Xiaoyi Hu

Blindness Multi-Sensory Research / Fire Flowers (Accessible Riso Comic)

Illustration - MA

School of Design

xiaoyihuart@gmail.com

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Fire Flowers (Riso Comic)

Preface A girl with a white cane walk through a close down a long stair

It is a usual day. Iris at home did her hair. She took out a red blossom hair pin from the drawer, and pinned it on her hair.

She then put on a blue dress and talked to her phone “Siri, what’s the weather like?” “It’s currently sunny at 25 degree. Temperature will be fairly consistent, averaging about 20 degree.” Responsed Siri. Iris put on her sun glasses and put on her shoes and grabbed her white cane and walked out.

It’s her familiar route. She crossed street walking among other pedestrians. She heard the hustle and bustle of the street and many different types of footsteps. Everyone’s shoes are different, she could hear from that.

As she walked forward, she heard a violin tune flowing in. A man playing violin in his home. In Iris mind, she saw an elegant lady in white dress playing violin beautifully passionately on an open stage.

Iris saw a girl with free spirit dancing with the tune in front of her. She grabbed her hand, they swirled round and round and round. The music slowly fade out and she heard the sound of a bouncing ball coming it.

It’s the basketball court. It always has this wire net around it. Iris knew it from her touch. There were always this “Clang Clang” sounds at the basket court. She wonder if the ball needs to hit against a metal plate?

She walked down long stairs. And walked through the meadow. Suddenly her face was touched by a branch of cherry blossoms.

Her skin feels the gentleness of flowers. She smells the subtle freshness of flowers. Flowers are a wonderful existence in the world.

She then arrived at a bridge. “Look at the sky! Wow it’s all red!” She heard a little girl say. “And look at the cloud! It looks like a fairy”. Another girl replied. “And that one looks like a squirrel.” “Those look like whales.” Iris stopped. She took off her sunglasses. She could feel the wind and the sound of the peaceful sea. She saw a flock of whales flowing by. People are always happy seeing sunset.

She walked back home, crossed street, among pedestrians in hustle and bustle. She went through closes. “Iris!” a familiar voice called her name and she felt a tap on her shoulder. It’s Sherry. A friend of hers.

(Boom Boom) Suddenly, there are these explosive sounds coming out! “What happens?” asked Iris. “It’s the fireworks display. I’ve read that it’s goanna happen tonight, but didn't expect it could be just seen here.” “Could you please tell what fireworks look like? I’m really curious.” Asked Iris. “Uhh… they are blazing. They come out suddenly and then disappear quickly. And they are dazzling and have different forms and colours. They are like fire flowers booming in the night sky.” Her friend tries to desc

Iris could feel countless very bright fiery flowers booming in the night sky. “Fire flowers are so beautiful.” She can’t help saying what she feels.

On the bridge she has passed by earlier on, Iris’s missing red blossom pin under the fireworks lights up as if the imaginative fire flowers she see in her mind came alive. It’s different yet beautiful.

FIRE FLOWERS - "It is not only through eyes to see"...

- A Project Exploring the Multi-sensory Experience of A Blind Character

This is a research-based fictional comic after an interview with a friend who lost sight in her childhood. In the interview, she was asked to describe a beautiful scene in her mind. To my surprise, what she depicted were her memories which felt visually vivid with colours, sounds, touch and scents.

Inspired by this, the sequential arts in this comic depict a blind character's multi-sensory interaction with the physical world through a daily walk in her neighbourhood. The story tries to convey the message that beauty is not only to be seen by eyes. Our other human senses subtly and deeply trigger a different type of imaginative beauty as if another reality of the world unknown to the sighted.

This research includes a zine of 6-page non-fiction comic and a comic book of 32 pages self-printed with risograph and hand binding with stitches. A series of printmaking methods (relief printing and blind embossing), animation, as well as audio book, were explored to make visual art accessible.

Fire Flowers (Audio Comic - Accessible Version)

Story by Xiaoyi Hu

Narrated By Siobhan Lumsden

Edited by Xiaoyi Hu

This is a comic-turned audio to make the comic accessible to the blind and visually impaired.

Braille and Blind Embossing

Braille and Blind Embossing are applied in this project to create a tactile sense for the visually impaired and blind.

Braille and Blind Embossing on the Comic Cover

Bio

I take illustration both as a means for self-expression and reflecting the world I am living. My recent theme focuses on the multi-sensory experience of blind people, where I seek to bring a more inclusive perspective to my audience and make comic accessible.

I am keen to collaborate with humanitarian/charity organisations on a creative project. Feel free to contact me for a project or for licensing request.