Interviews with Seulah Choi

Since I could read and write, I loved to draw, paint and make things using papers and stuffs. I wanted to be an artist but didn't know what kind of. When I was in high-school, I still liked artistic things but thought it would be really fun and challenging if I could motivate and persuade people by my design works. I thought design could be a interesting communication for me. That is why I chose to go to design major. By learning things from my university, I had a chance to work for bigger and smaller companies. Also I attended several design exhibition by team or myself. After I graduate, I worked at a start-up design Agency and move to UXUI design agency, where I still work for.

Piet Zwart, who was an architect and also a typography designer is the main principle and also the inspiration. I first knew him in a communication design class and got a chance to research more about him I thought his works were very fundamental and it could be the standard and the base of the modern design. That was why and how I chose him as my inspiration.

I always try to make story and logic in the design. For example, Piet Zwart used linear shapes and 3 primary colors and also made space into the basic shapes. Those characteristics were actually my research output and I try to put them into the graphic. This was how the main graphic theme like square type and line type were used in the poster and other design applications. This process is, for me, making a logic of the design and identity, and also putting story into it. Communicating and delivering the message is my main point of doing design so logically thinking and making up the story into it is what I aim for and what I always want to achieve.

I'm currently working as a designer in Seoul, but I aim to do some other creative activities.

The project started in 2016 when I was studying graphic design in New Jersey, USA. From research to making brand identity was done in that year. Logic and story based identity, like logo and color usage was done but I need to research more about museums because I felt like the museum branding I did need something different from other modern museums. I developed it in 2017, when I came back to South Korea and started to variate it. At this moment, color scheme changed because the previous one seemed like too much. Due to my graduation exhibition, 2017 and 2018 was so busy to make a development. I restart it on 2019-2020 while making my portfolio and finally I could put everything I intended. It took few years but I think I was actually trying hard to make it better and better every year.

It was started in the class but I developed it as a professional work to show other people about Piet Zwart.

I just did it for myself, not for other reasons. It's a concept design of new modern museum about Piet Zwart.

Absolutely, Piet Zwart's works. When I first saw his pieces, I realized why people calls him as a pioneer of modernism. He has that base and standard of modern graphic design, and I think it's because of he worked as an architect and typography designer. It made me interesting and thought it could inspire many designers if there's a museum about modernism with a certain person like Piet Zwart.

Piet Zwart himself, and also all the art museums in New York and New Jersey.

Everyone could be the target especially art and design major people.

Logic and story in the work.

It came up from Piet Zwart's career. He was an architect and also a typography designer. TYPOTECT is a mixed word from his career.

Adobe programs were used such as Illustrator and photoshop.

It has meanings and thoughts in every part of details. It is basically a 'logic' and a 'story'.

I did it by myself, but did talked a lot about Piet Zwart with classmates.

I actually planned some interactive design in the museum so I thought blocks I used for graphic can be shown on the wall or on the table so kids can enjoy some interactive activity in the museum.

Yes, definitely. I firstly research his works, and gather the image together. This process was how I find out 3 characteristics of his works which is linear, 3 primary color and making space into a shape. After that, I've been to a lots of art museums in New York city to see the identity was shown to people.

Reinterpreting his works were a bit challenging because he has his own type of graphic style and it was hard to focus on his work and also make new graphic style from original ones.

Piet Zwart is not as popular as other modernism designer in my country. Even though my works are neatly done, I thought it might be harder to persuade people from my country. That's why I decided to submit this work to global award which other different country people can understand and read the message.

I learned making my works into communication works, like, how to reorganize it to make others understand my work easily.

It is always challenging designer new things. I hope this could inspire me to go to next level.

Since I could read and write, I loved to draw anything I can see and make things with papers and other stuffs. It continued til my highschool, and I started dreaming about my future job and I knew it would be something in a part of an art field. I chose design major because I thought it's challenging and charming job for me. I like persuading and talking about my thought, basically communicating with people and if I could be a designer, I thought it would be fun communicating with mydesign works. There were no certain thought like 'oh I have to be a designer' but I think I kept dreaming about it since I was younger.

We basically do User Experience design and puts interface designs in it. We research people'e needs and feedbacks about current services and try to make it better way for users. However, I attended this competition representing myself as a professional designer.

'Communication'. Design is one of the method of communicating for me. I put my thoughts, deliver it to others.

