The new Welsh Dragon website is designed to complement the vision of The Welsh Dragon Project. How do you capture the essence of a project as large as The Welsh Dragon? This was the challenge facing Wrexham and Chester based web designers Fotofire. The Welsh Dragon is potentially one of the largest sculptures ever to be built in the UK and on a par with some of the largest in the world. It is expected to cost in excess of £9 million to build and bring £million’s worth of investment to Wales and the North West.
The new website includes a host of new features aimed at advertisers and sponsors who wish to get involved including a business directory and advertising space on the homepage.
Discussing the inspiration behind the new look website, Leah Jackson, web designer at Fotofire said “ I thought long and hard about the idea of Waking the Dragon and imagined where a dragon might have been hiding. I chose a dramatic image of the Dinorwic slate quarry which I think encapsulates how I imagined a dragon’s lair might look. Drawing inspiration from this landscape, my aim was to steer away from the whole stereotypical view of Wales and focus on the landscape - the real tangible aspects that we see in front of us.
The idea was to balance the idea of a mythological creature with a hard landscape in a sort of tribute to the miners of the past who worked in the harsh environments of coal mines and slate quarries. Rather than romanticise the past, I wanted to provide an interpretation of what I think the dragon project is about ie laying firm foundations for the dynamic future of Wales, the reawakening of the dragon as it represents the national spirit.
Being Welsh, Leah recognises how important the sculpture could be for the future of North Wales. "I think it is important for Wales to get international recognition and what better way than to build a sculpture of international significance and leave something behind for future generation. It is an honour to be asked to play my part in the development of this project."
