Typography Design Featured on Ulu-Ulu

My typography artwork, titled 夜煙 (The Midnight Smoke) was featured on Ulu-Ulu, a platform that spotlights local creatives and their unique interpretations of Malaysian culture.

The midnight smoke draws inspiration from a familiar and nostalgic scene — those late-night outings to the mamak (local food stall). For many of us, the mamak isn’t just a place to grab food; it’s where night owls gather, conversations linger, and the air is often laced with the faint curls of cigarette smoke drifting through the warm night air.

夜煙 (The Midnight Smoke) has been featured on Ulu-Ulu.

This atmosphere sparked the concept behind my design. I wanted to capture the visual and sensory essence of that setting, and so I crafted the words by using an Artline Pen with dotted typography technique. The scattered, almost fading dots aim to mimic the ephemeral texture of smoke, evoking the feeling of something fleeting yet familiar — just like the hazy glow of fluorescent lights and shared laughter over teh tarik at 2 a.m.

The process of creating the dotted typography.

Having this piece featured by Ulu-Ulu means a lot, especially because it reflects a slice of everyday culture that’s deeply personal and distinctly local. I hope it resonates with others who’ve shared similar night-time memories and reminds them of the quiet poetry found in ordinary places.