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Fu Yong

ChinaGraphic

Interviews with Fu Yong

Read the interviews with Fu Yong: understand their philosophy, creative process and award-winning work.

Designer Profile

Designer of the Day Interview

18 questions

I have been working in graphic design since 1997. In 2003, I founded my own brand design consultancy company, mainly serving Chinese projects of some international organizations and companies.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

I have been working in graphic design since 1997. In 2003, I founded my own brand design consultancy company, mainly serving Chinese projects of some international organizations and companies.

How did you become a designer?

I like to paint when I was a child. When I was young, my dream was to become a painter when I grew up. When I was in high school, I began to think about what kind of major I chose when I was in college. At this time, I became very interested in the design profession. Because the design can have a very large imagination and can also be exposed to projects in different industries, I am full of curiosity, so I finally engaged in design work.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

When I start doing a design job, I will focus on three questions:

1. Design will solve what kind of problem .

2. What kind of design expressions will attract the attention of the audience.

3. Deliver information with the simplest visual elements.

I will use the pen design sketch first in the design process. When the idea is mature, I will start working with the computer.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

After receiving the design task, I started thinking about the solution and was most excited when I found the design solution. When design is finally brought to market, getting recognition is my greatest pleasure.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

Being good at observing all aspects of life is extremely important for a designer. Because the design is to serve everyday life.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

From the beginning of 1997, the design work, from the designer to the design director, it is very important to do a good job. In the future, I will focus on the design and application of text, because text is an important information delivery vehicle. Designing the city brand image will be the focus of my next phase of work.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

For new designers, in the process of work, we must learn to empathize with problems. Designing to solve problems or needs encountered by customers is not pure artistic creation. Business designers should pay attention to changes in the news and the market, and the design must be in sync with or ahead of the business environment.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

Design work cannot be self-centered, market-centric, and the customer's budget is to solve the problem. When our work meets the needs of our customers, it also has artistic value, which is the best!

What is your day to day look like?

I spent half an hour browsing social news every morning after arriving at the company, and then started design work. It's exciting to look at all kinds of relevant materials, think about design goals, and get design inspiration.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

I will pay attention to the trend, but I will not blindly follow the trend because I have my own design principles and methods. There are many channels for obtaining design trends, mainly based on Internet information.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

Good design will speak. If the design effectively passes the points of interest to the audience, it can make people happy, which is a good design.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

The standard of whether the design is prepared is different for everyone. My standard is that no negative problems can be raised by myself and the people being tested, so my design is ready.

What is your biggest design work?

Recently, I am designing a city brand image for the city of Dalat, China, in my hometown. Dalat is rich in natural resources and is a very beautiful city. I hope to bring more tourists and investment to the city.

Who is your favourite designer?

Mr. Henry Steiner is my favorite designer. He integrates Eastern and Western culture into the design. Bauhaus has had a profound impact on contemporary design.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

Beijing, China is my favorite city. I listen to soothing music during the creation process and it feels great! The designer's cultural accomplishment is directly reflected in the design. I am in Beijing now, thinking about how to answer such questions. Design is an important part of life, and design makes me more passionate about life.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

Being interested in any problem can make work easier. I work with my partners and we work together to solve problems. I will work with clients with the same values. I hope that the recruiting partners love life and are curious about design. Give customers more than what customers want. My core challenge is how to manage and manage the company. My job is to use design to solve problems for my customers. Good designers must learn to empathize and always pay attention to market changes.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

I did a city brand positioning and a city LOGO for my own hometown. I will provide free design for public welfare projects. Pay tribute to the designers involved in humanitarianism. Good design can convey effective information and bring happiness to people. I sometimes share designs with my classmates at the university. I am concerned about the growth of designers and are willing to provide opportunities.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A' Design Award?

1. Participate in the International Design Competition to learn about the work of global designers.

2. Learn from different cultural backgrounds and enrich your design language.

3. Have an objective understanding of your design level and clearly understand the direction of improvement.

Design Interview

Huade City Visual Identity · 19 questions

The city of Huade was once an important military base for defending China's northern frontiers. Abandoned military facilities can develop military experience and tourism industries, promote urban economic development…

What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?

The city of Huade was once an important military base for defending China's northern frontiers. Abandoned military facilities can develop military experience and tourism industries, promote urban economic development, and increase the popularity of city. The design is inspired by a button.

What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?

Button is closely related to the military. The pause and start symbol means that people suspend their busy work, give themselves a vacation, and start the journey of the Huade military experience. The combination of the pause and start symbol and the pentagram is the English abbreviation HD of Huade. The five-pointed star is part of the banner of the Chinese army and part of the military epaulets. Huade will always remember and pay tribute to the heroes who defended the country during the war.

What are your future plans for this award winning design?

I want to make some more new works.

How long did it take you to design this particular concept?

3 months.

Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?

After receiving the design invitation, I went to Huade for a survey and research to understand the history and current situation of this city. Through interviews with citizens, professionals, and government officials, everyone agreed that the previous military base is the most representative city symbol.

Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?

No,this is a city logo, mainly means to develope a city.

