We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Wenxu Zhao about their original and creative Illustration design work. Wenxu Zhao is an award-winning communication designer, that makes our world a better place with their original illustration works.
Wenxu Zhao ("WZ") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Night Tale Illustration. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
WZ : The core concept of this work is to construct a symbolically rich and emotionally resonant visual journey through the character of the “Strawberry Fish Girl.” She is the embodiment of my inner world, my alter ego. As a Pisces, the “fish” represents my imaginative, emotional, and fluid nature, while the “strawberry” symbolizes sweetness, softness, and a longing for healing. Whenever night falls and my mind begins to drift, this character naturally emerges. The inspiration for this series comes from my personal growth, dreams, and deep self-reflection. Coming from a rational background in mathematics and transitioning into the pursuit of artistic freedom, I often found myself caught between logic and intuition, self-exploration and societal expectations. The Strawberry Fish Girl was born from this emotional state. Her journey is a surreal yet grounded path of self-discovery, filled with fantasy but tinged with the realities of life. Nature is one of my most profound sources of inspiration. I’m deeply drawn to flowers, animals, and the emotional shifts brought by seasonal change. These elements frequently appear in my work, often carrying symbolic meaning: the peacock stands for inspiration and hope, the tiger represents pursuit and ambition, and the glowing dragonfly symbolizes guidance and the lightness of thought. Through this series, I aim to explore the balance between fantasy and introspection, using visual language to capture emotions that are otherwise difficult to express. It serves both as my personal emotional diary and as a poetic response to the loneliness and longing for hope often felt by people living in modern cities.
WZ : My main focus was to authentically express the complexity of emotions through visual storytelling, particularly themes like getting lost in pursuit, fleeting hope, and the quiet companionship of oneself. I wanted this work to be more than just a dreamlike visual experience; I wanted it to evoke a psychological resonance, a gentle yet profound emotional connection that invites viewers to feel softness, vulnerability, curiosity, and resilience within themselves. In terms of composition and character design, I aimed to use surreal imagery to give form to intangible emotions. Recurring animal symbols serve as psychological projections of the character: the tiger represents intense ambition and drive, yet the girl often loses her way in a maze-like landscape, symbolizing how we’re frequently derailed by external distractions in real life. The peacock, whose eyes sparkle with falling stars each night, represents creative inspiration and enduring hope. Glowing dragonflies, butterflies, and fireflies embody those small yet radiant moments of beauty we encounter in daily life. Through the story of the Strawberry Fish Girl, I hope to inspire viewers to reconnect with their own inner world. Whether it’s young adults navigating life transitions or urban dwellers seeking a moment of stillness, I want them to find pieces of themselves within the series. For me, art is not about grand narratives. It’s about tender connection. It creates a space for pause and self-awareness, allowing people to momentarily step away from the noise of modern life and rediscover a sense of presence and emotional clarity.
WZ : I plan to develop the “Strawberry Fish Girl” into a continuously expanding visual storytelling project, including picture books, creative merchandise, and immersive exhibitions. In the future, I will illustrate her in various scenes, wearing different outfits to express a range of emotions and narratives. These designs will appear not only in standalone artworks but also in a variety of merchandise such as postcards, stickers, journals, tote bags, and art prints, creating a collectible, emotionally resonant product series. At the same time, I hope to develop more “related characters” around the Strawberry Fish Girl, her companions, who may be other girls or animal figures with symbolic emotional and natural traits. Together, they will form a complete, gentle, and whimsical fantasy universe.
WZ : The concept took about a year to develop. It began with the idea of the fish girl, which went through multiple drafts and visual explorations. Later, the element of the strawberry was introduced, ultimately shaping the character’s final identity. I then designed multiple storylines and explored various directions in visual storytelling. Through a process of self-reflection, the series gradually came together and evolved into the body of work it is today.
WZ : This project was entirely initiated from personal inspiration. As someone who tends to internalize emotions, creating art is a way for me to dialogue with myself and better understand who I am. Through the Strawberry Fish Girl’s journey, I transform unspeakable thoughts and feelings from everyday life into visual symbols, using a poetic and dreamlike language to express emotional nuance. Although the series may appear intimate and personal, the emotional states it explores, such as confusion, hope, loneliness, and self-identity, are universally experienced. Through this character, I hope to create an emotional connection, allowing viewers to find deep resonance within a fantasy world that may seem distant, yet feels profoundly close to the heart.
WZ : It has not been produced by others. I plan to produce and use it myself.
WZ : I’ve always been passionate about visual storytelling that blends fantasy with emotional reality, especially using imagery to express inner emotional landscapes. The creation of the “Strawberry Fish Girl” allowed me to bring together my love for illustration, color, poetic metaphor, and natural elements, particularly floral motifs and animals, into a cohesive visual world. This series emerged during a period of self-reflection and uncertainty in my life. As I navigated identity shifts and the unknowns of the future, I felt a strong need to record my emotions in an honest and gentle way. The Strawberry Fish Girl was born from this desire, she is both a projection of my inner world and a way for me to explore, understand, and reconstruct reality through imagination. Through works like this, I aim to build a bridge between fantasy and reality, using delicate yet truthful visual language to offer both myself and viewers a space for pause, reflection, and emotional healing.
