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Across entertainment, retail, and broadcast media, 3D artist Yi Fu has become known for one signature strength: translating digital concepts into real-world objects, environments, and experiences. Her work helps brands, studios, and production teams take ideas that start on a screen and transform them into forms people can see, touch, and interact with. “My inspiration stems from my passion for 3D art and a deep fascination with transitioning between the digital and the real,” she explains. “I yearn to see digital creation step out of the screen and transform into something people can touch, feel, and experience.”
That approach is most clearly demonstrated in Fu’s work for Katy Perry’s The Lifetimes Tour, a global production that required digital assets to withstand the demands of live performance at scale. As a 3D modeler, Fu contributed to the development of a key hero prop used during the performance of “Rise,” in which the artist holds the object throughout the song and triggers pyrotechnic effects at multiple moments.
While the original digital model appeared visually complete, it was not suitable for fabrication. Internal components intersected, the proportions were structurally compromised, and the asset could not be successfully produced through 3D printing. Fu re-engineered the model’s internal structure and adjusted its ratios to ensure printability and durability, allowing the prop to be manufactured and safely used on stage across a tour that spanned 91 performances in 22 countries. The project illustrates the practical demands of translating screen-accurate designs into objects that must perform consistently under live conditions.
Designing objects for broadcast and youth audiences
A second major area of focus in Fu’s recent work is her contribution to Nickelodeon’s NFL Slimetime Season 5, a nationally aired television program produced in partnership with the National Football League. For the show’s Nickelodeon Valuable Player (NVP) Award, Fu created a series of 3D assets that were ultimately fabricated as collectible medals awarded to players who earned the title multiple times.
Unlike a single trophy moment, the NVP medal program functions as an evolving series. Each additional medal awarded to the same player features a completely new design, resulting in a growing collection rather than a static award. Fu was responsible for developing the 3D assets of seven different medal designs, each tailored to appeal to a younger audience while remaining consistent with Nickelodeon’s visual language.
The process required more than stylized sculpting. Fu first conducted a 3D scan of the original NVP trophy, then designed medals that precisely matched its curvature and geometry. The scanning and alignment process posed technical challenges, requiring iterative refinement to ensure dimensional accuracy. The final assets were produced using SLA 3D printing, allowing the medals to exist as durable, physical objects that extend the program’s visual identity beyond the screen.
Supplementary work in retail environments
Alongside these entertainment-focused projects, Fu has also contributed to high-traffic retail installations as a supporting area of her practice. As a 3D modeler, she participated in the development of 3D-printed display assets for the Nike Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York.
During the launch of basketball player A’ja Wilson’s signature sneaker, the store underwent a full display redesign. Fu helped finalize basketball-themed display models that incorporated Wilson’s signature, personal logo, and Nike branding, elements that had not yet been integrated when the project entered fabrication. Working from approved concept designs, she ensured that these critical visual details were accurately modeled and prepared for 3D printing, propelling the installation forward on schedule.
Practice and professional direction
Fu currently works full-time as a 3D Modeler at Tangible Creative, where her responsibilities include creating fabrication-ready models, supporting conceptual development, and collaborating directly with clients on prototype refinement. Her work spans both rendered assets and designs intended for physical output, with a consistent emphasis on accuracy and functionality.
Looking ahead, Fu aims to continue contributing to large-scale entertainment and broadcast productions, particularly projects that require stylized digital assets to transition seamlessly into physical form. Her focus remains on advancing design methodologies that support high-visibility productions, where digital artistry must operate within real-world constraints.
Across stage performance, televised sports, and select retail environments, Fu’s work demonstrates how 3D modeling functions not only as a visual discipline but as a production tool, one that shapes how audiences experience entertainment in tangible, physical ways.
