Fan Bai

Specialized in Toy Design.

Fan Bai

About Fan Bai

Bai Fan is the founder of the lifestyle brand WANGJIANXI. Born into an artists’ family, he soaked up inspirations from various art genres in growth. He has accumulated rich, large-scale commercial activity visual design experiences over a decade of his career and established good cooperative relations with many world-renowned brands, committed to renewing conventional visual narratives with thoughtful design language and connecting commercial aesthetics and creative culture to make them a reality. He ponders over social phenomena, digs into human nature deep inside, and then depicts them with design language in a euphemistic, metaphorical manner.

  • Winner of the A' Design Award.
  • Specialized in Toy Design.
  • Original Design.
  • Creative, Diligent and Innovative.
  • All Designs
  • Toy
Cosmic Man Toy

Cosmic Man Toy

Toy Design

Good Design Deserves Great Recognition

Nominate Your Work for the A' Design Award.

Sign-Up

Interview with Fan Bai

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
Born into an artist family, I absorbed inspirations from various art genres during my growth. The impressions they left in my mind are like attractive commodities in a showcase, and we are shoppers reflected in the glass windows. I hope to encapsulate the inner worlds of different characters into my showcase.
Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
To better integrate commercial branding value with art and content value, I founded my own brand WANGJIANXI, aiming to create a novel, fantastical, and unique spiritual home.
What is "design" for you?
For me, design can be a tool for storytelling. I like to collect fragments of others' lives, and using the language of art, I translate these valuable life experiences, memories, and moments into visually expressive works.
What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
I once saw an exhausted Ultraman Toy sitting on the ground to rest while smoking after he strips off half a monster’s clothes. The plot depicted by the toy attracted me immediately. In films, the Ultraman and the monster represent justice and evil, respectively. However, the toy deviates from our mindset about Ultraman movies, and brings us to a fresh plot that may be closer to reality. I like such designs that reflect the true side of our hearts.
What was the first thing you designed for a company?
In high school, I designed a music festival poster for the organizer of the event.
Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
I hope to create a serious and rigorous atmosphere through overall and detailed crafting. I pursue a subtle contrast, focusing on the emotion and storytelling of the design.
What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
Focus and dedication. Unsatisfied with commonplace forms, driven perhaps by curiosity, I hope to turn the concepts in my mind into reality.
What makes a design successful?
The attitude towards design, its social implications, and the spiritual significance it carries.
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
Designers should focus on environmental protection and social sustainable development, promote sustainable concepts, and create more sustainable lifestyles for the future.
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
Nowadays, artificial intelligence replaces humans to complete basic creation and even some creative thinking. The continuous development of science and technology will push designers’ core capacity to the limits. In this context, the design will transform, upgrade and become more spiritual, shifting towards a soul-oriented direction. I expect the day when man and AI are deeply integrated and co-exist will arrive soon.
When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
I'm currently preparing for two exhibitions this year, in Beijing.
Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
My conception process begins with interacting with the world. I pay attention to prominent social problems and often chat with ordinary people to record their big dreams.
How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
I like to ponder over social phenomena and dig into human nature deep inside, and then depict them with design language in an euphemistic, metaphorical manner. I like to create characters that are both good and evil in my works, set up naughty tricks or create unexpected twists.
Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
The socio-economic and cultural environment in China influences my conception process, mainly in the form of social thoughts provoked in daily life.
How do you work with companies?
Working with companies is a collaborative process that requires the participation of all team members. I maintain good communication with team members and relevant personnel to understand design goals and integrate them with actual situations. We consider various factors, such as user needs, technical feasibility, and market trends, to develop more creative and feasible design schemes.
What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
It depends on the specific field of design. Different types of design require different things from a designer. However, a common point is that they should be responsible. In addition, rich experience and exposure can help a designer create more outstanding and meaningful designs.
Can you talk a little about your design process?
I determine the start point and finishing line of my creation, and constantly make explorations and experiments in the process. Just like GPS leads us to our destinations via different routes, all-digital R&D makes the creation process more fault-tolerant and enables me to enjoy different views along the journey of design.
What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
Ultraman Jack, Sid Phillips and Woody from Toy Story, Master Yoda from Star Wars, Lego's IDEA series, and a fully transparent Transformer.
Can you describe a day in your life?
At the beginning of a day, I review today's to-do tasks with my assistant, prioritizing urgent and important matters, and arrange other projects for different times of the day. Rather than strictly adhering to a daily schedule, I prefer to flexibly manage my work rhythm. For instance, if there are creative tasks, I will undertake them in the morning when my energy is abundant. If there are data analysis and relatively complex tasks that require patience and organization, I will do them in the afternoon, as I feel more focused and clear-headed at that time. I read various industry news and engage in social interaction during lunchtime and evening.
Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
Design is not only a flash of ideas, but also a process requiring long-time accumulation of skills.
From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
Design is like a toolbox for problem-solving, offering versatility and effectiveness in tackling challenges. However, being a designer means constantly being presented with different problems that require unique solutions, making each day a new adventure.
Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
I often get lost in my work and lose track of time, so my assistant helps me manage my schedule.
How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
It depends on the purpose of the design. If it's for commercial expression, it might take some time to communicate with the client. If it's for artistic expression, the idea for the piece might form in an instant in my mind.
What was your most important job experience?
I have accumulated more than ten years of creative planning and visual design experience in the large-scale commercial event industry, committed to updating conventional visual narratives with considerate design language, and connecting commercial aesthetics with creative culture.
Who are some of your clients?
Given my cross-disciplinary design background, I have different types of clients. In commercial event projects, my clients include some prestigious global brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Cadillac, GQ, and Huawei. Clients of my independent brand cover art enthusiasts, toy collection enthusiasts, followers of fashion and trend culture, brand partners, and collaborators.
What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
I enjoy engaging in diverse design work, as each type of design brings me unique challenges and creative opportunities. I enjoy the process of creating from scratch, and shaping life through design.
What are your future plans? What is next for you?
I plan to collaborate with non-profit organizations to host some public welfare art exhibitions.
Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
It depends on the situation. The design products and artworks of my personal brand are mainly developed by me. Commercial collaboration projects with other brands are usually achieved by the team, with me as the chief designer presiding over the entire design decision.
Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
At present, I am undertaking some interesting and meaningful design explorations on the theme of children and cities.
How can people contact you?
We can communicate via email. baifan.design@gmail.com instagram @baifan_wangjianxi

