Iron Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design · 2022
Day Code Chinese Almanac
by Wan Fen Chen
- A' Design Award 2022 Iron Winner in Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design
- Awarded April 15, 2022
- CLIENT: Maruko Design Studio
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 12,617
- Verification code 23C47F70A4 · Verify this award
About Day Code Chinese Almanac
In Taiwan, calendars is in addition to telling the date, they could tell the fortune hours and which zodiac animals signs should be careful during that day, according to the calendar. It includes things that could be achieved smoothly today and which ones people should put aside for some other time. When look at the calendar, Wan Fen Chen always think: what if Wan Fen Chen transposed the information on the calendar from printed words to icons? The page would look marvelous and unique after transposition and rearrangement. Therefore, the Day Code - Chinese Almanac came into being.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- On the calendar in Taiwan, in addition to providing information regarding the records of ancestors’ wisdom – lunar calendar. It also tells people to welcome good fortune and avoid bad omens every day. Nevertheless, the information is provided in verbal form. Day Code - Chinese Almanac presents signs transposed from words. It also filtered and deleted some suggestions for incompatibility in the regular lunar calendar and selected reminders suitable for modern people: marriage, business contract, opening a business, moving, etc. to remind them which items are suitable or unsuitable to be done today.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- w100 mm x d36 mm x h143 mm
- Tags
- Lunar calendar, calendar, graphic design, vintage, tiles with floral patterns
- Production Technology
- Risograph and Perfect Binding
- Design Challenge
- In the digital era and the modern times, few people use printed calendars. It may promote people’s intentions of using printed calendars by adding interesting and functions, such as: enlarging the note section, adding specially designed stickers for reminders, etc. to transform a regular calendar into a diary.
- Project Duration
- The project started in January 2022 and finished in December 2022 in Taiwan
- Operation Flow
- No punch holes on the calendar. Pages are intact. The calendar is placed on a special rack to present a simple setting. On the note column and blanks, reminders of today can be written there. Using the corresponding reminder stickers, users can record things to do, time arrangement, thoughts, wish lists, etc. transforming a calendar into a diary.
- Research
- Transpose words into simple and comprehensive graphics Using risograph technology, random derangement, uneven coloring, imperfect and unexpectable printing features adds a vintage feel. Traditional Taiwanese tiles with floral patterns and iron windows are used on the design to add Taiwanese style to the design. Now, the lunar calendar is commonly used by the Taiwanese in daily life. Therefore, in addition to dates of the solar calendar, the lunar calendar, corresponding to the wax and wane of the moon, are displayed completed.
- Inspiration
- Is today suitable for moving? In the 1960s to 1980s, on the walls of every family in Taiwan, calendars presented by xx companies or oo stores were hanging there. People tore off one page early in the morning to celebrate the coming of a new day. In addition to telling you the date, you could tell the fortune hours and which zodiac animals signs should be careful during that day, according to the calendar. It includes things that could be achieved smoothly today and which ones I should put aside for some other time. On this little piece of paper, many codes of daily life were hidden there.
- Image Credits
- Creator & Visuals: Wan Fen, Chen
Colors of Day Code Chinese Almanac
Design Interview about Day Code Chinese Almanac
On the calendar in Taiwan, in addition to providing information regarding the records of ancestors’ wisdom – lunar calendar. It also tells people to welcome good fortune and avoid bad omens every day. Nevertheless, the information is provided in verbal form. "Let's turn over decades of calendars, make some changes, and try to convert words into patterns!" The idea came naturally.
The transformed image can clearly convey the meaning it represents.
Introducing this calendar to more other countries and let more people know about Taiwan's culture.
about half a year.
Day Code - Chinese Almanac is the first work under its own brand after the establishment of the studio. The idea of designing this calendar has been around for many years, so the studio's first product was decided to be it.
The calendar has been listed on the fundraising platform last year. Production operations for Day Code - Chinese Almanac in 2023 are now underway. This is also the last year that Day Code - Chinese Almanac is published. I am very happy that this calendar has a perfect ending.
Nowadays, most people use smart phones or digital calendars to check the date, but I always find the calendar in Taiwan very interesting. Every day, it will tell you the auspicious times of today, and which things that could be achieved smoothly today, It’s a bit similar to the fortune today of the horoscope. I want to keep this tradition alive.
Tiles and iron windows are one of the representatives of Taiwan's traditional design. The square continuous geometric tile pattern and the iron window pattern formed by the bending and welding of iron bars constitute the layout design of Day Code - Chinese Almanac.
Female aged 25-45.
About 60 calendars were published in Taiwan last year, most of which were themed on daily affairs of life. Only this one was themed on the peasant calendar.
In this small piece of paper, in addition to telling you what month and day it is today, it will also tell you which hours are good today, which zodiac signs should be careful, which things will go smoothly today, and which ones put aside and will be done another day. They're like code.
Adobe illustrator.
Using risograph technology to print with random derangement to add a vintage feel.
I did the project by myself.
It is not easy to convert text into images and still convey the meaning clearly. The part about the image has been corrected until everyone can understand the meaning of the image.
I want more and more countries to know Taiwanese culture.
The printing method of this calendar is risograph, only two colors are used for each page. The color richer by blending colors and color density. A lot of work has been done on the color.