Interview about Serpent of Dreams Branding Design, winner of the A' Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Award 2025
The Serpent of Dreams is a visual branding project inspired by the Year of the Snake, symbolizing transformation and wisdom. It blends traditional motifs with modern design through serpentine forms, detailed patterns, and a rich color palette. The project stands out for its geometric balance, innovative textures, and cultural resonance, creating a harmonious blend of heritage and contemporary aesthetics that is both visually striking and universally relatable.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsIncorporating my father’s handwritten Chinese calligraphy was deeply personal. It connected the project to my heritage in a very real way — not just culturally, but emotionally. His calligraphy was something I grew up with, so weaving it into Serpent of Dreams felt like honoring my roots while reinterpreting them for a modern context.The challenge was preserving the authenticity of the hand-drawn strokes while adapting them into a scalable, modular system for digital platforms. It became a meaningful bridge between tradition and innovation — and a reminder that identity can evolve without losing its core.
My research focused on how serpents are viewed across cultures — not just in Chinese mythology, but also in Greek, Mesoamerican, and Indigenous traditions. Despite cultural differences, the serpent often symbolizes transformation, wisdom, and rebirth.This common thread inspired the design’s fluid geometry — the interlocking patterns, layered curves, and modular forms reflect that universal symbolism. I used geometry to echo both ancient motifs and modern aesthetics, creating harmony that could resonate cross-culturally while still feeling grounded in my own heritage.
To ensure universal appeal while respecting traditional Chinese symbolism, I focused on capturing the essence rather than replicating surface-level visuals. I began with deep cultural research and grounded the work in authenticity through my father’s handwritten calligraphy. From there, I translated traditional motifs into modular, geometric forms that could scale across modern platforms. This blend of cultural depth and contemporary clarity allowed the design to resonate across audiences without losing its roots.
The color palette was designed to reflect the emotional arc of transformation and the layered meaning of wisdom. Deep indigos and jade greens reference traditional Chinese aesthetics and symbolism—colors often associated with introspection, rebirth, and inner strength. I paired these with iridescent accents and shifting gradients to evoke movement and evolution, reinforcing the serpent’s role as a shape-shifter. The palette becomes a visual metaphor: grounded in heritage, but always in motion.
To ensure consistency across digital and physical mediums, I built a flexible visual system based on modular components—scalable patterns, variable logo marks, and adaptable typography. I also developed motion principles that mirrored the serpentine flow, making the identity feel alive in digital spaces. For print, I used specialty inks and embossing to preserve the tactile richness. This system-first approach allowed the design to stay cohesive and impactful, whether animated on screen or held in hand.
The project began with a simple sketch inspired by my father’s calligraphy and quickly evolved into a layered narrative about transformation. I immersed myself in cross-cultural serpent mythology, which informed both the symbolic framework and the visual direction. A key turning point was developing the modular system—balancing organic forms with structured grids. Iteration through motion studies, print tests, and cross-medium prototyping helped refine the balance between emotional resonance and technical flexibility.
Winning the Bronze A’ Design Award affirmed my belief that cultural narratives can be both specific and universally understood. Serpent of Dreams reflects my vision of design as a language that bridges heritage and innovation. By translating traditional symbolism into a modern, modular system, I aimed to create a brand identity that invites deeper cultural understanding while resonating across global contexts.
To evoke a sense of fluid motion in static design, I leaned on principles from both calligraphy and kinetic typography—layering curved grids, directional flow, and optical rhythms. Gradients and interlocking forms create visual tension and release, mimicking the serpentine coil. This approach allowed even still visuals to feel alive and evolving.
Exploring serpent mythology across cultures showed me the universal power of this symbol—across China, Mesoamerica, and the West, the serpent embodies transformation, protection, and cyclical renewal. This insight helped me design a system that wasn’t just culturally specific, but archetypal—anchored in Chinese heritage, but open-ended enough to invite global interpretation.
Working between China and California shaped the project in profound ways. In China, I absorbed local symbolism and personal memories; in California, I translated those insights through the lens of global design standards and technology. The duality challenged me to be both culturally respectful and creatively adaptive, reinforcing the idea that meaningful design must be context-aware and globally conscious.
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