What made you design this particular type of work?

Client needs.

Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?

This city's location.

Who is the target customer for his design?

Everybody

What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?

The previous military base is the most representative city symbol.

How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?

I use this city's name.

Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?

AI software.

What is the most unique aspect of your design?

The difficulty is how to express the history of military bases in modern visual language. Starting with the military flag and clothing, found a common symbol that is the pentagram. The pause and start symbols in the Internet era combine the five pointed star to perfectly combine the two.

Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?

No, only myself.

What is the role of technology in this particular design?

Communication.

Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?

Yes, I went to Huade for a survey and research to understand the history and current situation of this city.

What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?

The difficulty is how to express the history of military bases in modern visual language. Starting with the military flag and clothing, found a common symbol that is the pentagram. The pause and start symbols in the Internet era combine the five pointed star to perfectly combine the two.

How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?

I feel this concept is very good.

What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?

I learn to thinking more from this work.

Design Legend Interview

50 questions

I began my design work in 1997. I founded my own design company in 2003 and graduated from Visual Communication. I am a designer/artist funded by the National Arts Foundation of China.

Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

I began my design work in 1997. I founded my own design company in 2003 and graduated from Visual Communication. I am a designer/artist funded by the National Arts Foundation of China.

What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

Good design can bring you a happy mood and a happy consumer experience, I am willing to bring you happiness.

Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

The designer is my personal choice, I like this profession.

What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

I focus on brand design, hoping to create more well-known brands.

What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

Design is the refinement of life. To observe and experience life, your design will have a soul.

What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

Good designers have to solve the problems at hand, and great designers can raise a brand to a certain height.

What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

If you can make both customers and consumers win, this is really good design.

What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

Good design can reduce the cost of communication, thereby reducing the price of goods or services, creating a win-win situation for customers and consumers.

What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

I will design Chinese fonts for people who want to use Chinese fonts.

What is the dream project you haven't yet had time to realize?

Create a world-class brand.

What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

The design success lies in effectively conveying the information that you want to express. My secret is to design expressions with simple and easy to understand visual elements.

Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

Professor Yue Luo from the Academy of Fine Arts of Tsinghua University gave me the inspiration for design.

What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

I like the design of Mr. Henry Steiner, who can blend different cultures.

What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

At the age of 21, I designed the brand logo for a famous instant noodle company in China. I used the simplest visual elements to effectively convey the industry attributes and characteristics. It became a well-known trademark in China.

How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

Try to understand different art fields and enrich our expressions. It is also necessary to change positions and think that the works designed in this way are more objective. I combine the two for my design.

If you hadn't become a designer, what would you have done?

I think I will be a traveller.

How do you define design, what is design for you?

Design is the art of communication and a means of solving problems.

Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

Life and experience have helped me the most, and my clients are my biggest supporters.

What helped you to become a great designer?

Love for life.

What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

Always trying to convince the customer, suddenly one day I understand that the design works can speak.

How do you think designers should present their work?

It is most valuable for the market to test whether the work is successful or not.

What's your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

I will start to design brand image for the city. I hope every city has its unique visual image.

What's your ultimate goal as a designer?

I hope that my design has emotions and temperatures to make the world a better place.

What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

I hope that the design can be demonstrated and solved the problems.

How does design help create a better society?

The design has a leading role and uses more healthy and positive design works.

What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

I am encouraged by receiving the winning information from the Italian A design and writing these questions!

Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

I am satisfied with the promotional materials designed for the Bill Gates Foundation, because serving charity can help more people.

What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

We are facing an era of rapid change, hoping that design will be the leading role of this era, always at the forefront.

Where do you think the design field is headed next?

The design will gradually shift from traditional design to Internet media design.

How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

Taking brand design as an example, it usually takes 6 to 12 months.

When you have a new design project, where do you start?

Start with market research.

What is your life motto as a designer?

Start with your brain and then start your design.

Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

Trends determine design and design serves trends.

What is the role of technology when you design?

Technology provides a means to achieve design.

What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

PS, I, iMac

What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

Tools and vectors to implement the design.

What do you wish people to ask about your design?

Solve problems and have good associations.

When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

Where is its success? How can I do this?

Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

People who know more about the market than me in different design projects are my ideal design partners, and I can work with my partners.

Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

The interaction between customers and market participants has the greatest impact on my design.

Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

The Autobiography of David Ogilvy

How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

Watch various types of exhibitions, participate in professional courses from time to time, and keep in touch with university teachers.

Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

Mr. Lu Xun, i want to talk about his understanding of design.

How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

Behind any award is the accumulation of work, and the award is the best testimony. Everything is done well, and the result is naturally not wrong.

What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

White, Inner Mongolia, Lamb, Autumn, Prairie, Erdos.

Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

In New York in 2017, I was with the Hollywood Awards director Keith Merlin, using a Chinese-made translation machine for unobstructed communication. He felt incredible. If I had the chance to meet you, we might as well try it.

What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

It is necessary to always treat the client's entrustment seriously, and to use emotion to do the design, the design works will be accepted by the market.

