We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Menglin Tian ("MT").
2020-2022, unprecedented challenges change the life we used to take for granted. This is an opportunity for me to rethink and examine what we think of life and the undercurrents of peace. We will see problems that were previously ignored emerge and magnify. Each of these challenges reminds us that our daily lives need to be rethought and redesigned. Even though there are many challenges ahead, I always believe that we should face our life with an optimistic and positive attitude. As a designer, MY work is committed to solving problems in an interesting, poetic and playful way, adding some happiness and flash to our life.
Menglin Tian Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Menglin Tian.
Menglin Tian Design - Creaon Toy
Designer Interview of Menglin Tian:
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?
MT : My love for design could go back to my childhood. At that time, I was deeply attracted by a pretty popular CCTV interior design program called "exchange space". Thanks for my parents' education and support, I am able to gradually transform my love for design into my major and future career. In 2016, I was matriculated into the Bachelor of product design of Jiangnan University, which was one of the most long-standing and famous design institutes in China. During four-year academic life, my studies of core subjects such as materials and technology, product design expression, product design engineering, design management and brand strategy, product design discipline frontier, design psychology, user research played an important role in shaping my understanding of design industry, which enabled me to know how to run and promote the whole process of design and explore some new materials by myself. These systematic design learning and the accumulation of of new materials have laid a solid foundation for my postgraduate journey.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
MT : I worked with two of my college classmates to set up a small studio since I graduated from college.Our business provides graphic design, product design, packaging design, IP image design to meet customers' needs.At the same time, as a design studio, we also produce some works representing our own ideas, such as products and designer toys. We are committed to exploring the beauty of life, drawing inspiration from daily life, and creating life-oriented and poetic products.We hope to convey beauty and loveliness to more people in a more interesting and playful way.
DI: What is "design" for you?
MT : "Design" is like a connector, connecting different elements and making things work better together.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
MT : I like to focus on materials and traditional techniques and ancient wisdom. I'm passionate about solving problems in creative, poetic and interesting ways. My design works are often based on these points.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
MT : Sisal Table-Made from Agave Leaves， Designer： Fernando Laposse Sisal, a byproduct of the original Mexican tequila production, was once widely used to make fishing nets and rope. However, it was abandoned because of the heavy use of plastic. Fernando presents this material and its traditional production techniques through a design that supports local employment and helps restore the plant as native vegetation to be replanted in large quantities to help stabilize the soil and help restore the ecology of the local environment that has been overfarmed.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
MT : I once designed designer toy figures for a company that did research on traditional gourd culture.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
MT : I like materials that are flexible and environmentally friendly best. Wax, clay, milk, chocolate, etc. Magic is born when one material can achieve multiple states. It can inspire many kinds of ideas. Whether it's the product or the food.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
MT : At night, I like to start designing when it is quiet. The dark environment and a little sound outside the window can help me concentrate and immerse myself in the unrestrained imagination world. Plus, you need to do your research during the day while people are still open.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
MT : The end of the product's life, I hope the end of the product can be in an environmentally friendly way.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
MT : Sometimes you're upset because you have to make sense of all the connections, but sometimes you're happy when you do.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
MT : It's very rewarding, seeing something that was in your head actually in front of you, being able to touch it, being able to use it, especially if you let someone else use it.
DI: What makes a design successful?
MT : Consider the whole process of a design, before it, during it and after it.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
MT : Whether it solves a problem, whether it comes into the world responsibly.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
MT : The designer, so to speak, is the door of an object to this world. Objects go into people's lives through designers. On the one hand, we should be full of creativity, innovation and foresight, on the other hand, we should shoulder the responsibility for the environment and society.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
MT : For me, designing the future is based on and looking back at what we have and thinking about what we can do with it.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
MT : My last show was at London Design Week. I hope to be able to exhibit again in 2023.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
MT : Take a walk outside. Taking a walk outside can help clear your mind and be inspired by what's happening and what's out there. I often go to various exhibitions for 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?
MT : It's poetic, playful and purposeful. I like that design can add happiness to people's lives, and I look forward to people's wow and small surprise smiles when they use my 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?
MT : I currently live in London, where different handicrafts are valued and appreciated. This makes my design pay more attention to the combination of craft and how to make the traditional craft shine again in the new era.
DI: How do you work with companies?
MT : I am currently working as a freelance independent designer.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
MT : I hope all departments can understand each other's work better and sit down together.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
MT : I like to put everything I've researched in miro and sort it all out. After identifying the problem and the method, it is the same again.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
MT : My mouse, it's light and silent My mug. It's got a big, roomy handle My plant shelf, it can fold this My chopsticks are made of materials of moderate size and are easy to pick up My Chinese knife. It's the right weight to slap the garlic
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
MT : I usually do some reading and work during the day and go dancing in the evening. I want to exercise my brain and my body.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
MT : Never forget to discuss your project with people, no matter who they are.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
MT : Designers are like dancers in chains. We have many things to create, and we are bound by many things. But isn't bondage a ladder of progress?
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
MT : Whether it can make people smile.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
MT : Think outside the box.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
MT : Quick drying clay. I often use clay to make my ideas quickly and test them further.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
MT : Instead of thinking about my design all the time, I usually spend half a day researching and exploring and writing it down for review the next day.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
MT : About two months.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
MT : You need to look critically at your design and iterate on it.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
MT : As an independent designer, you have to deal with many sides alone.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
MT : Various. I provide design services for different clients.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
MT : I enjoy designing with traditional materials and crafts, and I want to make them valued again so that these treasures can find their place and shine in a new era.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
MT : I plan to work in a design studio, learn from excellent predecessors and cooperate with them to complete more wonderful designs.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
MT : I am currently working solo on my designs.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
MT : I am currently working on my personal project: SEAL designer toys, in which I hope to collaborate with people who recycle waste plastic in the ocean.
DI: How can people contact you?
MT : Please contact me through my email: menglintian.design@gmail.com