• 150 essential Chinese characters brought to life through captivating, candid photography.
• 200 pages of vibrant, full-colour imagery capturing modern-day China in fleeting, authentic moments.
• Now available as a paperback edition – more portable, user-friendly, and accessible.
• Concludes with a giant 600-photograph mural, also available as a separate 80cm x 60cm poster.
• Features an updated conclusion reflecting on the 15-year artistic journey.
• A second edition book, entirely self-published, designed, and crafted by Armelle Burke.
• Coming soon to shops near you.
Imagine Chinese and Talking Pictures illustrate 150 simple Chinese characters with photographs that represent their meaning, taken over a decade of travel in China by photographic artist Armelle Burke. A series of photographic essays visualise the iconic imagery within Chinese characters to make them understandable. The books explain everything you need to know about a country where the written language is unique.
The Chinese characters are presented in four themes: Human, Nature, Animal and Material. An introduction to Chinese character construction, their history and the evolution of Chinese script enables the reader to comprehend the information within the book.
This project concludes with a giant gallery mural illustrating the meaning of 600 Chinese characters with photographs, exemplifying that learning the simple characters presented in this book enables Chinese comprehension to expand rapidly. The book's photography reveals, in glorious colour, a fascinating country and illuminates what is dazzling, different and useful to know about a language and culture oozing imagination.
Discover Chinese Like Never Before: Armelle's Photographic Dictionary is Now Available!
• 150 essential Chinese characters brought to life through captivating photography.
• Over 300 pages of vibrant full-colour imagery that captures modern day China.
• Concluding with a giant 600 photograph mural showcasing characters in an unforgettable visual tapestry.
• A unique hardback book entirely self-published, designed, and crafted by Armelle!
• For only £25 (+ £5 shipping), receive a personally signed copy from a strictly limited run of 50.
This project began with a camera and a quest to learn Chinese. Over a decade in China, photographer and Armelle Burke developed Pictography, a unique method that connects Chinese characters to the real-world scenes they evoke. The result is a two-book series where language learning, art, and cultural insight truly collide.
TALKING PICTURES: The Essential First Step
This accessible, portable book serves as the perfect introduction. Talking Pictures is a distilled photo-dictionary, presenting foundational characters through immediate visual pairings. Designed for the absolute beginner or the curious traveler, it offers a direct and engaging way to start a visual conversation with the language.
IMAGINE CHINESE: The Definitive Visual Journey
This expansive, art-quality volume is the comprehensive masterwork. Imagine Chinese deepens the exploration across themed chapters, delves into the history of character construction, and culminates in a striking 600-character photographic mural. It is crafted for language enthusiasts and design lovers seeking a complete, immersive journey from first glance to profound understanding.
Together, these books form a cohesive visual system, using the clarity of photography to make the Chinese language tangible, memorable, and beautifully accessible.
