Rock Language Fonts 字体 by Yilin Wang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award 铜奖 in 平面、插画与视觉传达设计 Competition Category.

铜平面· 2025

Rock Language Fonts 字体

by Yilin Wang

Client: Communication University Zhejiang

A' Design Award 铜奖 Winner in 平面 Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Rock Language Fonts 字体

《岩语字体》是一款以贺兰山岩画为灵感来源的字体设计。通过对岩刻的研究，设计师发现其中许多图形母题与现代字母形态颇为相似。这些形状经过提炼与统一，最终整合为一套完整的字体系统。该字体在保持辨识度的同时，保留了原始岩刻有机的形态与不规则的质感，字号可根据不同应用场景灵活调整。这一设计将古老的岩画艺术呈现为一种共通的视觉语言，把远古符号与当代平面设计及现代媒介紧密相连。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 铜奖

Rock Language Fonts 字体是 A' Design Award 铜奖得主，这是授予以创造力、独创性和敏锐见长的杰出设计的极具声望的认可。铜奖得主是技艺娴熟、创意惊人的作品，印证了其设计师丰富的经验、想象力与机智。预计Rock Language Fonts 字体将成为一件备受推崇、令人钦佩且被珍爱的物品，兼具显著的专业性与创新性。这件赢得 A' Design Award 铜奖的设计融入艺术、科学、设计和技术领域的最佳实践，并因注重细节而出类拔萃。Rock Language Fonts 字体出色地满足需求，触动渴望，迷住情感，并吸引好奇心。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Through analyzing the Helan Mountain petroglyphs, we discovered many motifs resembling modern letterforms. Inspired by this, specific patterns were refined and adapted into a cohesive typographic system. The project reimagines rock art as a “universal language,” transcending cultural boundaries while preserving its historical integrity.

This typography combines legibility with storytelling, highlighting humanity's shared heritage. By emphasizing the organic forms and imperfections of rock art, the design retains its authenticity while integrating seamlessly into modern media, bridging ancient symbolism with contemporary design.
Dimensions & Packaging: The size of the system will also change according to the change of the use scenario
Tags: Petroglyphs, Chinese Tradition, Typography, Integrated Design, Poster, Internationalism
Production Technology: Through the topography of a large number of petroglyphs, we find similar shapes to the letters, and through a series of fine-tuning the font, etc., we finally form a series of works.
Design Challenge: In the control of randomness of the letters, but also the need to unify the form of the font to avoid stylistic inconsistencies, but also the need to retain the original sense of petroglyphs
Research: Research Type: image research of local elements Research purposes: to modernize the design of Helan Mountain rock paintings, make them adapt to the international aesthetic style, and give full play to the contemporary value of ancient culture. Data collection: Yinchuan Helan Mountain rock painting research journal, Helan Mountain rock painting Museum. Research tools: graphic record, Photoshop, illustrator.
Inspiration: From an exploration of petroglyphs, the designers found that the petroglyphs generated some ‘English’ between the graphics, which has a certain degree of serendipity, but this serendipity also exists objectively. The uncertainty of the style of the font symbolises the art of design with inclusiveness, diversity and individuality, which is exactly what the designer wants to explore!
Project Duration: The project started in Hangzhou in September 2024 and was completed in Hangzhou in January 2024. It will be displayed in Helan Mountain rock painting International Art Festival in January 2024
Operation Flow: This project turns Helan Mountain petroglyphs into a modern type system, blending ancient art with today’s design. It keeps the rock art’s natural feel while making it readable and universal, showing our shared history.
Image Credits: Image #1 designer: Mengsheng Wang Ruilin Wang
Image #2 designer: Meitong Yu
Image #3 designer: Jie li
Image #4 designer: Shitong Yu
Image #5 designer: Jiarong Li