Friday March 29th, 2024
Download SceneNow app

Fariedesign: Behind the Initials

We've all seen that enigmatic 'FD' stamp at the bottom of artworks we can't help but double tap and share. We find out how it all began as we speak to artist Faried Omarah.

Staff Writer

How many times have you stumbled upon an artwork on social media, stamped with two enigmatic letters, FD, and wondered who it is? Well, today the secret's out as we talk to the man behind the initials - Faried Omarah of Fariedesigns, or FD for short. 

It might come to you as a surprise that Omarah’s wide recognition didn’t start from Facebook nor Instagram, but hipster haven Tumblr. Though Omarah's work has become synonymous with the Arabic language, using it to create striking designs and give his art more meaning, his start was very much internationally recognised on the visual social network. Soon enough, Omarah's Tumblr account started getting global attention with millions of reblogs and comments each month from people all around the world. Even more surprising is the fact that Omarah’s dream as a child was “to become a mathematician. However, this career doesn’t make a good living in Egypt so I chose the next best thing: being an architect.”  Omarah describes his love of the field using Winston Churchill’s old saying, “we shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.”

He now works as a “green associate to the United States Green Building Council which is an international organisation concerned with the environmental design of buildings and energy consumption among many other things,” Omarah said. Recently starting work with Axeer Studio, the production house behind cool and quirky music videos for the likes of Cairokee and Zap Tharwat, Omarah’s artwork now is coming to life by the animators at the studio, underlined by soundtracks composed by Ashraf Majed. Axeer's YouTube channel have already uploaded four videos of the animated artwork with great results. “I look forward to experiencing new ideas and different techniques with the great team of animation they have,” Omarah adds

In his own words, Omarah describes his style of drawing as “rigid and simple,” adding that he has “always been able to illustrate ideas and simplify them through drawing.” Inspired by writers and artists through the ages, his mantra is to find a balance between aesthetics and analysis. "A work of art that deliver a meaning without being attractive and charming is dull. A work of art that is fascinating and eye-catching without delivering any meaning is equally dull. Great works of arts should aim at both ends,” he explains.

Most of Omarah’s artwork incorporate well-known sayings, verses of poetry, or even verses of the holy Quran and to that he justifies that “I seek beauty and strong meanings regardless of the source, and without a doubt nothing compares to the verses of Quran when it comes to that.”

While the internet and the digital world is where Omarah found himself catapulted to the forefront, he does, however, prefer to keep it old school to an extent. "I use ink and paper, then I use Photoshop to enhance and modify the design… Sometimes I use photos and add to them on the computer. Either way, I tend to make the design all about the concept not looks.”

 Check out more from Fariedesigns here.