKFest 2016 at the Ayala Museum
Illustration Masterclass at the Ayala Museum
Workshop for Kids at the Ayala Museum