Chinese Zodiac Tipografie by Mengyu Cao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award in Yster in Grafika-, Illustrasie- en Visuele Kommunikasie-ontwerp Competition Category.

YsterGrafika· 2021

Chinese Zodiac Tipografie

by Mengyu Cao

Client: YiQi Hanzi

A' Design Award in Yster Winner in Grafika Category

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Verified Award Winner

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Colors

The Design

About Chinese Zodiac Tipografie

Die Chinese Zodiac-tipografie bevat 12 karakters. Rot, Os, Tier, Konyn, Draak, Slang, Perd, Bok, Aap, Haan, Hond, Vark. Dit kombineer Chinese kalligrafie en tradisionele Chinese waterverftekeninge. Met ontwerpdenke breek dit die oorspronklike kalligrafievorms en voeg kreatiewe tekeninge harmonieus daarby om die betekenis van elke karakter in homself te wys. Chinese karakters lyk altyd soos ingewikkelde tekeninge vir mense wat nie Chinees ken nie. Die doel van hierdie projek is om die Chinese karakters vir almal verstaanbaar te maak om die Chinese kultuur te versprei.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award in Yster

Chinese Zodiac Tipografie is 'n wenner van die A' Design Award in Yster, 'n prestigieuse erkenning wat toegeken word aan goeie ontwerpe wat voldoen aan die professionele en industriële vereistes wat van goed ontwerpte skeppings verwag word. Wenners in Yster toon groot vaardigheid, hoë spesialisasie, kundige begrip en die kreatiewe vermoë van hul skeppers. Daar word verwag dat Chinese Zodiac Tipografie 'n hoog aangeskrewe, bewonderde en gekoesterde skepping is wat prakties en innoverend is. Hierdie ontwerp wat die A' Design Award in Yster gewen het, integreer die beste praktyke in die bedryf en het bekwame tegniese kenmerke gekoppel aan kundigheid en talent. Chinese Zodiac Tipografie word gerespekteer vir sy deeglikheid en is ontwerp om verbeterings in lewensgehalte te bied wat help om die wêreld 'n beter plek te maak.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The Chinese Zodiac project combines Chinese calligraphy and watercolor drawing to present each character with its meaning. With design thinking, it breaks the traditional Chinese calligraphy forms and adds creative drawings to it harmoniously to show the meaning of each character. Chinese characters always look like complicated drawings to people who don't know Chinese.This project is aimed to make it understandable to everyone to spread Chinese culture.
The 12 Chinese zodiac includes Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
Dimensions & Packaging: This typography set can be used as culture posters as I shown with the images.
Tags: graphic design, Typography, creative drawing, Chinese Zodiac, Chinese culture, calligraphy, watercolor drawing, poster, posters
Production Technology: Chinese traditional calligraphy, Chinese traditional watercolor drawing
Design Challenge: Ideation is the hardest part of this project. How to merge animals form into the characters harmoniously that makes the most sense. It shouldn't break the traditional beauty of Chinese calligraphy. And it should enhance the beauty to show the meaning of the character in a fun way.
Research: Researched on Chinese calligraphy form of beatuy, Chinese traditional watercolor techniques, and culture behind Chinese Zodiac.
Inspiration: At the beginning of my design journey, I learned a lot of Chinese traditional culture. I was taught to have the mission to deliver valuable Chinese traditional cultures to the modern world, to enhance and spread it to the nation and the world.

I also found out there were not many creative creations around Chinese calligraphy compare to English lettering. I want to use my ability to design and drawing to explore more possibilities of the traditional assets, Chinese characters.
Project Duration: This project started in January 2020 in San Francisco and finished in August.
Operation Flow: This typography set can be used as physical or digital posters to promote Chinese culture. People can understand the meaning of each Chinese character when seeing the typography only without reading the description.
Team Members: Mengyu Cao