| THE AWARD |
| CATEGORIES |
| REGISTRATION |
| SUBMIT YOUR WORK |
| ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS |
| TERMS & CONDITIONS |
| PUBLICATIONS |
| DATES & FEES |
| METHODOLOGY |
| CONTACT |
| WINNERS |
| PRESS ROOM |
| GET INVOLVED |
| DESIGN PRIZE |
| DESIGN STORE |
| THE AWARD | JURY | CATEGORIES | REGISTRATION | PRESS | WINNERS | PUBLICATIONS | ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS |
Interview with Min Lu |
Home > Designer Interviews > Min Lu |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Min Lu (ML) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Min Lu by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
ML: I am a New York based artist who has been creating a variety of art forms throughout my life including graphic design, painting and drawing. I have a MA from Columbia University and has spent time in both United States and China to study art. Being able to have the exposures of both eastern and western culture has profoundly affected the artworks that I make, driving me to create artworks that I hope touches people everywhere. What leads me to the world of Art? When I was little my parents taught me to do the paper-cutting. Paper-cutting was not only a kind of handcraft, but also a piece of distinctive visual artwork. It had abundant means of artistic expression and shows exquisite elegance and luxuriant cultural implication of China. It is a traditional thing which Chinese people do to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The red paper-cutting is a symbol of joy, luck and happiness – I truly believe it – as it leads me to another whole new world - the world of art.
FS: What is "design" for you?
ML: Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. I think art means inspiration, sharing, motivation and the power to stimulate social change in contemporary culture. Sharing: Art represents one of the few areas in our society where people can come together to share an experience even if they see the world in radically different ways. In art, disagreement is accepted and embraced as an essential ingredient. Art can make us more tolerant of difference and of one another, expand our notions of we, and show us that individual engagement in the world has actual consequences. Motivation: I believe that one of the major responsibilities of artists is to help people not only get to know and understand something with their minds but also to feel it emotionally and physically. By doing this, art can mitigate the numbing effect created by the glut of information we are faced with today, and motivate people to turn thinking into doing. Social change: Art influences society by changing opinions, instilling values and translating experiences across space and time. Society is facing a lot of different problems all over the world today, but art could be the perfect way to come up with solutions to these problems. After all, art is a way to inspire others while also becoming inspired yourself.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
ML: Packing, Branding
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
ML: logo and branding design
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
ML: It’s not by mistake that some of the best ideas come when you’re in the shower, or driving the car, or occupied in something else rather than trying to come up with an idea. Once you distract the mind by doing something else, you essentially let go of the control, the mind will run with what you gave it, and you may see extraordinary results
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
ML: creative execution
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
ML: It depends on the nature of the project.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
ML: I felt happy and I give myself credit. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift; that’s why they call it the present.” For, certainly, all my past experiences have made me the artist I have become.
FS: What makes a design successful?
ML: Unique, inspiration, sharing, motivation or has the power to stimulate social change
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
ML: I will see if a design is inspiration, sharing, motivation or has the power to stimulate social change in contemporary culture.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
ML: Motivation: I believe that one of the major responsibilities of artists is to help people not only get to know and understand something with their minds but also to feel it emotionally and physically. By doing this, art can mitigate the numbing effect created by the glut of information we are faced with today, and motivate people to turn thinking into doing. Social change: Art influences society by changing opinions, instilling values and translating experiences across space and time. Society is facing a lot of different problems all over the world today, but art could be the perfect way to come up with solutions to these problems. After all, art is a way to inspire others while also becoming inspired yourself.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
ML: My last exhibition was at US. I want to hold my next exhibition in Italy.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
ML: many of my artworks still inspired by Chinese culture which I abstracted into a subjective viewing experience by emphasizing line, color, and form. I also draw inspiration from my childhood among Southern China’s winding freeways and mountainous scenery. Many of my artworks have the color sense and formal principles of western paintings, but a spirit and tonal variations of ink that are typically Chinese. By blending the Eastern and Western techniques and aesthetics together, new connections can be made, and an enhanced appreciation or awareness can be achieved. Working as an artist has brought me into contact with a wealth of outlooks on the world and introduced me to a vast range of truly differing perceptions, felt ideas, and knowledge.
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
ML: Many of my artworks have the color sense and formal principles of western paintings, but a spirit and tonal variations of ink that are typically Chinese.
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
ML: In 2008, I moved from China to United States, a geographical transition which leads me to explore the connection between the traditional Asian art and western modern art. Many of my artworks have the color sense and formal principles of western paintings, but a spirit and tonal variations of ink that are typically Chinese. By blending the Eastern and Western techniques and aesthetics together, new connections can be made, and an enhanced appreciation or awareness can be achieved. Working as an artist has brought me into contact with a wealth of outlooks on the world and introduced me to a vast range of truly differing perceptions, felt ideas, and knowledge.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
ML: Having creative brief ready (requirements, specs etc.) so that the designer has a clear knowledge on what the company is looking for.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
ML: The most challenging part of being an artist is being creative and the most difficult part of the creative process is in letting it happen. It’s not by mistake that some of the best ideas come when you’re in the shower, or driving the car, or occupied in something else rather than trying to come up with an idea. Once you distract the mind by doing something else, you essentially let go of the control, the mind will run with what you gave it, and you may see extraordinary results. But letting go of the controls can be a challenge for many artists. It’s part of the process, everyone learns it sooner or later, and it’s a blessing when the awareness finally comes.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
ML: Visualization, the ability to tell a story in a clear, creative and visually appealing way
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
ML: Photoshop, illustrator, InDesign.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
ML: Need to know how to prioritizing works
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
ML: It really depends on the nature of the projects.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
ML: What is the most challenging part of being an artist?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
ML: Working with world class clients
FS: Who are some of your clients?
ML: NBC Universal, Goldman Sachs, Comcast, Charter Communications, Cox, Discovery Financial Services etc.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
ML: I devoted my time in exploring connection between the traditional Asian art and western modern art. By blending the Eastern and Western techniques and aesthetics together, new connections can be made and an enhanced appreciation or awareness can be achieved.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
ML: I am working on the series “24 Solar Terms” The series embodies the concepts of respect for nature, and harmony between man and nature. The illustrations present the solar terms through traditional Chinese graphics and elements (e.g., pomes) which in turn educate people about such intangible cultural heritage. Hoping to create art that touches people and help people not only get to know and understand something with their minds but also to feel it emotionally and physically.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
ML: It really depends on projects. Sometimes work as a team, sometimes work by myself
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
ML: One of the works-in-progress project is the “Type Specimen Book” - The illustration will demonstrate the typeface’s humanistic, natural, ancient and humble characteristics. Spreads including: brief history of the typeface; showcase all the letters in uppercase, lowercase; identifying and illustrating parts of the typeface; highlighting specific characteristic; visual illustration.
FS: How can people contact you?
ML: People can contact me via email: elainelu1008@gmail.com
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
Press Members: Register and login to request a custom interview with Min Lu.
| SOCIAL |
| + Add to Likes / Favorites | Send to My Email | Comment | Testimonials |
