Designer Interview

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Interview with Elbert Han at Thursday 7th of March 2013

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?
EH: I became an artist because I've always had an interest in drawing and thinking up designs.

FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
EH: My design studio works in industrial design and specializes in jewelry and watches.

FS: What is "design" for you?
EH: Design is creating a work that not only serves its function well but is aesthetically pleasing and invites the viewer to take a closer look at how the design works.

FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
EH: I like designing work that can be worn by others. Art should be shared, not kept in a glass case, and wearable jewelry symbolizes this ideal of spreading art.

FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
EH: The first thing I designed was a tension-set sapphire ring that was 3D printed in stainless steel.

FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
EH: My favorite platform is Google Sketchup because it is intuitive, easy to use, and functions perfectly well for my needs.

FS: When do you feel the most creative?
EH: I feel the most creative at night when I have no other distractions and I am free to let my mind wander and wrap itself around any idea that comes into my head.

FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
EH: I focus on functionality and aesthetics the most during designing. I want the product to match the aesthetic qualities that I want but also to function as it's supposed to.

FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
EH: I feel happiness and accomplishment when my designs are realized because then I know that my ideas worked as they should and that what I envisioned in my mind has become reality.

FS: What makes a design successful?
EH: I think a successful design first and foremost does its job well, and second, appeals to the aesthetic vision of many viewers.

FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
EH: I consider functionality, reliability, and aesthetic value.

FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
EH: I think the responsibility of a designer is to create a design that appeals to the members of society or positively impacts them.

FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
EH: My sources of inspiration include sports cars, speed boats, and other vehicle concepts, as well as certain animals and old industrial technology.

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?
EH: My design style largely works with sharp lines and angles, which derive from my interest in math and geometry. I feel that they give a design definition where natural lines can blur with the surroundings, and that allows the design to stand out.

FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
EH: I begin with sketches in my sketchbook, and begin finalizing the shape and structure that I want. Then I transfer to Sketchup and create the final structure, altering the design to fit any constraints or problems that I may encounter. Finally, I check over my design and make sure it is technically sound and think of the problems that may occur with the design, and attempt to remedy those.

FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
EH: Though I am also a young designer, I've gained valuable experience from this competition. Though there have been many who have disregarded my design as too conservative, my award serves as a reminder to listen to yourself and follow your dreams.

FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
EH: Function over form. Never sacrifice a product's function to achieve a good looking product.

FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
EH: Imagination and visualization are two of the most important skills. Imagination allows a designer to see a new angle to an old problem and make their unique contribution. Visualization allows a designer to see their design in 3D space and see where problems could occur as well as seeing the whole picture.

FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
EH: I use Google Sketchup, Rhino, Solidworks, and Keyshot renderer.

FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
EH: I usually allocate an hour or two a day to just imagining and sketching ideas

FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
EH: It depends on the complexity of the design. For jewelry that doesn't have many technical features, 1-2 weeks is plenty of time to finish the design. For something more complicated like a watch, it can take anywhere from a month to 3 months.

FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
EH: I plan to take a few of my designs to large-scale production and sell them, as well as getting publicity from this competition.

FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
EH: I develop my designs myself, but sometimes I get input or inspiration from my friends and mentors.

FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
EH: I am currently trying to design a watch that displays the time by means of two magnetic "carriages" that take the place of hands, altering the way one reads the time.

FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.

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