October 13, 2024 | 1:24pm
MANILA, Philippines — For a book to sell and succeed in imparting its message to its intended audience, it has to be attractive.
The cover has to draw people’s attention to the book, to make them pick it up instead of skimming through the pages of the book beside it. The artist who decides on the book design — from the cover to how the main text of the book and its visuals will appear all the way to the back cover — has to know how to reach the reader and how to navigate the journey of ideas from the author to the reader in order for them to connect mind to mind in a most profound way.
This is the expertise of artist Felix Mago Miguel, whose status and accomplishments as an artist, designer and illustrator speaks volumes of his inexhaustible passion and talent. Having lived in Bohol for almost 20 years with his wife Amel and their five children, Miguel is dedicated to selflessly imparting his experience and expertise to aspiring local artists in the Philippines, particularly those based in Bohol.
It is a small wonder that he is constantly tapped to impart his knowledge on book design in major workshops, such as the two-day workshop on illustrating children’s books, which he led earlier this year.
Miguel was tapped to be the main facilitator in the “Mugna/Gugma” workshop organized by the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP)-Bohol last September 22. The event saw the participation of 30 experienced Boholano artists with a keen interest in the art of book design.
In his art talk/sharing, participants witnessed a sampling of the oeuvres of Felix Mago Miguel, who shared his own discoveries and explorations as an artist who consciously elevated his art out of obscurity and thus contributed his share in positioning Philippine design on center stage.
Throwing its support behind the whole-day, free activity was the Provincial Government of Bohol’s Center for Culture and Arts Development (PGBH-CCAD), through the Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage Council (BACH).
Participants and observers had the opportunity to discover and explore the essentials of book design, guided by an expert and professional artist, who generously imparted practical design tools and techniques.
The activity also served as a platform for them to collaborate and possibly work together, adding more relevance and value.
Felix Mago Miguel explains a book design idea during the workshop.
When asked for the best advice that he could impart to aspiring designers and artists like him, Miguel shared: “There is one thing we need to push back in our culture, and that is the attitude of ‘puwede na,’ or as translated in English, mediocrity. We are so used to doing shortcuts in our work that it has become ingrained in us that it is okay to lower passing standards and do work that is not perfect.
“We are good at learning many trades, but if we are to shine in design work and every other proper job, we should push to become masters and not just ‘puwede na.’ Being masters of the trade, craft, or art means continuously studying and putting effort into coming up with better and better work. Regardless of the remuneration agreed on, our standards for outputs to submit should consistently be high,” he said.
As an educational institution of the government committed to promoting inclusive education, expression, and enjoyment, the National Museum of the Philippines has set numerous public programs before 2024 ends, and the “Mugna/Gugma” workshop is one of them.
“Mugna” is a Cebuano word that means to “create, produce, or design,” and “Gugma,” conversely, means “love.”
Through events like the “Mugna/Gugma” workshop, the NMP remains faithful to upholding love for our heritage and helping hone the knowledge and skills of Filipinos to create world-class designs toward a progressive and sustainable future.
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