Interview
Yichun Lin Design, United States
As a child, Yichun Lin had always know that she was destined to embark on a creative path as she had always loved drawing, graphics and found herself imitating illustrations from books.
1 Please give us a brief bio of yourself and your creative background.
My talent has been shown in many ways. As a child, I knew I loved drawing. I was attracted to graphics and liked to imitate illustrations from books when I was a little girl. When I was in grade 4, I drew a portrait of my teacher Miss Li. Miss Li was happy to see my painting and shared it with other teachers. Since then, I have discovered my ability to bring joy to others throw drawing. I know I will go down the creative field in the future. Throughout my student life, I held many positions in art or design. After working in Taiwan for a few years, I came to the United States, where many cultures meet. The US is the place where I want to experience the new excitement. I am working in a design agency and keep doing my creations work.
2 What made you become/why did you choose to become a creative?
I became a creator because I always have many thoughts I want to express. It is enjoyable for me to transform my thoughts into creations. I like the process of turning ideas into images. I also want to let people see the stories they want to tell from different angles. It's something I've always wanted to do, and it's something I've been working on. Creation is a thing without words. It can break the boundaries of regions and spread to different ethnic groups. It makes me feel connected to the world.
3 Tell us more about your business/company, job profile, and what you do.
I'm a graphic designer in a design agency in New York City. We work with Art Director to develop the best solution for the client. Back in the day in Taiwan, I assisted in designing the website and APP's user interface and helped create visual identities for many brands. In addition to that, I also helped make Keyart for a few films and was featured at the New York Shorts International Film Festival.
4 What does “creativity” mean to you?
There are always a lot of ideas in my head. Being able to express your thoughts through a physical medium is a wonderful thing. Just like I left my footprints in this world. Sometimes people get new perspectives because of my creations. Therefore, I started digging more into various views and mediums for my stories. For example, my urban series work "A Night in Taipei" and "Urban Impression" aim to present the beauty of my hometown Taipei. I used different ways to represent these concepts. I also got a lot of positive feedback from many people. Creation is a way for me to send a message to the world. It also made me have more curiosity and exploration of the world.
5 To you, what makes a “creative” idea and/or design?
A good story is an essential element of an idea or design. Of course, tools and techniques are a plus for creativity. A good story can make it more meaningful. Visualizing a story through concept building has always been the part I enjoy the most!
6 Tell us about your creative and/or design process.
First, I would determine the business's goals and the necessary information. At this step, I will explore various design styles by brainstorming. Then I start collecting references and several directions. After that, I will establish different aesthetic types. This part is always exciting, and you can always discover possibilities at this step. The last step is finding feasible ways to present to customers and get feedback. After several back-and-forth communications and revisions, we finally chose the most appropriate design for the project.
7 What's your favorite part of the creative process and why?
My favorite part of the creative process is exploring the design directions. This stage can lead to discovering several possibilities, and new ideas are generated in the process. And the result is always surprising. The uncertainties and potentials make creation so fascinating.
8 Describe your creative style and its main characteristics.
I've always been obsessed with saturated colors. It is quite difficult to achieve a balance of saturated colors. In the past, I liked using many bright colors to present content. Therefore, I established a unique "style" from it. For now, I will determine the design strategy according to the content and concept. Find the most appropriate solution using colors and elements under the right conditions based on the content.
9 Do you think your country and its cultural heritage has an impact on your creativity process?
Absolutely. I have been profoundly influenced by my hometown Taiwan. Many local characteristics are desirable to me. Even a town road has its cultural implications. These give me a lot of inspiration for my creations. For example, I have always been interested in signboard culture, so I created the "A Night in Taipei" series poster. I wanted to show the beauty of signs in Taipei at night from a different perspective.
10 Congratulations! As the winner of the 2022 MUSE Creative Awards, what does it mean to you and your company and team to receive this award distinction?
It is an honor to receive the award. It means a lot to me. No doubt winning the MUSE Creative Awards encouraged me to create more. Also, I can share this joy with my clients through my work.
11 Can you explain a bit about the winning work you entered into the 2022 MUSE Creative Awards, and why you chose to enter this project?
My work, "Taichung Public Library Brand Identity", is an identity system for the new library building. Taichung Public Library was the first building in Taiwan to combine an art museum and a library. The core concept of the library, "Library in the Park, Art Museum in the Forest", creates the building's mood. Located in a city park, the library extends the forest and city. As a new cultural indicator, the pure white building stands in the forest and represents the intersection of nature and the city. I made a visual strategy based on the concept. I chose this piece because it brings a new style to the library. Unlike previous designs, it can give Taiwanese public facilities new inspiration and perspectives.
12 What was the biggest challenge with this project?
The library is expected to be completed by 2025. Therefore, I can only gather library information from the concept rendering photos. It was a huge challenge for me. You know, this is difficult. But I'm glad I did it.
13 How has winning an Award developed your practice/career?
Winning awards has helped me to be more motivated in my creative journey. It also stimulates me to look for more possibilities to improve my work.
14 What are your top three (3) favorite things about our industry?
Brainstorming with a bunch of crazy ideas. Exploring the possibility with new directions. Sharing the work and receiving feedback from different perspectives.
15 What makes your country specifically, unique in the creative industry?
Taiwan is a small island. Despite not having a long history like other countries, it has a lot of cultural significance. There have many different ethnic groups, creating many different cultures. Many designers from the new generation take this as a concept and develop many unique designs. The combination of foreign cultures in many works is also noteworthy. Taiwan has been injected with more multiculturalism in recent years. You can feel that many new ideas are developing in many industries. I am glad that the creative industry is getting more and more attention in Taiwan. I also hope to contribute to Taiwan's creative industry in the future.
16 Where do you see the evolution of creative industry going over the next 5-10 years?
In the modern age of rapid technological development, the creative industry has been presented in various forms over the past few years. And this development is only going to get faster. For example, NFT and AI drawing have been quite popular for a few years. No one knew AI drawing would become a trend before that. Therefore, how to find their own play space between traditional media and new technology is a topic that creators can consider.
17 If you were a student entering this industry or an aspiring MUSE Creative Awards submitter, what advice would you give them?
Being fully prepared is the most important thing. All that's left is to be confident and professional.
18 What resources would you recommend to someone who wants to improve their skills in the creative industry?
I recommend online or offline courses for anyone interested in the creative field. Of course, you have to be a creative person, but the tools are a plus. Your work will be more valuable if you have skills. The other is to increase the sensitivity and sense of creation. Many inspirations can be found in museums or on websites such as Pinterest or Behance.
19 Tell us something you have never told anyone else.
I recently started doing yoga! This is one of my favorite ways of letting myself go lately.
20 Who has inspired you in your life and why?
My parents inspired me a lot. They always support any decision I make. My parents encouraged me to fulfill my dreams even if my friends worked. I am grateful that they understand me so well.
21 What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?
Be confident, work hard, and always be fully prepared.
22 Do you have anything else you would like to add to the interview?
Thanks for nominating me for MUSE Creative Awards. It's a pleasure to be a part of it!
Entrant Company
Yichun Lin Design
Category
Corporate Identity - Brand Identity