Novice

25/09/2026

—As the credits begin to roll on DreamWorks Animation’s “Forgotten Island,” keep an eye out for the name John Patrick Gañas. 🇵🇭✨🖊️

A concept artist and illustrator based in the Philippines, Patrick contributed to shaping the film’s fantastical world. A magna cm laude graduate of the University of the East–Caloocan, he has built an international career spanning games, films, and animation.

Credited as a Character Designer, Patrick is just one of many Filipino creatives behind “Forgotten Island.” As he shared, the team “poured so much” into the film—a “doom scroll of emotions, memories, and all things Pinoy.”

So when the credits roll, stay for them. Look at the names. Celebrate the Filipino creatives. Patrick is one of them, and there are many more.

Swipe through and get to know Patrick and his creative journey, in a nutshell! 🙌

——

Check out Patrick’s work on Instagram and support his creative practice on Patreon: patreon.com/patrickganas

Catch Forgotten Island now showing in cinemas worldwide. Tayo na! 🎬🇵🇭

Forgotten Island Movie

24/09/2026

—Meet the artists behind Komiket QC’s official poster. 🎨🪽🖊️

Meet Sean Kyle Manaloto (Sean Kyle Manaloto) and Michaela Trajano (𝖒𝖎𝖈𝖍𝖋𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖈.𝖊𝖝𝖊 🐇🐈🐈‍⬛), the husband-and-wife creative team behind the fantasy comic “Godhark.”

Sean is a freelance fantasy illustrator and comic artist whose work spans card games, webtoons, and indie game concept art. His visual style draws from high-fantasy games, ’90s anime, Castlevania, and heavy metal. Michaela is a freelance concept artist and graphic designer, and the primary character designer for “Godhark.” Her creative influences include ’90s anime, Tamagotchi, and the band Phoenix, while her practice also extends to clay sculpting.

Set in the year 416, in a world where the gods are dead, “Godhark” follows three chosen warriors on a quest to ascend to godhood and become their world’s new divine protectors—while facing an enemy determined to destroy magic itself. Published by Komiket in 2022, “Godhark: The Sanguine Storm” was part of the PICOF 2022 Official Selection and a finalist for Best Graphic Novel and Comics in English at the 41st National Book Awards. September 15 also marked four years of “Godhark.”

Now, Sean and Mich bring their shared love for fantasy, comics, and world-building to the Komiket QC 2026 official poster, giving this year’s gathering of Filipino komiks creators its own fantastical stamp.

Catch Komiket QC 2026 on September 26–27, 10AM–8PM at Centris Elements, Quezon City. Discover original komiks, zines, prints, stickers, and more, meet Filipino creators, and get a copy of Komiket Komiks Issue No. 3—free for the first 1,000 attendees!

Takits sa Komiket! 🙌✨

——

Get your tickets early here:
https://ticketnation.ph/komiket-qc-september-2026

Physical tickets available during event day.

24/09/2026

—Wrapping the Filipino Christmas spirit with “Pabalat” 🎄✂️🌸

A mall in Taguig City is bringing a distinctly Filipino touch to its holiday décor, drawing inspiration from “pabalat,” the intricate paper-cutting tradition of Bulacan.

Also known as “borlas de pastillas,” “pabalat” is a traditional craft from Bulacan made by carefully folding, tracing, and hand-cutting colorful Japanese paper into delicate, lace-like patterns. It is best known as the decorative wrapper for pastillas de leche, with its elaborate cutouts traditionally used for fiestas, celebrations, centerpieces, and souvenirs.

For the mall Christmas décor, the craft is reimagined on a much larger scale, forming a pink, green, and white canopy that resembles a floral paper garden, complemented by capiz parols and chimes. The installation showcases how a traditional Filipino craft can be translated into a contemporary Christmas display while retaining the intricate, handmade character of pabalat. ✨

——

📸 Allen Esteban (𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 🇵🇭)

24/09/2026

23/09/2026

—More than a century after Lola Basyang first appeared in the pages of Liwayway, PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA)) brings back “Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang at iba pa…” for a new generation. 📖👵🇵🇭✨

The revival brings together two classic tales by Severino Reyes, adapted by Christine Bellen (Christine), alongside a new story by J-mee Katanyag (J-mee Katanyag), “Ang Bantay ng Huling Buwan,” which brings Filipino folklore into conversation with phones, vlogs, science, misinformation, and digital culture.

Expect an interactive theatrical experience where young audiences don’t just watch—they get to listen, play, make choices, and become part of Lola Basyang’s stories. 👀✨

Catch “Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang at iba pa…” at the PETA Theater Center from September 21–30, 2026, with a longer run coming in February 2027. 🎟️

———

For the September 21–30 shows, only a limited number of tickets are available to the public. To reserve your seats, contact King Joshua Nalupa via Viber. For school bookings and touring inquiries, email [email protected].

For more information, schedules, and updates, follow PETA’s official social media accounts.

