Victo Ngai's Blog, page 2
January 27, 2018
January 17, 2018
Norse MythologyVicto NgaiI am so excited to reveal the cover for...
Norse Mythology
Victo Ngai
I am so excited to reveal the cover for @neil-gaiman ’s Norse Mythology paperback, hitting the shelves on March 6th, 2018. I have always been a fan of mythologies and fantasies as well as Neil’s books and lectures, so unsurprisingly I devoured this book when it first came out in hard cover format, adorned by Sam Weber’s beautiful cover. It was a beautiful surprise when the paperback cover fell into my lap, and I was able ready to jump right in without needing to read the manuscript.
Water and stars have always feel timeless to me, I imagine Mjölnir being washed up on a shore of stars. How did the hammer end up in the sea? Maybe the not-the-brightest Thor has lost it, yet again, or maybe the gods and human have been long gone. Either way, the mythologies endure, and the cycle continues. Another reason behind the water concept is that the Norse world is flooded both when it is created and destroyed. What fascinates me the most about Norse Mythology is its cyclic perspective on time, which Neil has elegantly written in this book’s introduction: “Had Ragnarok happened yet? Was it still to happen? I did not know then. I am not certain now. It was the fact that the world and the story ends, and the way that it ends and is reborn, that made the gods and the frost giants and the rest of them tragic heroes, tragic villains. Tagnarok make the Norse world linger for me, seem strangely present and current, while others, better documented systems of belief felt as if they were part of the past, old things.” This image can be from any point of time in the world of Norse Mythologies.
Personally I think a good illustration doesn’t just create a scene, it creates a believable mythology. The richer the story-telling details, the more believable the myths are. The decorations on Mjölnir are inspired by the world which the hammer defends: we have Midgard and Asgard in the middled, connected by the World tree are and the rainbow bridge, surrounded by the Midgard serpent. The world tree extends to the handle where we can find the dragon Nidhogg. The two circular symbols on the side are the sun and moon.
Many thanks to Neil Gaiman, AD Steve Attardo and W.W.Norton.
January 11, 2018
Following the Great WallVicto NgaiFrom the dusty desert of Gansu...
Following the Great Wall
Victo Ngai
From the dusty desert of Gansu province to the rolling waves of the yellow sea, The Great Wall of China stretches across much of North China, it is the longest man-made structure in the world, if all pieces of the wall were added together, experts believe it would measure around 13, 171 miles ( 21,196 km). The wall isn’t just a wall- it has watchtowers, castles, and other fortifications with mesmerizing landscape and nature-life dotted in between. Unfold this pull-out wall frieze and travel along the Great Wall of China.
You can get a copy anywhere books are sold in American or online at https://tinyurl.com/yawbak2z
December 25, 2017
A Very Merry X’Mas from Mixc and Me!Victo NgaiThe inspiration...
A Very Merry X’Mas from Mixc and Me!
Victo Ngai
The inspiration behind this Christmas image was “gifting” as it has long been the heart of the holiday. The title of this piece is “Mixc Christmas Workshop”, a reference to the Santa’s workshop, we see Mixc Elephant giving the Little Girl a behind-the-scenes VIP tour. Instead of depicting the “exchanges”, I want to focus on the “making” of gifts, as the best gifts are those which much thoughts, love, and care have been put into. I believe a great gift is also one that’s tailored specifically to the recipient, therefore the tour the Little Girl is an exclusive one. If you look closer, you will see that she’s the only human in this image. Perhaps somewhere in a parallel dimension, another Mixc Elephant avatar is giving another kid a bespoke tour. Contrasting the launch image of Mixc World, which showcases a community of shared happiness and festivities, this one is about the intimate individual experience and relationship with the space.
To capture the sense of wonder and magic of Christmas , I worked with the idea of “infinite possibilities”, represented by the box within the box within the box and the multiple Mixc Elephants and Little Girls.
Elephant and little girl is main characters in the opening image of Mixc World, It is my intention to create a series of narration with reoccurring characters through the 3 consecutive Mixc World campaigns, I hope Mixc Elephant and Little Girl will become familiar friends with the audiences, and that audiences can partake in this visual journey. Besides the familiar faces, many themes and ideas are carried over to this image from the launch image. For examples, the stripe motif is present here to sustain the impression of a continuous world.The idea of “all is in one, one is in all, infinite possibilities” lives on, with the Mixc Elephant being both outside and boxes and inside the boxes. And of course, the sense of curiosity, wonder and fun set the tone for both of these pieces.
I left 13 elephants as Easter egg of the image in the Mixc World Launch image. This time, rather than hiding elephant motifs in the image, I have given nods to some beloved Christmas icons, such as the Nutcracker, the Radio City Rockettes, the Light of Bethlehem, The Polar Express, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Santa’s helpers, Christmas’ candles at the window, peppermint cane.
December 16, 2017
Lit too Bright
Victo Ngai
Cover illustration for Lit Too Bright...
Lit too Bright
Victo Ngai
Cover illustration for Lit Too Bright by. “For fans of literary classics such as The Catcher in the Rye comes a stirring new thought-provoking novel from debut author Sam Miller about a loss shrouded in mystery with twists and turns down every railway.” Art Directed and type designed by David Curtis.
November 30, 2017
Society of Illustrator NY SelectedVicto NgaiHonored to have six...
Society of Illustrator NY Selected
Victo Ngai
Honored to have six pieces in this year’s @soi128 Annual Competition
November 29, 2017
How a leopard sheds its spotsVicto NgaiHow a leopard sheds its...
How a leopard sheds its spots
Victo Ngai
How a leopard sheds its spots ✌️ (asset relocation) Latest for CIOlDI magazine, fun projects guaranteed when you work with @sbuzelli ⭐️
November 13, 2017
Q60 Final AnimationQ60 Animation Mock Up Key FramesQ60 Concept...
Q60 Final Animation
Q60 Animation Mock Up Key Frames
Q60 Concept Sketch
Q60 Line Art
Q60 Final Illustration
QX30 Concept Sketch
QX30 Line Art
QX30 Final Illustration
Infiniti and Beyond
Victo Ngai
I am so excited to share with you this recent collaboration with INFINITI. There are a few qualities that captivated me and eventually inspired the art pieces: elegant, powerful, daring, and forward while redefining boundaries and possibilities.
The main stories of the INFINITI QX30 and Q60 are both about blazing new trails where there were none, as a way of saying that INFINITI and its drivers are trendsetters instead of followers.
The QX30 being a crossover, I have placed it in a rugged outdoor scene, where mountains move apart to let it pass and show off its power and durability. The Q60, which feels more metropolitan to me, is placed in a busy city where roads are always packed, but our creative and stylish vehicle manages to defy gravity and create its own path. The infinitely receding surface of the skyscraper is meant to echo the “open road” concept which inspired the logo of INFINITI.
October 26, 2017
sbuzelli:
PLANSPONSOR October 2017 illustrations part 1
Always...
Art by Victo Ngai
Art by Jackie Ferrentino
Art by Jasjyot Singh Hans
Art by Nicole Xu
Art by Melinda Beck
Art by Riikka Laakso
PLANSPONSOR October 2017 illustrations part 1
Always so much fun and among good company when you work for @sbuzelli ! A cover for the latest Plansponsor about moving money! Channeling my inner Botero with the chubby acrobats.
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