Jessica Chi-Hsin Yang

EDUCATION

2007-Mar. 2009: Savannah College of Art & Design, Master of Fine Arts, Graphic Design

2001-2005: B.S. in Industrial Design, college of DESIGN AND ART at Da-Yeh University.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES

2005: Freelance of graphic and industrial design: stationery, logos, guitar shape of ”Naga Guitar”, product designs.

2004-Nov. 2005: MAGE IDEA Company, Taipei, Taiwan: graphic designer and product designer.

2003: Internship in Ho-Mai Company of real-made Clothes.

HONORS

2008 May: Sand Festival 2008- First place of sand relief section.

2003: International Design Competition Osaka 2003 – nominate in the Industrial Design topic-New life

Life, Story, Design

I am both a graphic and an industrial designer. I received a B.S. degree in Industrial Design at the College of Art and Design at Da-Yeh University in Taiwan. Presently, I am studying Graphic Design for an M.F.A. degree at The Savannah College of Art and Design. I am interested in both design areas. I think design, which manifests itself everywhere, exists to improve lives. I view design as an activity that translates from an idea into a blueprint for a useful product. Design, in combination with effective technology, has eliminated both the border of principles and the concept of tradition.

I think graphic design helps me when I do industrial design. Since entering the Industrial Design Department at Da-Yeh University in Taiwan, I have learned the significance of this specific field. Then, I realized that I should learn more different aspects of graphic design to improve my industrial design technique. Design, in general, should have “the soul”, which comes from the passion designers put in their work. Graphic design is a good connector because it is an advertisement, including package design and marketing. Therefore, I combine the two design areas in my work.

When I was an industrial design student in Taiwan, I realized that there is no boundary in designing, the process that is full of rich creative thoughts and concepts. I also learned how graphic design and industrial design complement each other. After graduating, I worked in an advertising company for six months, and, later, I became a telecommuter. I designed at home, where I could control all the aspects of design and connect with my clients my own way. That meant flexibility and freedom.

I am apt at using 2-D and 3-D programs, such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Corel Draw, Flash, After Effect, Dreamweaver, Rhino, Solid works, and Auto cad. The programs help me to create my designs. But, design is only partially about the knowledge of how to use computer design programs. It is also about specific ideas and the individual design sense of style. I do that because, to me, users and products have a close relationship with each other. When I design industrial products, I take into consideration an important question: Should I upgrade an existing product, or should I create a new product? First, if I want to improve an existing product, I have to consider the problems the product might have. I also have to think about the relationship between the users and the product because products are made to satisfy people. Modern consumers want not only useful products but also artistic ones. If a product offers function only, it is only average, but not good enough for marketing. In other words, users are getting more and more choosy. In addition, nowadays, the demand focuses on quality, variety and novelty. Consumers who are interested in the newest creations are attracted to interesting products. Therefore, for designers, the problem to solve is how to make a product that combines good quality with uniqueness. Thus, I always put a “story” into my design. When I design a product, I consider the fact that each product has a different background and reflects different genders, ages, cultures and situations.

My process of designing includes researching, imagining, thinking, solving, modifying, creating and making. During the process, I have to overcome difficulties. I like to solve problems because they are auxiliaries of design. Although some problems are challenging, they can help me to create better products. Embellishing and finishing are the last steps in my process of design. These last two steps are very important to me because a good design cannot have a great beginning but a dull ending. After making details perfect, I know my work is finished. I have devoted my life to the tough fields of industrial and graphic design. I have great interest in design, which is my life, so I will keep working on improving them.