Bronze Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design · 2024
Figure Portrait Exhibition Display
by Mengyao Guo
- A' Design Award 2024 Bronze Winner in Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design
- Awarded April 15, 2024
- CLIENT: Mengyao Guo
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 14,977
- Verification code 6FE9DE2ACC · Verify this award
About Figure Portrait Exhibition Display
Figure Portrait is a series of portrait illustrations created for a public exhibition. The series brings together faces from different eras and public personas, inviting reflection on life and time. Each portrait tells a separate story, and together the portraits describe a shared human experience. The illustrations began as hand-drawn sketches, which were then digitized with Procreate. Shading, layering and color blending were used to render textures and a wide range of emotions. The digital files can be adjusted to any size.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The "Figure Portrait" series, initially designed for a public exhibition, presents various intriguing portraits. This project interweaves the faces of various eras and public personas, fostering a deep understanding of life and time. It resonates with emotions of joy and empathy, celebrating human resilience. This illustrative series transcends personal narratives to capture the shared human experience.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Digital illustrations can adjust to any size.
- Tags
- Figure Illustration, Portrait, Human Emotion, Procreate, Visual Data
- Production Technology
- The "Figure Portrait" series was realized meticulously, involving traditional and digital illustration techniques. Initial sketches were drawn by hand to capture the essence of the subjects. These were then digitized using Procreate. Techniques such as shading, layering, and color blending were used to render textures that capture a spectrum of human emotions, resulting in a series of technically accomplished and emotionally compelling portraits.
- Design Challenge
- The main creative challenge in the "Figure Portrait" series was representing the essence of human experience across different eras through portraiture. Balancing technical proficiency with emotional resonance was an internal obstacle, requiring a deep understanding of illustration techniques and human emotions. Externally, keeping the designs relevant and engaging for a contemporary audience while drawing inspiration from various historical and social contexts was challenging.
- Project Duration
- The project started in April 2022 in Macau, finished in March 2023 in Zhengzhou, and was exhibited in Zhengzhou, China.
- Operation Flow
- The "Figure Portrait" collection operates through visual engagement. It transforms the viewer's perception by presenting a blend of familiar and mysterious faces, provoking a reflective interaction. The keyframes are the individual portraits, each telling a unique story that contributes to the overall narrative of the series. It excels due to the illustrations' emotional depth, which captivates the viewer and stimulates a deeper understanding and appreciation of the shared human experience.
- Research
- This series captures the essence of human experience across different eras. The methodology involved studying historical and contemporary facial expressions and features and translating these into illustrations. Data was collected from various historical, artistic, and cultural sources. The research tools used included traditional sketching tools and digital software like Procreate. The insights gained have a deeper understanding of how portraiture can encapsulate the human experience.
- Inspiration
- This series is inspired by the desire to interpret the essence of human experience across different periods visually. Drawing from the rich of life, the project seeks to portray the faces of various eras and general personas, capturing their unique emotions and experiences. The technical background involved research into portrait illustration and studying historical and contemporary facial expressions and features, resulting in these that are as technically robust as it is emotionally resonant.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Illustrator Mengyao Guo, Figure Portrait, 2022.
Image #2: Illustrator Mengyao Guo, Figure Portrait, 2023.
Image #3: Illustrator Mengyao Guo, Figure Portrait, 2023.
Image #4: Illustrator Mengyao Guo, Figure Portrait, 2023.