Friday 23 September 2022

Animation, Nok, Magan

 The illustration of these characters started by tracing the facial features of 2,500-year-old sculpture of the Magan civilisation, also known as Nok.

 While working on the Ebo Landing Project in 2004, Professor Christine Achonolu deciphered the signs on the faces of the Nok sculptures as MAGAN.

 Furthermore, in 2018, while using strict guidelines established by Erich Fred Legner, University of California, Magan was transliterated using the Yoruba language.

Animating Ancient Characters Over 2,500 Years old. Maga means Master of Clay/Terracotta, and Magan Master of Clay/Terracotta’s Place, Path, Location, or Fire.

 


In drawing these characters, I used Photoshop, incorporating the Pen, Brush, dodge and burn tools. And PowerPoint and Ezgif.com for animation. These sculptures' subject matter would have been among the elites of the time. I started by outlining their faces, followed by painting them. As for the bodies and dresses, they were spiritually inspired.

Most of their hair fashions were adopted by the Europeans at least 1500 years later. The symbolic designs on the garments are Geez, the origin of Amharic, Ethiopia's national language, Niger-Kofordian, Adrinka and Nsibidi symbols, including the Oduduwa alphabet.

Gnostic Bible, The 34 hidden letters and Messages in Bismillar Al-Rahman Al-Rahim, Islamic Mystical Literature:

Initiation and Prophecies of Djehuiti, Thoth, or Hermes and Atum