Iron Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design · 2021
Wbc2017 South Korea Illustration
by Kaze Park
- A' Design Award 2021 Iron Winner in Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design
- Awarded April 15, 2021
- CLIENT: ESPN Deportes
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 9,045
- Verification code 4C0195AA84 · Verify this award
About Wbc2017 South Korea Illustration
This is the poster for 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) project. His work details Republic of Korea attractions and national treasures, and features famous baseball players in the middle. An important point of this work is the fusion of athletes and natural elements so that various Republic of Korea charms can be produced in a single scene. It is a graphic design of a new expression method that combines style and computer graphics worked in a way using a brush, a traditional Republic of Korea painting technique.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- In 2017, Espn Deportes has collected several artworks from many countries that play baseball at the wbc league.
There was a artwork design project representing 16 countries competing in the 2017 world baseball classic Espn Deportes, and he participated in 16 artists from around the world. - Dimensions & Packaging
- 2017WBC artwork was created in Photoshop RGB/CMYK colour mode. *.jpg (The size is 1200mm x 735mm) It was produced as an art poster.
- Tags
- kazepark, artwork, wbc, illustration, korea, baseball, digital, graphic, art, southkorea
- Production Technology
- 1.For the artwork, touch the texture using the brush used in traditional Korean painting. And it first scans it and saves it as digital data.
2.Using the digital program Adobe's Photoshop, sketch work, basic color work, and detail work using the touch of a traditional korean brush are performed in order. The important point here is that the traditional korean way of expressing pictures is a work that is expressed with digital graphics.
3.The Artwork was finished using traditional Korean paper (material). - Design Challenge
- The most difficult task was to completely transfer the imagination that emerged as inspiration into the work.
There are various architectures and cultures in korea, and it was a new challenge to use traditional painting techniques and digital graphics together to create a single work.
It is difficult to find an expression method that can penetrate it in sports and traditional cultures of different genres, but it was still a fun and happy work. - Project Duration
- The artworks of this project begin to be released on march 6, 2017 and end on march 23. locations are worldwide and Espn Deportes(spain).
- Operation Flow
- There are still many people in the world who do not know about Korean culture and values. There are many wonderful cultural and sports players in Korea, and they have unlimited energy and potential.
The unique culture and history of Korea is what all Koreans learn and experience naturally as they grow up, and there are many things that are valuable enough to be listed in the world UNESCO.
He tried to express the true values and cultures of Korea in his Artworks. - Research
- As a representative of the republic of korea, he worked with the goal of creating representative works to promote korean culture.
It was conceived to incorporate traditional buildings and cultural styles that are unique to korea in the work, In particular, the harmony of yin and yang containing the reason of nature on top of the korean national flower, mugunghwa, is expressed with the architectural style, and the korean baseball players are at the center of the artwork. - Inspiration
- He remembered the four major leaguers in Korea for the composition of the world baseball classic illustration. They tell stories and legends about the constellations of East Asia.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: KazePark, 2017WBC-01, 2017
Image #2: KazePark, 2017WBC-02, 2017
Image #3: KazePark, 2017WBC-03, 2017
Image #4: KazePark, 2017WBC-04, 2017
Image #5: KazePark, 2017WBC-05, 2017 - Patents
- ©KAZE PARK 2017
Colors of Wbc2017 South Korea Illustration
Grand Interview about Wbc2017 South Korea Illustration
I have always loved traditional Korean painting styles. Naturally, I grew up admiring Korean art and have a strong interest in the country's diverse cultural heritage. I've often thought about how to apply traditional styles like ink wash painting to my work in a modern way. This led me to develop my current digital painting technique. First, I create base textures using traditional Korean brushes and ink to capture the initial strokes. Second, I sketch the drawing and add line work, doing the initial sketch offline, which I then scan digitally. In the third step, I use the scanned sketch image to refine the line work digitally. Fourth, I proceed with the coloring process in Photoshop. For the final stage, I combine the textures created from brush and ink strokes with the digital drawing and painting. During this merging process, I also make adjustments to lighting, color correction, and other post-production elements to complete the artwork.
