Who wrote the font "Beijing 2008" for the Olympic Games?

From left to right, the core designers of "China Seal" are: Zhang Wu, Guo Chunning and Mao Cheng. Xinbao reporter Zhang Wei/photo

The emblem of the Beijing Olympic Games-"Chinese Seal Dancing Beijing" unveiled the mysterious veil to the whole world. Who created this unexpected design? Where did the inspiration come from? Yesterday, our reporter interviewed Beijing Shichuang International Planning Co., Ltd., the design unit of the emblem, and unveiled the veil hanging over the creation process of the emblem.

The origin of the emblem prototype

Guo Chunning's Sketch on A4 Paper

Guo Chunning, the creator of Seal of China, is the creative deputy director of Beijing Shichuang International Planning Co., Ltd. Since the emblem design competition was launched on July 2 last year, Guo Chunning has entered the design state.

"I have been thinking about what the Olympic Games are. This is a festival. So, what elements are extracted from the traditional culture of China to express this festival? " Guo Chunning clearly introduced his creative ideas to reporters. "I thought of calligraphy from the beginning, and I used Chinese characters representing China culture to make shapes."

Following this idea, Guo Chunning began his creative idea: to create a new word "Jing" with seal script, which means new Beijing and great Olympics, and then to personify the word "Jing" and transform it into a human figure that runs, jumps and even dances, faster, higher and stronger.

Then, with what carrier to express the word "Beijing", Guo Chunning naturally thought of the traditional seal of China.

But it is not easy to concentrate on these ideas. Guo Chunning began to draw the first number on a piece of A4 paper. "Because of work, I can't bury my head in design every day and draw a few strokes when I am busy." Guo Chunning said. It was not until more than 100 sketches were drawn on this page that the graphics that made him feel satisfied appeared.

At this time, there are still two days before the deadline for submitting the competition plan.

Guo Chunning was a little confident and worried after handing over this plan that embodied "Dancing Beijing". I wonder if there is a plan similar to mine. Fortunately, one month later, OCOG informed the person in charge of the founding company that the "Dancing Beijing" scheme they submitted needed to be revised as one of the alternatives.

Emblem modification process

Learn from ancient Oracle Bone Inscriptions.

Under the leadership of the Olympic Organizing Committee, Pioneer Company set up a scheme modification team. Zhang Wu, the creative director, is the team leader, and the members include Guo Chunning and another designer, Mao Cheng.

The word "Jing" in the scheme submitted by the founding company is sealed in the seal, and the abstract human figure is somewhat curled up and not stretched enough. Zhang Wu told reporters that according to BOCOG's revision opinions, there were eight or nine major revisions and countless minor revisions, which were still being revised the day before they were submitted to the State Council.

In the process of revision, the design team has two opinions. Zhang Wu advocates a more exaggerated form, while Guo Chunning advocates a more dignified form. Finally, everyone agreed to do some refinement on the prototype.

"The modification of the emblem has taught us another lesson of China traditional culture," Zhang Wu said. The dragon character of Oracle Bone Inscriptions and the dragon claw of the stone made in China are "input" into this model. The main modification is to "open" the seal and adjust the arms and legs of the human body to stretch it. The final human form is more unrestrained.

Zhang Wu explained that this figure is a snake with a head, and this shape was used to represent a hero in ancient China. The Olympic Games is also a grand gathering to call for heroes.

Review preparation period

Started research five years ago.

Zhang Wu revealed to reporters that in this emblem design competition, they voted for six schemes, including Chinese seal, Sun Moon Mountain and Peking Opera masks. And these six schemes are selected from hundreds of schemes.

As early as five years ago, the founding company began to study the Olympic culture and formulated the strategy of participating in the Olympic image design, which is a huge systematic project. When they bid for the Olympic Games, their plans entered the top ten.

"It is both inevitable and accidental that we can win in the end." Zhang Wu said, "It should be said that our emblem scheme is the most suitable emblem for most people." (Reporter Bai Yanlong)?

Carve the Olympic emblem

Prototype: Qianlong "Tianbao"

Difficulty: Contrary to conventional procedures.

The emblem of Beijing Olympic Games is based on the "Treasure of Fengtian" of Qianlong in the "Twenty-five Treasures of Qing Dynasty" collected by the Forbidden City. It is made of beautiful jade from Hotan, Xinjiang, and carefully carved into two identical sides by the master of Beijing Gongmei Group with the same jade.

The biggest problem in making the "Olympic emblem" is the selection of materials. Jade cutting is usually based on materials, and it is based on materials. This time, the carving of the "Olympic emblem" is just the opposite. First, you need to design the scheme, and then find the materials. And you have to peel a piece of material and dig a piece of material to cut out the emblem with the same size on both sides.

Hetian jade is the earliest jade used in China. It is produced at the top of Kunlun Mountain, about 5000 meters above the snow line.

It seems that things got what they wanted. After looking for materials, the arts and crafts company in Hetian jade area of Xinjiang learned that Beijing Gongmei Group sent two jade materials from far away, and one of them was flawless after opening the door. As the saying goes, there are nine pieces of jade, but all six sides are cut by two centimeters. According to Bao Hui's design size, this jade material can only be carved on two sides. As the saying goes, carving jade talks about jade, so the "Olympic emblem" carved with this beautiful jade is really a match made in heaven.

Bao Hui is full of meaning.

All the dimensions of the "Olympic emblem" have special meanings.

The side length of Bao Hui is 1 1.2 cm, which means that from 1896 to 2008, the modern Olympic Games has gone through a history of 1 12 years. The desktop is 2.9 cm high, which means the 29th session.

Huibaoniu is 9.6 cm high, symbolizing China's land area of 9.6 million square kilometers;

The total height of Bao Hui is1.3cm, which represents the expectations of China people for the Olympic Games.

Making Bao Hui with blue-and-white jade has five meanings: taking the benevolence of jade, being warm and moist, representing the broad and inclusive Olympic spirit; Taking wisdom from jade and forging ahead represent the innovation and progress of the Olympic spirit; Take the courage of jade and persevere, representing the Olympic spirit of "faster, higher and stronger"; Taking the purity of jade and the pollution of dust represents the nobility and purity of the Olympic spirit.