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Interview with Jiawei Wu |
Home > Designer Interviews > Jiawei Wu |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Jiawei Wu (JW) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Jiawei Wu 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?
JW: Jiawei Wu is a communications designer who was born and raised in China and is now currently based in New York. She is dedicated to the concept of using multiple tools to achieve the highest level of visual communication. Her style of design is exceptionally unique in that she is constantly experimenting with a variety of materials. She emphasizes storytelling and expands her skills in different areas of design in order to communicate unique ideas and tell stories through her designs. She has professional experience in a variety of specializations such as visual communication, branding, printmaking, installation design, and photography.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
JW: Jiawei’s career aroused to a revolutionary level due to her influential voice as a top artist upon the awards and the recognition she has earned from internationally and nationally acclaimed competitions such as GDUSA, NOVUM Design Award, MUSE Creative Award, C2A Creative Communication Award, and International Design Award.
FS: What is "design" for you?
JW: An exploring journey. Solving problems with the best suitable tools then generating idiosyncratic designs is an interesting and wonderful process.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
JW: Branding design and book design. For branding design, it allows designers to use skills to tell a story and build an invisible architecture in the graphic design field. For book design, the printed materials such as paper or other unique techniques are experimental methods . I really enjoy seeing how talented designers create a wonderful book but with reasonable typography.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
JW: MUJI, as an example.eIts brand represents a minimalist concept. When the audience goes to their stores with structural space zones, they literally feel a minimalist lifestyle with each of its elements to send one message. Transparent stationery, natural millwork, solid colors, and soft textile always maintains the brand purity from any evidence of living. It seems the audience is experiencing the real world created by MUJI. I hope my design work can apply minimalist philosophy that creates a connection with the audience and allow them to find amazing moments with a logical design system and clear elements.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
JW: Usually, I spend more time discussing core ideas to create a series of sketches or a moodboard to communicate with the client. When I find a general framework, I will design Multiple directions to explore widely. Then discuss with the team to find the best suited one, and come up with more details to support the core idea and apply it to wider range communications design.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
JW: Paper. Paper’s texture offers a timeless and elegant style that is cosmopolitan, sophisticated and rich in influence.They are neutral, earthy with the muted shades. Design works with fit papers will build a sleek, and the allegory of the perfectly proportioned design system features a peaceful, self-assured life.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
JW: When I talk with other designers in different fields, I gain lots of inspiration. Their opinions will challenge my existing mindset, bringing more creativity and potential directions that I eager to explore.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
JW: Storytelling. There is always a story behind my projects. I apply my design skills to make the stories connect with visual design and make a connection with the audience. If there are some new skills that can elevate storytelling better, I am always open to learning and enjoying the creating process.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
JW: Excited and nervous. I enjoy the exploring process where I can see unexpected directions which is exciting. But after ensuring the final direction, I wish to execute it perfectly. Sometimes, I do worry whether I mess the projects up.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
JW: Happy and nervous. I am glad that the audience can appreciate my design works. People would feel happy if they are recognized. On the other hand, I will feel a little bit nervous about my design work. I worry about their perfection and next development.
FS: What makes a design successful?
JW: A good design should have a system cohesively connecting everything from beginning to end, and more extra elements to tell a story to the target audience. Let audiences experience the amazing moments of designs.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
JW: For me, I care about story-telling and design systems. I tend to consider a unique story behind design works and a balance based on the information I receive. Moreover, the design system is another key point for me to weigh designs.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
JW: The designer's sense of social responsibility does not lie in solving problems in a direct way by reversing reality, but in indirect ways to change people's thinking and views, providing new insights, thereby transforming their own behaviors. This is an indirect, time consuming and role-to-sustainable social responsibility.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
JW: From material product design to spiritual service design. Enhance the experience while maintaining the aesthetic sense. Physical design transforms into virtual design.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
JW: My Last exhibition was at the New York Art Expo. My art work was exhibited. For the next exhibition, I want to join some design fair and communicate with talented designers.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
JW: Life, movies and design websites. I like to observe my life and chat with people that can help me collect more interesting details about their experience. For movies, I could immerse experiences or stories that I’ve never experienced in real life. And for design websites, I could learn much more from professional designers’ critical thinking and their unique logical system that broaden my visions.
