‘I Never Expected To Come This Far’
By P Marilyn

Bandar Seri Begawan - Devin Kho outshone his 130 competitors to win the TelBru/GTE Telephone Directory Cover Design Competition, which will be the cover of Brunei Darussalam 2008 Telephone Directory.

"I was really surprised, as I never, expected to come this far, let alone winning the whole competition," said 28-year-old Kho in an interview.

Whether or not be expected a victory, the artwork of the web developer caught the attention of the panel of judges, who, later named him the winner of the competition, along with $2,500 in prize money.

"I joined the competition without much expectation, as I would be contesting against other good designers in the country," said Kho, who admitted to having no professional background in art.

He also said his skills were discovered by accident, whets he started working as a webmaster for a local company four years ago.

During his employment at the company, he did simple advertisements using simple graphic designs.

One assignment led to another, and the interest in designing grew in him.

"Besides reading some books, I learn mostly from free resources and tutorials on the Internet," Kho said.

On his winning design, he said he spent three weeks working on it as "I did not want to rush. My design is based on vector art, a form of design where even the smallest detail play an important part. I revised the design many times, from the colour tone to the framing".

Kho's design illustrates the eminent digital lifestyle in the country by showcasing modern buildings with traditional architecture in a vibrant setting.

His inclusion of iconic Brunei structures was instantly recognisable.

On the prize money, he said, "I will definitely be treating my family and friends who encouraged me to join the competition: For me, they are my biggest inspiration."

Meanwhile, first runner-up Khoo Jia Jia, who was unable to attend the prize presentation, held recently at TeIBru headquarters, said, "I was shocked when my mom told me that I came in second place. Though I have won other contests before, this still came as a pleasant surprise. And with the prize money of $1,500, it will surely be a great start to the New Year."

The 23-year-old graphic design student in Singapore, a veteran in art competitions, during a telephone interview, said, "First, I must thank TelBru and GTE for this opportunity to showcase creative talents of artists in Brunei. There are many gifted artists who relish competitions like this. I want to thank my parents and teacher for their continuous support and encouragement."

Khoo admitted that she did not spend a lot of time on her design, as she was busy with her school assignments.

"I only managed to spend about five days to complete the design. However, the design was based on a core idea, which I have employed many times. The overall design was based on my previous work, which has become my signature design."

Being first runner-up not only gave Khoo a sense of accomplishment but the prize money that came with it will allow her to buy a plane ticket back to Brunei to spend the upcoming Chinese New Year with her family and friends.

Meanwhile, second runner-up Mohammad Tirmidzi Haji Abdullah said, "I was astonished when they announced my name, as I was only expecting a consolation prize... at best."

To Mohammad Tirmidzi the win, which came along with a $500 prize money, was a collaborative effort with a partner, who "made" him join the competition.

“I really want to thank my partner for forcing me to join, or I may not have participated at all. Of course, I'd like to thank the two little lovely models in my design. I think my win could be attributed to them being so adorable.” -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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