Shine
Visual Communication
2017, 2020
Credit: Team ParentCircle
Credit: Doug Brasher
Shadows can tell a story, yet they can also be scary.
What if the narrative ability of shadows was enhanced with a child’s imagination to tell a bedtime story?
PART I - 2017
Shine started out as a Year 3 project. The brief was to design a product by first thinking about its shadow.
Even though the main material is intangible, the vigorous process of prototyping and iteration can still be applied.
Background
“Once Upon A Time…”
Reading a bedtime story is a contemplative experience to end the day before a good night’s sleep. I felt that it would be meaningful if the little ones can go to sleep feeling safe and loved.
Playing with Shadow Effects
Paper x Light x Shadows
Working with paper and torchlights, I explored how translucency of paper can evoke a sense of wonder, how indents on paper can only be seen when light is shone at a certain angle, and how cut-outs from paper can create the same “shadow” across pages.
Pop-Ups - Invites readers to play with the shadow
Translucency - Evokes mystery, surprise and curiosity
Cut-Outs - Creates beautiful universes within the page
Crafting the Story
A Love Letter to a Child
The bedtime story has to be light-hearted and soothing.
As shadows can beautifully convey messages which are difficult or abstract to say with words, I settled on the theme of parental love.
The different shadow effects each had their own story to tell, and gave me inspiration as to what kind of words to use. I then mapped the most suitable shadow effect to each line in the story.
The Book
Shine (2017)
An interactive storybook which unfolds in the dark with a torchlight. When light is shone through or on the pages, shadows come alive to tell a heartwarming story. Through Shine, young readers see shadows in a different light, and go to sleep knowing how much their parents love them and hope for them to shine.
PART II - 2020
Shine was given the opportunity to be further developed and produced under Design Incubation Centre.
While PART I focussed on exploring different shadow effects, PART II was a meticulous refinement of form and technique to accurately capture the semantics of the book. My little wish of Shine helping children conquer their fear of the dark is carried over into PART II.
Development and Production
Illustrations & Iconography
Since shadows take the spotlight in Shine, illustrations and iconography were kept simple. The next step was to ensure that these graphics belong to the same family.
Form Finding
Looking back, I am horrified by the shape of my house in PART I - precarious roofs that could shelter nobody. I hurriedly got rid of them and also explored using black ink to create a reverse shadow effect.
House of disaster in PART I
Production Techniques
Going into book production means using the appropriate, professional tools. No more using satay sticks to poke circles. I used a Silhouette Curio to simulate the actual die-cut, which allowed me to adjust the density of the stars and test its effect.
The Book
Shine (2020)
With tremendous help from DIC and Kin Yiap Press, a total of 250 books and 250 box sets (book + torchlight) were produced in Aug 2020.
Photos © DIC
Impact
National Vending Gallery 2021 @ National Design Centre
Shine was selected for National Vending Gallery’s Topic N°3 Peripheral Vision Exhibition from 6 Mar to 31 May 2021. The book is presented in a vending machine for sale, and it was sold out twice.
Photos © NVG
“We believe that this heartfelt message is one that most parents will relate to.
As a child, many of the words on the page consist of words of wisdom, reminders of affirmation and lots of encouragement which will always be helpful in strengthening the parent-child bond.”
Shine on Shelves and Beside Tables
As of 2026, more than 200 Shine books have been sold.
I am incredibly grateful to see Shine come alive, transforming from a prototype hastily sewn together to a precious gift wrapped by the experienced, nurturing hands of many.
Shine hopes to help little ones conquer their fear of the dark, and parents to talk about what feels close to the heart.
Special thanks to:
Prof Christophe, Yunru, DIC, and Kin Yiap Press