From Sticker Collector to AR Storyteller: How Mr. Junk Revives 80s Nostalgia with Elementale

When you think about childhood in the 80s and 90s, you might remember running to the corner shop, trading stickers with friends, and getting excited about the tiny surprises hidden inside snack packages. For Hong Kong–born artist Mr. Junk, those memories never faded, in fact, they became the foundation of a unique creative journey that now merges nostalgia, design, science, and augmented reality.

Today, Mr. Junk has a collection of over 15,000 stickers and is the creator of Elementale, a series that transforms chemical elements into characters and stories, brought to life with AR animations through Artivive.

A Lifelong Passion for Stickers

Growing up in Hong Kong, Mr. Junk spent hours in snack shops, captivated by the collectible stickers and toys tucked inside Japanese snack packaging.

“In the 80s and 90s, Japanese pop culture was extremely popular in Hong Kong, and children had few entertainment options, no smartphones, few electronic games so collecting stickers became a huge hobby,” they recall.

Those small collectibles became a gateway into design and storytelling. As they explain:

“Each sticker series had its own charm. A golf club–shaped chocolate bar would come with golf-themed stickers, while another snack might feature characters inspired by Mayan culture. That uniqueness inspired me to dream of creating my own sticker series someday.”

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From Collector to Creator

Years later, Mr. Junk finally turned that dream into reality. With a love of drawing and design — and a determination to recapture the magic of 80s stickers — they began designing original collections.

“In recent years, snack stickers mostly feature popular anime characters. I wanted to bring back the surprise and originality of the older series, to create something new but full of nostalgia.”

This led to Elementale, a long-form narrative about chemical elements turned into heroes and villains.

The Story Behind Elementale

Elementale is much more than a sticker collection. It’s an entire fictional universe.

“The story revolves around the evil Uranium Empress, who wants to dominate the world through force. The protagonist, Carbon, rallies the Diamond Army to resist her elemental minions. Plutonium, Uranium’s daughter, falls in love with Carbon, and his gift of graphite helps turn her toward the side of justice.”

Each character is based on real chemical properties. Hydrogen has three siblings representing its isotopes. Sulfur is an explosives expert. Iodine helps the Diamond Army block radioactive attacks. Phosphorus even features a heat-sensitive blue flame in its sticker design.

“Most people remember chemistry as boring and difficult. I wanted to reposition it as exciting and heroic, a story that lets you absorb science almost without realizing it.”

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Stickers as Serious Storytelling

For Mr. Junk, stickers aren’t just collectibles; they’re storytelling tools.

“Designing within a tiny 48 × 48 mm square is a challenge. Too much detail and it feels chaotic, too little and it’s boring. I love finding that balance, and I think that’s why stickers have been such a powerful medium for collectors in Hong Kong and Japan.”

Every sticker is printed using multiple layers, holographic bases, white ink, glossy coating, metallic foiling, even lenticular and heat-sensitive effects, to replicate the craftsmanship of 80s collectibles.

Breathing Life into Stickers with AR

One of the most innovative aspects of Mr. Junk’s work is their use of augmented reality.

“When I was a kid, I always imagined the characters coming to life like in cartoons. AR finally made that dream possible.”

Using Artivive, Mr. Junk transforms each design into a 5–10 second animation, turning a static collectible into an interactive experience.

“It’s a way to keep kids engaged with paper art. The animation gives each character a personality, making the whole story world feel alive.”

AR also allows for something traditional stickers never could: updates and interaction long after purchase.

“We can release new animations for holidays or special events. Collectors can rescan their stickers and discover something new; turning a one-time collectible into an ongoing experience.”

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Inspiring Curiosity and Learning

Teachers, students, and collectors have embraced Elementale as more than a hobby; it’s become an educational tool.

“Many teachers have introduced the story to their students. Kids message me asking when the next character will come out. Adults tell me that if they’d had stories like this, chemistry would have been so much more exciting.”

This is exactly the response Mr. Junk hoped for — to connect science with imagination, making learning playful and inspiring.

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Looking Ahead

The Elementale universe is still growing. A new side series, Compounds, is in the works, combining element characters into even more possibilities.

“In the future, I’d love to collaborate with science museums or schools, blending art and science in even bigger ways.”

And the dream doesn’t stop with storytelling, Mr. Junk is exploring new ways AR can extend the experience, from interactive story chapters to special promotions hidden in animations.

Mr. Junk’s journey from snack-shop sticker collector to AR storyteller shows how technology can revive nostalgia and make learning exciting again. Projects like Element Tales remind us why we built Artivive to empower creators to turn imagination into living, breathing experiences.

Want to see more from Mr. Junk?

Check out TheElementale Series and more on his website and follow him on Instagram to stay updated on his latest sticker art and projects.

https://www.mr-junk.com/ @mrjunksticker

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The same way as Mr. Junk animated his awesome stickers - you could animate your AR Business Cards!