(Scroll to watch the animations)
I. Nowhere Land (3D)
II. Unwanted Bloom (2D Hand-drawn)
III. A Trip to Mystica (2D)
I. Nowhere Land (3D) Tools used: Cinema 4D, Adobe After Effects
Theme and Research of Nowhere Land:
This 3D animation, Nowhere Land, explores the drifting state of modern Chinese women in their 30s and 40s as they navigate between life’s expectations and self-identity. It is a story of a woman constantly searching for a sense of belonging, yet feeling trapped by the realities of life—children, family, work, or the absence of it. No matter how much she strives to find her place, she remains suspended in a space that seems to belong to everyone but herself. Rather than depicting exhaustion in a direct and literal way, the animation conveys it through metaphors—her solitary walk down an endless road, the withered grass lining the path, symbolizing emotional depletion, and the floating staircase symbolizing uncertainty and detachment. These elements reflect the quiet struggles of women who move forward despite never feeling fully grounded.
The inspiration for this animation comes from my personal reflections on the women in my own family and a podcast I listened to called Pen Ti. While feminism is rising globally, and many women in China are embracing feminist ideals, the reality remains deeply gendered. Chinese men are often able to dedicate themselves wholly to their careers—my father being one such example. In contrast, most Chinese women live dual lives, balancing both professional ambitions and familial responsibilities. Over time, many step away from the workforce entirely, devoting themselves fully to their families—just as my mother did, constantly juggling both worlds.
Modern Chinese women exist within a paradox: surrounded by family, work, and societal expectations, yet feeling isolated under the weight of it all. They inhabit a world that appears familiar, yet always lacks something essential—emotional fulfillment, personal space, or a true sense of self. Like a space that is both real and illusory, they exist in a Nowhere Land, constantly moving forward yet unsure if a destination truly awaits them. The journey is one of endless exploration—one of searching, losing, and rediscovering themselves.
This 3D animation, Nowhere Land, explores the drifting state of modern Chinese women in their 30s and 40s as they navigate between life’s expectations and self-identity. It is a story of a woman constantly searching for a sense of belonging, yet feeling trapped by the realities of life—children, family, work, or the absence of it. No matter how much she strives to find her place, she remains suspended in a space that seems to belong to everyone but herself. Rather than depicting exhaustion in a direct and literal way, the animation conveys it through metaphors—her solitary walk down an endless road, the withered grass lining the path, symbolizing emotional depletion, and the floating staircase symbolizing uncertainty and detachment. These elements reflect the quiet struggles of women who move forward despite never feeling fully grounded.
The inspiration for this animation comes from my personal reflections on the women in my own family and a podcast I listened to called Pen Ti. While feminism is rising globally, and many women in China are embracing feminist ideals, the reality remains deeply gendered. Chinese men are often able to dedicate themselves wholly to their careers—my father being one such example. In contrast, most Chinese women live dual lives, balancing both professional ambitions and familial responsibilities. Over time, many step away from the workforce entirely, devoting themselves fully to their families—just as my mother did, constantly juggling both worlds.
Modern Chinese women exist within a paradox: surrounded by family, work, and societal expectations, yet feeling isolated under the weight of it all. They inhabit a world that appears familiar, yet always lacks something essential—emotional fulfillment, personal space, or a true sense of self. Like a space that is both real and illusory, they exist in a Nowhere Land, constantly moving forward yet unsure if a destination truly awaits them. The journey is one of endless exploration—one of searching, losing, and rediscovering themselves.
The Character Prototype: My Mother
The image above is of my mother. I took these photos of her while she was working and taking care of household chores, capturing the quiet dedication that defines her daily life. The character's prototype, as I mentioned earlier, is inspired by my mother. She has always been caught between work and the endless demands of family life, rarely leaving time for herself to pursue what she truly wants. She often wears her hair in a low ponytail—simple, unassuming, just like the way she carries herself. She gives endlessly, quietly, without asking for recognition. That’s why I chose to give my character a low ponytail as well—to reflect a sense of humility, quiet strength, and the kind of selfless dedication that often goes unnoticed.
Creative Motif and Creative Decisions
I created Nowhere Land as a symbolic reflection
of Chinese women’s experiences in their 30s to 40s.
In this world, we see a woman walking alone on an
endless road—an open yet isolating space.
of Chinese women’s experiences in their 30s to 40s.
In this world, we see a woman walking alone on an
endless road—an open yet isolating space.
Along her path, she encounters a floating staircase, which she must step onto. The staircase is deliberately suspended in midair, representing the uncertainty and emptiness she feels about her own life. Though the steps physically exist, the moment she steps onto them, she is left floating—because this is not the life she truly desires. The act of climbing feels weightless, disconnected, as if she is being carried forward by an invisible force rather than her own will. That is why the staircase remains suspended, symbolizing the disconnect between her choices and her sense of self.
I chose white for her outfit because it represents purity and neutrality. I wanted to avoid introducing additional colors that might lead viewers to impose unintended interpretations. White is a color that carries minimal connotation, allowing the audience to focus purely on the emotions and atmosphere of the scene rather than being influenced by symbolic color associations.
In the following sequence, she continues walking, but something changes—the dry, yellow grass around her gradually turns green.
This transformation signifies that her efforts, though often unnoticed, have tangible value. The growing grass, trees, and flowers represent the nurturing of her family, the care she provides that allows children to thrive, or the way she maintains the household, ensuring everything runs smoothly.
Though the burden is heavy, her contributions shape and sustain the world around her. In many ways, she gives willingly, finding purpose in her role. Yet, over time, she gradually loses the space to prioritize herself, as her efforts become more about sustaining others than nurturing her own aspirations.
