N .1 JUNE 14
Get in touch samsians@gmail.com www.khamhou.com
METUKOM is designed and produced by Khamhou Phanludeth
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DREAMS & I N S P I R AT I O N S
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SABAIDEE / HELLO
In Laos, when we meet, we greet each other by saying “SA BAI DEE”. I’d like to express a warm “SA BAI DEE” to all readers of the very first issue of METUKOM. It has been an incredible journey to put this publication together in time for our class exhibition; titled SYNERGETIC. In this issue, i have attempted to capture the essence of the struggles of a journey to dreams. The bold visuals hope to convey METUKOM’s attitude and the willingness to explore an experimental visual language. This publication is not about perfection, but more about the attitude. It’s about feeings and emotions. It’s about being raw at an intuition level. If METUKOM has made you realise certain feeings, then this is considered an encouragement. 6
Khamhou Phanludeth
METUKOM / N1_ JUNE 14
IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN ?
INTRO TO METUKOM
WHY METUKOM ?
As a mark of our course completion, graphic design studnets are expectedly asked to create a portfolio. Usually, this is the opportunity to showcase our works and the skills we have developed.
METUKOM is a nickname that was given to my grandmother in our village back in Laos. She passed away many years ago.
METUKOM is a venue to express, explore, share, connect and inspire. It is a personal platform to engage and contribute.
In an attempt to come up with an appropriate name for this publication, i have tried and tested many options. I was having a hard time deciding which one would work best. After a long delay and months of procastination which was often viewed as part of the design or creative process, the press was on. It was time to make a decision.
This is an attempt to extend and expand. This publication is a “GO FOR IT” kind of publication where it perhaps is ok to experiment, to challenge, to create and connect with one’s intuition again.
After months of planning and exploring, i found myself not connecting to the idea of making a portfolio just to show my works. The more i researched and read books on portfolio design, the further i was moving away from the desire to creat a portfolio. What do we do when we can’t move forward? We stop and pause to look back, reflect and relook at the big picture. This was when i realised i always wanted and tried many times to start my own publication. The answer was clear then that i was to start a publication of some kind. And perhaps this time it could actually happened for real.
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If my two years away from Laos in pursuit of a degree in graphic design resulted in me running my own publication, wouldn’t that be all worth it! Maybe i was unknowingly preparing my self mentally to face what was to come of this decision. The journey in creating this publication has been anything but easy. I have learned, discovered and adapted in order to carry the idea through. In fact it has been very difficult and at times i wished for a different decision earlier when i still could. But this is a test of character. It’s what we will become that is more important that what we have created. IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN!
Then I simply paused and asked which name would connect with me at the most intimate level. METUKOM is chosen in honor of my loving grandmother.
To develop, one must take action and take risks. One must be in an uncomfortable situation in order to grow. This is the chance to say “YES DO IT” when you want to say “NO IT’S TOO HARD”. When the going gets touch, maybe all we need is just to move ahead despite it all and to persist despite the doubts and uncertainty. Instead of seeing the question “WHY ?”, perhaps we can ask “WHY NOT”
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CONTENTS
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A DREAM DANCE
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2ND BRISBANE PHOTOGRAPHY
40
A BURNING ACT
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EXPRESS DON’T IMPRESS
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SEEING SPREADS
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IT ALL COMES TO THIS
80
FREE LEAP
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PERSIST
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A DREAM DANCE How do we deal with all the endless challenges, problems, difficulties that we have to face on a daily basis? How about all the doubts and fears that hold us back how do we deal with them? In order to reach the dreams that seem so distant, one must go through series of struggles. But persistence will prevail in the end i believe. Perhaps what you can do is to loose your self into those struggles and find ways to express through them.
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2ND BRISBANE PHOTOS
These are random shots from my second time studying in Brisbane. This time i’ve managed to take a lot of photos as part of my quest to improve my photography skills . I have found photography to be a relaxing activity which refreshes our observation of the worlds around us.
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A BURNING ACT
PORTFO 40
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OLIO 41
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SEEING SPREADS
The idea behind SEEING SPREADS came about when i was trying to convince myself to go forward and move ahead with the publication idea. While struggling with generating and organising the contents for issue one, i started to explore the interplay of elements on a white page. These spreads are the result of random sketches on what i would love to see on a spread. These form part of a whole series of spreads that will follow in the following issues.
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IT ALL COMES TO THIS
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hy?
&WHY NOT
FREE LEAP A DIGITAL EXPLORATION
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&WHY NOT
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N .1 JUNE 14
METUKOM / N1_ JUNE 14
DREAMS & I N S P I R AT I O N S
METUKOM / N1_ JUNE 14
SABAIDEE / HELLO
In Laos, when we meet, we greet each other by saying “SA BAI DEE”. I’d like to express a warm “SA BAI DEE” to all readers of the very first issue of METUKOM. It has been an incredible journey to put this publication together in time for our class exhibition; titled SYNERGETIC.
