I Just Wanted a Decent Poster for My Wall
2020
The story begins simply. At the end of 2020, I moved into a new home and wanted to decorate my walls with things I loved.
I’ve been a poster fan since childhood, filling my room with movie, anime, and band posters. But as an adult, I felt paper posters were a bit... lacking. They fade, curl, and cheap frames never quite fit.
I searched online and saw so many talented artists whose works shone brightly on screens, but all I could do was right-click and save. My illustrator friend often complained that despite thousands of likes online, she had to take on gigs she didn’t like just to make a living.
Then an idea struck me: why can’t the things we love appear in our lives in a more textured, lasting way? Why can’t artists’ tal.ents translate into dignified income?
Finding Answers and New Questions at Universal Studios
Spring 2021
With this question in mind, I went on vacation with my family to Universal Studios in spring 2020 to relax.
I clearly remember wandering the hotel lobby boutique while waiting to check in. Among ordinary T-shirts and plastic souvenirs, a metal movie-themed print caught my eye instantly. The metal’s texture made the light and shadows in the image come alive. It had weight and quality, quietly hanging there, embodying the magic of that fantasy world more than anything else around.
I thought, “Wow! This is the kind of souvenir that truly brings passion home!”
I instinctively took a photo. After the trip, that metal print haunted my mind. Using clues from the photo, I spent days searching online and finally found a similar product for sale.
When I saw the price, I was stunned. It was almost enough to buy a decent used car. The excitement I felt at Universal Studios was instantly doused.
I closed the webpage, pondering: “Is something this cool only for the wealthy?” I thought of my struggling illustrator friend, whose amazing work deserved this kind of presentation. And fans like me, who would gladly pay a fair price to own such a treasure—but not that astronomical sum.
Passion shouldn’t have such a high barrier. This thought was a hundred times stronger than my own desire to “buy one.” So in summer 2021, I gave up on “buying” and instead planted a crazier, firmer idea in my heart: I had to make it myself, a version just as stunning in quality but affordable for everyone!
Late 2021 - Early 2022
A Group of Like-Minded “Oddballs”
I couldn’t do this cool thing alone. Luckily, from late 2021, my “crazy idea” attracted a group of equally “unusual” partners.
There were tech geeks obsessed with sci-fi art, craftsmen with obsessive attention to materials and processes, and market experts who spent weekends at comic or art
exhibitions. We were a strange mix, but shared one belief: beautiful things deserve to be taken seriously.
We had no strict hierarchy—more like a creative alliance. In the first half of 2022,
we argued passionately over pixel details and celebrated wildly when seeing finished products. This team turned my personal dream into a living, breathing venture.
Second Half of 2023 to Now
From “My Work” to “Our Passion”
We have two types of customers, but to me, they feel like friends.
One group is artists. I’ll never forget the first artist we
collaborated with in late 2022,
who was amazed to see his work printed on metal. He said, “Wow, my art has never looked this cool!” For us, the greatest achievement isn’t sales figures, but hearing artists say, “Because of Metaleks, I can finally make a living from my creations.”
The other group is ordinary people like I once was. They might be devoted gamers, die-hard fans of a celebrity, or simply lovers of beautiful things. Every time we see customers share photos of our metal prints in their dorms, gaming rooms, or living rooms, it feels amazing. We’re not just running a business—we’re building a bridge that connects creators and fans through shared passion.
Let passion become the brightest scenery at home
NOW
If you ask me what I’m most proud of,
it’s not our patented technology or our sales figures.
What I’m most proud of is flipping through the buyer-show photos sent by our customers. In those pictures,
our metal artwork hangs in cozy dorms, sleek gaming rooms, elegant living rooms… It’s no longer just a cold product but has become part of their lives, embodying their individuality and passion.
We’ve turned the emotions and admiration from virtual worlds into tangible warmth in reality; we’ve transformed an artist’s fleeting inspiration into a “family heirloom” that can accompany you for years. From initially just wanting to solve my own wall decor problem to now helping hundreds, even thousands, turn their passions into the brightest scenery in their homes—this, I believe, is the true meaning of Metaleks’ story. We’re not just printing on metal; we’re crafting an eternal home for every passion.
