Homesickness can drain a person emotionally, but not Reem Ali Adeeb. Instead, she uses it to power her art. Born in Syria, she says that her illustration Take Me to the Arabi Store was inspired by “the feeling that comes from our local ingredients and nostalgic childhood food items… Food in our culture [is] a part of our lives and relationships—in our celebrations, our grieving, our everyday, and our special occasions.”
Usually, Ali Adeeb begins an artwork with thumbnails, but Take Me to the Arabi Store originated in an editorial photography project, capturing the way she copes when missing home by visiting the international grocery store. Working with photographer Banna Bazzarie, she first created a series of images.
“After reviewing the photos, I felt the concept needed to be pushed further,” Ali Adeeb says. Referencing the images, she drew a character in a grocery aisle, adding comfort foods from her childhood to form a jacket and “allowing the idea to fully take shape.” From there, she says that she moved into clean lines and color. After a few small color studies, she executed the final version in Procreate, and once that was done, she used Photoshop to fix the color balance and make final tweaks.
Having worked as an Animator, Lead Character Designer, Visual Development Artist, and more in Syria and the U.S., Ali Adeeb appreciates animation’s team effort but believes personal art—with its full creative control—is essential for fostering authentic expression.
Learn more about Ali Adeeb at www.reem.fyi.
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