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Our Studio
Our Studio

Fictionist Studio is an award-winning independent creative studio based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Our practice is both design and art-led. We believe that this duality allows us to help brands stand out and thrive whilst championing originality to the best extent we can.

We are a small, eclectic crew who design, write, illustrate, strategise, animate, and more. At the heart of it, we are storytellers who are imaginative and intelligent in thought; robust and rhythmic in action.

Our work has been recognised by D&AD Awards, Type Director’s Club, Art Director’s Club, Dieline Awards, Golden Pin Awards and Dezeen Awards. However, what’s most rewarding to us is when we help brands embody their true, authentic selves or when we create products that spark surprise, joy and wonder.

Our Values
Our Values
1
Craft is key

Ideas are empty words without craft. We are all for problem-solving and capturing the big picture, but we also pay attention to the small nuanced details that elevate the outcome. We believe good craft should have expression, wit, and warmth — which we factor into our aesthetic decisions.

2
Strategy is logic

Our idea of strategy is not using quadrant maps and jargons like “synergy” and “minimum viable product” or prepping a 200-page Powerpoint deck. What we are interested in is proposing the next steps based on our understanding of the brief, and we do it in a way that is concise, understandable, and implementable.

3
Words frame pictures

Everything we do is about conveying a message in a captivating and informative way, and we achieve this through the power of copywriting and storytelling. We believe a well-considered choice of narrative and tone of voice helps improve the clarity of the message.

4
Room for experiment

We embrace unintentionality in our process, because it gives us an opportunity to explore something new through trial and error. This is not to say we dismiss logic or try to reinvent the wheel, but often times, we turn a thing or two on its head and see where that takes us (like our masthead logo *wink*).

5
Build relationships

We have learnt from our experience that stellar work is only possible through a long-term, two-way client or collaborator relationship that is attentive, honest, and forthcoming.

Our Team
Our Team
The Founder
The Founder
Joanne Chew
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Joanne Chew is a visual storyteller, graphic artist, creative director and aspiring writer. A graduate of Parsons the New School for Design in New York and having worked in several boutique design firms in New York and Singapore, she returned to her homeland and founded Fictionist Studio in 2014. Her writings have been published in Design Observer, Singapore’s The Design Society Journal and China’s Design 360˚Magazine. She has also spoken at SEARCH Book Launch 2019 and Typographics 2021.

The Crew
The Crew
Our Services
Our Services

Whilst we work across a wide range of platforms and disciplines, we are keen to take on projects that give us the opportunity to reimagine how things should be done. Our end goal isn’t to just create what is acceptable or expected, but to create an experience for our audience that resonates and will be remembered.

Branding

Brand strategy

Identity design

Brand guidelines

Collateral design

Copywriting

Print

Packaging

Papercraft

Print design

Book design

Editorial

Graphic

Typography

Lettering

Illustration

Art Direction

Campaign Ideation

Digital

Website

Motion Graphics

UI/UX

Spatial

Wayfinding

Signage

Exhibition

Installation

Selected Clients
Selected Clients

We have worked with local and international B2C and B2B companies across cultural, commercial and industrial sectors. Whether it’s an avant-garde fusion restaurant, a plastic recycling company, or a letterpress museum, we are happy to hear from anyone.

AIA Berhad (MY)

Antalis Malaysia (MY)

Mossery (MY)

British Council (MY)

KSK Group (MY)

KSK Land (MY)

Heng Hiap Industries (MY)

Universal Bakehouse (MY)

The Royal Press Museum (MY)

Nitan (TH)

Yasmin Ahmad Society (MY)

YTL Land (MY)

Licky Chan & The Poke Guy (MY)

Tiffin (MY)

Carmana (TH)

Sunday Insurance (TH)

Serai Group (MY)

357NWR (NZ)

103 Coffee (MY)

8 Conlay (MY)

Taylor’s Education Group Assets (MY)

Press
Press
Awards
Awards
YearOrganisationAwardWork
2024

D&AD Awards

Shortlist/Graphic Design/Self Promotion

Tales of Scales

2024

ADC 103rd Annual Awards

Bronze/Brand/Communication Design, Promotional, Self-Promotion

Tales of Scales

2024

ADC 103rd Annual Awards

Silver/Publication Design – Books/Limited Edition/Private Press/Special Format

OPCBWTFTWBASCY

2024

Dieline Awards

Bronze/Limited Edition

Wing Heong Dragon’s Delight

2024

Dieline Awards

Silver/Electronics, Office, E-Commerce, Entertainment, and Self-Promo Category

Tales of Scales

2023

69th Type Director’s Club Awards

Certificate of Typographic Excellence

Go Go Glyphs

2023

Dieline Awards

Shortlist/Electronics, Office, E-Commerce, Entertainment, and Self-Promo Category

Bountiful Bunnies

2023

ADC 102nd Annual Awards

Shortlist/Brand/Communication Design

Go Go Glyphs

2022

Golden Pin Awards

Design Mark Winner

Once Upon a Pounce

2022

Dieline Awards

Silver/Electronics, Office, E-Commerce, Entertainment, and Self-Promo Category

Once Upon A Pounce

2022

PRINT Awards 2022

First Place/Self-Promotions

Once Upon A Pounce

2022

ADC 101st Annual Awards

Merit/Brand/Communication Category – Promotional – Self-Promotion

Once Upon A Pounce

2021

Tokyo TDC

Selected Works

Ox in a Box

2021

D&AD Awards

Shortlist/Graphic Design/Self-Promotion

Ox in a Box

2021

ADC 100th Annual Awards

Shortlist/Graphic Design

Ox in a Box

2021

67th Type Director’s Club Awards

Certificate of Typographic Excellence

Ox in a Box

2021

Dezeen Awards

Longlist/Graphic Design

Ox in a Box

2019

D&AD Awards

Shortlist/Illustration

Porksperity Lunar New Year

Get In Touch
Get In Touch

Feel free to reach out to us at hello@fictionist.studio with any inquiries.

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