When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

When I was a child, my idea was to be a painter. Of course, I will paint now, but I will serve the design.

What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

The future is handed over to the future.

Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

I hope that they understand me and I can be a good friend.

Designer Interview

40 questions

I like to paint since I was a child. I chose art design when I was studying. I hope to be a professional designer, so I worked as a designer in my own ideals.

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?

I like to paint since I was a child. I chose art design when I was studying. I hope to be a professional designer, so I worked as a designer in my own ideals.

Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

Founded in 2003, my brand design consultant company has 10 members and has been providing brand visual management and design services to foreign agencies such as embassies, charitable organizations, cultural and educational institutions, and commercial companies.

What is "design" for you?

Design is the art of communication and a means of solving problems.

What kinds of works do you like designing most?

Information conveys accurate work.

What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

The simplest visual language delivers the most effective information and lets as many people as possible know what to convey.

What was the first thing you designed for a company?

Designed a package for a CD.

What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

The professional designer website is my favorite to browse, it can inspire my inspiration.

When do you feel the most creative?

Usually at night,I will be able to concentrate and produce good ideas.Usually at night, I will be able to concentrate and produce good ideas.

Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

Whether the design language is simple or not, and whether it can effectively convey information.

What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

I will constantly change my position from the perspective of the market and the customer, hoping to inject emotion into the design.

What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

First of all, I will be happy with my efforts. I will pay attention to the evaluation of the works and sum up the experience.

What makes a design successful?

Find the selling points of products or services, and amplify and effectively disseminate these information through design language.

When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

I will consider whether the design has solved the customer's problem and whether it is effectively solved.

From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

Designers should choose environmentally friendly materials as far as possible, preferably local materials, and the products designed can finally return to nature harmlessly.

How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

Design must always be centered around the market and consumers, design must be market-predicted, and must have a sense of advance. The future of design is always leading the way.

When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?

In 2018, at the Exhibition Hall of the Academy of Fine Arts of Tsinghua University. In 2019 there will be a winning exhibition tour in China.

Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

The design of this work is inspired by a power plug. Creativity is to learn from multiple perspectives by continually drawing on the experience of different industries. Inspired by the observation and experience of life.

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?

I like to complete the design with simple visual elements. Because the designer serves the public, simple visual elements can be understood and recognized by the public. My design style is to solve problems in the simplest visual language. My design method is to choose the design carrier first, and highly refine it.

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 live in Beijing, China. The ancient and splendid culture of China has had a great impact on my design. Contemporary China's economy and culture are developing rapidly, and I enjoy my creative environment.

How do you work with companies?

Usually my client from other customers introduces and achieve cooperation through my resume and work.

What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?

The company and the designer need to communicate in depth, and when the idea reaches a consensus, everything will be much easier. Choosing a good designer requires similar values and goals.

Can you talk a little about your design process?

First of all, I will do basic market research, research market competitors, find customers' unique selling points, and develop creative designs.

What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

1. The American style of the living room. 2. The lamps of the restaurant. 3. The flower room on the balcony. 4. The layout of the daughter bedroom. 5. Stairs.

Can you describe a day in your life?

Get up in the morning - walk the dog - start working at the company - start a creative meeting - go out and communicate with the customer - end the work home - watch a book or a movie.

Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?

Designers are doing services, so be open-minded about the needs of the market and customers. When these are clear, you can start designing. I recommend that designers not only pay attention to the design industry, but also focus on all aspects of life, because your design will ultimately serve life.

From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

In the face of new customers, we must re-learn the industry and provide valuable design to our customers. We cannot work for our clients in full accordance with past experience, because the market is constantly changing.

What is your "golden rule" in design?

Market Research - Customer Positioning - Design Carrier - Visual Communication

What skills are most important for a designer?

Listening, Observation, Thinking, Creation and Communication

Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

In the design process, there are draft papers, pens, and laptops, color labels, and professional books in the toolbox.

Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

I will make a time plan for a design work, proceed in strict accordance with the timetable, and the intermediate links will change, but the final completion time will be guaranteed.

How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

Usually a logo design takes 4 weeks.

What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?

What is the design want to achieve? What problem need to be solved?

What was your most important job experience?

The 2005 British Education Exhibition (Beijing, China) was designed and designed for the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy.

Who are some of your clients?

Bill Gates Foundation, Culture and Education Section British Embassy, Schneider Electric, Sandvik, Tsinghua University and so on.

What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

I like the brand logo design works, because the logo is rich in connotation and has a lot of spaces for thinking.

What are your future plans? What is next for you?

Designing a brand for a Chinese city, now has launched a city brand design project.

Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?

I have my own brand design consultant company and a professional team to serve our clients.

Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?

Now design the city brand image for a city in China, Dalate. Through market research and mining, I found the core value of the city and hoped to recommend the city to the world through the brand's visual image.

How can people contact you?

fy-witcom@foxmail.com

Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?

No, the above questions are comprehensive.

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The design interview data shown in our design interview page with Fu Yong regarding Huade City Visual Identity comes from the Design Interviews platform, where leading designers, architects and brands are interviewed regarding their award-winning designs, products and projects.