INK is a powerful tool for manifestation; it has been with us since the beginning of time. With ink we write our thoughts, our declarations of sovereignty, and contracts that bind. With ink, we write poetry that stirs armies to victory. Ink can illuminate, it can deceive, it can lift, and it can crush. It keeps our records, and sometimes those records fade. Indeed, Ink decays and ages, and with each new bottle of ink, infinite new possibilities arise.
Origins of INK
The very origin of the word ink stems from fire, enkaiein, to burn in. It is as a dark elixir of magic with which words stronger than swords are forged. Somewhere between light and darkness. Moreover, the Roman emperors signed their decrees in ink, a sacrum signature witnessed by the Gods.
But ink is not just for words. Great masterplans for cities have been designed with ink, Paris, Rome Moscow, Washington, D.C. Architectural icons have been laid in ink on paper, crisp lines that dream of grandeur to be realized in stone and steel. Brunelleschi’s Florentine Dome, the Taj Mahal, and Burj Khalifa are but a few examples of the power of ink.
Great artists have used ink to render epic visual stories that have moved hearts open to courage and faith. Such as the washes of Rembrandt, or Leonardo Da Vinci, or the profoundly evocative ink washes of Liang Kai. Moments are frozen in time with ink.
It is with ink that we draw lines and wash fields of color and parchment, create symbols, envision worlds, define forms, chart maps, and ultimately create journeys to our unique destinies.
The common thread that runs through design, the quantum signature of the infinite realm, and design thinking and strategy are essentially one and the same. INK by alfa8 explores this common thread. It draws out its boundless lessons as marks on paper, and objects from the ether.
INK an HOMAGE
INK by alfa8 is an homage to this ubiquitous yet fluidly instrumental creative tool that has helped bridge the imagined to the material throughout eons. Whether carved on stone with chiseled steel. Wrought in fire as charcoal or blended with resins and pigments from plants. The story of ink flows through it all. This is especially true now. Especially in the age of AI, with digital codes defining virtual ink as visible as pixels in light. It seems our innerstanding of ink has only just begun.
Consequently, I wonder what the next iterations of ink will be, beyond digital landscapes crafted with binary codes. What other syntax will we use? As neural pathways link across illuminated fiber networks and electromagnetic channels, thoughts themselves become living ink, rivers of light. When I was young, my Algebra teacher scolded me when I challenged his formula, “Iliad, there is nothing new out there – everything has been invented already. Just follow the rules.” However, he was wrong…
And so, INK by alfa8 continues this journey started long before us, a journey in search of the sign, or rather, de-sign. At alfa8 we feel that design is a quest innate in each of us, as we search to connect with the essence of our place in the grand concept of the Uni-verse. Search for the sign is our timeless story, in each life the story is retold.
Thus, it is with this in mind that we have launched INK by alfa8. INK is a platform to tell the story of design. To bring it close to you, to make design tangible, in its deeply spiritual dance between the sacred and the mundane, as a testament to purpose.
INK for YOU
alfa8 is excited about the launching of INK, a new forum for design. INK brings you three distinct sets of experiences. Each set allows you to meander into uncharted landscapes of design, both ancient and novel, at once familiar and exhilaratingly mysterious. Our offerings are tailored to give you an edge and unleash the power of design in your hands.
INK PAPERS
INK Papers guide you through myriad adventures, articles, and podcasts, that boldly explore the fringes of design and frontiers of our rendered consciousness. Here you may easily get lost and discover hidden parts of yourself amid orchards bearing exotic fruits at the foothills of castles in the clouds.
We will be releasing our papers on a weekly basis. They will cover a continuum of topics and subject areas in written and podcast form.
INK LEARN
INK Learn brings you digital courses and tools that enhance your ability to perceive and perform for success. Our courses are powerfully designed to guide you step by step toward creating your personal manifested destiny, be it work or play, or life.
INK Learn will be an exclusive offering through INK by alfa8 platform, available through subscription and purchase of individual modules. This facilitates custom-tailored programs for your specific needs, or simply the joy of accidentally discovering new possibilities and portals.
INK STORE
Finally, INK STORE is a veritable symphony of delight, bedazzled with curated design elements from the world over. alfa8 and our select artisan and craftspeople from exotic desination of design have created or produced each item. Whether the inner city maker community in Philadelphia, glass lowers in Herat or Rendille weavers along the border. INK Store is a unique place to indulge your senses and hold de-sign in your hands. To relish its myriad forms, possess it as a sigil or token to assist you in your life’s journey to the source, and do so elegantly with beautifully conceived and crafted works
We travel the edges, push the envelope, and render new worlds in search of the jewels we bring to you.
INK Connect
We love to hear from you, your thoughts, and ideas, for lessons, podcasts, and items featured on INK Store.
Further, alfa8 is a highly collaborative enterprise. We embrace crowdsource innovations and talent.
We are excited to start this amazing design journey. And we are especially delighted to be on this journey together.
