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Balhae Concepcion de Personatges by Ziwan Li

Balhae Concepcion de Personatges by Ziwan Li is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 A' Design Award de Fèrre in Art Numeric Competition Category.


FèrreArt Numeric· 2024

Balhae Concepcion de Personatges

by Ziwan Li

Client: Ziwan Li

A' Design Award de Fèrre Winner in Art Numeric Category

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The Design

About Balhae Concepcion de Personatges

Lo fons del projècte seguís l'aprentissa Junghyae e son mentor, lo Mèstre Yoo, convocats al vilatge de Gyeru per bandir los esperits de las mars. Lor viatge revèla la cultura de Balhae e las practicas misticas. Aqueste projècte de concepcion de personatges ret omenatge a la civilizacion de Balhae, mesclant istòria e fantasia. La fascinacion de l'artista per l'istòria, la cultura e la mòda non solament impregna aqueste projècte de designh d'un atrait estetic e d'una narracion foncionala mas tanben i apond un sens de pes istoric e una tòca de poesia.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Fèrre

Balhae Concepcion de Personatges a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award de Fèrre, una reconeissença prestigiosa acordada a de bons designs que respondon a las exigéncias professionalas e industrialas esperadas de creacions plan concebudas. Los ganhaires del Fèrre demòstran una granda abilitat, una nauta especializacion, una comprenedura d'expèrt e la capacitat creativa de lors creators. S'espèra que Balhae Concepcion de Personatges siá una creacion fòrça considerada, admirada e estimada, practica e innovanta. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award de Fèrre integra las melhoras practicas del sector e a de caracteristicas tecnicas competentas ligadas a un saber-far e a un talent. Per son rigor, Balhae Concepcion de Personatges merita lo respècte e es destinat a aportar de melhoraments a la qualitat de la vida que ajudan a far del mond un luòc melhor.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
Set in the flourishing ancient kingdom of Balhae, 926 CE, this story follows apprentice Junghyae and her mentor, Master Yoo, called to Gyeru village. Tasked with banishing spirits from the shallow seas to ensure safe mermaid hunting for the locals, their journey illuminates the era's rich culture and mystical practices. This character design project is a visual homage to Balhae's lost civilization, blending history and fantasy through art.
Dimensions & Packaging
size: 127 cm * 127 cm, 300 dpi
Tags
2D, Character Design, Digital Arts, Fantasy, History
Production Technology
Character designs in this series are designed with pencil and rendered in Procreate software and Photoshop CC software.
Design Challenge
Balhae was a historical kingdom that was conquered by the Khitans in 926 CE. Its legacy is somewhat enigmatic due to the scarcity of surviving artifacts, artworks, or detailed contemporary accounts about its culture, as it faded from history centuries ago. Undertaking a project to resurrect Balhae's rich cultural tapestry without abundant reference material was a formidable challenge.
Research
To reconstruct the lost civilization of Balhae authentically, I extensively researched historical descriptions, geographical studies, and neighboring societies. This included delving into customs, religious practices, military strength, and climate conditions of nearby regions like the Tang Dynasty, Khitans, Koguryo, Paekche, and Silla. Synthesizing this data, I engaged in speculation to envision Balhae's unique cultural identity, creating a credible representation of its vibrant society. This project aimed to honor Balhae's historical significance and imagine the daily lives of its people.
Inspiration
The artist is deeply fascinated by the nuances of history, culture, and historical fashion. They delved into the history of the lost kingdom of Balhae, marveling at the richness and vibrancy of a culture that thrived thousands of years ago. They felt a profound sense of loss for such cultures that have vanished in the tides of history. Inspired by Balhae's legacy, they embarked on a creative journey to resurrect this long-forgotten culture through a fantasy narrative.
Project Duration
2 months, Los Angeles, January 2022
Operation Flow
The key of this design lies in reviving lost cultures through a meticulous fusion of imagination and the scant textual references sourced by the artist from academic literature, paintings, and sculptures of neighboring countries associated with the lost culture. By imaginatively blending these elements, the artist breathes life into the forgotten cultural narratives.
Patents
Image #1: Image Ziwan Li, Master Yoo Traveling Outfit, 2022.
Image #2: Image Ziwan Li, Apprentice Junghyae, 2022.
Image #3: Image Ziwan Li, Apprentice Junghyae Ritual Outfit, 2022. 2022.
Image #4: Image Ziwan Li, Mermaid, 2022.
Image Credits
Image #1: Image Ziwan Li, Master Yoo Traveling Outfit, 2022.
Image #2: Image Ziwan Li, Apprentice Junghyae, 2022.
Image #3: Image Ziwan Li, Apprentice Junghyae Ritual Outfit, 2022. 2022.
Image #4: Image Ziwan Li, Mermaid, 2022.

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