Pushing The Envelope
April 28th, 2013
http://cargocollective.com/andreakuo/PUSHING-THE-ENVELOPE
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Conversation with Lavender Chang
April 3rd, 2013
Unconsciousness.
Today we speak to Lavender Chang, a Singapore based photographer and artist from Taiwan.
Yanda: Tell us about yourself and what you do.
Lavender: I am a Taiwanese girl who stays in Singapore. I am pretty open-minded, and have high curiosity. When faced with an opportunity of a new experience, I usually tend to do it first before considering its consequence. This is because to me, process is more important than its outcome. I love photography- it makes my heart beat faster when I am able to visualize the concepts in my mind.
My works reflect my perception toward the world around me. My focus is to convey sincere works from the bottom of my heart, and hopefully evoke empathy through my works. Photography is a medium that helps me reach out to more people because it transcends language.
How would you describe your life in one sentence?
Keeping life optimistic and balanced.
What do you do first when you get up in the morning?
I recall what I dreamt last night and my tasks for the day.
What daily routines you cannot do without?
Teeth-brushing.
Do you believe in work life balance?
I believe in work life balance when there is no financial pressure.
What’s your definition of happiness?
To achieve what I want to achieve, and to be able to cherish what I cherish.
What are the things that keep you sane?
My conscience and my positive personality.
What makes you guilty?
I tried not to do wrong things, so I seldom feel guilty. Even if I do, I will try to find solutions to pull me out of the situation, so I will not feel depress for too long.
Say.. are you doing what you love now?
Yes, not everything, but yes.
Do you think working without restrictions can be the hardest thing to do?
If I have a clear idea of what I want to achieve, working without restrictions is not the hardest thing to do.
How do you set your benchmarks then?
My benchmark is clear when a certain idea or project in my mind drives me in expectation for its completion.
Do you get annoyed or upset with yourself (or depressed) if you don’t get what you want?
I used to, especially when I had an idea in my mind, but struggled in its visualization. I would get frustrated at myself. Now I will write down my thoughts, and leave it aside, the visualization part will just come naturally. However if it is not related to my work, such as something out of my control, I will only get upset. I will try to talk myself out of it, and stay positive.
Conversation with Sokkuan
March 31st, 2013
Illustrations for Levi’s for BBH Singapore.
Illustrations for Listerine for JWT Singapore.
Today we speak to Sokkuan, a Singapore based illustrator.
Yanda: Tell us about yourself and what you do.
Sokkuan: I’m Sokkuan Tye and I’m a freelance illustrator. I started my career as a graphic designer in a design firm and later on an art director in an advertising agency. I feel uneasy if someone watches me while I’m working. I hope I can be better at verbal communication and able to play one kind of musical instrument, especially piano. Or drum. Or guitar. Or ukulele (I tried once but I stopped halfway through the lessons, hopefully I’ll pick it up again one day, haha)
For any readers unfamiliar with your art, how would you describe it?
My commercial illustrations consist of many different styles — some are full of intricate details, some are simple but precise. However, based on feed backs from people who know me, they can tell that those work are created by Sokkuan despite being presented in a variety of illustration styles.
For my personal projects like “Sophie Black” and “Sadako’s Unfashionable Fashion Diary – Not Really About Fashion”, you’ll find paradoxes of sinister vs. vibrant, indifference vs. devotion, resistance vs. fragility, mischief vs. solemnness. But there’s exception too — if you look at my embroidered work “Kuih-Muih”, it’s absolutely happy, colourful and wholesome.
What are you having the most fun at right now?
Since the end of 2011, I’ve been working on my personal project called “Sadako’s Unfashionable Fashion Diary – Not Really About Fashion”. This “diary” is inspired by Sadako, the ghost in the classic Japanese horror movie called The Ring. One day, while I was having a shower, I recalled my fear towards her and realised that she has actually left a profound impact on me even after so many years since watching the movie. To conquer this fear, I had this idea of becoming her. I started a series of visual diaries documenting her thoughts, attitudes and activities, hoping to inject different facets into this ghostly character and alter that stereotypical image that people have about her. Eventually I realised that she serves as a very good platform for me to have different creative experiments across different disciplines. I’ve made a series of masks and designed some stockings (with a pleasant outcome of the designs being picked up and produced by a Japanese stockings label). This project continues with more excitement — the latest being a 4-way collaboration between photography, flower arrangement, hair styling and fashion styling to create a visual documentary of Sadako’s secret garden. Hopefully there will be more collaborations in the near future. I would say this project is more than just fun to me. The relationship between me and Sadako whom I’ve re-created is symbiotic — she evolves through me and I express my thoughts through her. In a way, this project is therapeutic to me.
