Press Release
A' Design Award in Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Goes to Night Tale Illustration by Wenxu Zhao
Wenxu Zhao recognized for graphics, illustration and visual communication design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ Night Tale Illustration by Wenxu Zhao, designed for Strawberry Fish Girl, has been granted the A' Design Award in the Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The recognition forms part of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
The A' Design Award Explained
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
About Night Tale Illustration
Night Tale is an illustration series that follows the journey of the Strawberry Fish Girl on a summer night. The series blends fantasy and surrealism to present an open ended story. Each scene places the character among large animals, flowers and plants, which serve as metaphors for inner thoughts, goals and curiosity. The illustrations are created digitally at high resolution, so fine details stay clear at large sizes. The work can be shown as prints, as large projections, or as an immersive installation covering the walls of an interior space.
About Wenxu Zhao
Wenxu Zhao is a visual artist and illustrator with a background in both mathematics and art. Her work spans digital illustration, picture books, generative art, and visual storytelling. Drawing inspiration from nature, memory, and emotional experience, she explores the relationship between structure and intuition. Her work has been exhibited internationally and recognized by platforms such as the MUSE Creative Awards, A’ Design Award, and Communication Arts. Through imagery, she examines emotional resonance and the role of visual language in everyday psychological experience.
Award Record
This recognition makes Wenxu Zhao a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Award
The A' Graphic Design Award is an international graphic design competition recognizing good graphic designs by best creative agencies and designers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to graphic designers, communication designers, graphic artists and illustrators from all countries. Entries typically include logos, posters, infographics, brochures, packaging designs and business cards. Awarded graphic designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/graphics
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/167003
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/167003
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!167003
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/354165
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://www.wenxuart.com/
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Night Tale Illustration
- Function
- Illustration
- Category
- Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design
- Discipline
- Communication Design
- Industry
- Branding & Advertising and Arts
- Colors
- Dark Green, Black, Orange Red, Midnight Blue and Dark Slate Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Strawberry Fish Girl
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Wenxu Zhao
- Country
- United States of America
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #167003
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- The work is an illustrated series depicting the whimsical journey of Strawberry Fish Girl on a summer night. Blending fantasy and surrealism, it invites viewers into a world where imagination flows freely. Each detail whispers fragments of an open ended tale.
- Inspiration
- This illustration series draws inspiration from my self reflection and dreams. I’ve visualized my self ego through a mystical, dreamlike world, where the interaction between the Strawberry Fish Girl and large animals becomes a metaphor for my inner landscape. Each animal symbolizes a part of me, my goals, my ideas, and my curiosity, weaving together a tale that bridges imagination and introspection.
- Research
- This project began with the creation of the Strawberry Fish Girl, a whimsical character embodying innocence, mystery, and fantasy. Building upon her image, a series of illustrations were developed, exploring her actions, surroundings, and interactions with her dreamlike environment. Through an introspective creative process, I crafted a narrative that serves as an honest reflection of their inner world, weaving together a story filled with childlike wonder and gentle mystery. Each illustration carefully incorporates floral elements, plants, and animals, meticulously designed to contribute to the immersive dreamscape.
- Challenge
- The challenge is to artfully integrate childlike innocence, fantasy, and mystery into illustrations rich with intricate details, while maintaining a sense of visual unity and storytelling coherence.
- Realization and Technology
- The illustrations are digitally created using Photoshop and other graphic design software, allowing for high resolution detail and intricate artistry. The original works are large scale, designed to showcase a rich tapestry of fine details when viewed up close or projected onto expansive surfaces.
- Operation and Interaction
- The illustrations can be showcased as traditional artworks in an exhibition, projected onto large outdoor screens on summer nights, or enveloping all four walls of an expansive indoor space, creating an immersive, dreamlike experience where the audience can step directly into the enchanting world of the paintings.
- Project Duration and Location
- The work was originally created in 2022, New York City, USA, and revised in 2024, New Jersey, USA.
- Specifications
- 17x22 inches (each), 600 dpi. Flexible sizing based on medium and usage.
- Keywords
- illustration, children's illustration, fantasy, animals, dream world, summer night
