Searching for some visual references.

Mood: Pek Chek

 

Whenever I research before designing, I get to this pekchek point where I just need to stop or I'll implode due to the excess amount of information. Chinese superstitions are slowly getting on my nerves. I feel no such attachment towards it of late because they really are quite ridiculous. THAT IS WHY IT'S A GOOD THING I'm doing this project - so that I can find the joy in reading about it and then, spread the love about it to the other people (see what I did there?). *Forgive me for my pessimistic vibe - hell week before recess is getting me down, naturally.

Anyway, I found out new information about Chinese Superstitions, but this time relating to Food, because:

1- I cannot live without my food

2- I guess that's a way to keep me interested in the topic

3- Everybody's interested in food, it's relatable, and you have to consume it alldayeveryday

4- The thought that there are certain rules to follow when eating around superstitious grandparents 

Personally, my parents always brought me up in a not-so-traditional, slightly more "westernized" environment where we wouldn't even hang CNY decorations during the festive season (Red's a little too jarring for our eyes). It's a little sad to be honest. My aesthetic preferences don't really tally with normal Chinese households (not sure if that's a good or bad thing though). For my info-graphic and project, I totally agree that the aesthetics should reflect my cheena roots. The thing is, I don't know where to find my roots :'(   ok sorry I'm whining again (long day today). 

What makes a design uniquely (Singaporean) Chinese?

When we went to Chinatown, I saw a lot of Chinese calligraphic lettering designs. Most of the signs were bilingual and they used bold colours to attract attention. It's possible that I'll have to include Chinese characters in my design (for formality sake and as a design element). I think it'll be interesting to see how I can abstract certain parts of a complicated Chinese character to form a layout. 

Park Sunset, Tokyo Banana inspired layout.

ALSO:

Elements abstracted from Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine packaging:

1- Rice paper

2- Calligraphy

3- Chinese characters

Possible? I think so........... Hmm.