ALICE XI ZONG

Specialized in Graphic Design.

ALICE XI ZONG

About ALICE XI ZONG

Alice Zong is an award-winning visual/Graphic designer based in California and now the Senior Editorial Productional Design Lead at Apple Inc. Passionate about design, present and support creative concepts. Proficient with Adobe Creative Creative Suite. Worked in a very systematic and diligent manner, Alice is dedicated to developing designs and branding with a conviction to quality.

  • Winner of 3 A' Design Awards.
  • Specialized in Graphic Design.
  • Original Design.
  • Creative, Diligent and Innovative.
  • All Designs
  • Graphic
  • Print
Big Dream Visual Design

Big Dream Visual Design

Graphic Design

Kanji Posters

Kanji Posters

Graphic Design

ZhuZi Art Book

ZhuZi Art Book

Print Design


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Interview with ALICE XI ZONG

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?
Growing up I always wanted to be a designer. My parents are both artists and they gave me the great influence of the arts. I was very lucky to have their support learning design. After graduate from Nanjing Arts Institute, I came to the U.S. and get my Master degree of Arts at RIT. I am passionate about design, present and support creative concepts. Proficient with Adobe Creative Creative Suite. Worked in a very systematic and diligent manner, and proved to be an independent thinker, a faster learner and a great team-worker.
Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
Being an award-winning visual designer, I am dedicated to developing designs and branding with a conviction to quality. With MFA degree, AIGA member and member of China Designers Association, I am focusing on Graphic design, Digital design and Branding, Typography, Packaging, Web and App Design.
What kinds of works do you like designing most?
I enjoy working on posters and ads for non-profit organizations such as pets adoptions shelters most.
What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
My favorite design is the New York wayfinding system designed by the Italian designer Massimo Vignelli. I lived in New York for 4 years, walking by and seeing the wayfinding design on the street every day in NYC, the incredible design makes me realize how a great design would approve people’s lives.
What was the first thing you designed for a company?
My first project for a company is the poster and branding design for a non-profit organization, a pet shelter located in Rochester, Scottsville Veterinary Adoptions.
What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
My favorite technology is VR and AR. It is a really functional and helpful technology not only in design field but also in lots of fields.
When do you feel the most creative?
When I am inspired and lots of ideas came to me, that is the time when I feel the most creative.
What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
When I am designing I am usually in the flow. And I always feel very delightful and excited when I am designing.
When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
I would consider whether this design is functional and visual-friendly first. A great design will always make sense and easy to understand for the audience.
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
A designer would always think about people's future life, good design will improve our lives. That is the responsibility of a designer for society and the environment.
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
I think the "design field" is constantly improving all over the world. There are so many talented designers each year and so many amazing ideas. So many more amazing skills and techniques are helping with design nowadays. I'm sure there will be a bright future of design and our world.
When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
My last exhibition “Here There” - 2019 New Year Exhibition was held in February 2019, at OCULUS Center, World Trade Center in New York, sponsored by Asian Culture Center.
Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
I got inspired by a lot of people and things around me. I love to talk to other people and learn about different lifestyles. I also love to go out and explore, these are all my sources of inspiration.
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?
I used to live in New York City for 4 years and I am now living in California. There's so much art impact from living in both cities. I love the dynamic cultural heritage of both cities and I got a lot of inspiration from all the nice design and arts all over the place.
How do you work with companies?
I work at Apple.Inc now as a graphic designer. I love the culture and design of Apple. All designer team members are super talented. Working at Apple is such an exciting and challenging experience. I get to work on lots of great projects with great designers and illustrators.
What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
Always select a designer who is really passionate about designing and treat design projects as their babies.
Can you talk a little about your design process?
My design usually starts from a simple inspiration and develops to a couple of ideas. I will then do research on the target audience to the project. After creating several draft ideas, I will focus on them and continue working on it until finished. After one project finished, I will usually make a customer survey to get feedback from my target audience.
What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
HEKTAR floor lamp, VEDBO armchair, SMEG espresso machine, Lumio book lamp, and Polaroid OneStep+ Camera.
Can you describe a day in your life?
My day usually starts with a nice cup of coffee. I usually read my favorite of the book in the morning and take photos of my cat. When I am feeling very inspired, I would start designing right away with my cat around.
From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
There are lots of positives of being a designer. It is such a great experience expressing our creativity as designers. Good designs make our future life so much better. However, being a designer will work in a constantly changing field, the finish line is always moving so we will need to constantly learn and improving.
What skills are most important for a designer?
The skills of aesthetic and functional are the most important for a designer.
Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
Adobe Creative Suite is my favorite tool, especially Adobe InDesign and Illustrator. I also use Sketch and Corel Painter. When I am working on videos I use After Effect and Photoshop, LightRoom, etc. I usually go to some very nice design websites such as Designspiration to get some ideas and inspiration.
Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
I will always think ahead and do the background and research ahead of time. Good time management is also a great skill that a great designer needs to have.
How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
It depends on the project. Some design projects could be going pretty fast and smooth. Some of the projects would take lots of amounts of research and learning, it would take longer to make it a nice design.
What was your most important job experience?
My most important job expereince is working on my project Chinese paper-cutting Typeface. The idea of the project began to conceive in early 2017, with all the traveling and researching back at Asia China, the typeface element in the pattern, and the finished production including book design in early February 2018, at New York, US.
Who are some of your clients?
I worked with Ralph Lauren, Gap Inc, Tom Ford International, Ann Inc, and Apple Inc.
What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
I enjoy digital/visual design most because it's amazed to see how much huge potential of the digital and visual design in the future.
What are your future plans? What is next for you?
I will continue exploring the world and nice designs all over the world. I will never stop imporving my skills and aesthetic.
Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
I work on design projects on my own most of the time. I also like to work as a team and I am also a great team worker. My published book "Human Health Book" which is featured in The Vignelli Center for Design Studies at Rochester Institute of Technology, is done by group designers. It was a great experience working in a team full of talented designers.
Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
One of my works-in-progress now is a branding project extension of my Chinese Paper-cutting typeface. The Chinese paper-cutting Typeface design is a start point and there will be lots of potential for more related visual design such as branding design, advertising design, and poster, etc.
Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
I am passionate of design, present and support creative concepts. Proficient with Adobe Creative Creative Suite. Worked in a very systematic and diligent manner, and proved to be an independent thinker, a faster learner and a great team-worker. Being a graphic designer, I am dedicated to developing designs and branding with a conviction to quality.

