Type Face: Visual Identity by Ken-Tsai Lee

Ken-Tsai Lee is a Taiwanese-born designer and principal of the Ken-Tsai Lee Image Design Company, an agency based in New York City. He was enlisted to create the visual identity of the 2011 Chinese Character Arts Festival, a joint venture by China and Taiwan.

In creating the logo it was important for Lee to avoid controversy by seeking to favor one country over the other. Different Chinese characters are used in Taiwan and China, so he decided to utilize the “eight basic strokes” utilized in both cultures.

His approach was also influenced by his experience in the U.S.:

“When I was in New York, I thought that why called Type as Type Face? Because the different types look like different people’s faces? What can [I] present of Chinese face? Guan Gong of Chinese Opera mask. Using the eight basic strokes to compose the Chinese Opera mask to present the idea of Chinese characters.” ¹

¹ Source: Ken-Tsai Lee’s Behance.net portfolio.

Via Hiiibrand