Tell us about this piece.
Mac Man was so challenging because I wanted it to be genuine. My goal was to take maximum advantage of the apple symbol revealing a message in an interesting and funny way. I converted the bitten apple into a powerful symbol eating viruses and overcoming obstacles, thus combining ’80’s arcade game game and the apple in a smooth mixture.
What’s your creative process?
Smoking, brainstorming, sketching and, finally, designing. It’s as simple as that!
Would you share three things in your workspace that inspire you?
Books, television, and surfing on the web.
What’s the best compliment/most extreme reaction you’ve ever received in response to your work?
When I was an amateur artist, my uncle saw one of my designs and told me, “My son, in the future you could design a movie poster in Hollywood!” :)
What art is hanging on your walls at the moment?
Original oil paintings by Sahar El Hassani! Oh wait! She’s my wife :)
What are you really into right now?
I’m a permanent seeker for opportunities to express myself using my artistic language; entering new competitions and searching to improve my career.
What’s it like being an artist in Lebanon? What’s the cultural attitude towards art?
Although Lebanon is a place where being an artist is an underestimated career, I have my own group of friends and colleagues that include many artists I get along with. My close friends are web and graphic designers, illustrators, journalists and writers, plus my wife is an artist.
Is there any artists or movements in art history that inspires you?
Many artists influence me like Pablo Picasso, Mondrian, and especially Salvador Dali. The way that Dali dealt with painting things in a complete different point of view, deforming his subject as he pleased and using colors different from reality thus expressing himself more then copying the subject he’s painting, influenced me greatly. As for digital art I’m interested in Sanjay Kothari, it amazes me how creative he is. He has a dark, deep and at the same energetic mood in most of his work.
What would be on your quintessential mixtape?
My own ugly voice.
If your art was music, what would it sound like?
Generally, I hear my artwork singing new age songs.
What websites do you check out regularly?
Infectious, Khtt, Linotype, Graphic Design Basics, Impawards, Ads of the World, Now Lebanon.
What’s the first picture you can remember drawing as a child?
As far as I remember it was the UFO Robo Grendizer.
If you had to change careers, what would be next?
Definitely, a soccer player! I love this game and ever since my childhood I dreamed of being a talented player in a famous team. Making the crowds happy! It’s an enjoyable stress reliever.
What’s your motto?
I like what a digital artist once said, “Stick to your guns and be prepared to work long hours to get what you want.”
Jamal Issawi
