Rocky expresses his understanding of Eastern “Shanshui 山水” (mountains-water landscape) through his font design. His concept, “Carefree Landscape,” draws inspiration from the literati’s idea of "carefree wisdom," an integration of Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist thought from the Wei and Jin dynasties that embodies a harmonious unity between humans and nature. This sense of carefree wisdom is conveyed through imagery of ascending mountains and viewing rivers, symbolizing an open-minded, unrestrained spirit filled with refined elegance.

Rocky weaves this philosophy into his font design, transforming letters into visual landscapes. In his work, fonts go beyond their function as language symbols to become visual elements that convey aesthetic meaning. His font design morphs text into "figurative letter forms," where letters seem to transform into mountains and rivers, crafting a new visual language that blends the essence of landscapes with textual expression.

Advisory: Gabriel Drozdov
Design: Xitong Yuan (Rocky)
Web Specimen: Xitong Yuan (Rocky)
Special Thanks: Doug Scott & Tina Zhou

RISD Graphic Design 2024 Fall