Zahar Al-Sayed is not your typical artist; she is a graphic designer, painter, photographer and a street artist all in one, and this is why she calls herself “4 in 1, designer in a box.”
The Saudi artist is a graphic design graduate from Dar Al-Hekma College in Jeddah and is now a full-time graphic designer and a freelance photographer and artist. “I look forward to completing my Master’s Degree in Graphic Branding and Identity so I can have enough experience in executing my ideas into a whole corporate identity of solid projects that would speak for it,” she said.
“After having the experience of dealing with real clients and real projects I came to the conclusion that I have a huge passion for branding and I think I have the prerequisites because I have a logo in existence with the branding in the real market,” she added.
Al-Sayed has been interested in art ever since she was a young girl; she was particularly keen on the idea of having her thoughts and perspectives transformed visually. “My full-time relationship with art started when I chose my major in college. It is then that I felt that I had been given the opportunity and freedom to experiment and explore my creative ideas through various artistic methods,” she said.
“In fact, I was also given the privilege of learning the basics of developing my visual communication skills and how to create an effective and persuasive work of art,” she added.
As an artist the creative part of Al-Sayed invests heavily in the process of generating an idea. “I seek inspiration in every element that surrounds me; it might be a musical rhythm that I liked or an image that I’ve shared on my Instagram page,” she said. “In addition, asking for advice from creative individuals is a vital part of my art’s creative development. I exploit any opportunity I get to approach inspiring artists whether to ask for advice or share ideas. To have my art critiqued by creative eyes has definitely contributed to the polished end-result of my work.”
Another artistic aspect to her work and herself is innovation. She aspires to tackle concepts that are innovative and which involve controversial cultural and social elements. Whether the message is subtle or transparent, her artwork incorporates a strong base of critical views. “On various occasions, I have engaged the subject of women’s rights and female empowerment. In fact, one of my favorite works was featuring the juxtaposition of local issues with embellished stencils and street art. It is interesting to provide clues to content through minimal text alongside a controversial image and see how the public interprets it, especially in conservative societies,” said Al-Sayed. “Therefore I practice street art mostly in street signs form and drill them in streets instead of painting the walls.”
Photography has played a big role in the artist’s life since she was 5 years old when her father, a photographer, taught her how to choose the right angels and trusted her with his camera. “He used to print all my pictures to motivate and teach me what’s right and what’s wrong in terms of lighting and cropping. I then got interested in fashion photography when I was in college and that’s when I bought my first studio with my own money,” she said. “Now I am completely hooked onto photography and have started to like wedding photography after assisting the amazing Saudi photographer Reem Bajabaa who believed in me and motivated me. So I decided to take courses in London to acquire more knowledge in that field,” she added.
On a personal level and behind all the critical art she produces, Al-Sayed said she is a very compassionate person. In other words, “art is her imaginary punching bag.” “I am very passionate about every aspect of what I do and I do give it all I have. I believe that designers see the world from a different standpoint and always look at the other side of the story,” she said. “I noticed this about myself as I started diving more into my work and realized that the line between my professional life and pleasure is almost nonexistent.”
Speaking of the personal side of her work, Al-Sayed said she is a multi-tasker and she manages to combine her interest in graphic design, photography, fine arts, and street art by using a variety of materials and processes. “That is where I got my name from: “The 4-in-1 designer in a box.” People always ask me which of the four arts is closest to my heart. And I always say that I love them equally as if they were my children and I am always challenging myself in learning about them. I am in a sort of rush to achieve my goal which is to open my own design house in the near future,” she said.
The artist is constantly looking to further her research and explore different horizons either by studying or by communicating with others. “In five years from now, I see myself with a Masters’ Degree and a two years’ work experience in an advertising agency and also just starting my design house,” she said.
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