SANJIESAN CREATOR / Bilingual artwork
Break a bilingual title by meaning rather than matching lines
English and Chinese titles rarely occupy identical shapes when translated naturally. Matching their line breaks can damage the phrasing of one version. Microsoft’s globalization reference explains that line-breaking behaviour differs across writing systems. Start with a clear title in each language, then make layout decisions that respect the phrase rather than forcing character-by-character symmetry.
Read each title without the artwork
Write the intended meaning in both languages and read each as an ordinary phrase. Use an original short exhibition-like concept title rather than an existing brand slogan. Mark the meaningful units that should stay together. If one translation sounds compressed or unnatural before layout begins, revise the wording first. A clever line break cannot repair a sentence whose basic subject or action has already been lost to fit the design.
Compare readable arrangements independently
Try a few line arrangements for each language without requiring the same count. Inspect whether a line ends at an awkward phrase boundary or leaves an isolated fragment that changes emphasis. Keep the title’s hierarchy comparable through size, placement and surrounding space instead. Use the actual typefaces and punctuation, because a rough placeholder does not show the final line behaviour. Avoid inserting repeated spaces to make two languages imitate the same silhouette.
Review meaning and cropping together
Place both versions in their actual output frames and read them at the intended size. Check that a tall or narrow crop does not separate the part that identifies the subject from the part that explains it. Ask a competent reader of each language to review the wording when available. Record the chosen line arrangement per version. Consistency should come from a coherent design relationship, while each title remains a complete and natural piece of language.