I am an enthusiastic graphic designer, I have been fortunate to explore various design practices and perspectives, from intercultural to decolonized design, as I have transitioned from China to America.

Currently, I am pursuing my second master's degree in the Design and Environmental Analysis program at Cornell University. I invite you to join me in my world of design and photography utopia.
Linghao Li ｜李凌昊
MA Design in D+EA ‘24
MA Graphic Design and Visual Experience ‘22
BFA Visual Communication Design ‘16
Cornell University｜SCAD｜TAFA
+ 1 912-391-7213 | ll933@cornell.edu
Behance / Instagram / Linkedin / Mail

Design Works
Photography Works
Research Topic
About Myself
Resume/CV

Graphic design isn't just a profession for me; it's a fervent passion. While I may not be able to pinpoint a singular 'design style' that defines me, I take pride in my prowess in illustration, my affinity for font design, and my meticulous approach to typesetting. The entire design process, from conception to realization, brings me immense joy.

Having received the most structured and comprehensive design education in China, coupled with diverse professional experiences, I thought I had a firm grasp on the design world. However, when I set foot in the United States in the summer of 2019, I was introduced to a radically different design education paradigm. This shift prompted introspection: What, at its core, is design? A question so fundamental, yet one that I found myself grappling with, despite it having been posed and answered myriad times before. This existential design quandary propelled me towards the scholarly realm of design research. While I may still be searching for that elusive answer, my unwavering faith in the transformative power of design remains intact. Welcome to my envisioned design utopia.

SongGuang Font - a Mongolian Font Design
Lucky Love - an Information Design
Entangled- an interactive exhibit proposal
Daily “AI” Poster
My Powerpuff - a Typography work
One Time, One Memory, One Story
Martian Language - a Typography work
Please Stop Stealing Sheep
The Perfect Human
Hello World - a Themed Exhibition
Wish You a Happy New Year
HARBIN Architectural Forest
The Apotheosizing Tales of Mine
Oi! Matcha - An Illustration Design
Love’s Poison - a Lable Design
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Illustertion Collection II
Tarot in Y2K
Illustration Collection I
Daily Poster Exercise
More Case

THE APOTHEOSIZING TALES OF MINE

MY FINAL DESIGN WORK FOR MY UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

06/2021

I began with love. I can barely recall when I was a child, my first playing card was themed with character drawings from the classic Chinese novel, Fengshen Yanyi. Ever since then, I entered the world of novels and read a lot of ancient Chinese literature. But my favourite novel is still “Fengshen Yanyi“.

I enjoy sharing it with others, which certainly includes my preferred book Fengshen Yanyi. However, when I spoke with my peers, acquaintances and siblings around me, I observed that the appeal of classic tales about divine beings and malevolent spirits appears to be waning, and everyone favours the type of narratives centred on superhuman abilities that originate from the USA. There are numerous causes for this trend, and I also want to contribute my part in bridging the gap between books such as "Enchantment of the Gods" and present-day youth. So, these ideas slowly developed into my graduation project.

The way this book was designed helped me understand it better. I imagined myself as one of the fairies, growing up alongside them. Each fairy had their own individual personality, just like my friends and classmates. They faced difficulties in life, but they didn't let it defeat them. The admirable qualities of their character are exaggerated, idealized, and legendary, yet they are just like us, and everyone around us is also their own and each other's heroes.

I gathered extensive information and concluded that illustration is the best method of expression. After experimenting with various styles, I discovered the one-line colouring technique. I believe it's modern, impactful, and easy to understand. This highly simplified and bold technique can reduce distance and stimulate children's interest, which is my target age group.

Furthermore, I have tested and refined the colour scheme through various iterations of the programme. Gradually, I selected a current set of traditional, highly saturated colours to convey the mood of each character. By borrowing a range of hues and saturations, I added colour to the graphics and achieved an in-depth expression of the content.

The idea behind my rendition of Fengshen Yanyi is to use the concept of this legend to depict the determination and unique traits of each ordinary person. I hope the audience senses the fun in my expression and becomes intrigued by "Fengshen Yanyi", while reflecting on my original intentions.