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Writer's pictureDr Willard Wigan MBE

X Marks The Spot - Downsizing one of the world's biggest rebrands into the Eye of a Needle

Updated: Oct 16, 2023

Lately, I've found myself a little preoccupied with the new X logo. Whenever I close my eyes at night all I keep seeing is a tiny "X" 😂😁 and to be honest, it's been driving me a little crazy.

Willard looking at a needle
Eye of a needle

It's as if a small voice inside me urged me to downsize one of the world's biggest rebrands and place it gently within the eye of a needle. When an idea like that takes hold, there's no shaking it. I become utterly consumed by it, losing track of the world around me, and relentlessly pushing the boundaries of creativity. To clear my focus and liberate myself from this fixation on the X logo, I've spent the past couple of weeks creating the world's smallest microscopic X logo, nestled right within the eye of a needle.

X Marks The Spot
X Marks The Spot in the eye of a needle www.owendevisser.com

Now, I don't create microscopic logos for brands very often, but this one captured my imagination like no other. Once I get an idea like this in my mind, it's nearly impossible to shake. I become hyper-focused, losing track of everything around me, and continuously challenge myself throughout the creative process.

X MArks The Spot
X Marks the Spot Close-Up by www.owendevisser.com

How I made it?

I created X Marks The Spot by painting the spot first by dabbing small amounts of paint using my eyelash as a paintbrush until I had a perfect circle. The scale of the spot is around 400 microns, the same as an 11pt Times New Roman full stop in a newspaper. By slowing my heartbeat down and intensely focusing on the task ahead I was able to cut and position the microscopic pieces of 24-carat gold in place, creating a perfect representation of the new X logo.


A guide to micro sculpture
Micro Sculpture Size Guide

Why did I call it X Marks The Spot?

I named it X marks the spot because the phrase is often used in adventure stories, pirate tales, and treasure hunts. It implies that a specific location has been marked with an "X" to indicate the hidden or sought-after treasure's location. The phrase symbolises a mysterious or valuable destination that adventurers or seekers are trying to find. I see using social media as an adventure akin to embarking on an unpredictable journey through a vast and ever-changing landscape. In this digital realm, you never know what you are going to find or discover as you navigate through the vast expanse of user-generated content. Each user represents a unique and mysterious destination, and every post, X, or image can be seen as a clue or treasure waiting to be uncovered by adventurous seekers.


What influenced me to do it?

But what drove me to undertake this unusual endeavour? It was the awe-inspiring brilliance of minds at companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and X, working alongside the visionary Elon Musk. Witnessing the immense energy and skill required to bring their ventures to life left me in awe. My mission was to encapsulate that boundless energy within this tiny piece of art. This tribute is my way of saying 'thank you' to Elon Musk and his extraordinary teams for their unyielding tenacity, passion, and dedication. I believe firmly that unity makes us stronger, wiser, and greater.

Image by Napoleon King from Pixabay
Image by Napoleon King from Pixabay

Award Winning Photographer, Based in Birmingham, UK. Weddings | Events | Food

Commercial | Headshots www.owendevisser.com


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