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The Finishing Touch


畫龍點睛 (Adding the spark of an eye to a dragon painting) and 畫蛇添足 (adding legs to a drawing of a snake) are common Chinese idioms addressing the finishing touch of a piece of work. However, “adding the spark of an eye to a dragon painting” describes perfection reached through adding the smallest detail. While “adding legs to a drawing of a snake” determined the failure of rendering a realistic snake. 

I represented this juxtaposition through comparisons between hand-drawn strokes and computer vector shapes. The poster composition takes inspiration from dragon pillars in traditional Chinese temples that usually flank their entrances in doubles. Illustrations created using sumi ink and calligraphy brush. Printed on rice paper.

Keywords: 
poster, Taiwanese culture, Mandarin Chinese, experimental

Role:
Poster Design, Typography, Custom Lettering

2023