Night Tale Illustratieserie by Wenxu Zhao

Night Tale Illustratieserie by Wenxu Zhao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award in IJzer in Grafisch, Illustratie en Visuele Communicatie Ontwerp Competition Category.

IJzerGrafisch· 2025

Night Tale Illustratieserie

by Wenxu Zhao

Client: Strawberry Fish Girl

A' Design Award in IJzer Winner in Grafisch Category

11,578

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #167003

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Night Tale Illustratieserie

Night Tale is een illustratieserie die de reis van het Aardbeivismeisje op een zomernacht volgt. De serie combineert fantasie en surrealisme om een open verhaal te presenteren. In elke scène bevindt het personage zich temidden van grote dieren, bloemen en planten, die dienen als metaforen voor innerlijke gedachten, doelen en nieuwsgierigheid. De illustraties worden digitaal in hoge resolutie gemaakt, zodat fijne details ook op grote formaten scherp blijven. Het werk kan worden getoond als prints, als grote projecties, of als een meeslepende installatie die de wanden van een interieurruimte bedekt.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award in IJzer

Night Tale Illustratieserie is winnaar van de A' Design Award in IJzer, een prestigieuze erkenning die wordt toegekend aan goede ontwerpen die voldoen aan de professionele en industriële eisen die worden verwacht van goed ontworpen creaties. Winnaars in IJzer tonen grote vaardigheid, hoge specialisatie, deskundig inzicht en het creatieve vermogen van hun makers. Night Tale Illustratieserie wordt verwacht een hooggewaardeerde, bewonderde en gekoesterde creatie te zijn die praktisch en innovatief is. Dit ontwerp dat de A' Design Award in IJzer heeft gewonnen, integreert de beste praktijken uit de sector en heeft bekwame technische kenmerken die verbonden zijn met knowhow en talent. Night Tale Illustratieserie wordt gerespecteerd om zijn grondigheid en is ontworpen om verbeteringen van de levenskwaliteit te bieden die helpen de wereld een betere plek te maken.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

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.
Dimensions & Packaging: 17x22 inches (each), 600 dpi. Flexible sizing based on medium and usage.
Tags: illustration, children's illustration, fantasy, animals, dream world, summer night
Production 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.
Design 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.
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. Using digital tools such as Photoshop, the work balances intricate details and visual unity, resulting in a collection that is both technically refined and emotionally resonant. Whether presented as traditional prints, large scale projections, or immersive installations, the series invites viewers to step into a delicate, otherworldly world shaped by imagination and introspection.
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.
Project Duration: The work was originally created in 2022, New York City, USA, and revised in 2024, New Jersey, USA.
Operation Flow: 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.