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Chinese Zodiac Typografie by Mengyu Cao

Chinese Zodiac Typografie by Mengyu Cao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award in Eisen in Grafikdesign Competition Category.


EisenGrafik· 2021

Chinese Zodiac Typografie

by Mengyu Cao

Client: YiQi Hanzi

A' Design Award in Eisen Winner in Grafik Category

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Verified Award Winner

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Colors

The Design

About Chinese Zodiac Typografie

Die Typografie des chinesischen Tierkreiszeichens umfasst 12 Zeichen. Ratte, Ochse, Tiger, Kaninchen, Drache, Schlange, Pferd, Ziege, Affe, Hahn, Hund, Schwein. Es kombiniert chinesische Kalligraphie und traditionelle chinesische Aquarellzeichnung. Mit Design Thinking bricht es die ursprünglichen Kalligraphieformen und fügt harmonisch kreative Zeichnungen hinzu, um die Bedeutung jedes einzelnen Zeichens in sich zu zeigen. Chinesische Schriftzeichen sehen für Menschen, die kein Chinesisch können, immer wie komplizierte Zeichnungen aus. Ziel dieses Projekts ist es, die chinesischen Schriftzeichen für jedermann verständlich zu machen und so die chinesische Kultur zu verbreiten.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award in Eisen

Chinese Zodiac Typografie ist Gewinner des A' Design Award in Eisen, einer prestigeträchtigen Anerkennung für gute Designs, die die beruflichen und industriellen Anforderungen erfüllen, die an gut gestaltete Schöpfungen gestellt werden. Eisen-Gewinner zeigen großes Können, hohe Spezialisierung, fachkundiges Verständnis und die kreative Kapazität ihrer Schöpfer. Von Chinese Zodiac Typografie wird erwartet, dass es eine hochgeschätzte, bewunderte und geliebte Schöpfung ist, die praktisch und innovativ ist. Dieses mit dem A' Design Award in Eisen prämierte Design integriert bewährte Branchenverfahren und weist kompetente technische Merkmale in Verbindung mit Know-how und Talent auf. Chinese Zodiac Typografie wird für seine Gründlichkeit geschätzt und ist darauf ausgelegt, Verbesserungen der Lebensqualität zu liefern, die dazu beitragen, die Welt zu einem besseren Ort zu machen.

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

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