I like making logics into a graphic type of design. Easy to say, I want every single detail has a reason in my design. For example, colors and graphic styles I'm using and all that kind of stuffs have to have a reason and that is a 'logic' for me. I like thinking about it because it is actually very important part of design to deliver the idea.

Branding, user experience&interface design, APPLE is doing great job in this field in my opinion. Me as a consumer, I love to buy APPLE products even though it costs a high price. That is because I'm not only buying the product but also buying their brand logic, philosophy and story. It's worth it. Also I think it's designer's duty to make people to think like me, 'not only buying a product, but also a brand philosophy.'

I like printing material like silk screen because it's fun and also all the brand identity printing materials but I like smart devices and computer type of platform the most. The reason is because as a user, it updates for a better usage and it's interesting for me how and why it changes.

After I finish reading book or finish watching movies. Sometimes when I just listen to a music walking around also. These are how I make my brain relaxed and when it is relaxed, I think I could think more and wider.

Focusing on making logic of the design is important for me. It is a baseline of the design. For me, it is very important to think why this design is needed, why this color should be used or what story and philosophy is going to be in the design.

Excited, absolutely. Can't wait for the output how it's going to be done.

Excited, definitely.

It's basically when every logical meaning makes sense in the design project and it also make sense when it came out with the graphics.

If it's logically make sense or not. If it does, I consider it as a good design, if it's not, bad design.

Delivering and pursuading the idea. The idea has to be healthy and give people a good vibes.

Connected design will come in the future in my opinion. We, these days, use camera app to see the poster using AR, VR system. It move while we see it in the smart phone using AR service but it is actually a printed poster. Similar to this, design materials are going to be connected.

My graduation exhibition was my last one. It was held in Sejong University where I graduated. I want to hold my own exhibition in 10 years when I make my own identity in my designs which can be shown to people.

I mostly got an inspiration from internet. Seeing other design works and many different things in the internet is how I expand my thoughts. Also traveling and walking around the places where I wanted to go increase my creativity. My favorite sentence is 'What you see is what you get', so I try to see what I can see in the world. Making wider and bigger vision is how I get an inspiration.

My design is logical. Logically thinking and designing is the most important thing because it has a power of delivering the message and it makes people reminding it. It's basically putting story and philosophy through a design.

I live in Seoul, South Korea and yes I do think cultural heritage of my country affects my designs. Designers in Seoul like to share their works and talk about it a lot and it's possible because it's a small country and small city. It could be pros and cons both.

I communicate with them a lot.

I hope not only my company but also other company to see 'how' they design, not 'what' they design.

I firstly story tells about the project I want to do. After that, I research a news and articles about it to demonstrate why this design is needed. And then, I make a logic and philosophy through this process. What type of graphic and typography are going to be used is the next part I'm thinking of. When it's done, I variate it to see how it looks.

Macbook Pro, Magic mouse, Iphone XS(because I'm using it), Airpod and Ipod

'What you see is what you get' is my favorite sentence. I try to live to see more and experience a lot.

It's what I'm still trying but make your own identity in your design.

It is lucky to be a designer. We love and have passions in design field and it' directly connected to our job. One negative thing is talented people are all around.

Making logic.

Communication skill and making logic.

I mostly use Adobe programs. Besides that, I love reading design kinds books and see other people's design.

Everybody has their own 'concentrating time zone' especially designers I guess. I try to keep awake but if I'm stucked in a certain process, I just take a rest and restart it again in a few hours.

It depends but updating an old design is important for me so I usually don't say 'end' or 'finish' to my design. It has to be updated always.

"Do you guys draw and paint? Then can you draw my portrait?"

Well, people are curious and sometimes surprised about one brand identity has all kinds of meanings and thought inside and they ask me like 'how did you think of this logo with this idea? wow'

Graphic design internship when I was in NewJersey, USA. It was my first time working in foreign country with Australian boss. It is unforgettable memory because I learned how to communicate with people and how to work and solve problem by design.

It depends.

Branding and putting user experience in it. I say 'Brand Experience Design.'

Not planned specifically but one thing I could say is I'm not going to stop being a designer. In 3 years, I want to make my own brand identity and make my own design agency.

It depends but I like developing and updating my own design by myself but loves doing team works also. Especially team-working with other designers.

People can contact me by email. It is the easiest way.

Thank you : )