Don't Forget Me: A Unique Poster Design by Zhanglian Yan

Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War

Designer: Zhanglian Yan

Design Labels: Poster

Design Inspiration: The poster "Don't Forget Me" was created in relation to the drama of the same name, jointly performed by China and South Korea, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. The essence of the drama lies in themes of humanity, family affection, and love. The design of the poster draws inspiration from the dove of peace and the soil of homeland.

Design Unique Properties: What sets this poster apart is its representation of a wounded "peace dove" in soil form. This unconventional material and form presentation effectively conveys the idea of "No War and Cherishing Peace." According to the client, the poster evokes a powerful emotional response related to life, humanity, and love.

Design Realization Technology: The creation process involved manual drawing with soil to create the graphics, followed by brush and twig trimming for details. The image was then captured in a studio setting and processed using image editing software.

Design Specifications: The poster measures 840mm in width and 570mm in height. It was produced using offset printing. The image from the poster is also used in handbags, brochure covers, and online promotion.

Design Tags: Poster, drama, peace dove, 70th anniversary of the victory of Anti-Fascist War

Design Team Members: Zhanglian Yan

Design Interaction: The design interacts with audiences through posters, newspapers, and online promotion, inviting them to experience the live theater performance.

Design Location and Timeframe: The project started in November 2014 in Wuhan, China, and was completed in January 2015. The poster is used by Optical-valley Seers 17 Theatre.

Design Research: The design involved research into creating a wounded "peace dove" image using soil and exploring the methodology of soil image presentation. Additionally, research was conducted on lighting for photography and handling the reflection and tension of the soil material.

Design Challenges: The design faced challenges in presenting poster graphics in a new way, expressing drawings with a new material, and capturing the visual impact as a powerful emotional force.

Design Notes: The "Don't Forget Me" poster was created to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the joint performance of the drama by China and South Korea. The inspiration for the design came from the dove of peace and soil. By using soil as a medium, the design aims to convey a sense of intimacy, texture, and shock. This evolution also reflects the unexpected nature of the drama. Exploring visual expression with new materials was both challenging and interesting. The poster is also used in outdoor advertising, newspapers, and online publicity.

Image Credits: Photographer Zhanglian Yan

Awards and Accolades: The "Don't Forget Me" poster design was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in 2015 in the category of Graphics, Illustration, and Visual Communication Design. This prestigious award recognizes designs that demonstrate creativity, resourcefulness, and contributions to improving quality of life through art, science, design, and technology.