For the past 20 years, Huang Tien-chin has constantly sought inspiration to achieve a breakthrough in his career as an art designer. As a typical Chinese man of letters, he respects others' opinions while at the same time sticking to his own principles. He never concerns himself with money or politics, and never wavers in his ideals.
As living standards have improved in Taiwan, the people are seeking a more refined lifestyle, a better environment, and more beautiful things. Division of labor led to art design becoming a popular pursuit. Companies entering the field expanded until they covered services such as advertising, garment design, interior decoration, window display, design of household appliances, and art design for such printed matter as magazines and newspapers.
The Fifth Season. One of the oldest companies in the field, with 14 years experience, is the "Fifth Season."
Founded by Huang Tien-chin, who was born in a well-to-do family at Shenkeng in Taipei County, the company specializes in art design for posters, wrapping paper and related items. Although Huang has shown talent in the field of art since child hood, neither he nor his family attached much importance to it until he passed the college entrance examination and was admitted to the Economics Department of Soochow University. There, his enthusiasm for art was once again aroused. In spite of his family's objections, he gave up the chance to continue his education, and started to learn painting from Chang Yi-hsiung.
After serving his time in the armed forces, Huang first tried his hand in an advertising agency designing newspaper materials. As his interest increased, he decided to go to Japan, where he majored in graphic arts during an 18-months course.
On his return to Taiwan, Huang worked for an advertising agency. Though his art works won numerous prizes, he left the company after he discovered that its customers tended to downgrade the artists' ideals.
The idea of starting his own art design company first came to him after he joined the Epoch Publicity Agency owned by J. F. Chang. There he was in charge of advertising and art design for publications and posters. In 1968, he became the art editor of Economic Today as a side line job, and received many requests from friends to do extra work for trade posters and commodity catalogues. To organize his work schedule more effectively, he decided to start his own art design company.
"I wanted to create a new style based on surrealistic principles, rather than merely fall into stereotyped patterns. I thus conceived the idea of extricating myself from the cycle of four seasons, and creating a fifth season," Huang recalled. His Fifth Season Company soon became a reality.
His first customer was J. F. Chang, his old boss, who is now publisher of Woman magazine. Chang entrusted Fifth Season to take charge of the art design for all the publications of the Epoch Publicity Agency. In giving this vote of confidence, Chang recalled an incident which occurred when Huang was working as art designer for a book introducing free China published by Epoch Publicity Agency in 1964.
When Huang discovered that some of the photographs in the book were not up to standard, he decided to go out with his camera and take some more himself. Though he had never studied photography, he read books, consulted specialists and conducted experiments on darkroom techniques until he was able to take the pictures he wanted.
Later, Huang knew that printing techniques and machinery acquired 10 years ago were not up to modern standards, and decided that if he wanted to make a breakthrough, he had to conduct basic research into art printing himself. He stayed in the print shop every day until he had mastered the operation of all the equipment. Even old hands had to admit that his techniques are superior to theirs.
Despite these achievements, Huang's most notable successes still lie in the field of pure art design. This is shown by the way in which, while designing the cover for Taiwan Trade Monthly, he used his photography and darkroom techniques to create a dramatic effect using only two colors. His talent and hard work won him the post of art designer for Woman and Scooper Monthly.
Another noted sponsor of his work is Chen Yuan-chien, publisher of the Outdoor Life magazine. Chen considers that Huang is always striving for perfection, and never considers any reward. He recalled that when he first published Outdoor Life in 1976, Huang volunteered to act as art editor from the first issue without any salary, knowing that Chen was short of funds at the time.
Huang considers that a good art editor is like a costume designer. Art design gives life to a magazine, and creates a style to match its contents. This was the principle he used while designing 300 Years in Taiwan for the Outdoor Life magazine.
Huang visited the Central Library and several other information centers to study written matter and photographs concerning the modern history of Taiwan. He asked friends in Japan to supply materials on the period of the Japanese occupation. For two years, he put aside all other projects to devote himself to the task. By the time the book was published, Huang had become a specialist on Taiwan's history.
In addition to his artistic and historical knowledge, Huang is respected by his associates for his proficiency and scholastic achievements in the English and Japanese languages. He ceaselessly absorbs new knowledge and concepts from foreign journals, magazines and books. He says: "An art editor must have three qualities as well as interest and talent. First, he must keep up-to-date on the latest technical know-how. Second, he must understand the market and world trends in order to make appropriate changes to his style. And last but not least, he must be original. He should never copy or imitate others' works."
Today, the Fifth Season still has only three employees. Huang explains: "If the company becomes any larger, we will waste too much time on personnel and general affairs problems. It will become impossible to concentrate on art design. My main aim is quality rather than quantity." In this pursuit, Huang has expended considerable time and money, but it never bothers him. It is perhaps not surprising that although Huang is 47 years old, he has never married.
[Picture Caption]
Huang Tien-chin, founder of the "Fifth Season" art design company, has constantly sought inspiration to achieve a breakthrough in his career as an art designer for the past 20 years, and right; some of the characters he has designed.
1. A striking poster designed by Huang Tien-chin. 2. To design the cover for Taiwan Trade Monthly, Huang used his photographic and darkroom techniques to create a dramatic effect using only two colors. 3. His talent and hard work won him the post of art designer for Woman magazine.
Huang's best photographic works－(1) outdoor activities, (2) Lin Hui-min, head of Cloud Gate Dance, rehearses one of his dancing pieces in the bed of the Hsintien River. This picture has been used as a cover for Woman magazine. (3) Candles lit up in a temple for the worship of Matsu, Goddess of the Sea.
Huang Tien-chin, founder of the "Fifth Season" art design company, has constantly sought inspiration to achieve a breakthrough in his career as an art designer for the past 20 years, and right; some of the characters he has designed.
Huang Tien-chin, founder of the "Fifth Season" art design company, has constantly sought inspiration to achieve a breakthrough in his career as an art designer for the past 20 years, and right; some of the characters he has designed.
A striking poster designed by Huang Tien-chin.
To design the cover for Taiwan Trade Monthly, Huang used his photographic and darkroom techniques to create a dramatic effect using only two colors.
His talent and hard work won him the post of art designer for Woman magazine.
Lin Hui-min, head of Cloud Gate Dance, rehearses one of his dancing pieces in the bed of the Hsintien River. This picture has been used as a cover for Woman magazine.
Candles lit up in a temple for the worship of Matsu, Goddess of the Sea.