Why did you choose graphic design/advertising/illustration as your profession?
The reason is rather simple — it started with a box of 24 colour pencils which was given to me when I was in primary school. I was fascinated by the spectrum of colours and I imagined working with colours would be a happy thing to do. Later on, during my secondary school days, I was obsessed with drawing crystal-like eyes in my text books during classes and I thought I was quite good at it so I was very much convinced that I should pursue an art-related career.
What has been your best art experience so far?
To me, a good art experience is one that touches my heart, inspires me and fuels my desire to create. I love going to museums and art shows around the world. But it’s hard to name the best simply because they can’t be compared based on standardised criteria. From the works by the masters to even just watching an art student mimicking a classical painting on the ground in winter, or a musician playing rhythms and melodies with kitchen utensils or garage tools on the street, they are all amazing and I couldn’t hide the smile on my face. Come to think of it, maybe they are not the ones I saw in museums or galleries (yes those work are definitely epic), but those that happen randomly on the streets or in nature.
Which is your favourite then?
A man playing saxophone in the subway.
An art student mimicking a classical painting with pastel charcoal on a street.
A group of young baskets performing a capella in front of a museum.
A long stretch of wild flowers with different shades of purple dancing in the wind along the bank of a river.
A flock of seagulls executing the art of fishing with precised aeronautical twists and turns in strong wind behind the boat which I boarded in the south part of the world.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Ah… ummm… it’s hard to point out where as inspiration comes in various forms and in different ways. To sum it up, I have to put it in a cliche way, I get inspiration from life. :-/
Did you receive any formal training?
Yes, Visual Communication.
WERK 20
February 28th, 2013
http://www.workwerk.com
via http://shoppopo.org/index.php?salegdno=992>ype=1&pgurl=shop/sh_goods_view&ctpose=AAA&ctno=297&otype=6&
Conversation with Yew Kee of Matte
February 17th, 2013
Book for Sandwich Fall/Winter 2012, 2013
Branding and Collaterals for Amsterdam Museum, 2013
Today we speak to Yew Kee, founder, creative director and designer of Matte, a brand communications boutique based in Netherlands.
Yanda: Tell us about yourself and what you do.
Yew Kee: My name is Yew Kee and I’m a Singaporean based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I run a small and intimate design boutique in the city center specializing in retail and brand communication.
What do you do first when you get up in the morning?
Turn on the radio/Youtube and check my e-mails.
What daily routines you cannot do without?
Going on Youtube and blending vegetable and fruit shakes in the morning.
For readers that might be unfamiliar with your design, how would you describe it?
Intuitive, concise, communicative, relevant and crafted with a touch of willfulness
What are you having the most fun at right now?
Looking at people running in the rain
Why did you choose design as your profession?
I didn’t choose design. Design chose me. I know I’m a designer since I was maybe 10. I was creating silly newsletters in primary school for my classmates. I didn’t know I was already a writer, editor, designer and publisher. Something told me I’m gonna be a designer and I know exactly where I should study after finishing my national service. I am very grateful for that ‘something’. Maybe it’s called ‘intuition’. I followed that till today.
When did you actually left off to Amsterdam? Was it tough setting up your own shop there not knowing much people and resources?
I left for the the Netherlands in April 2001 to the Hague for a full time job at 2D3D. I officially started my own shop after leaving the company and freelanced around in Amsterdam for a few years. I owe it to many good people for giving me very precious opportunities and the ABN-Amro bank for providing me a loan to start my own dream factory. The toughest part was to convince the Dutch government to accept me in the country as an entrepreneur. I’m grateful for the many recommendation letters from all my clients especially from the Theo Thijssen Museum and my immigration lawyer for all the help and support.
What has been your best design experience so far?
Working on “Nieuwe Wonderland” with my friend Meike Ziegler on her dream project to create a pilot social interactive cafe with lots of creative, artistic and surreal impulses.
We worked with the most amazing and creative people making a great experience out of a tight self-funded budget and the result was unbelievable.
My personal self expressive work in the project was about memories. I had a quote from ‘Alice in Wonderland’ stenciled in baby powder on the carpet at the location. The quote disintegrated as the visitors walked over it. I think everything fades in time. Nothing remains in the end even for memories. I also had many scents I collected in a room filled with coffee beans on the floor. Scents evokes different memories for different people. I wanted to create very different responses from people who used them.
Check out the site and tell me what you think.
http://www.nieuwwonderland.nl/
That’s nice. I used to have a project whereby we have to stain the backdrop of a canvas for a photoshoot ourselves. We had a lot of fun experiencing coffee spa in the end cause we have to stain it using our hands and feet with warm coffee. Don’t you enjoy or prefer working off from a computer instead sometimes?