In Korea, there’s a tradition where people visit the East Sea every January 1st to watch the sunrise, symbolizing hope for the new year. Korea’s rich cultural heritage is reflected in various historical monuments, and, in recent years, new landmark buildings featuring advanced technologies have also emerged. I aim to express the value of both past and modern architecture in my artwork, seeing them as embodying the essence of Korean identity.
In my artwork, I included the Four Guardian Gods from Korean mythology (Black Tortoise, Blue Dragon, White Tiger, and Red Phoenix) to represent the cardinal directions—North, East, South, and West. I also placed the national flower, the Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon), at the base to symbolize the ever-blooming energy of athletes. This concept reflects the idea of sharing legendary stories passed down through folklore, as embedding these tales in my work is like recording history itself. I designed the piece to be viewed from various angles, prompting reflection on the perspectives of both the past and the present.
In traditional Korean art, there are various types of brushes, including Saepil (細筆, fine brush), Ganpil (簡筆, simple brush), Chopil (抄筆, sketch brush), Daepil (大筆, large brush), and Akpil (額筆, framing brush). The production methods also vary, such as bundled brushes, milji-jjim brushes, mushimpil (unconscious brush), and yushimpil (intentional brush). I select the most suitable brush based on the qualities needed for my artwork and use it with ink on paper. The textures I create are then scanned to preserve them as digital data, and the original brushstrokes on paper are carefully stored in a separate archival portfolio.
My artwork is meticulously crafted with a left-right symmetrical composition, an essential aspect that symbolizes harmony and balance within the elements of Korean tradition. By integrating natural aspects representing the universe—such as the cardinal directions (East, West, South, North), black and white, and the four seasons—the piece blends these foundational elements with distinctly Korean influences, creating a completely new style. This unique approach allows the artwork to convey a story, imbuing it with its own inherent value. I believe that an artwork with timeless value has the power to resonate with people from all walks of life, conveying profound meaning universally.
Korea’s national flower, the Mugunghwa (hibiscus), is known for its unique ability to bloom once each day. This requires an incredible amount of energy, which is no easy feat for any plant. With its resilience and strength, the Mugunghwa embodies Korea’s potential and enduring value. I wanted to reflect these qualities in the figures of Korean athletes, projecting the flower’s strength and effort into the spirit of those who represent the country. The Mugunghwa, as Korea’s national symbol, is one of the most fitting ways to express Korea's essence and its power of growth.
Combining athletes with their backgrounds can naturally create a seamless composition, a setting that feels familiar and relatable to anyone viewing it. However, blending sports figures with entirely new, unrelated elements introduces complexity to the artistic process. I believe that each piece should convey a story, not only requiring time to create but also embedding a layer of historical significance. Creating a work that represents a country is no easy task. Therefore, producing pieces that bring together Korea’s cherished cultural heritage, national symbols, and athletic spirit is both a challenge and an exploration of possibilities. Despite any obstacles, if a piece can showcase Korea’s essence and values, the effort is profoundly meaningful.
In Korea, there is a rich tradition of ink-based art, with ink wash painting (sumukhwa) being a prime example. The most authentic way to showcase sumukhwa is by using hanji, also known as dak paper, an ancient Korean paper known for its exceptional quality. Hanji enables a more traditional approach to expressing brush and ink strokes. Beyond hanji, using various types of paper for brushstrokes has allowed me to bring unique textures into my work. When combined with digital coloring, these brushstroke effects enhance the artwork, adding vibrancy and a lifelike quality to each piece.
This has become a signature element of my work. It serves as a means to express my thoughts as an artist and as one of the ways I embed my unique values into my creations. Winning the A Design Award helped solidify my perspective on my artwork, and I truly believe it has had a very positive impact on my creations.
Korea’s culture is currently loved by many countries, and I am truly grateful for and cherish this fact. I believe that when works featuring traditional Korean elements are shared with others, it carries great significance. Additionally, I think the interest people have in Korea’s cultural heritage, coupled with the visual information and meaning conveyed through art, can spark new curiosity and excitement. The WBC 2017 work, which expresses positive energy through sports figures, was created with the intent to faithfully capture the charm of sports, a genre that builds new history. I hope that more works like this will emerge, creating synergy with sports culture. This is because the appeal of sports, the efforts of athletes, and the way these are expressed through culture and history in artworks will introduce something new to many people.