Designer of the Day Interview with ALICE XI ZONG

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
As a graphic designer, I have been in the industry for more than 7 years. I got my BFA degree and majored in graphic design at Nanjing Arts Institute, China, and Master degree of Arts at RIT, upstate New York. After graduation I went to New York City and started working as a designer. I am working as a graphic designer at Apple Inc. I have worked in some great companies before, such as Tom Ford International, J.P.Morgan & Co., Ann Inc, Loreal Group, Ralph Lauren Corporation. With AIGA member and member of China Designers Association, I am focusing on Graphic design, Digital design and Branding, Typography, Packaging, Web and App Design.
How did you become a designer?
Growing up I always wanted to become a designer. I started by learning illustration, then I discovered myself really into graphic design. After graduate from Nanjing Arts Institute, I came to the U.S. and get my Master degree in Arts at RIT. As a graphic designer, I was influenced by the great Italian designer Massimo Vignelli. Vignelli worked in a wide variety of areas, including interior design, environmental design, package design, graphic design, furniture design, and product design. Vignelli's designs were famous for following a minimal aesthetic and a narrow range of typefaces that Vignelli considered to be perfect in their genre, including Akzidenz-Grotesk, Bodoni, Helvetica, Garamond No. 3 and Century Expanded. Massimo Vignelli used to be one of the professors at Rochester Institute Technology at the Vignelli Center at RIT. As a grad student of RIT, I am very honored to studied lots of his projects. He is always the influence and the inspiration of my work.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
I am passionate about design, present and support creative concepts. Proficient with Adobe Creative Creative Suite. I worked in a very systematic and diligent manner and proved to be an independent thinker, a faster learner, and a great team-worker. As a designer, I am dedicated to developing designs and branding with a conviction to quality. Adobe Creative Suite is my favorite tool, especially Adobe InDesign and Illustrator. I also use Sketch and Corel Painter. When I am working on videos I use After Effect and Photoshop, LightRoom, etc.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
When I am designing I am usually in the flow. And I always feel very delightful and excited when I am designing.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
My future plan is to become a fill package designer - not only a visual designer but also working on codling and web developing. My dream project: I would love to create a branding design for my future design studio.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
Be passionate, and be patient. Some design projects could be going pretty fast and smooth. Sometimes a great design project could be challenging and would take lots of amounts of research and learning, it would take longer to make it a nice design. It is always great to keep a passion for design and being patient. Practice makes perfect in design.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
Keep practicing, always get inspired, and always thinking about the future of design. It is such a great experience expressing our creativity as designers. Good designs make our future life so much better. However, being a designer will work in a constantly changing field, the finish line is always moving so we will need to constantly learn and improving.
What is your day to day look like?
My day usually starts with a nice cup of coffee. I usually read my favorite of book in the morning and take photos of my cat. When I am feeling very inspired, I would start designing right away with my cat around.
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
Being a designer in the industry for more than 7 years, It was great that I have formed my own design style, I will also follow with my own style. However, I will keep my eyes open and always checking and learning the trading designs as I always get inspired by awesome designs times by times. I would also think about the future of design.
What is your biggest design work?
I would say my greatest design project so far is the Chinese-papercutting Typeface design. The most unique aspect of this Chinese paper-cutting Typeface design is the idea to mix the very traditional Chinese patterns and elements into the 26 letters. It’s a fusion of my culture and root with my experience. As a Chinese designer, I am always thinking about my culture, I also love my experience to work and study here in the U.S.
Who is your favourite designer?
My favorite designer is the Italian designer Massimo Vignelli. I lived in New York for 4 years, walking by and seeing the wayfinding design on the street every day in NYC, the incredible design makes me realize how a great design would approve people’s lives.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
