Book of Helios: February 2013

Friday 8 February 2013

TALK the talk: Chinese New Year & Snake in Chinese Culture

Legend Behind Chinese New Year:

Wondering why Chinese New Year is full of red color and everyone is playing firecracker? It is actually based on a legend of Nian. In ancient China, there is a dangerous monster will devour human, people named the monster Nian, and it will appeared before the night of Chinese New Year. We called the night ''Chu Xi'', Nian was said that it will devour human at every night of ''Chu Xi'', hence people always hide themselves in the forest in order to escape from Nian.

One of the night of ''Chu Xi'', an old woman came from a village claimed that she had he way to banish Nian away. Other villagers did not believe in her and hiding in the forest, left the old woman in village alone. At night, Nian appeared as usual, but it was scared and did not made any further movement in the village because the village's house all had red paper pasted on the wall. The villagers saw this situation and understand that Nian was afraid of red color. A powerful sparkle and noise suddenly burst out from silent, the old woman took a lights up fire cracker and rush to Nian, the result surprised the villagers as Nian quickly flee from the village. Since they found the way to expel Nian, every night of "Chu Xi", villagers will paste red paper or decorate their village with red object, and they will play fire cracker and having celebration as a sign of piece, happiness because they had escaped from the monster.

The tradition is then passed down until now, every Chinese New Year, red color can be targeted at everywhere. Nian has the same meaning as year, so Chinese will said '' Guo Nian '' during Chinese New Year as the meaning of passed the old year.

Snake in Chinese Culture:

Snake is symbolising wisdom, wealth as well as evil in Chinese culture. It is always associate with dragon, A snake is always associated with the dragon, the symbol of the Chinese nation. A large huge snake is believed to be the first “dragon” that motivated the beginnings of later myths, stories and legends. The snake is considered a small dragon by the Chinese. Many experts even think that the imaginary Chinese dragon has the snake as its prototype.

For the Chinese people, the snake symbolizes intelligence, happiness and auspiciousness. In certain part of China (Yixing, East China’s Jiangsu Province), people call the snake as the “black dragon” or “savage creature”. People in East China’s Zhejiang Province call it “dragon in heaven” or “celestial being”. At Dangfu in East China’s Anhui Province, people call the snake as “dragon at home”.The snake and the dragon are so linked and alike that the Year of the Dragon is even followed by the Year of the Snake.

Resource: http://chinesehoroscop-e.com/astrology/snake-myths-and-legends.php

After reading , I hope people will gain a bit knowledge of Chinese culture and sorry if there is some grammar mistake in my sentences. At last, Gong Xi Fa Cai and a Happy Chinese New Year.

Monday 4 February 2013

A Year Of Snake's Design: Happy Chinese New Year 2013

While Chinese New Year is just around the corner, I had come out a design associated with the year of snake. The character designed is a snake which modified from a viper carrying a good fortune letter. Hence, it symbolize the snake is bringing a good fortune for the new year of 2013.

恭喜发财;吉蛇迎喜

It means the lucky snake will welcome a happy moment.

The following is the design for the Year of Snake 2013.

Zombie Mouse: A Visual Communication Lesson Production

Zombie Mouse is a project I did in visual communication class for HND program in art and design. Zomblick is a PC mouse applied with zombie skin and wound effect. It is colored red as its color psychology tells the audience that it is eager for brain, and also it represent the bloody feeling of a zombie. Its real idea is to advice computer user not to facing a computer for long period while also it could become a cool collection of computer product. Zomblick wire is in red and black in color, red is dominant because it wants to represent the eager of a zombie. The following will be the full story on how I did it.

HND Lesson: Branding-The Final Outcome

Here are the final outcomes for Sigman related idea.

Sigman is a company of technology and electronic manufacture. Its product is focus on consumer electronic like digital player, household electronic appliances and computer or mobile phone accessories.Its unique selling point is the new idea and concept inside electronic. Sigman’s electronic will have the ability to synchronize with user mobile phone or computer tablet if the user installed Sigman’s Sync Apps. Which is means user could control the electronic via his phone no matter where and what time by wireless network.

Sigman also provides electronic product with mixed function, by using OLED technology, certain of its product (non digital display electronic) could carry out digital display function or audio function when user transmit data via its phone through Sigman’s apps.The reason of Sigman provide this kind of electronic is to solve time problem, since user can control his home electronic no matter where and when, it ease the user by saving his time to get near the machine and tell it what to do. Its electronic with mix function could carry out two or more than two function at the same time, letting people enjoy the entertainment. For example, Sigman’s shower set can play music that transmit from phone while user is showering without having his phone around.

Sigman’s logo is a typo based logo, all letters of Sigman is connected together and there is two arrow pointing left and right at the begining and last letter. This symbolise Sigman’s idea is about connection, linking and it can carry out this no matter where the way is. Sigman’s secondary logo is the combination of an elongated hexagon and its original logo. This give Sigman the feeling of leading innovation since the sharp edge of hexagon provide meaning of motion. The main color of the brand is blue, meaning that the company is always reliable.