Designer of the Day Interview with Fan Bai

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
After graduating from an art academy, I accumulated over a decade of experience in creative planning and visual design in the large-scale commercial event industry, collaborating pleasantly with international brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, GQ, and HUAWEI. To better integrate commercial branding value with art and content value, I founded my own brand WANGJIANXI, aiming to create a novel, fantastical, and unique spiritual home.
How did you become a designer?
I was born into an artist family. During my growth, different art forms left distinct impressions in me, existing like showcases. I hoped to condense different characters' inner worlds into my showcase. My father is an artist, and perhaps influenced by him, I have an innate passion for creation.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
In my designs, the core is always people. I pay attention to their emotions and experiences, focus on their real needs, and respect their diversity and individual differences. By focusing on the emotional and emotional aspects of human beings, I hope to create a deeply connected experience with people in my collectibles. During the design process, I value the application of cutting-edge technology and combine it with the craftsmanship of hand-made art. Models and computers may complement each other when necessary.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
I am not satisfied with conventional forms, perhaps driven by curiosity, and hope to turn the concepts in my mind into reality. The two most exciting moments are when I can understand my work and when viewers have their own interpretations after seeing the work.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
I have a fifteen-year skiing experience. Because skiers need to keenly observe and understand the surrounding environment at high speed, this sport has, to some extent, enhanced my visual perception and spatial awareness. Moreover, skiers need to cope with various emergencies at any time, which I think is beneficial to improve my creativity and adaptability.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
When I was very young, I wanted to design a zoo where animals and humans can live in harmony in a holistic environment, interact with each other, instead of a relationship of captivity. In the future, if I have enough time and resources, I hope to participate in the design of endangered animal shelters, providing a safe and comfortable living environment for animals that need shelter and protection through reasonable space planning, appropriate material selection, carefully controlled environments, and meaningful visual design, promoting their recovery and protection.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
Look for platforms that provide cutting-edge design information, they can give you an objective standard to analyze your own work.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
Pay more attention to industry information in other fields, and create a cross-disciplinary, diversified, and comprehensive creative collection.
What is your day to day look like?
At the beginning of a day, I review today's to-do tasks with my assistant, prioritizing urgent and important matters, and arrange other projects for different times of the day. Rather than strictly adhering to a daily schedule, I prefer to flexibly manage my work rhythm. For instance, if there are creative tasks, I will undertake them in the morning when my energy is abundant. If there are data analysis and relatively complex tasks that require patience and organization, I will do them in the afternoon, as I feel more focused and clear-headed at that time. I read various industry news and engage in social interaction during lunchtime and evening.
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
I believe that design should not only meet the current needs but also have long-lasting vitality, remaining attractive and practical as time goes by. I pay attention to the social aspects behind design trends, including socio-economic, cultural, and environmental aspects. They provoke deep thinking, thereby influencing my conceptualization process.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
Designs that have a stance, that are social, and that embody spiritual sustenance.
How do you decide if your design is ready?
When I can fully understand my own work, I consider the design ready for me. However, it's essential to recognize that design is almost always improvable, as there is no perfect design. Design holds different meanings for different people, and it only gains unique significance when integrated with people. I can pursue perfection in my own mind, but for others, it is always a new beginning.
What is your biggest design work?
Cosmic Man's design interprets the idea that life is finite, but consciousness is infinite. One day, artificial intelligence, as a carrier of human consciousness, will accomplish the missions that finite life cannot. The combination of popular topics such as space exploration and artificial intelligence gives this highly collectible toy iconic attributes of the Times.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
I grew up and developed in an Eastern cultural environment, so Eastern art is a part of my genes. At the same time, I have always enjoyed traveling around the world. Amsterdam, Oslo, and Tokyo, among the more than thirty cities I have visited, have had a profound impact on me. I like the diverse culture and developed design industry of Amsterdam, the natural culture of Oslo, and the avant-garde street culture of Tokyo. Exceptional designs can reflect the values and aesthetics of different cultures, promoting the recognition and respect of cultural diversity.
Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?
For my personal brand, I usually work independently to create the design and artwork. My commercial collaborations projects with other brands are usually completed by the team. As the chief designer, I preside over the entire design decision, grasp the overall situation, balance the commercial and artistic components in each project, and present the uniqueness of the project through artistic means while showing the sincerity of the brand. The high demand for comprehensive creative ability may be a challenge.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
I actively collaborate with non-profit organizations in public welfare art exhibitions. I believe that designers have a responsibility to use their creativity and skills to have a positive impact on society and the environment. This includes prioritizing sustainable and ethical practices and utilizing design as a powerful tool for social change.
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
I think international design competitions provide designers with the opportunity to showcase their works and design thinking on a global scale, connecting our work with the world. These platforms allow us to gain exposure, learn from other talented designers, and receive valuable feedback, which can inspire further growth and development in our respective fields.

