Gold Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design · 2020
The Moment 2020 Calendar
by Xiutao Fu
- A' Design Award 2020 Gold Winner in Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Mattenai
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 61,886
- Verification code 89E40F68D6 · Verify this award
About The Moment 2020 Calendar
The Moment Calendar was inspired by the ancient wisdom of Chinese Solar Terms and Ecclesiastes in Bible, which aim to express the reflection of impetuous society and remind people to know the season and to enjoy the moment. Therefore, there is a new design expression to present the past, now and future. Month is printed in the center of the page while date is shown on a gradient arc. Dates and arcs rotate clockwise around the center and fade away due to the translucent paper, which poetically draws a picture: the eternity of time is a series of the present moments. So, let’s enjoy The Moment.
This calendar design emerges from a distinguished tradition of thoughtful graphic communication that prioritizes clarity, material honesty, and meaningful visual reduction. The designer appears to engage with principles long valued in both Western modernist typography and Eastern philosophical approaches to marking time, creating an object that functions simultaneously as practical instrument and contemplative artifact. The compositional strategy demonstrates sophisticated understanding of visual hierarchy, deploying a singular bold graphic element—the incomplete circle embracing the date numeral—as both functional information delivery and meditative symbol. This arc form may evoke lunar cycles, the turning of seasons, or the philosophical concept of incompleteness as a state of perpetual becoming rather than static conclusion. The material choices reflect considered craftsmanship: the substantial paper stock suggests tactile pleasure in daily page-turning ritual, while the sturdy gray backing provides structural integrity and visual grounding. The metallic binding posts introduce industrial precision that complements the organic curve of the central motif. Typography throughout maintains hierarchical clarity, with the primary numeral commanding immediate recognition while supporting text recedes appropriately. The inclusion of traditional characters alongside contemporary graphic elements suggests cultural continuity, honoring established calendrical traditions while embracing modern visual language. The presentation photography itself demonstrates curatorial sensitivity, positioning the object within luminous space that allows its formal qualities to speak without distraction. Viewers might consider how this design transforms the quotidian act of date-checking into a moment of aesthetic encounter, inviting daily pause within accelerated contemporary existence.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Based on the concept of enjoying the moment, there is a new design expression to show dates in this project. Month is printed in the centre of the page while every date is shown on a gradient arc. Dates and arcs rotates clockwise around it and fade away due to the translucence of tracing paper, which poetically illustrates present and impending loss of time. The Chinese 24 solar terms and daily mottos are highlight of The Moment to strengthen concept and remind people to enjoy the moment.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 185mm x 94mm x 46.5mm
- Tags
- Calendar, Chinese Twenty-four Solar Terms, Daily Motto, Enjoy The Moment, MATTENAI
- Production Technology
- The Moment calendar is produced by high level printing and manufacturing technologies, including . The temperature and humidity were strictly control in the whole process of printing Color testing for pages of solar terms were carried out several rounds to ensure accuracy. Moreover, the high requirement of folding and binding ensures paper alignment for design excellence. The easily-torn line on each page provides a smooth user experience.
- Design Challenge
- The first challenge is to present ancient wisdom about time in contemporary style and minimalism. Designer carefully design the layout of each page, which enable users clearly read the date and motto instead of being interrupted by information of another pages. Afterwards, it spends 6 months to test and choose parchment as final material of inside pages by comparing dozens of paper and considering transparency as well as producibility. The printing process must be dry to avoid the shape change of paper by high humidity.
- Project Duration
- The project started in August 2018 in Shanghai and finished in September in 2019 in Shanghai.
- Operation Flow
- Tearing off a page means time has passed. Next translucent pages could be seen indistinctly just like the coming days. This interaction express that we could neither prolong the past nor touch the future. In other words, the only thing we really have is nowness, is now. In that case, we should enjoy the moment rather than regret for the irreversibility or worry about the uncertainty. The other interesting operation is that users could see rotation of the gradient arc when they jump calendar pages quickly (same principle as frame-by-frame animation). We live in the moment while time is infinite, but eternity is a series of moments.
- Research
- Enjoying the moment is a simple truth but easily forgotten, as well as the ancient wisdom of Chinese 24 Solar Terms. Therefore, it is a good chance to look back our cultural as the research background of this project. Designer collected images from ancient poetry of each solar term and chose tradition color to finish 24 illustrations about the Solar Terms. Moreover, many great classic in the world (such as Bible) are also worthy to learning, from which the daily motto on each page be selected.
- Inspiration
- Fast-paced lifestyle in China forces many people to race against the clock and brings anxiety more than accomplishment. However, we run to problems when we try to beyond the limitation of time. Everything has its own time and we should do things in proper time. The traditional Chinese 24 Solar Terms shows seasonal change to guide farm work and daily lives. The ancient wisdom inspired me to design a calendar, which could remind people to know the season, follow the time and enjoy the moment.
