He covers Beijing in dragons

Qi Xinghua is a dominant figure in the Chinese capital's nascent street art scene.[Photo provided to China Daily]

"Right now, I am working on creating Chinese 3-D paintings," he reveals, gesturing toward the huge canvases spread across the floor.

These sweeping landscapes of misty mountains are strikingly traditional: Qi has even tacked up a set of classical paintings on the wall to refer to while he is working.

"All over the world, there is only Western 3-D painting. I want to create a Chinese 3-D painting language," he explains proudly, adding that his street work is also part of the same effort.

"They are not actually 3-D, but they produce a 3-D effect on the spirit," he clarifies.

This is also partly the reason for his focus on dragons. "Chinese people believe we are the children of dragons," he states. "In China, the dragon has an uncertain image. Its image is always changing. In artistic creation, there is lots of freedom."

But there is also a much more personal reason behind his choice of subject. "My nickname was 'Black Dragon' when I was younger; I was born in the year of the dragon," he reveals. "I hope that my dragons can accompany my daughter as she grows older."