When a Website Learns to Speak Like an Artwork
- David Ong SH
- Jan 17
- 2 min read
The Design Story Behind Fan Shao Hua’s Website
There are artists who paint loudly.
And then there are artists whose works speak softly — but with authority.
Fan Shao Hua belongs firmly to the second group.
When we first began shaping his website, the question was never “How do we make this look impressive?”The real question was:
How do we make a website behave like his art?
Listening Before Designing
Fan Shao Hua’s career spans decades — grounded in classical skill, refined through discipline, and affirmed by commissions from institutions, corporations, and collectors. His works are not impulsive statements. They are deliberate, composed, and confident.
So the website could not be trendy.
It could not shout.
And it could not distract.
Instead, it needed to pause, to breathe, and to let the artworks lead.
This became the guiding principle of the design.
A Quiet Architecture for Serious Art
The design language was intentionally restrained:
A clean, gallery-like layout that gives space to each artwork
Neutral tones that echo exhibition walls, not marketing banners
Clear typography that respects readability over decoration
A structured flow that mirrors how collectors and institutions actually view art
Nothing was added without reason.Nothing was styled for effect alone.
The website was designed to feel less like a “portfolio”and more like a private viewing room.
From Browsing to Trust
Collectors don’t rush.
Curators don’t skim.
Institutions don’t gamble.
They look for clarity, credibility, and continuity.
That is why the website was structured not just to show works, but to establish trust:
Clear categorisation of artworks
A professional narrative of the artist’s journey
Calm pacing that allows viewers to linger
A sense that the artist is established, not seeking validation
This is where design becomes invisible — and therefore powerful.
This Is What Design Can Do (When Done Properly)
At David Ong Design Studio, we do not design websites to impress algorithms.
We design them to serve real purposes:
To help artists present their work with dignity
To help estates preserve legacies
To help families, institutions, and organisations tell their stories properly
A website is not just a container.It is a voice, a posture, and often, a first impression that lasts.
Beyond Websites: A Complete Storytelling System
Our work does not stop at layout and visuals.
We help clients achieve their goals through:
Website design that respects content and context
Publishing support for books, archives, and long-form narratives
Social media copywriting that speaks humanly, not mechanically
Bilingual storytelling (English & Chinese) for wider cultural reach
Everything we build is connected by one belief:
Your work deserves more than a template.
If You Have a Story Worth Preserving
Whether you are:
An artist
A family or estate
A gallery or cultural organisation
Or someone carrying years of work that deserves to be seen properly
We would be honoured to help you shape it.
Sometimes, the most powerful presenceis the one that doesn’t need to shout.
David Ong Design Studio
Design · Publishing · Storytelling
