Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋

Bilingual @TEDx Speaker • Artist of @Unicode Emoji 🥟🧋🥡🥠🥢🦚 & @Twitter 🐳 • Former Creative Director @500GlobalVC • Former @SFAC Arts Commissioner

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

It has been 10 years since my art piece "Lifting a Dreamer" became the Twitter Fail Whale, a symbol as @Twitter's service outrage during 2008-2013. It has inspired hundreds, probably thousands, of funny, clever & amusing homages and take-offs from users globally. Here are a few:

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

@BaldCondensed so happy to run into you today at @ATypI @Stanford! Thankful that type #design & @smashingmag for bringing us together many years ago!

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

🤔 What remains irreplaceably human when #design is automated & accelerated?

Find out June 2 at @sfdesignweek with me, @TedsLittleDream, Evgenia Piskun & @thekatcafe_.

⏰ 8:30–10 AM PT
📍 @Adobe SF, 601 Townsend St, SF
🎟️ RSVP: https://t.co/x5zgUplt5V

[Web Design Museum @WebDesignMuseum]

Photoshop logo evolution 1988–2025

[Tom Mullaney @tsmullaney]

The Chinese Computer is out in Chinese, I’m thrilled to report.

[Tom Mullaney @tsmullaney]

It's a pleasure to share my new personal website https://t.co/ETjbuzzWW5

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

Thanks @lukaslevert and team @p0 for putting together the Museum of the Human Web in SF. Thoughtful framing around the physical artifacts of the web. https://t.co/Yi4DiFyWQj

[Lukas Levert @lukaslevert]

Special moment today on the last day of the museum! @YiyingLu stopped by and signed our Twitter Fail Whale, which she created!

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

I look forward to delivering the closing keynote at @ATypI 2026 at @Stanford on 5/30 with "Designing for #Belonging: How Color, Typography, and Iconography Shape Culture, Community, and the Human Experience." Thanks @tsmullaney and team @ATypI: https://t.co/eSufit3e3c

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

Last day of the Museum of the Human Web in SF, celebrating the physical artifacts of the web.

A lovely surprise to spot my whale 🐳 and signed it with a @Sharpie!

Thanks for the 📸: @lukaslevert
👋 @paraga
https://t.co/Yi4DiFyWQj

[Smashing Magazine 🇺🇦 🏳️‍🌈 @smashingmag]

Our Person of the Week is passionate about creating symbols and experiences that connect us all, even when we don’t speak the same language. Drumroll, please, for... Yiying Lu!

Thank you for everything you do for the community, dear @YiyingLu! 🧡

#smashingcommunity

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

After 6 years, I’m returning to @Apple Union Square to lead a Today at Apple session on World Creativity & Innovation Day—Mon, April 21 at 6PM.

Lets explore how creativity helps us heal & grow.
Free. iPads provided. ASL supported.
RSVP: https://t.co/n5JwoJm6jj

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

@jenny8lee @VyvEvans @VyvEvans Thanks for your book mention! @jenny8lee did the BBC interviews in 2017—I wasn’t aware nor included back then. I did mine in 2021: https://t.co/uEEBo5uXha. Proud of my role in 🥟 dumpling emoji project; collaboration & acknowledgment are keys for a good businesswoman 😉

[BASED MEDIA @based_on_media]

🔆 ᔑᑌᗰᗰEᖇ ᔑᑭOTLIGHT 🔆

THE STORY OF @YiyingLu

🔵2008 - 'Lifting a Dreamer' became 'Twitter Fail Whale.'
🔵2013 - I made 'Yes Whale' and funded my trip to the US with its prints.
🔵2024 - I'm releasing it as a digital collectible to spread joy!

15 years ago since @YiyingLu 's art became the Twitter Fail Whale

Now she's return with the Yes Whale
“a symbol of optimism, creativity, and inspiration, minting as part of @opensea's 'Get Based' series”

https://t.co/F6eDZGNnvt

🔵🔴

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

@annlssa_ @rudem00se @base @opensea @WHALEMembers @WhaleDShark Thank you so much @annlssa_ - I hope to meet you someday in Hong Kong or somewhere in the world 🐳💖

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

🐳2008 My 'Lifting a Dreamer' became 'Twitter Fail Whale.'
🐳2013 I made “Yes Whale” & funded my trip to US w/ its prints.
🐳2024 I'm releasing digital collectible “Yes Whale” to spread optimism via @base on @opensea

Minting ends on 8/8 10AM PT / 1PM ET
https://t.co/aQ1uSDqHIR

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

A Journey of #Entrepreneurship through #Art: The story behind my latest “Yes Whale” digital collectibles is via @base and @opensea. Minting ends tomorrow, 8/8, at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET.

Collect yours 👇: https://t.co/aQ1uSDqHIR

Full Story on @LinkedIn:
https://t.co/mG5WtZSbYJ

[OpenSea @opensea]

Meet @YiyingLu — our latest "Get Based" artist and the creator of the original Twitter "Fail Whale." We recently sat down with her to learn more about her creative journey and the cultural influences that shape her art.

Read the full interview below! 👇
https://t.co/oClhZQV05y

[Yiying Lu 🐳 🥟🧋 @YiyingLu]

@rudem00se @base @opensea Thank you @rudem00se. I am glad to hear from you and I’m grateful that we connected through art & @WHALEMembers 🌊🐳✨. I hope that one day we can all meet in person 💖🐳✨ (cc 🩵@annlssa_ @WhaleDShark🩵)

[David Tso (dave.base.eth) @davidtsocy]

The creator of the Twitter Whale and 🥟🥡🥠🥢🦚🧋 emojis, @Yiyinglu, is now also a creator on @base

[OpenSea @opensea]

Get Based.

It's been 15 years since @YiyingLu's piece "Lifting a Dreamer" became the Twitter "Fail Whale." And now she's back with the "Yes Whale," a symbol of optimism, creativity, and inspiration.

Minting now on @base on OpenSea! 👇
https://t.co/eo22qkMFq7