Milo's Artworks

16/08/2026

Digital Arts and Designs No. 53: Map of UP Manila and PGH V.3

As classes start again in UP Manila, I revised the map that I made 2 years ago again for the second time to add new features as well as correct some details that I got wrong in past versions of the map.

Like the old map, I used different color schemes to differentiate the different buildings that UP Manila currently has and once used to own as well. For example, the buildings for PGH are in a maroon color whilst the buildings of UP Manila are in a shade of red.

This time, what I improved on from the previous map I posted last year is that I added now the roads that are passable by vehicles especially that some people needed to know which areas are passable by car or by any other light vehicle such as tricycles and motorcycles.

Like the previous maps, I hope that it serves as a useful guide to students and other visitors going to the campus.

14/07/2026

Digital Arts and Designs No. 52: Utak at Puso

As a person who from time to time loves stained glass art, I thought of creating my own stained glass art designs as well, and it just so happens that I thought of getting design inspirations from National Artist for Painting Vicente Manansala.

In this case, I thought of getting ideas from his mural "Arts and Sciences" located in the lobby of Palma Hall in UP Diliman, and thought of translating the design into a stained glass window. Featuring a brain and a heart being weighed in a scale, other elements such as the sciences and the arts are depicted as well, with the sciences being represented by laboratory flasks and a plant and the arts being represented by a violin and palette.

A novel addition to the stained glass design is an open book below, signifying the foundational and fundamental nature of knowledge. It took me a few hours of creating this artwork as I thought using vector arts would make a good medium to draft stained glass art.

23/06/2026

Digital Arts and Designs No. 51: Old Coat of Arms of Manila

The City of Manila is known for its rich history, being one of the earliest capital cities in Southeast Asia, formally established on this day 455 years ago in 1571, even though the city itself was continuously inhabited before the arrival of the Spanish. The city was declared a city by conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, and the city itself would be given its own coat of arms in 1596 by King Philip II.

This particular coat of arms of the city was created during the early 17th century, and the elements that would make the modern Seal of Manila can clearly be seen, such as the coat of arms itself being red (gules) and blue (azure) and having the leodelfin, erroneously called a merlion, and waves as some of the charges. The castle seen in this coat of arms was replaced by a pearl and shell by Galo Ocampo during the 1970s. The text in the coat of arms roughly translates in English as "The arms of the City of Manila, given and granted by the most invincible king Philip the Second of all names."

More specific specifications for coats of arms are a more recent innovation, as the city itself would have multiple variations of this coat of arms during its existence as a Spanish colony, hence other designs for the coat of arms of the city would exist as well, with slight differences as to how the charges would be depicted, the specific shades of colors to be used for the tinctures, as well as the inclusion or omission of other elements that would make up an achievement.

References:
Trivia no. 8: Digitally Reconstructing Manila’s Coat of Arms. (2020, June 7). Renacimiento Manila. https://renacimientomanila.org/2020/06/07/old-manila-trivia-no-8-digitally-reconstructing-manilas-coat-of-arms/

‌File:Escudo de Armas de Manila (1596).jpg - Wikimedia Commons. (2024, April 13). Wikimedia.org. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Escudo_de_Armas_de_Manila_%281596%29.jpg

19/06/2026

Digital Arts and Designs No. 50: Rizal Book Cover

As today is Jose Rizal's 165th birthday, I thought of sharing a design I made a few months back for our Life and Works of Rizal subject, which fortunately made it into print, and this was a book cover that I made encapsulating what Rizal is in a visual format.

In said book cover, I featured a portrait of Rizal, his house in Calamba; the Rizal Monument known as "Motto Stella"; and some of his own contributions such as Opthalmology represented by a Snellen Chart and eye, Surveying in the form of the map of Mindanao he made while in Dapitan, and Literature in an abstract representation of Noli Me Tangere, one of his most famous literary works.

I am fortunate that I was entrusted to create something that would not only best represent my own artistic skills but also the artisitic skills of my own classmates who contributed their own parts as well for this class project.

17/06/2026

Digital Arts and Designs No. 49: Sablay

As today is the 118th Anniversary of the University of the Philippines system as well as the fact that the commencement exercises of the constituent units are fast approaching in the coming weeks, I would like to post an old artwork I made the previous year for my college's yearbook committee.

