Drawn to the Dragon

Visual artist James Jean expounds on his latest limited-edition design for Johnnie Walker Blue Label, his creative process, and his views about AI technology in the creative industry

- Kiran Pillay

Widely hailed as one of the world's most influential visual artists, James Jean lends his vivid viewpoint in conceiving the new Johnnie Walker Blue Label Lunar New Year Limited Edition Design. "I was excited and honoured to create the bottle for this very auspicious year," Jean enthuses. Inspiration struck swiftly for the Taiwanese-American illustrator behind some of Hollywood's most strikingly intricate movie posters, including Blade Runner 2049, Mother!, The Shape of Water and Everything Everywhere All at once.

"I wanted to create a dragon that felt traditional but also fresh and new," he explains, conscious of his intention to ensure the design would reflect the vibrant maximalism that echoes throughout his oeuvre. "I worked hard to create a version of my dragon that felt like it evolved from your typical Asian dragon. Being the year of the Wood Dragon, this dragon has branches for horns, petals and flowers that give it a surreal touch," the seven-time Eisner Award winner remarks.

"The idea of the Wood Dragon having roots that branch out references a connection to the past and roots to your ancestors," Jean mentions, thoughtful about his visual narrative. "I want people to be able to peel back the different layers as they drink in all the details on the dragon amidst the surrounding chrysanthemums, flowers that mimic exploding fireworks, and hummingbirds sipping nectar from the blooms. Just as drinking Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a very layered experience, I want the artwork to evoke the same feeling.