We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Seulah Choi ("SC").
I am a designer from Seoul, South Korea. I aim for being a logically thinking designer. My favorite quote is 'what you see is what you get' because it inspires me doing my own projects. What I see works for a real references, which I think is better than surfing a design websites, and I got a lot of inspirations from this 'what I see' adventure. This makes me more creative while doing my design works. Putting reasons and meanings in my design is what I aims for. I want to say good design is when there is a story and a meanings in it. By putting logics in my design, I feel like I'm communicating with people through my design. Logically thinking and well-communicating person is who I am and what I want to be.
Seulah Choi Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Seulah Choi.
Seulah Choi Design - Typotect Corporate Identity
Designer Interview of Seulah Choi:
DI: 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?
SC : 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.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
SC : 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.
DI: What is "design" for you?
SC : 'Communication'. Design is one of the method of communicating for me. I put my thoughts, deliver it to others.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
SC : 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.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
SC : 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.'
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
SC : 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.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
SC : 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.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
SC : 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.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
SC : Excited, absolutely. Can't wait for the output how it's going to be done.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
SC : Excited, definitely.
DI: What makes a design successful?
SC : 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.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
SC : If it's logically make sense or not. If it does, I consider it as a good design, if it's not, bad design.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
SC : Delivering and pursuading the idea. The idea has to be healthy and give people a good vibes.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
SC : 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.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
SC : 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.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
SC : 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.
DI: 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?
SC : 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.
DI: 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?
SC : 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.
DI: How do you work with companies?
SC : I communicate with them a lot.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
SC : I hope not only my company but also other company to see 'how' they design, not 'what' they design.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
SC : 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.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
SC : Macbook Pro, Magic mouse, Iphone XS(because I'm using it), Airpod and Ipod
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
SC : 'What you see is what you get' is my favorite sentence. I try to live to see more and experience a lot.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
SC : It's what I'm still trying but make your own identity in your design.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
SC : 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.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
SC : Making logic.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
SC : Communication skill and making logic.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
SC : I mostly use Adobe programs. Besides that, I love reading design kinds books and see other people's design.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
SC : 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.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
SC : 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.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
SC : "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'
DI: What was your most important job experience?
SC : 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.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
SC : It depends.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
SC : Branding and putting user experience in it. I say 'Brand Experience Design.'
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
SC : 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.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
SC : 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.
DI: How can people contact you?
SC : People can contact me by email. It is the easiest way.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
SC : Thank you : )