Sheng Moua

Out of a need for a fun mascot geared towards kids and families, I designed and illustrated Reina the Rhino. Based on a masterpiece from our collection, I was able to transform a 3,000 year-old bronze rhinoceros into a kid-friendly mascot which has been implemented in everything from Rhino Club backpacks and plush toys to an enamel pin (collaboration with Valley Cruise Press).

Highlight of select exhibition creatives

As lead designer on exhibition creatives my responsibilities included logo design and development, producing large scale environmental graphics, printed and digital marketing materials, wayfinding signage for the special exhibition galleries, providing design assets for retail merchandise, website and social media deliverables and other as needed additional marketing campaign collateral.

Shows include:
Looking East
The Rama Epic
Flower Power
Couture Korea
Young-Hae Chang Heavy Industries
Divine Bodies
Painting Is My Everything
Haroon Mirza: The Night Journey
Kimono Refashioned
Tattoos in Japanese Prints
Changing and Unchanging Things
Awaken

Read about the full process in this selected case study and other exhibition creatives that I worked on here.

Product Design Concepts

I created four designs that catered to our members’ artistic tastes and aesthetics. The tote bags featured artworks from the museum collection.

Publication and Layout Design

The Asian Members’ Magazine needed a refresh in layout and design for 2018. As the Asian Art Museum prepares for a new transformation project, the magazine needed a transformation as well.

The direction of the magazine refresh needed to be done tactfully and without giving it a newly constructed look. The previous design was practical and functional but we could feel the excitement of members and internal stakeholders waning.

With bolder imagery, content and layout design, I developed a more engaging, impactful issue of the magazine that didn’t sacrifice function over design. Ultimately our team received much praise from members and museum staff for copywriting, design and art direction.

Read the latest issue here.

Contributors: Director of Creative Services, Kat e Ritchey and Writer/Editor, Nina Hufford

Environmental

I designed a large format environmental ad for a Double Decker Bus. Marketing wanted to feature evergreen artworks from our collection so that tourists visiting San Francisco could see these objects all year-round.

Lead graphic design and art direction of Membership and Development Collateral refresh.

Working with the Director of Creative Services and Writer/Editor, we developed collateral that was cohesive and consistently branded. I collected images and created a photo treatment and graphic design that evoked a sense of transformation and refreshed design.

Overall our intention was to create collateral that fit into one package and was representative of our vision for the museum post-transformation.

There were over 96 print pieces that I designed and developed and took a little over 4 months to complete and send to print.

Print, Product Design

I redesigned the membership cards featuring three of the museums’ most beloved masterpieces. Originally only one design was to be selected, but our internal client decided to produce all three.

Invitation Design, Print

For the 2019 Annual Nexus Dinner, I developed a design that reflected the elegance and modernity of the event and venue. As there was no real set theme, I suggested using an artwork that was recently acquired by the museum. I also created a custom illustration based on the piece that acted as an accent element.

Working closely with the print vendor, I requested a copper foil detail with a shortened flap to reveal the artwork on the side. In order to push the contrast, I asked for 2 hits of black to ensure the black was saturated and rich.

This A10 invite provided drama and surprise and the internal clients found the effect of the design compelling and visually enticing.

Paper: Mohawk Eggshell Cover
Finish: Copper Foil, 2 hits of black
Printer: SFSee Graphics

Layout and Publication Design

Art direction and graphic design of an in-focus exhibition featuring contemporary Japanese ceramics and sculptures.

I wanted to develop a layout that was modern and classic; something that would not detract from the artworks themselves. Working closely with the Head of Publications, we produced a gorgeous brochure that members and visitors could take home. The brochures were so popular we needed to reorder more prints every few weeks to replenish our inventory.

Read the full publication here.

Design, Print

This classic, one color Save the Date was designed with luxury in mind. I worked with our vendor in creating a core color seam by mounting a total of 4 sheets together for a thickness of 36 pt. The striking red color added an extra layer of vibrancy to the minimal design and included a soft touch coating, which added another level of richness to this Save the Date.

Paper: 2 sheets of Coated Silk Cover and 2 sheets of Reentry red cover mounted together for 36 pt caliper
Finish: PMS 186 and Soft touch coating
Printer: SFSee Graphics

Program Creative

Lead designer of Thursday Nights creative. Projects included logo design, posters, lamppost and streetpole banners, online banners, postcards and environmental graphics.

The San Francisco Symphony’s Education department invited me to revitalize their Adventures in Music! Student Journals and Curriculum Books, which hadn’t been updated in over a decade.

To elevate the design, we began by selecting a core Pantone color, which became the foundation for a cohesive and vibrant look. I developed a graphic motif of circles and dots that brought playful energy throughout the booklets, moving away from the dated, Word-like layouts. Custom icons were also introduced to highlight key information and enhance usability for students and teachers.