- Image Credits
- Echo Chen, 2019
- Patents
- Copyright belong to Shanghai Shapher Network Technology Co., Ltd, 2019
Colors of The Moment 2020 Calendar
Get The Moment 2020 Calendar
Design Interview about The Moment 2020 Calendar
Fast-paced lifestyle in China forces many people to race against the clock and brings anxiety more than accomplishment. In fact, we run to problems when we try to beyond the limitation of time. According to the Ecclesiastes, everything has its own time and people should do things in God’s time. The traditional Chinese 24 Solar Terms shows seasonal change to guide people’s farm work and daily lives. Therefore, The ancient wisdom inspired me to design a calendar, which could remind people to know the season, follow the time and enjoy the moment.
Based on the concept of enjoying the moment, there is a new design expression to show dates in this project. Month is printed in the centre of the page while every date is shown on a gradient arc. Dates and arcs rotates clockwise around it and fade away due to the translucence of tracing paper, which poetically illustrates present and impending loss of time. Tearing of a page means time has passed, while next few translucent pages could be seen indistinctly just like the coming days. This interaction express that we could neither prolong the past nor touch the future. In other words, the only thing we really have is nowness. In that case, we should enjoy the moment rather than regret for the irreversibility or worry about the uncertainty. The Chinese 24 solar terms and daily mottos could also strengthen concept and remind people to enjoy the moment.
Meanwhile, we live in the moment while time is infinite, but eternity is a series of moments. Therefore, the other interesting operation is that users could see rotation of the gradient arc when they jump calendar pages quickly (same principle as frame-by-frame animation).
Meanwhile, we live in the moment while time is infinite, but eternity is a series of moments. Therefore, the other interesting operation is that users could see rotation of the gradient arc when they jump calendar pages quickly (same principle as frame-by-frame animation).
After being rewarding by the A Design Competition Committee, I will have more confident to raise production and share our concept to more people. Moreover, I’m looking forward to an opportunity of releasing this calendar in different languages. It is not only inspired by The Chinese 24 solar terms but also based on the wisdom from Bible.In particular, we are more anxious about uncertainty than ever before: worldwide spread of coronavirus, frequent natural disasters and turbulence in international financial markets. However, I expect this calendar could not only number our days but also remind us that "to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven."
The whole design process took 3 months, which included design style, visual theme, graphic design, layout, illustration and correction.
Calendar is calculated by year, which totally is different with clock. Therefore, it prompted me to consider a correct attitude towards time management in a microscopic perspective. We could improve efficiency and finish more and more works as soon as possible. However, we could only organise our days rather than control time or even stretch it beyond its limits. In fact, to realise that we are bounded by time could help us be humble and manage our life in a better way. We could enjoy the moment and release from anxious when we do things in its proper time.
We decide to individually produce this product in China, but open to the possibility of selling and leasing the production right in other counties.
There is a big market for culture and creative product in China. Calendar could attract a larger consumer group because it does not require any writing habit. Especially at the end of every year, more and more consumers would like to buy a well-designed calendar for the new year as a ritual and decoration.
The traditional Chinese ink painting has great influence on the visual effect of this calendar. The expression of date is inspired by some minimalist watch design, such as ZIIIRO Aurora, NAVA Ora Unica and Picto.
Our target consumer is who are interested in culture and creative product and minimalist design style.
Considering the value, function and interaction of a calendar in a broader vision made this design stand out from the rest. I believe the calendar is not only a beautiful time-telling tool but a meaningful story-telling media which share a story about knowing the season and treasure the time. Therefore, every elements in design will focus on this topic to share a complete story and our conception of time. Presenting dates in circle symbolises the eternity of time while the graduated colour and translucent paper illustrates the finiteness of life. As a result, the topic of enjoy the moment is showed clearly in such a strong contrast.
The name of this calendar is a pun on the slogan . I expect customer could enjoy “The Moment” when they use this calendar. At the same time, they could also enjoy the moment.
Adobe Illustrator
The most unique aspect is the new design expression of showing dates. Dates are shown on the gradient arcs and printed on translucent paper. The angle of arcs and layout of quotes are slightly different on each page so that the information of current page would not overlap and be easy to read, clean but layered.
I individually finished this design.
The most time-consuming part is to find an ideal material which has required translucency and be suitable mass production. I spend five months on testing dozens of paper to finally chose tracing paper. The other challenge is that tracing paper is very sensitive about humidity and temperature. As a result, the factory have to strictly control the environment in the workshop during printing process.
I believe that good design could beyond the cultural differences and strike a chord, that’s why I decide to participate in an international competition. I am passionate about sharing the consideration, vision and design on a broader stages. I also looking forward to seeing my design could serve customers in different countries.
The reflection about social phenomena and application of traditional culture would decide the deep thinking about product function and purpose. It is also the foundation of creative expression. A good design which could not only speak for contemporary but also dialogue with classic will stand the test of time