23/09/2026

—Creatives in Mindanao, this one’s for you. 💫

The Oro Design Conference 2026 (Oro Design Conference) is happening on October 17, from 1–6 PM at Xavier University Little Theater in Cagayan de Oro, and this year’s lineup is a special one: five women designers from across the country, bringing perspectives across illustration, branding, typography, printing, animation, design education, advocacy, and digital design.

The speaker lineup includes Eulah Araullo (Eulah Araullo), Jocelyn Gordiel (PL8 Studio), Kat Layno (denimcatfish), Kitty Jardenil (Kitty Jardenil), and R.K. De la Rosa (R.k. De la Rosa)—five creative voices coming together around this year’s theme, “Making Visible.”

The theme looks beyond the finished output to spotlight the people, process, craft, culture, context, and countless iterations that make meaningful design possible. It’s a reminder that design is more than what we see—it’s also about the communities, stories, and realities behind it.

Since 2019, ODC has grown into one of Northern Mindanao’s spaces for designers, illustrators, educators, typographers, motion designers, and creative practitioners to connect, learn, and share. This year, the gathering is part of the inaugural Oro Design Week, in partnership with DTI–Design Center of the Philippines (Design Center of the Philippines) and Design Week Philippines.

And hey, you don’t have to be from CDO to join. If you’re a creative from anywhere in the Philippines, consider this your sign to fly and visit CDO and spend an afternoon with fellow creatives. ✨

Get your tickets now:
orodesignconference.veent.net

———

Supported by Communication Design Association of the Philippines Communication Design Association of the Philippines
Sponsored by CHINGKEETEA
Printing Partner GOLDEN PRINTS

Novice is a proud media partner of ODC 2026.

23/09/2026

—Somewhere between folklore, friendship, family, and home, “Forgotten Island” becomes more than a story about an island and its creatures. It becomes a story about us and the things we carry wherever we go. 🫶🇵🇭

As Filipinos, we’re often our own harshest critics when it comes to our culture and stories. But this film doesn’t perform us for anyone else’s gaze. It simply reaches for our hand and says, “tayo na!”

From the creatures we grew up hearing about at lola’s knee to the families we love, miss, and fight for, it feels familiar in all the right ways.

“Forgotten Island” is a film we can be proud of. Not because it flatters us, but because it allows us to see ourselves clearly—and loves what it sees.

Read our viewpoint and share yours with us. 💬

——

“Forgotten Island” (Forgotten Island Movie) follows best friends Jo and Raissa, voiced by H.E.R. (H.E.R.) and Liza Soberano (Liza Soberano), who are transported to the fantastical island of Nakali, a world inspired by Philippine folklore and mythology. The film is written and directed by Joel Crawford (Joel Crawford) and Filipino-American filmmaker Januel Mercado (Januel Mercado), making it Mercado’s feature directorial debut. The voice cast also includes Lea Salonga (Lea Salonga), Dave Franco, Manny Jacinto (Manny Jacinto), Dolly de Leon (Dolly de Leon), Jo Koy (Jo Koy), and more.

Produced by DreamWorks Animation (DreamWorks) and distributed by Universal Pictures (Universal Pictures), “Forgotten Island” is a major animated feature built around Filipino folklore, culture, and identity, bringing stories and creatures many of us grew up with to the global big screen.

“Forgotten Island” is now showing in Philippine cinemas, two days ahead of its worldwide release. TAYO NA! 🙌🇵🇭✨

——

Words by Pau Laguerta ()
Pubmats by Allen Esteban (𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 🇵🇭)

22/09/2026

—For 54 years, no woman had been named National Artist for Visual Arts. This year, Imelda Cajipe-Endaya (Imelda Cajipe Endaya) became the first.🎖️🇵🇭

But this is more than a historic first. After more than five decades of making art, organizing, writing, and creating spaces for women artists, Cajipe-Endaya’s recognition also brings us to a bigger question: who gets remembered, who gets recognized, and whose contributions become part of Philippine art history?

Because Filipino women have always been making, shaping, and challenging the art world. The recognition may be new, but the work is not.

Swipe through to learn more about Cajipe-Endaya’s practice, legacy, and the significance of this first.

The first should never have to be the last.

———

21/09/2026

—What does democracy look like to you? 🇵🇭🎨

Ten Filipino artists from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao explore that question through SPRINTS, a 48-hour creative challenge organized by DAKILA (DAKILA), in collaboration with Fine Acts (Fine Acts) and One World or None (One World Or None), around this year’s theme, “Reimagining Democracy.”

The participating artists—Cyrill Acuña (cyrill 🧤), Jill Arteche (Jill Arteche), Alyssa Babasa (Babs), Maki Cabrera (Maki Cabrera), Anjella Cruz, Ed Empemano (Ed Empemano), Ish Flores (), Kieltokki (kieltokki), Kirsten Mago, and Ruer Torculas ()—created works that question, redraw, and imagine what democracy could be.

See their works, alongside collaborative and guest artist pieces, throughout September at Commune (Commune), Metro Manila; Arts and Design Collective, Dumaguete City; and La Herencia (LA HERENCIA DAVAO), Davao City.

Go see democracy through the eyes of Filipino artists. 👀🇵🇭🎨

——