I was born and raised in China before I came to the U.S. After graduation from the grad shool, I lived in New York City for 3 years and I am now living in California, working at Apple.Inc as a designer. There's so much art impact from living in both cities. I love the dynamic cultural heritage of both cities and got a lot of inspiration from all the nice design and arts all over the place. I think great design would definitely affect people’s life and make lives better. Living in the city full of great arts and design will make people see the bright future of the society and lives.
Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?
I am passionate about design, present and support creative concepts. Proficient with Adobe Creative Creative Suite. I worked in a very systematic and diligent manner and proved to be an independent thinker, a faster learner, and a great team-worker. As a designer, I am dedicated to developing designs and branding with a conviction to quality.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
As a graphic designer in the industry for more than 7 years, there are plenty of experience of contributions to society. I especially love to do poster design for non-profit organizations. I have done branding design for “House Society of Rabbits” and “Scottsville Veterinary Adoptions”. Working with all the cute dogs and cats are the most satisfaction to me. As a graphic designer, I feel proud and happy that we could contribute to society in the design way.
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
There are lots of positive experiences during attending the A' Design Award. I would say the most positive experience is the challenge of this project, which is to keep the authenticity of the traditional Chinese paper-cutting and visually pleasant while combing with the 26 letters as a typeface set. During the process, I also learned to make the traditional paper-cutting and hand drew & translate each exquisite element patterns into digital patterns, which is a fun challenge to my experience.

Extended Interview with ALICE XI ZONG

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
Master degree of Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester upstate New York. BFA degree and majored in graphic design at Nanjing Arts Institute, China. I have worked in some great companies such as Tom Ford International, Ann Inc, Loreal Group, Ralph Lauren. I am working as a graphic designer at Apple Inc.
How did you become a designer?
I love to do illustrations since I was little and my parents took me to the illustration class. Ever since then I always have crazy ideas and inspirations of “creating arts”.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
Growing up I always wanted to be a designer. My parents are both artists and they gave me the great influence of the arts. I was very lucky to have their support learning design.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
I mainly do digital design such as branding design, website design, UI/UX. I also do print design projects and social media design. I also do video design.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
A really good design is both aesthetic great and well functional.
What is your day to day look like?
I would love to design a book for my favorite Italian designer Massimo Vignelli.
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
I would love to create a branding design for my future design studio.
How do you decide if your design is ready?
My favorite designer is the Italian designer Massimo Vignelli. I got my MFA degree at Rochester Institute of Technology and that is where Massimo Vignelli used to work. I attended the design class that he had and got really inspired by his work.
What is your biggest design work?
My favorite design is the New York wayfinding system designed by the Italian designer Massimo Vignelli. I lived in New York for 4 years, walking by and seeing the wayfinding design on the street every day in NYC, the incredible design makes me realize how illustrations illustration would approve people’s lives.
Who is your favourite designer?
I would say my greatest design is the Chinese-papercutting Typeface design. The most unique aspect of this Chinese paper-cutting Typeface design is the idea to mix the very traditional Chinese patterns and elements into the 26 letters. It’s a fusion of my culture and root with my experience. As a Chinese designer, I am always thinking about my culture, I also love my experience to work and study here in the U.S.
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
My parents are the first two-person that support me on designing. My mentors and all my mistakes are on the top of my head.

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