Save Calendar: A Design Awakening Gratitude for Food

Mengjia Li's Award-Winning Illustration Promotes Economy and Opposes Waste

Mengjia Li's Save Calendar stands out for its unique blend of modern design and national characteristics. The design captures the changes of the four seasons in the field, combining this scenic imagery with calendar modelling. This fusion of elements creates an illustration design that is both contemporary and distinctly Chinese.

The design was realized using computer software to create a series of detailed and beautiful illustrations. These were then produced using high-level printing and manufacturing technology. The technical specifications include printing illustrations of 800mm (H) x 800mm (W) (sheet size), with a data size of 1800mm (H) x 1800mm (W), 300dpi, cmyk.

The Save Calendar was a collaborative effort, with Huo Kai serving as the Art Director and Li Mengjia as the designer. The design was created in Shenyang, a major agricultural product producing province, in 2020. The design process involved extensive research, with the team focusing on the changes of the fields in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and how these changes could be depicted in a national tide style.

One of the key challenges in creating the Save Calendar was accurately capturing the characteristics of the four seasons in the field. This involved combining the scenery of the four seasons with color changes, and distinguishing the four seasons by color to create a modern aesthetic. The design also incorporates month and season information at the top of the screen to further highlight the theme of frugality and remind people to cherish food.

The Save Calendar has been recognized for its creativity and innovation, winning the Silver A' Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Award in 2021. This prestigious award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that demonstrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.