5      Conversation with Jonathan Yuen

A multi-disclipinary designer whom I would call him a design rockstar

25.05.11

Seeping hot chocolate on a hot afternoon behind my screen and trying to type out the questions for myself and then answer them all in a bid to unravel the ins and outs of this one-of-a-kind project, we spoke to the mind behind it all.

Let's see.. how did the interest in design come about?

I've always have a penchant for drawing since I was a little kid. I enjoyed art classes offered in school, and have been curious on all things visual. To cut a long history short, I ended up taking graphic design / visual communication course when I left high school because I couldn't afford to study 3D computer visual /motion graphics, my primary interest back then. Pursuing graphic design seems like a natural alternative choice, and the rest is history. In retrospect, I'm actually glad that I develop my interest in graphic design instead.

Who do you look up to and why?

There are many figures I look up to throughout the years. Early in my study years, Stefan Sagmeister is a major influence in my thinking. He convinced me till this day the act of 'to touch someone's heart with design'. It defines a purpose for my passion back then, and it continue to instill a purpose to what I'm practicing now.

In my early career years, as my exposures to design industry broaden, many individuals and studios become a yardstick in which I measure myself against with. I look up to the works by Kinetic, and been a given the privilege to join the company, to work under the tutelage of Pann and Roy. I made some of my biggest personal strides by learning from them.

Now that I'm setting up a design practice on my own, I look up to many local independent designers as role model to learn both design and how to run a design business practices from; Felix from Silnt, Hanson from H55, Larry from &Larry, Jackson from :phunk/Black Design and many countless others. They have years of experience running a design business successfully in small scale. I learn a great deal from appreciating their works, reading write-ups about them, and listening to their conversations.

jonathanyuen.com

I realise that young designers are often afraid to make mistakes or even try sometimes. Any interesting or particularly rewarding mistakes you have made thus far?

I attribute the fear of making mistakes to the highly competitive nature of design business, and insanely inflated egos instilled in many budding designers. Everyone have the fear to fail. It's a natural, latent behavior in all of us. Ultimately, it's a mental exercise.

Every mistake is rewarding in restrospect - I learn not to repeat them. The usual console for myself is the choices I made that lead to the mistakes, are the only choices I can made at that time, otherwise I would have chose the others.

Nike: Born From Obsession

You are apt at both interactive and graphic design. Do you think being able to do a website is essential for graphic designers?

I wouldn't not say it's essential, but be able to do both disciplines is definitely an edge / advantage you can have as a designer. Whether you're seeking an employment or starting up your own, your avenue of design services are broader, and offer more attractive opportunities.

Nowadays, everything is a taking on a more multi-disclipinary approach and more small studios/agencies are sprouting out. What do you think/make of this?

I think there are always pros and cons for functioning as a big agency and a small studio.

Multi-discplinary approach always gives a better business advantage. To be able to produce design solutions that carry through a series of medium with consistency in communication while offering a better rate is always an attractive edge for businesses.

I also believe in the trend of small independent individual/studio working together on a per project basis with each offers a specialised skill-set, is becoming a viable creative and business model. E.g., A digital installation project with its art direction and design, motion graphics, programming and installation each contributed respectively by individual/studios specialised in them. This model offers a diverse creativity approach, flexibility, and sometimes good economic sense. My own studio, Roots, is taking both approaches.

Beautiful Xmas

You have won awards for your own jonathanyuen.com website. Tell me all about it.

It started as a personal desire to do a honest, good design to express myself. I wanted it to be more than just a portfolio slideshow site, but with a more narrative style approach with a bit of storytelling, without being too cliche. I wrote down a few bits of phrases that I feel pretty much say who I am, what I do and what I stand for, and starts from there.

Staying true to my cultural roots is a goal. Referencing the visual aesthetics of the cultural arts as part of the design process becomes natural, and that's how I derived the site final presentation.

Success of the website took me by surprise, but it utterly convinced me one thing - simple, honest design is always a good design. It becomes one of the founding principles of Roots.

I'm flattered by the recognitions the website received on international stage. I feel proud to have a simple personal story that would resonates with people from different backgrounds. People continuously write in till now how it inspires them to do good with design. It makes me feel glad that I have, at the very least, 'touch a few hearts with design'.

I have always admire Masashi Kawamura (Masa-ka.com) for both his commercial (day job at W+K Portland) and personal projects. (continued) Do you think personal work is important?

Personal works are important to designers (or, at least to me). We become our own client, with self-defined goals and perimeters to work with, and a broader flexibility to exercise our creativity. It's good as well as satisfying for mental health. It encourages us to explore with very few restrictions, and most importantly, to fail without much fear. At least for me, personal projects often force me to confront my own shortcomings - Why I can't do this? Why shouldn't I do it this way? What stop me to try this?.

Typography and poster for PAVe

So, what exactly is Roots?

Roots is an interdisciplinary graphic design studio based in Singapore, founded in 2011 by yours truly.

Why and how did it come about?

I wrote down a principle which I wanted the studio to adhere to, based on what I've learn, experience and understand in my 8-year career.

"Design is about being honest in the communication. Often it requires no more than simple approach in creativity and forward thinking in the execution to relate to the right people. A good outcome is generally the product of good design. Design should touch someone's heart and it is something we love to connect with. At the end of the day, it's about staying true to the roots."

That's how the name Roots came about.

I see that you had a stint with AKQA. Must be damn amazing to get head hunted. How was it? Do you see yourself to continue to be based in Singapore in the near future?

The stint was a short one, three months to be exact, but it was fun while it lasts. They do great works there, and I was exposed to production and design environments that are vastly different from what I would have thought of. The experience matured me in some way, much like just when you thought you have seen pretty much what there is, and suddenly you realise you knew nothing at all. 

A side effect from all these is I've grown to love travel now. It is incomparable to what you heard, what you seen as images or read from write-up than to actually being there to experience.

I made a few good friendships there.

Singapore is a great city country to live in, with good design business prospects. Rising living cost is a concern, but I foresee myself to continuously based here. I have many good friends here that I hope to have opportunity to collaborate creative projects with.

Sage Is Home

Mailer for Darren Soh

(Laughs) How is the preparation coming along for Anonymous's Plus Minus Ten?

(Chuckles) Made some progress. Tossing around a few ideas, but nothing concrete yet. Paying homage to a great design influencer is no small matter, let alone interpreting one of his much-honored rules of design. I only hope the final output will live up to the value expected from the rule itself.

I think we definitely need more of such graphic design exhibitions in Singapore. What else do you think is needed here?

More quality design studios and firms. Elevate the general graphic design standard of the society. When good design is everywhere, the general public awareness and sensitivity to design becomes higher, which translates to demand of better design work outputs from studios and firms, and businesses are less reluctant to settle for low-cost template designs.

We need more design education for the public. That's what good organisations like The Design Society is actively promoting, with many good lectures, talks and events organised for the public.

Lastly, what are you busy with these days?

Works :)