Chinese Zodiac Типография by Mengyu Cao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Желязна награда A' Design Award in Графичен дизайн, илюстрация и визуална комуникация Competition Category.

ЖелязоГрафика· 2021

Chinese Zodiac Типография

by Mengyu Cao

Client: YiQi Hanzi

Желязна награда A' Design Award Winner in Графика Category

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Colors

The Design

About Chinese Zodiac Типография

Типографията на китайския зодиак включва 12 знака. Плъх, Вол, Тигър, Заек, Дракон, Змия, Кон, Коза, Маймуна, Петел, Куче, Прасе. Съчетава китайска калиграфия и китайска традиционна акварелна рисунка. С дизайнерско мислене, той разчупва оригиналните калиграфски форми и добавя креативни рисунки към тях хармонично, за да покаже значението на всеки знак в себе си. Китайските йероглифи винаги изглеждат като сложни рисунки за хората, които не знаят китайски. Целта на този проект е да направи китайските йероглифи разбираеми за всички, за да разпространява китайската култура.

The Recognition

About the Желязна награда A' Design Award

Chinese Zodiac Типография е носител на Желязната награда A' Design Award — престижно признание, присъждано на добри дизайни, които отговарят на професионалните и индустриалните изисквания, очаквани от добре проектирани творения. Желязните победители демонстрират голямо умение, висока специализация, експертно разбиране и творчески капацитет на своите създатели. Очаква се Chinese Zodiac Типография да бъде високо ценено, възхищавано и обичано творение, което е практично и иновативно. Този дизайн, спечелил Желязната награда A' Design Award, интегрира най-добрите отраслови практики и притежава компетентни технически характеристики, свързани с ноу-хау и талант. Chinese Zodiac Типография се радва на уважение заради щателността си и предлага подобрения в качеството на живот, които помагат светът да стане по-добро място.

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