Under the topic: "A completely new superhero inspired by Vietnamese culture and history", many impressive art works have been cteated by students of Graphic Design (Digital Art & Design) - FPT University Ho Chi Minh City.

Dr. Glenn Wyatt, FPT University’s lecturer of Graphic Design (Digital Art & Design) brought up this special topic in his class. Before being a lecturer at FPT, Dr. Wyatt had lived and worked in many countries and had the opportunity to experience many different cultures. During such time, Dr. Wyatt had studied quite a lot about Vietnam. Thanks to the knowledge and affection he has for Vietnamese culture, recently, the lecturer has launched the topic "Design a completely new Superhero inspired by Vietnamese culture and history” for K15 students during the subject Visual Communication.

 

From this thread, K15 students of Graphic Design have made many art works about their new "superheroes” with the touch of some old Vietnamese cultural traits.

Superhero day and night fighting for epidemic prevention, by student Ho Thi Thanh Thao.

 

Ho Thi Thanh Thao with the work of superhero Blue Lotus shared, this is a work inspired by a hero with shield and armor fighting against dangerous diseases for human beings. 

“The codename of this superhero is Thanh Lien, written in English as Blue Lotus. Lien is a medical student who was selected to wear a battle suit to fight against disease monsters,” is Thao’s idea for her work.

Thao's choice of superhero character was not due to the current Covid-19 epidemic only, but because she wanted it to reflect a superhero that fights disease in general, as for in her homeland, people get sick every year for many reasons. This superhero character is inspired by her sister who is a final year student at Medical University and always works day and night to protect the health of others. 


According to Thao, the monster in this drawing is a mosquito, the cause of malaria and dengue fever. In addition, as a designer, she wanted to draw “something different” because Corona Virus's image has been used too much recently. With this work, Thao would like to express the message of appreciating the dedication of the anti-epidemic "superheroes", not only to Covid-19, but all epidemics ever. 


Together with the design of "mechanized" “ao dai” and “khan dong” under digital drawing techniques using FireAlpaca software, Thao's anti-disease superhero really impressed the viewers as well as brought emotions. 

Above is the art work of Thanh Thao. Meanwhile, student Nguyen Dang Dung also had a very unique idea. The character "tuong si" was inspired by “ca tuong” (the traditional performing arts) – a part of the traditional artistic culture of the Vietnamese people. “I chose this character because I feel that “ca tuong” is a topic that is less exploited by young people like us. So I wanted to refresh the topic from this idea", said the talented student.  

 

Even the name, "tuong si" is a very new idea when including factor "superhero" and the traditional artistic soul of the nation.

 

This character is a figure imagined and created by Dung combined from the classical characters he knew. Honoring them as “superheroes”, Dung said, although in modern times, much old cultural value of the country has been forgotten, there are still people who spend their whole life devoted to protecting the cultural heritages of Vietnam. "Therefore, in my opinion, for Vietnamese culture, all the artists, characters of traditional arts are heroes", Dung said. 

 

"Stay home, stay safe" is a message that Le Minh Tu wants to convey through his superhero character Graber.

In another art work inspired by the "heroes" in daily life, who are working day to day throughout the time of Covid-19 epidemic despite heavy work load and danger: the lovely Shipper uncle; Le Minh Tu created his “flying” hero.

“Reading articles about Grab shippers volunteered to deliver to many dangerous zone of the corona epidemic, I decided to take pictures of them as my inspiration. Their action is very heroic, precious and praiseworthy”, Tu shared.

Another art work described strength coming from the balance and harmony of Vietnamese cuisine. Student Dao Le Nhat Tan designed the character "superhero" with codename “Ngu” (“five” in "five elements"," five spices"). 

Superhero "Ngu" representative of the balance and harmony of Vietnamese cuisine - idea of student Dao Le Nhat Tan.

Tan shared, this character's power is to control, transform and combine the five elements in food, spices or even from nature into power to attack. To a certain extent, the character can turn from raw energy and shape it into corresponding forms of food and spices.

 

This idea of Tan came to him as he was missing the taste of many food after the long time of "home isolation" due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Therefore, he thought of an image of a character related to Vietnamese cuisine. 

“Through researching on our country's traditional culinary culture, I really liked the concept of the five elements and the rules of yin and yang in Vietnamese cuisine. The five spices also correspond to the five elements. Each dish, symbolized as a bowl of pho in the center of the drawing, represents the balance between yin and yang, which is between hot and cold food and the harmony of the five spices according to Vietnamese culture”, Tan explained his idea. 

 

“This is a practice on visual effect so the students are free to choose the technique and the drawing means they would like to use. They might use a computer or hand-drawing. What is good about the drawings is to give viewers a complete visual effect (impressive, good-looking) to convince the eyesight of the viewers. This is a form of arts so it is not constrained by technical factors but mainly made by applying the principles in the exercise”, said Mr. Nguyen Viet Tan, lecturer in Digita Art & Design, FPT University. Mr. Tan was also the persion who shared the drawing art works of K15 students widely on social networks.

 

Moreover, according to Mr. Tan, this topic shows the heroes in the heart of each individual. So the heroes may come from Vietnamese culture and daily life, however it is not an existing pattern but new idea from each individual's perspective. Therefore, each drawing is highly personalized and unique. 

 

"Graphic Design students have high self-discipline in studying, being active and always desire to explore new aesthetic values", Mr. Tan made comments about students of Graphic Design at FPT University HCM City. 

Let’s explore more creative works from FPT University’s K15 students of Graphic Design:

 

 Trieu Van Su, a "superhero" with the ability to summon souls of literary – by Student Luu Khanh Han.

 

The art work of student Bui Gia Han, inspired by the Grab Food "heroes" in the current Covid-19 season.

 

Mi I "suddenly" turned into a "superhero" especially for women, by student Le Pham Bao Vy.

 

Portrait of "superhero" Dong Lao - combative, ready to protect the honor of the country - the creation of student Dang Gia Bao.

 

HOANG NHUNG

Translated by RUBY