WZ : While I primarily follow my intuition when designing, my approach to visual expression has been shaped by many artists I admire. I’ve appreciated the narrative sensitivity of Shaun Tan, the intricacy and texture in Victo Ngai’s work, and the emotional atmosphere created in Studio Ghibli’s films. These influences have subtly informed how I convey mood, imagination, and symbolic meaning in my own artistic voice.
WZ : The design appeals to both young adults and adults, especially those who enjoy poetic visuals, introspective themes, and imaginative storytelling. It resonates with viewers who are experiencing emotional transitions, searching for self-identity, or navigating moments of solitude and personal reflection. This series may especially appeal to people with a sensitivity to aesthetics and emotion, including artists, writers, creatives, and those with an affinity for nature, fantasy, and symbolic imagery. It also speaks to audiences who find comfort in visual storytelling that combines softness with psychological depth, viewers who may be going through life changes, creative blocks, or moments of quiet longing.
WZ : What makes this work unique is the way it combines personal symbolism with emotional sensitivity and poetic visual storytelling. Unlike many fantasy-themed illustrations that focus solely on aesthetics or narrative, this series centers around the “Strawberry Fish Girl,” a character who embodies my inner emotional states and self-reflection. She is not just a fictional figure but a mirror of my internal world. Each journey she takes and every scene she appears in symbolizes a shift in emotion or thought. The series becomes a form of visual self-narration, immersive, symbolic, and emotionally layered, offering a deeper psychological experience within a whimsical, dreamlike setting.
WZ : The main character in my work, the “Strawberry Fish Girl,” is named after two symbolic parts of myself: “strawberry” represents a longing for sweetness and comfort, while “fish” reflects my Pisces nature—intuitive, imaginative, and emotionally rich. She is both playful and introspective, a reflection of my inner world. The series itself is titled Night Tale, which captures the tone and emotional essence of the work. “Night” represents a time of quietness, dreaming, and introspection, a space where imagination awakens and hidden thoughts surface. “Tale” emphasizes the narrative aspect of the series, as each piece forms part of a larger emotional journey. Together, the title suggests a poetic exploration of one’s inner landscape under the veil of night, a visual diary of dreams, doubts, longings, and quiet hope.
WZ : I primarily used Photoshop to digitally create the illustrations. For the design-related elements, I also used tools like Canva to assist with layout and presentation.
WZ : I believe the most unique aspect of my design lies in the small creatures and subtle details within the scenes, like the dragonflies hidden in the maze, the tiny insects, and the little stars living on the peacock’s feathers. Their expressions and interactions add layers of narrative and emotion to the work, inviting viewers to look closer and discover hidden moments of connection and wonder.
WZ : Technology enabled me to blend digital and traditional methods seamlessly. Digital tools allowed for rich layers, clean revisions, and experimentation with light and texture, essential in building the magical, immersive quality of the artwork.
WZ : The design was primarily influenced by emotional and psychological reflection. I researched symbolic meanings of animals, colors, and visual storytelling strategies in picture books and film to shape the series’ emotional logic.
WZ : The biggest challenge in creating this work was finding the right balance between visual complexity and emotional clarity. At first, I often tried to include every idea, story, and symbol in a single piece, which led to overly crowded visuals that diluted the emotional focus. I also struggled with perfectionism, constantly revising, scrapping, and starting over, trying to make every detail flawless. This mindset led to creative anxiety and stagnation. Over time, I realized that the most powerful works are not necessarily “perfect,” but honest. I began to follow my intuition more closely, practiced restraint, and focused on emotional flow and rhythm rather than packing in too much information. This shift helped me rediscover the joy of creating, and the work itself became more breathable and emotionally resonant. Letting go of perfectionism was one of the most important breakthroughs I experienced in this series.
WZ : I wanted my work to go beyond personal expression and reach a wider audience, people who could understand and connect with it, even across different cultures. Although this series is rooted in my own inner experiences, its themes, such as confusion, emotional fluctuation, self-identity, and hope, are universal and can resonate beyond language and geography. My goal was to bring the story of the Strawberry Fish Girl to a broader, global stage and to build emotional and creative connections with audiences and artists around the world.
WZ : One of the biggest lessons I learned during this project was to trust my intuition and embrace the beauty of imperfection. In the past, influenced by my background in mathematics, I often focused on structure and precision, sometimes to the point of over-controlling my work. But through this series, I came to realize that genuine emotional expression often emerges not from strict control, but from organic flow. I also began to recognize the value of personal experience. What may seem like subtle or private emotions can actually reflect universal feelings. When I allowed myself to honestly portray my inner fluctuations through visual language, I found that viewers could sense the authenticity, and that emotional resonance gave the work its strength. This discovery reinforced my desire to tell stories through poetic symbolism and introspective imagery.
WZ : Just that this series is ongoing. I’m excited to continue building the Strawberry Fish Girl’s world and hope to share her journey through immersive installations, books, and cross-media collaborations in the near future.