In the final sequence, she sits on a stone, pausing for a moment of stillness. Then, the stone beneath her gradually transforms into a cloud, lifting her gently into the sky. This moment embodies her longing to step away, to take a break, to detach herself—if only temporarily—from the weight of her responsibilities. The transition from stone to cloud suggests a fleeting sense of relief, a dreamlike escape from the relentless demands of her reality.
This animation does not seek to provide definitive answers but instead offers a meditation on the complex, often invisible struggles of modern women—the quiet sacrifices, the search for meaning, and the delicate balance between duty and self-identity.
Visual Aesthetic Inspired by Alex Colville:
The overall visual style of the animation draws inspiration from one of my favorite Canadian painters, Alex Colville, whose work often carries a surreal, contemplative quality. I aimed to capture a similar sense of quiet tension and psychological depth, where minimalism and precision evoke a profound emotional undercurrent beneath the stillness.
Making Process and Challenges
I created this 3D animation using Cinema 4D, and the process was quite challenging, as I had to ensure that the models I built would not clip through each other. For example, when designing the female character, my initial vision was for her to wear a loose, flowing dress to enhance the sense of detachment and weightlessness. However, after modeling it, I realized that during movement, the dress frequently clipped through the body, and controlling the walking animation became difficult. To resolve this, I replaced the dress with a pair of pants and a sleeveless top, maintaining the character’s fluidity while ensuring clean motion dynamics.
Another major challenge I faced was dealing with clipping issues and rendering errors. Every time I completed a rendering, small imperfections would surface. When I fixed one, another would emerge. For example, in the initial version, the character’s left hand kept trembling unnaturally while walking. After resolving that issue, the ground started shaking instead. Once I fixed the ground instability, the character’s movement began clipping again. This back-and-forth process led me to render a total of seven different versions. Even in the latest iteration, minor issues remain—such as the blooming of the green plants not appearing as smooth as intended.
II. Unwanted Bloom (2D)
Tools used: Procreate, Adobe Premiere Pro
This is a frame-by-frame animation I created using Procreate. It tells the story of a young girl who has always felt troubled by her naturally curly, lion-like hair. As she grows up, she tries various methods to straighten it, but nothing seems to work. Her curls make her stand out in a crowd, often making her feel out of place.
One day, by chance, she participates in an award ceremony. As the host scatters gifts into the audience, many people fail to catch them—except for the curly-haired girl. Her voluminous curls effortlessly secure numerous gifts for her. In that moment, she decides to embrace her natural hair.
My Animation Unwanted Bloom explores self-acceptance through the metaphor of curly hair as both burden and blessing. It traces a young woman's journey from perceiving her natural curls as a social liability to recognizing them as a unique strength, ultimately challenging conventional beauty standards through an unexpected moment of triumph.
I created this animation to challenge our tendency to magnify perceived flaws. The story interrogates how social anxiety often distorts our self-perception - what we dread as glaring imperfections might go unnoticed by others, while our attempts to "fix" ourselves might erase precisely what makes us extraordinary. Through the protagonist's hair journey, I aim to spark reflection on how societal beauty standards can make us self-censors, and how radical self-acceptance might reveal our hidden superpowers.
One day, by chance, she participates in an award ceremony. As the host scatters gifts into the audience, many people fail to catch them—except for the curly-haired girl. Her voluminous curls effortlessly secure numerous gifts for her. In that moment, she decides to embrace her natural hair.
My Animation Unwanted Bloom explores self-acceptance through the metaphor of curly hair as both burden and blessing. It traces a young woman's journey from perceiving her natural curls as a social liability to recognizing them as a unique strength, ultimately challenging conventional beauty standards through an unexpected moment of triumph.
I created this animation to challenge our tendency to magnify perceived flaws. The story interrogates how social anxiety often distorts our self-perception - what we dread as glaring imperfections might go unnoticed by others, while our attempts to "fix" ourselves might erase precisely what makes us extraordinary. Through the protagonist's hair journey, I aim to spark reflection on how societal beauty standards can make us self-censors, and how radical self-acceptance might reveal our hidden superpowers.
The Drafting Process
Tools used: Adobe After Effects, Photoshop, Premiere Pro
A Trip to Mystica is a 2D collage animation and a promotional video I made for my video game. It follows the whimsical journey of two small balls as they explore a world filled with breathtaking landscapes and unexpected discoveries.
This project is a fusion of still art and digital animation. I used Adobe After Effects to bring each movement to life. All the visual elements were carefully sourced and extracted from existing artworks. For example, the spheres and the cat originate from the paintings of Michael McGrath, while the plants, ocean, grasslands, and other background elements are extracted from Beato de Liébana, Códice de Fernando I y Doña Sancha. I used Photoshop to cut out and refine each piece, ensuring seamless integration into the animation.
One of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of the process was rigging the animals’ limbs, giving them realistic movement while maintaining the integrity of the original artwork. It took patience and precision, but seeing the once-static figures come to life made it all worthwhile and interesting.
This work represents my passion for blending different artistic mediums to create something new—bridging classical and contemporary art with modern animation techniques.
This project is a fusion of still art and digital animation. I used Adobe After Effects to bring each movement to life. All the visual elements were carefully sourced and extracted from existing artworks. For example, the spheres and the cat originate from the paintings of Michael McGrath, while the plants, ocean, grasslands, and other background elements are extracted from Beato de Liébana, Códice de Fernando I y Doña Sancha. I used Photoshop to cut out and refine each piece, ensuring seamless integration into the animation.
One of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of the process was rigging the animals’ limbs, giving them realistic movement while maintaining the integrity of the original artwork. It took patience and precision, but seeing the once-static figures come to life made it all worthwhile and interesting.
This work represents my passion for blending different artistic mediums to create something new—bridging classical and contemporary art with modern animation techniques.
Collage Board
@ Xinyu Zhang