We were lucky to catch up with Mengzi Han recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mengzi, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project is my graduation thesis.

I graduated from the Graphic Design program at California College of the Arts (CCA). The graduation thesis at an art school is not presented in the usual written form; instead, it requires the creation of an art piece that aligns with the given theme. The graduation design project holds immense importance for art students and serves as a significant milestone. It represents the culmination of years of learning, as well as an expression of personal thoughts and concepts.

The graduation theme for the class of 2022 was “REAL.” Initially, I had no ideas or inspirations for this theme, and honestly, I felt stuck. Due to the outbreak of the pandemic from 2020 to 2022, I couldn’t visit art exhibitions or museums like before, which limited my access to inspiration and hindered the development of a unique design concept. During this time, I struggled to create design pieces that truly satisfied me; instead, my focus was on completing assignments without experiencing any striking moments. This resulted in a personal sense of low spirits, accompanied by disappointment and self-doubt.

In the three weeks leading up to the confirmation of the theme, I changed numerous topics, such as the impact of the increasing flat design trend on app icon design or the influence of games on perception of reality. Each week, classmates and professors would share their perspectives in Zoom meetings, offering suggestions and guiding the next steps. I observed that everyone except myself seemed to have clear goals, which made me increasingly anxious and nervous. Towards the end of the third week, during a conversation with Rachel Berger, the Chair of the Graphic Design department, she sensed my anxiety and frustration. She asked me a question: “What does ‘REAL’ mean to you? Just ask yourself, without considering others.” Hearing this question, it felt as if all the clouds disappeared. I realized that I had been overly concerned about everyone else’s progress, feeling anxious about the environment, and had forgotten to listen to my own voice. After a minute of silent contemplation, I discovered what I truly wanted to create.

In my world, fantasies are “REAL.”

This became my final design theme. From there, I officially entered the subsequent design phase. My graduation design predominantly utilized Augmented Reality (AR) as its medium. I believed that, apart from Virtual Reality (VR), AR technology could bring me closer to the world I imagined. I designed a hooded cape that I could wear, with different materials representing how I perceived the functioning and existence of my bodily organs.

I used various fabrics to create different parts of the cape that covered specific organs. For example, the hood represented the head, and I used transparent PVC in purple and green tones. The collar was made from polarized and semi-transparent fabric and tulle, folded like a flower, creating a sense of breathability. The heart area was designed with gear-shaped fabric, while the lungs featured a mesh-like fabric combined with rough-textured, thick fabric, resembling bronchial structures made with thicker strings. Additionally, I created AR animations by collaging photographs I took of the head, heart, and lungs. By downloading the ARTIVIVE app on their mobile devices or tablets, viewers could scan the images and watch the animations while listening to accompanying sound effects. Even a slight screen rotation provided a sense of depth to the 2D animations. I incorporated three separate layers into each animation to enhance visual effects and interactivity. When I wore the cape, each audience member could scan me using their mobile device and enter the reality of my imagination.

This is my personal interpretation of the theme “REAL,” and my graduation design has become my most satisfying and meaningful work to date, serving as a fulfilling conclusion to my college life. I always remember Rachel Berger’s question: “Ask yourself, what do you think ‘REAL’ is？” I also hope to present this question to everyone: When you feel anxious and lost, don’t forget to listen to the voice within yourself.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I studied graphic design. When applying for university, I initially chose photography as my major. During my high school years in China, I attended an international school, which exposed me to the American curriculum at an early stage. In high school, I opted for media art and photography courses. Prior to that, I had self-studied two photography textbooks from New York Photography, which gave me a basic understanding of photography. In high school, I further solidified my knowledge of camera optics, composition, and practical use of Adobe software. I have always had a passion for drawing and art, as well as visiting art galleries and history museums. Ever since my father gave me a DSLR camera, I loved capturing things around me, documenting life, landscapes, and culture.

By the end of my freshman year in college, I decided to switch my major to graphic design, as I believed it was a better fit for me. Graphic design is the art of combining images, typography, and whitespace. I excel in designing logos, brand identities, posters, book layouts, typography, motion graphics, AR, photo collages, web design, and other visual arts. In my senior year, I interned at a company where I worked on web design and product promotional graphics. Now that I’m officially working, I have designed official websites for two companies, created layouts for my company’s Amazon store, refined and designed all product images for Home Depot listings, collaborated with our photographer on capturing and editing product lifestyle photos and videos, as well as creating animations in post-production.

Through work, I have gained valuable social experiences that cannot be learned from textbooks. As a young designer, I believe my insights can bring fresh ideas to the company’s products. In my work, I have developed a deeper understanding of studio lighting under the guidance of our company’s photographer, and I have become proficient in using various photography equipment, which has broadened my horizons. In my spare time, I engage in activities related to my personal interests, such as traveling, photography, and creating fan art for my favorite games and anime. Photography and art are my true passions. Although the repetitive nature of work sometimes makes me feel numb, whenever I hold a camera or a paintbrush and complete a piece of work that satisfies me, I feel the passion reignite within me.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Currently, I am primarily focused on working as a designer for the company and do not have immediate plans for starting my own business. However, I have always dreamed of creating an independent game or working for a game company. One book that inspired me in the field of photography is the “New York Institute of Photography Textbooks,” which I mentioned in a previous question. When it comes to books that inspire me, I am particularly drawn to art concept books. They allow me to draw inspiration from both the text and the images while gaining insight into the artists’ thoughts and creative processes. Examples include works by H.R. Giger and Junji Ito.

In terms of gaming inspiration, one book that comes to mind is “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream,” which also has a video game adaptation of the same name. I believe that inspiration can come from various forms of artistic expression, not just from written works or visual art. I consider games to be a form of art as well. Therefore, allow me to recommend some of my favorite games and audiovisual works:

Movies/TV Shows: “Alien” (Ridley Scott), “Prometheus” (Ridley Scott), “Des” (Lewis Arnold), “Love, Death & Robots.”

Games: “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream,” “Dark Souls,” “Bloodborne,” “Scorn,” “Rusty Lake,” “Dark Seed” (H.R. Giger, Peter Delgado, Jeffrey Hilbers).

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I believe that the most valuable aspect of being an art creator is the ability to bring things imagined into existence in reality, like create the creations. It is challenging to materialize what exists within the human consciousness, and there are countless approaches to achieve this. I dislike the notion that everything has only one correct answer; what I aspire to do is explore infinite possibilities and emphasize the process of creating something. There are various mediums through which all things can be expressed, and when this creative endeavor is accomplished, the resulting achievement brings me immense joy.     

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mengzihan.wixsite.com/mengzihan https://mengzihan.wixsite.com/mzhphotography
• Instagram: dewfall_mz
• Other: email: [email protected] textmassage: +1 6265506534

Image Credits
Thesis，photography, illustration and graphics all from Mengzi Han