Fu, a New York Based Robot Illustrator.

June 9th, 2011
Hi, Art and Robotic tech Lovers,

My name is Fu.

I am a Taiwanese artist/designer based on New York City. I majored in Industrial Design in college and have a master degree in NYU Interactive Telecommunications Program.

I have always dreamed about living here since I was a little child. And now, through the window, I can see the magnificent Manhattan skyline. Living in New York City is like a dream comes true.

MY PASSIONS

I am eager to learn new stuff and challenge myself – graphic design, web design, product design, transportation design, toy design, robot sculpture, physical computing, app developing, illustration design, cross-platform software developing, animation design and etc.

For example, when I came to NYC, I immersed myself at ITP, this crazy and inspiring place established by Red Burn where you can easily bump into geeks, artists and geniuses. I've made some cool grad school projects with ITPers like:
GlassNotes- an installation that automatically knocks crystal glasses to generate music.
Typing Monster (2011 Adobe Design Achievement Awards - semifinalist)
- an installation that visualizes typing pattern and turn it into a monster.
Kineticut - an educational installation took place in New York Hall of Science that teaches children kinetic energy.
MangoRun (2010 Adobe Design Achievement Awards - semifinalist)
- a voice-powered multi-player racing game.
Knock Knock - an interactive performance that transforms knocking sounds into visual effects on a 121 feet big screen projection.

( GlassNotes - an installation that automatically knocks crystal glasses to generate music. )

( Kineticut - an educational installation took place in New York Hall of Science that teaches children kinetic energy. )

( Typing Monster (2011 Adobe Design Achievement Awards - semifinalist)
- an installation that visualizes typing pattern and turn it into a monster. )

( Knock Knock - an interactive performance that transforms knocking sounds into visual effects on a 121 feet big screen projection. )

I AM A ROBOT GEEK

I also created cross-platform applications and mobile apps. For my thesis, I created an iPad/iPhone multitouch game for family and friends - ROBOT 99. ROBOT 99 has been featured as AnscaMobile App of the Week, FWA Mobile of the Day, Slide to play, The Gamer with kids, AppSpy, and etc. It has over 37,000 downloads and it can be purchased on App Store in over 26 countries.

( ROBOT 99 )

( ROBOT 99 Party )

( ROBOT 99 happy family time )

I AM AN INDIE ARTIST

I love art and have traveled around the world in participating in independent art festivals from: 19th Independent Art Festival in Belgium, MoCCA Independent Comic Festival in New York City, and the upcoming IndieCade Independent Game Festival. It seems like I am bound with "Independent Festival". : )

( 19th Independent Art Festival in Belgium )

( 19th Belgium Independent Art Festival. I sold my first illustration to this man. )

( MoCCA Independent Comic Festival in New York City )

WHAT I AM KNOWN FOR – FU-DESIGN

I started to create Fu-design.com (previous) during the time I was waiting for my mandatory military service in Taiwan in 2003. It was the first time I tried to combine illustrations with interactive web design.

In 2005, I launched a new Fu-design.com. On the new version of Fu-design.com, visitors can navigate illustrations in many interesting way: controlling a clip machine, moving a magnifying lens, drawing with chalk and more. They can even create, save and share their own Fu Robots. Fu-design.com has been featured as FWA SOTD, as well as Moluv, Davey Gold Award and Webby Award nominee. The website best presents my love in combining interactive design and illustration design.

( Fu-design.com )

COMMERCIAL LIFE & APPEARANCES

In 2004, German publisher Taschen, selected my art into Illustration Now! - Top 150 illustrators in the world. In 2006, I was invited to participate in 19th Belgium Independent Art Festival.

My design studio, Fu-design has engaged in many commercial design projects, including Vodafone Ireland Banners, Moshi product promotional animations, Mr. Taylor Japan company image website, Acer Funtown image homepage, and etc.

( For full list of my clients, please visit my 2011 resume. )

( Iver wedding consultant official website )

( Pro-Life Tech )

CRISIS OF THE HEART

However, the more I worked in the commercial projects, the more I felt lost. My heart wanted to learn something new, something exciting, something to help me jump out of routine design work. Moreover, I wanted to know a better way to use all my knowledge to express and present my illustrations. That’s how I ended up in the perfect place for me - NYU ITP (Interactive Telecommunications Program) - the frontier of interactive design.

NEW YORK IS INSPIRATIONAL

New York City is a city full of energy and somehow frustrating...."New York, love it, or hate it!" This is what people told me. Here, I practiced my English skills, received more medical treatment, worked on school projects, got married, immigrated to US residency, and started my own company with my wife, Claire. See Fu-design, Inc.

After one year of preparation, we finally launched our online store - Fu-design Store, which provides art lovers with high quality products associated with my illustrations, including canvas art, graphic trucker hats, iPhone capsule cases, gadget sleeve cases, and etc. We see our products the perfect combinations of art meets lifestyle fashion. We hope to let more people know (and love) my illustrations through these beautiful products.

( Fu-design Store )

( New Yorkers meet Fu-design. )

( graphic trucker hats )

( iPhone capsule case )

( iPhone capsule case )

Now, before my 30th birthday, I finally have time to look back at what I've done, what I've learnt, where I've been, whom I've known, and document it. I want to thank all the people whom I'v worked with. It's you folks who enrich my life. In the following years, I hope to keep working on all those interesting projects, drawing, creating, playing, maybe programing, and never stop learning.

Thanks for reading.