I work a lot off the computer too. Working in the retail and lifestyle industry means that I am always on the lookout for interesting trend signals, locations, packaging, scents and experiences. We can easily work and communicate anywhere on any device through the cloud but the future is also very analogue. I think the sense of smell, taste and touch has yet to be fully explored. Also, we still appreciate a real handshake, kiss or hug offline.
Which is your favorite piece of work you have done?
Not being politically correct: I have no favorite piece of work as they are all very special to me whether it’s big or small.
Any most memorable one then? Doesn’t have to be the work. It could be behind-the-scenes, meetings or the screw ups.
It must be winning the pitch for the brand identity for Amsterdam Museum. We were the ‘wild card’ in the pitch and we are responsible for the logo, visual communication strategy and materials. The other agencies chosen were some of my dutch design heroes who are veterans in the cultural design sector. We were chosen for our retail and lifestyle background instead. Being able to contribute back to the Dutch society which has been very kind to me in this way is still very surreal for me.
You must have been thrilled and honoured cause museum seems to be one of everyone’s dream job to work on with. Any others genre you would love to work for?
Yes, it’s an honour to create an identity of a museum. At the moment, I would very much like to work with high fashion houses such as Prada, Comme des Garçons, Dries van Noten and Hussein Chalayan. It’ll be a dream come true to work with them on their event communication, catwalk experience, perfume packaging and promotions.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Mainly from talking to people. Hearing their stories and accents… Finding out about their cultures, daily rituals and passions fascinates and inspires me a lot. Also, staring at blue skies helps…
What influences contribute to your work?
Mainly my clients’ input. The more they can articulate their marketing and communication message clearly the more obvious the solution becomes. We can then able to creatively express them visually or experientially.
Do you think your own cultural academic education is important?
Yes. It gave me a firm foundation and own cultural point of view to judge design or an expression.
How do you keep educating yourself then?
By ‘uneducating’ myself. Having more industry experience can be a hazard as I have tried many things and know what will very likely work or not. Working with less experienced designers challenges me to see every project in a less ‘formulaic’ way.
How do you set your benchmarks?
My benchmark for a good communication project has to be end-user effectiveness, client satisfaction, the ‘magical’ expression of the message and personal creative fulfillment. I set them up by listening closely to my clients communication objectives and my company’s mission to be honest, contemporary, creative and relevant.
How do you think it is to your work or dealing with people in a place outside your birth country.
It’s a great experience so far. I had a very open mind when dealing with people outside my own culture. Being respectful and sharing cultural differences is always a good way to break the ice.
Do you think personal work is important?
I think it’s good for exploring new expressions. I’m not sure if it is important.
Conversation with Jonathan Yuen
February 13th, 2013
Identity and Branding for Nine, 2012
Website for Nine, 2012
Today we speak to Jonathan Yuen, founder, creative director and designer of Roots, an interdisciplinary graphic design studio based in Singapore.
Yanda: Tell us about yourself and what you do.
Jonathan: My name is Jonathan Yuen, and I’m a graphic designer based in Singapore. I run my own design studio called Roots, an interdisciplinary graphic design studio that work on a diverse range of design projects, across boundary of media with clients, big and small.
What do you do first when you get up in the morning?
Made a few slices of toast, brew a cup of tea, check emails and settled in for the day.
What daily routines you cannot do without?
Tick off to-do list.
How would you describe your work in three words?
Conceptual, craft, ‘Jonathan Yuen’. (haha, people always say “eh, that work, very you leh”, so I guess, that’s a apt description of my work)
When did you first get involved in the design?
When I first discovered there’s such thing as ‘typography’, back in high-school. It stirred a deep seated interest inside me to find out more about it,
and subsequently, about graphic design.
If you have a chance to own someone’s work and wish it was yours, what would it be and why?
Romek Marber’s grid. It’s so beautiful, so simple, it’s timeless. 50 years from now, it will still be revered and used in one way or another.
Who do you dream to design for?
The Olympics.
What’s your definition of happiness?
Moments I quietly spent on being grateful of what I have.
What makes you guilty?
Reply emails late.
How do you set your benchmarks?
To do what I should do, and what others have not.
Conversation with Roy Poh of Beautiful
January 31st, 2013
Browsing Copy Catalog, 2012
Packaging for Milk & Me, 2012
Today we speak to Roy Poh of Beautiful, a design studio from Singapore.
Yanda: Introduce yourself.
Roy: My name is Roy and I’m the creative director of A Beautiful Design, a small design studio set-up on April Fool’s Day in 2008. Before I was at Kinetic for 8 years running the design and advertising department together with Pann Lim.
