Cultural Scripts Reimagined: Danting Li Explores Typography and Form Through the SparksGlo Blind Box
- WODACC
- 12 minutes ago
- 5 min read
At the Future Art & Design Award UK 2026 Spring Season, designer Danting Li, co-founder of SparksGlo LLC, was awarded the Silver Prize in Packaging Design for SparksGlo Horse Sugar Script Blind Box—a project that reinterprets traditional calligraphy through contemporary packaging systems.
Rooted in cultural research and structural experimentation, the work transforms the Chinese character “horse” across multiple historical scripts into a collectible, interactive design experience. By merging typography, product structure, and blind box mechanics, the project moves beyond packaging as a container, positioning it instead as a medium for storytelling and discovery.
Porject Intro
Sugar painting, originating in the Ming Dynasty, is recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage of China. This gift set is designed for the 2026 Year of the Horse and creatively blends traditional sugar art with ancient Chinese character culture through a contemporary visual language. The box features a golden hoof motif, adding a luxurious and festive touch. While identical in appearance, each box contains one of eleven unique sugar paintings depicting the character “horse” rendered in different historical scripts: cursive, running, clerical, regular, seal, Wei stele, bamboo slip, oracle bone, bronze, Nüshu, and nine-fold seal script.
When stacked, the hoof-shaped boxes resemble glazed tiles on the roofs of ancient palaces. The packaging is both sturdy and elegant, with a custom inner tray precisely shaped for each script. A dedicated slot allows for easy removal. The blind-box format introduces an element of surprise and interactive enjoyment. During Year of the Horse celebrations, as loved ones exchange gifts, recipients cannot know which script lies inside until they open the box. Upon discovering the sugar painting, the recipient not only savors the sweetness of the candy but also appreciates the depth and continuity of Chinese culture embodied in this thoughtful gift.
Interview
Q: Please give us a brief introduction about yourself and your creative background.
Danting:
I am a senior graphic designer and co-founder of SparksGlo LLC, currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area. My work spans branding, packaging, typography, web design, and visual systems, with a focus on translating cultural narratives into contemporary design. I am particularly interested in combining traditional visual language with modern product experiences. Many of my projects explore how typography, structure, and material can communicate cultural meaning. The SparksGlo Horse Sugar Script Blind Box continues this direction by merging calligraphy, heritage craft, and collectible packaging into a cohesive design system.
To date, I have received more than 20 design awards, including the Red Dot Award, German Design Award, C2A Creative Communication Award, IDA Design Awards, AVA Digital Awards, American Good Design Award, Indigo Design Award, NY Product Design Awards, London Design Awards, Muse Creative Awards, French Design Awards, Shop! Design Awards, Vega Digital Awards, and the 2026 Future Art & Design Award UK, across multiple projects, reflecting both strong design execution and measurable market success.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in creative / art / design?
Danting:
I was always drawn to visual communication and typography. Chinese characters naturally combine image and language, so design felt like a natural path. I became especially interested in how historical forms can be reinterpreted through modern layout, structure, and material. Seeing traditional culture presented in contemporary formats inspired me to pursue design as a way to bridge past and present. I enjoy turning abstract cultural ideas into tangible visual experiences that people can interact with.
Q: Can you describe the creative process behind your work and what motivates you to create?
Danting:
My process usually begins with research into cultural context, visual references, and symbolic meaning. For this project, I studied sugar painting, historical scripts of the character horse, and the symbolism of the Year of the Horse. From there, I developed the core concept of combining eleven scripts with a blind box format.
Next came structural exploration. The hoof shaped packaging became the key visual anchor. I refined proportions, stacking behavior, and internal tray geometry so that each script would fit precisely. Typography, product form, and interaction were designed together as one system.
What motivates me is creating designs that people can discover gradually. I like building layered experiences where form, structure, and content reveal meaning over time.
Q: What was the most exciting or challenging part of creating the work you submitted to the competition?
Danting:
The most exciting part was translating calligraphy into packaging structure. Each script of the character horse has a different rhythm and silhouette. Designing custom inner trays that match each form required balancing protection, usability, and visual harmony.
Another challenge was keeping the exterior identical while allowing variation inside. The blind box concept depends on mystery, so the packaging had to communicate quality and cultural depth without revealing the content. The stacking behavior was also carefully designed so multiple boxes resemble palace roof tiles, adding an architectural layer to the visual storytelling.
Q: How would you describe your creative style and the key characteristics that define your work?
Danting:
My style focuses on clarity, symbolism, and structural storytelling. I often use simple forms with strong conceptual foundations. Typography plays a central role in many of my projects, especially when combined with packaging or spatial composition.
Key characteristics of my work include cultural references, clean geometry, and interactive elements. I also pay close attention to how objects behave physically. Stacking, opening, and handling are treated as part of the visual language. I aim to create designs that feel minimal at first glance but reveal deeper meaning through interaction.
Q: What has been your experience participating in the competition? Were you satisfied with the process and results?
Danting:
The experience was very positive. The submission process was clear and allowed the concept, structure, and visuals to be communicated effectively. I appreciated that the judging focused on both design thinking and execution.
Receiving the Silver Prize in Packaging Design was very encouraging. It confirmed that culturally driven packaging can resonate with an international audience. The recognition also helped highlight the potential of combining heritage craft with contemporary product design.
Q: Where do you see the future of the art and design industry heading in the next 5–10 years?
Danting:
I see design moving toward more meaningful and experience driven work. Cultural storytelling, tactile interaction, and collectible formats will become more important, especially as digital content becomes more saturated. Physical design that offers emotional connection will stand out.
I also think designers will increasingly reinterpret traditional culture through modern systems. Packaging, typography, and product design will merge more closely. Sustainability and modular structures will influence how objects are designed and reused.
Overall, the future of design will focus less on decoration and more on narrative, interaction, and cultural relevance.
Editor’s Note
In SparksGlo Horse Sugar Script Blind Box, Danting Li demonstrates how packaging can move beyond function into a layered cultural experience. By embedding typography, structure, and interaction into a unified system, the work invites users to engage not just with an object, but with a narrative that unfolds over time.
It is within this balance—between tradition and contemporary design logic—that the project finds its lasting resonance.
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