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?
JW: that is cosmopolitan, sophisticated and rich in influence. Every project is accented over time. I care about story-telling and systems in my design work. I am still trying to find a unique story and making a balance based on the information that clients provide. For my personal design style, the logical system with a story is the key point of my design.
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?
JW: I live in New York now. Chinese culture, such as Taoism's concept of nothingness affects me a lot. There are also some Chinese calligraphy that have more or less influenced typography. I fuse my Eastern background with the Western lifestyle to create unique designs that speak to and attract people from around the world.
FS: How do you work with companies?
JW: I work with a senior art director now. Before we start a project, we will share our moodboards and discuss to find a proper solution. After we get the client’s approval, we will arrange work parts effectively.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
JW: Recognition and communication are important. The company should respect the professional's suggestions and communicate in time, which can help each other to create excellent works. Before companies ensure a designer to collaborate with, they should ensure the designer's style and logical thinking via interview. Not only consider the skills, but also the possibility of designers.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
JW: Usually, I spend more time discussing the core brief to make a sketch or a moodboard to communicate with the client. When I find a general outline, I will design Multiple directions to explore widely. Then discuss with the team to find the proper one, and come up with more detail to support the core idea and apply it to wide range communications design.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
JW: Bed, pillow, candle, vase and curtain.
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
JW: An adventure. Usually, I get up to work and finish work at home. But sometimes having dinners with friends, good weather are unexpected gifts for a regular day.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
JW: Be bold. Be active. The design process is a journey for designers to learn, grow and build their own style. Sometimes it might be boring during the process, but designers will gain critical thinking and professional skills.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
JW: For a positive part, the designer can express themselves and critical thinking through design works. They can challenge themselves and make them more professional. For a negative hand, communicating with clients might be tough sometimes. The clients will change the designer's works. Finding a balance requires more effort.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
JW: Ensure the consistency in visual identity. Make the connection between storytelling with visual identity. Avoid unprofessional mistakes. Enjoy the creative process. Put emphasis on details.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
JW: Communications. If a designer has good communication skills, he/she will be the good listener and empathic soul of the team. The whole team can leverage the same goal and they can co-exist.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
JW: Illustrator, Indesign and Photoshop are the most important tools for me. Besides, I collect some inspirations from instagram, fashion magazines, novels and behance.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
JW: I set goals and prioritize them every week. Then I will set up action items based on these goals everyday to accomplish design tasks effectively.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
JW: It depends on the projects. Some small projects such as posters need two days. Some more complicated branding works might take two months. Also, it depends on the designer's skillsets.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
JW: The most frequently asked question to me is “why do you want to be a graphic designer”.
FS: What was your most important job experience?
JW: From my first job in NYC, I met an excellent art director in a design studio. She supported me a lot and taught me how to be a professional designer. When we collaborated on branding works, she respected my ideas and trusted me to finish the whole project. It was a good start for my career.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
JW: Some clients are my friends. Some people who worked in the fashion industry saw my website and wanted to collaborate with me.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
JW: Brand design. My works can create connections with the target audience or create a environment for them to experience. The branding systems allow them to be immersed with amazing moments under a cohesive design system and interesting elements. Meanwhile, it would be a precious experience to upgrade my skills.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
JW: I plan to join a creative studio that I can meet more talented designers who I can learn from. I am still on the way to explore my possibilities.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
JW: I develop my design by myself.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
JW: Currently, I am working on a Chinese fashion brand. The client’s products are neo-Chinese style. I help them build an identity that brings an innate sense of ancient and modern Chinese style to daily life. We aim to offer an evolution of Chinese culture. This project is a new challenge for me.
FS: How can people contact you?
JW: People contact me by emails. tilv7ljun5@gmail.com
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
JW: No.
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.
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