This artwork in question is this faceless student wearing a sablay, the academic regalia that was first created in the university during the 1990s and eventually became official regalia for the entire system by 2000, replacing the toga and mortarboard cap common in other colleges and universities at the time. This fabric, initially hung around the right shoulder, is shifted to the left shoulder during commencement exercises to mark one's status as a bonafide graduate. Adorned with ukkil and other geometric elements, the Sablay honors the native indigenous groups that are part of the country, and the term "Sablay" connotes a sense of value by placing a precious object upon one's shoulder.

The university that birthed the sablay, the University of the Philippines, was established on this very day in 1908 by virtue of Act No. 1870 of the Philippine Assembly, precursor of the current House of Representatives. Starting from a few buildings along Calle Isaac Peral (nowadays United Nations Avenue), the university system expanded over the years as more campuses were established throughout the different regions in the country. Nowadays, with myriads of students and graduates, the university prides itself in bringing Honor, Excellence, and Service in the ever-continuous process of nation-building.

References:
Office of the University Registrar. (2021). Our.upd.edu.ph. https://our.upd.edu.ph/acad.php

University of the Philippines. (2017, April 2). University History. University of the Philippines System Website. https://up.edu.ph/university-history/

11/06/2026

Happy Independence Day to All! May we celebrate the blessings bestowed upon us by our ancestors and may we strive for a future worth fighting for.

Digital Arts and Designs No. 33: Independence Day

Happy Independence Day to All! May the spirit of independence and democracy prevail in these trying times.

(Made using Inkscape and Canva)

02/05/2026

Digital Arts and Designs No. 48: Halo-halo

As May is traditionally considered the hottest month in the Philippines, people will find ways to cool off; such as going and chilling to rather cold establishments such as malls, swimming in beaches or bodies of freshwater, or simply eating cold foods. One of these cold foods that is popular across all age groups is Halo-halo, literally meaning "mix-mix" in English.

This icy mélange of sweet ingredients such as Leche Flan and Minatamis, combined with various beans such as red mung beans and white beans would give a refreshing and delicious experience in eating local food. Although based on the Japanese Kakigōri that the Japanese émigré brought in the country more than a hundred years ago to also beat the heat, locals decided to adopt this shaved ice dessert and change it to suit local tastes by adding, changing, and removing certain ingredients, thus not all Halo-halos are the same as some people would have their own twists to the classic dessert.

Halo-halo and Kakigōri are not the only shaved ice desserts in East and Southeast Asia, as other countries do have their own shaved ice desserts, such as Ais Kacang in Malaysia, Es Campur and Es Teler in Indonesia, Namkhaeng Sai and O-aew in Thailand, Tshuah-ping in Taiwan, and Bingsu in Korea.

In this graphic below, I decided to depict Halo-halo with the ingredients that are commonly seen in the dish itself. These ingredients are the ingredients that in my opinion, would make a traditional Halo-halo.

04/04/2026

Digital Arts and Designs No. 47: Saint Isidore of Seville

Today is the penultimate day of the Paschal Triduum, and it is also the feast day of one of the Doctors of the Church dubbed the "Last Scholar of the Ancient World", and that person in question is Saint Isidore of Seville, archbishop of Seville (not to be confused with Saint Isidore the Laborer, a 11th-12th century saint).

Born in the mid-6th century to a Hispano-Roman family, he and his elder brother Saint Leander were responsible for the conversion of the Visigothic kings of Iberia to Catholicism from the previous nontrinitarian A***n faith.

His claim to fame is the Etymologiae, a precursor to the modern encyclopedia that compiled ancient literature that would have been lost, and it was compiled with the encouragement of Saint Braulio, bishop of Zaragoza. This makes him the patron saint of computers as these modern-day devices fill a task similar to his work.

To commemorate his feast day, he is drawn reading a book, with the pedestal being based on a '90s computer chassis. The depiction is based on a statue sculpted by José Alcoverro at the National Library of Spain.

06/03/2026

Photographs No 57: Variety Show Faculty Performances

It is not only the students who gave their all, but also the faculty that help them bring out their full potential. Giving awe-inspiring performances help in bringing out another side that is not usually seen within the four walls of the classroom or laboratory, and the faculty never fail to disappoint.

To see all pictures, click the Google Drive Link below:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iFH0nGani4rnvCn7uoT8-2jSnDjFM-LL?usp=sharing

06/03/2026

Photographs No 56: Seniors Variety Show Performance

The seniors would go out without a bang, as they managed to incorporate a lot of socially relevant events that recently happened into their performance as well. Although not as numerous, they still managed to beat expectations as they managed to bring out their best, and that best will go even beyond as well.