Extended Interview with Fan Bai

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
After graduating from an art college, I have accumulated more than a decade of creative planning and visual design experience in the large-scale commercial events industry, working cooperatively and pleasantly with international brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, GQ, and HUAWEI. In order to better combine the commercial value of brands with the value of artistic content, I founded my own brand WANGJIANXI, aiming to create a spirit homeland filled with novelty, fantasy, playfulness, and uniqueness.
How did you become a designer?
I was born into an artist family. During my growth, different art forms left distinct impressions in me, existing like showcases. I hope to encapsulate the inner worlds of different characters into my showcase.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
My father is an artist, and perhaps influenced by him, I have an innate passion for creation. My art journey is more of a soul-driven marathon, driven by inner enlightenment, than a decade-long dialogue of style. Naturally, things fell into place.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
Works of the great designers have imperceptibly become a pillar supporting people’s spiritual world.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
The attitude towards design, its social implications, and the spiritual significance it carries.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
Good design can reflect the values and aesthetics of different cultures, and promote the recognition and respect of cultural diversity.
What is your day to day look like?
If I have enough time, I hope to design an ideal endangered animal shelter. Through rational space planning, choosing appropriate materials, carefully controlling the environment, and meaningful visual design, provide a safe and comfortable living environment for animals in need of shelter and protection, promoting their recovery and protection.
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
When I was very young, I wanted to design a zoo where animals and humans could coexist harmoniously in an integrated environment, interacting with each other rather than a relationship of captivity.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
Design is not only a flash of ideas, but a process requiring long-time accumulation of skills.
What is your biggest design work?
I once saw an exhausted Ultraman Toy sitting on the ground to rest while smoking after he strips off half a monster’s clothes. The plot depicted by the toy attracted me immediately. In films, the Ultraman and the monster represent justice and evil, respectively. However, the toy deviates from our mindset about Ultraman movies, and brings us to a fresh plot that may be closer to reality. I like such designs that reflect the true side of our hearts.
Who is your favourite designer?
The work Beltman is a turning point in my design thinking. I strive to create a certain aesthetics through this work, seeing stories in simplicity, and order in complexity.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
Pay more attention to industry information from other fields and create cross-disciplinary, diversified, and comprehensive creative collections.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
For me, design can be a tool for storytelling. I like to collect fragments of other people's lives and translate these valuable experiences, memories, and moments into visually expressive works through the language of art.
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
My father, his spirit and experiences inspired me to form my own theory.

Stay Updated with Latest Design News

By clicking Sign-Up, you are opting to receive promotional emails from A' Design Awards, World Design Rankings, World Design Consortium and Designers.Org You can update your preferences or unsubscribe any time.

You are now at the right step

Join Designers.org & Start Promoting Your Design Worldwide.

Create an Account