Ink Painting: Different Same

Different Same, by Zainab Salman

For several years, I have always been double-minded about using ink for anything. I write solely with fineliners, and never fountain pens, and use ink only when I feel a sudden urge to experiment with calligraphy or something that can only be carried out with ink. This is largely because of all my unpleasant experiences with ink, most of which end up with a wonderful piece of work ruined with blotches of ink all over. I have never known a medium that can be messier than ink.

However, for this piece, I felt like I wanted to use ink. And gladly, the results were much better than my expectations. :D For this painting I used a compass (for the circle patterns), a grey fineliner, green ink and a reed pen. 

The name of the painting, Different Same, has a lot to do with the meaning behind it. If you look closely, there is a lot of repetition in the design - all the shapes, although each slightly different in design and size, are essentially the same - they are all circles. It is the same with us humans - we are all different in status, wealth, perspectives, religion and even color but even so, we are all really the same - we are all human. This painting is about diversity as well as unity.*

a better view of the painting

*I know, the interpretation sounds quite off. If you look at the painting closely, you may come up with different and better conclusions, so don't limit your thinking to my absurd explanation. ;)