Night Tale Serija ilustracij by Wenxu Zhao

Night Tale Serija ilustracij by Wenxu Zhao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Železna nagrada A' Design Award in Grafično oblikovanje, ilustracija in vizualna komunikacija Competition Category.

ŽeleznaGrafika· 2025

Night Tale Serija ilustracij

by Wenxu Zhao

Client: Strawberry Fish Girl

Železna nagrada A' Design Award Winner in Grafika Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #167003

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Colors

The Design

About Night Tale Serija ilustracij

Night Tale je serija ilustracij, ki spremlja potovanje Jagodnega ribjega dekleta v poletni noči. Serija združuje fantazijo in surrealizem, da bi predstavila odprto zgodbo. Vsak prizor postavi lik med velike živali, cvetlice in rastline, ki služijo kot metafore za notranje misli, cilje in radovednost. Ilustracije so ustvarjene digitalno v visoki ločljivosti, tako da fini detajli ostanejo jasni tudi pri velikih velikostih. Delo je mogoče prikazati kot tiske, kot velike projekcije ali kot poglobljeno instalacijo, ki prekriva stene notranjega prostora.

The Recognition

About the Železna nagrada A' Design Award

Night Tale Serija ilustracij je prejemnik Železne nagrade A' Design Award, prestižnega priznanja, ki se podeljuje dobrim oblikovanjem, ki izpolnjujejo profesionalne in industrijske zahteve, pričakovane od dobro zasnovanih stvaritev. Prejemniki Železne nagrade kažejo veliko spretnost, visoko specializacijo, strokovno razumevanje in ustvarjalne zmožnosti svojih ustvarjalcev. Od Night Tale Serija ilustracij se pričakuje, da bo visoko cenjena, občudovana in ljubljena stvaritev, ki je praktična in inovativna. To oblikovanje, nagrajeno z Železno nagrado A' Design Award, vključuje najboljše prakse panoge in ima kompetentne tehnične lastnosti, povezane s strokovnim znanjem in talentom. Zaradi svoje temeljitosti si Night Tale Serija ilustracij zasluži spoštovanje in je zasnovan tako, da zagotavlja izboljšave kakovosti življenja, ki pomagajo narediti svet boljši kraj.

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.