What do you do first when you get up in the morning?
Take a dump while checking mails on my phone.
What daily routines you cannot do without?
Read emails. Watching at least 1 movie (online). Go through books or the internet to find something nice to satisfy my daily creative hunger.
How would you describe your work in three words?
Not too shabby.
When did you first get involved in the design?
When I was in primary school. I used to scribble logos, create typefaces and draw characters all over my desk. Then I used the montage to design my school t-shirt but it was rejected by my teacher. I thought the idea was quite nice. Still do. Also at the age of about 9 or 10, I was cutting out magazines (which belongs to my elder brother) from The Rolling Stones and The Face. I wasn’t sure why then but I just like to collect these ‘nice’ design pieces like logos and advertisements and stuck them in my jotter-book.
How do you approach design now then?
I dislike things that are regimental and I never follow a fixed system. That was the reason I wanted to be a prefect. And I was for the whole of my secondary school days. I don’t have to ‘line-up’ and attend assemblies, I can go recess earlier than everyone else, I can come late and my fellow prefects at the gate would let me in. And also I hated army, the most uncreative place anyone can imagine (something that I shall not elaborate). Which is why I like design, it is free, it has no rules and it’s alive. My designs don’t follow any thing or any philosophy. As long as I’m happy doing it and the recipients are happy. My designs are also conceptual but not complicated. Something that is easily understandable and not abstract. I always treat work as something fun, that way, you’ll like what you’re doing.
If you have a chance to own someone’s work and wish it was yours, what would it be and why?
I always wish for 2 things. Playing music and doing awesome illustrations (both I can’t do well). I really like to paint like Mark Ryden. His work is serious yet whimsical, happy yet sad, colourful yet dark. If I can draw like him, I’ll get all the girls… heh heh heh!
Who do you dream to design for?
No one. I like doing design for myself, my own projects. Because I am my worst client.
Do you think personal work and collaboration is important?
I believe in sharing. Collaboration allows that. It also allows the project to be on a bigger scale. Collaborators will have their own friends and followers thus the project will be more wide-spread. Personal projects can sometimes keep designers sane. Designers like to create, and not many clients out there allow us to do exactly what we want to do.
What do you see a change in the clients of now and the then of ten years ago.
My first paid design job was to create posters, directional signages and pin-buttons for Sentosa’s Cable Car when I was still in school. That was in 1993. I got the job when someone had to take leave and they needed a visualiser (that was what designers were also called). I was paid $60 a day and the client was very happy with my work because they were not designers and they believed in what I did (even though I wasn’t so sure then). Now many clients are also ‘designers’, they tell you exactly what they want because they think they’ve the knowledge. Selling your ideas to clients are now are more difficult.
Do you think design can really save the world?
Indirectly yes.
What’s your definition of happiness?
Managing my own time… I can go for a swim when I feel like it. Have lunch with my children everyday, watch a movie in the afternoon…I control my own time and I am quite proud of that. I guess when you run your own show, you create your own happiness.
What makes you guilty?
Doing 2 projects at the same time and a particular font is ideal for both.
How do you set your benchmarks?
I guess through experience, you know what is a good piece of work when you see it. It’s usually a feeling. So I’ll not stop a project until I have this feeling. And if I have more time to re-look at a piece of work, I’ll remove elements rather than add things. So sometimes a short deadline is better for me, if not the client will have nothing to see in the end! I don’t like to dread things too long because when I approach a project, usually my attention paid to it is 100%. To go back to an unfinished work, sometimes I might loose a bit of thoughts here and there.
Honest, Contributed Poster for Plus Minus Ten, 2012
Limelight Atelier
January 28th, 2013
The logotype for Limelight Atelier, a lighting design studio, was created based on the signature and handwriting of the founder and director. This emphasises the personal touch and sincerity that the studio’s works reflect.
Apart from debossing the area where the logo sits, we centralised the information on the namecard to give it an aura of dignity when placed in the limelight.
http://www.andlarry.com/limelight-atelier
House Of Photography
January 28th, 2013
The House Of Photography marque was inspired when the initials “HOP” were painted across the ridges of a shipping container, resulting in the graphically distorted effect. The design is also reminiscent of sprocket holes found on 35mm film rolls, strengthening the graphic association with photography.
The colour of the HOP container was deliberately chosen to set it apart from other commercial containers and make it stand out in any environment. Drawing on the logo concept, the brochure takes on the form of a container. Flyers and postcards were printed using cost effective methods, enabling high production quantity. All collaterals were distributed in the neighbourhood where the container was due next.