If METUKOM has made you realise certain feeings, then this is considered an encouragement. 3
4
5
INTRO TO METUKOM
WHY METUKOM ?
As a mark of our course completion, graphic design studnets are expectedly asked to create a portfolio. Usually, this is the opportunity to showcase our works and the skills we have developed.
METUKOM is a nickname that was given to my grandmother in our village back in Laos. She passed away many years ago.
METUKOM is a venue to express, explore, share, connect and inspire. It is a personal platform to engage and contribute.
In an attempt to come up with an appropriate name for this publication, i have tried and tested many options. I was having a hard time deciding which one would work best. After a long delay and months of procastination which was often viewed as part of the design or creative process, the press was on. It was time to make a decision.
This is an attempt to extend and expand. This publication is a “GO FOR IT” kind of publication where it perhaps is ok to experiment, to challenge, to create and connect with one’s intuition again.
What do we do when we can’t move forward? We stop and pause to look back, reflect and relook at the big picture. This was when i realised i always wanted and tried many times to start my own publication. The answer was clear then that i was to start a publication of some kind. And perhaps this time it could actually happened for real.
This publication is not about perfection, but more about the attitude. It’s about feeings and emotions. It’s about being raw at an intuition level.
2
IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN ?
After months of planning and exploring, i found myself not connecting to the idea of making a portfolio just to show my works. The more i researched and read books on portfolio design, the further i was moving away from the desire to creat a portfolio.
In this issue, i have attempted to capture the essence of the struggles of a journey to dreams. The bold visuals hope to convey METUKOM’s attitude and the willingness to explore an experimental visual language.
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METUKOM / N1_ JUNE 14
If my two years away from Laos in pursuit of a degree in graphic design resulted in me running my own publication, wouldn’t that be all worth it! Maybe i was unknowingly preparing my self mentally to face what was to come of this decision.
Then I simply paused and asked which name would connect with me at the most intimate level. METUKOM is chosen in honor of my loving grandmother.
To develop, one must take action and take risks. One must be in an uncomfortable situation in order to grow. This is the chance to say “YES DO IT” when you want to say “NO IT’S TOO HARD”. When the going gets touch, maybe all we need is just to move ahead despite it all and to persist despite the doubts and uncertainty. Instead of seeing the question “WHY ?”, perhaps we can ask “WHY NOT” 8
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The journey in creating this publication has been anything but easy. I have learned, discovered and adapted in order to carry the idea through. In fact it has been very difficult and at times i wished for a different decision earlier when i still could.
Khamhou Phanludeth
Get in touch samsians@gmail.com www.khamhou.com
METUKOM is designed and produced by Khamhou Phanludeth
But this is a test of character. It’s what we will become that is more important that what we have created. IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN!
METUKOM / N1_ JUNE 14
CONTENTS
12
A DREAM DANCE
26
2ND BRISBANE PHOTOGRAPHY
40
A BURNING ACT
44
EXPRESS DON’T IMPRESS
54
SEEING SPREADS
76
IT ALL COMES TO THIS
80
FREE LEAP
88
PERSIST
METUKOM / N1_ JUNE 14
A DREAM DANCE
METUKOM / N1_ JUNE 14
METUKOM / N1_ JUNE 14
How do we deal with all the endless challenges, problems, difficulties that we have to face on a daily basis? How about all the doubts and fears that hold us back how do we deal with them? In order to reach the dreams that seem so distant, one must go through series of struggles. But persistence will prevail in the end i believe. Perhaps what you can do is to loose your self into those struggles and find ways to express through them.
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2ND BRISBANE PHOTOS
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METUKOM / N1_ JUNE 14
86 These are random shots from my second time studying in Brisbane. This time i’ve managed to take a lot of photos as part of my quest to improve my photography skills . I have found photography to be a relaxing activity which refreshes our observation of the worlds around us.
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A BURNING ACT
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PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO
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While struggling with generating and organising the contents for issue one, i started to explore the interplay of elements on a white page. These spreads are the result of random sketches on what i would love to see on a spread. These form part of a whole series of spreads that will follow in the following issues.
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SEEING SPREADS
The idea behind SEEING SPREADS came about when i was trying to convince myself to go forward and move ahead with the publication idea.
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IT ALL COMES TO THIS
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FREE LEAP A DIGITAL EXPLORATION
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why?
&WHY &N OWTH Y NOT
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why?
&WHY &N OWTH Y NOT
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