We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative TIST ("TIST").
TIST is an award-winning designer that helps make the World a better place with their original and innovative creations and advanced design works.
TIST Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by TIST.
TIST Design - KT 5G Sculpture Symbolizing
TIST Design - Pop Pop Santa Village
TIST Design - 2030 Messaging Gift Card of CJ
Designer Interview of TIST:
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?
TIST : This sounds like an old cliché, but I was influenced by my father, an architectural designer who draws really well. Also, I basically tend to create more value, even for miscellaneous works, whatever I do. I thought that design is the best field to express my nature and I have been working as a designer already more than 20 years.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
TIST : TIST provides solutions that add(+) more value on companies and individuals by analyzing customer trends and flows from various viewpoints as an artist as well as specialist and strategically suggesting brand identity and creative communication under the marketing environment where media frames keep evolving and various changes continue.
DI: What is "design" for you?
TIST : The process that reminds the essential value
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
TIST : I am a greedy man! I prefer design works which can produce excellent outcomes regardless of genre.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
TIST : I prefer integrated branding through various media. I will try to develop a new and more effective medium and express core messages creatively with it.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
TIST : I developed the medium design which provides the brand experience and the “Visual Identity Guideline” which maximize its efficiency.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
TIST : I have interest in various materials, and love to challenge different platforms and learn many techniques. Then, by combining all interests I have as a single link, I also enjoy establishing more effective design strategy.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
TIST : Well, very rarely! When I clearly show what I want to tell with logical and emotional inspiration!
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
TIST : I lead creative design based on the analytic and intuitive thinking.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
TIST : I expect not to be remained. Although it may not be dramatic, I always feel a stimulus for continuous progress.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
TIST : Very much fantabulous or little regretful
DI: What makes a design successful?
TIST : Creative attempt and stubborn compulsion for details
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
TIST : I consider if the message to deliver could be led to the essence by clear and new expression methods.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
TIST : Since the power of design can change or even demolish the society and environment, designers should think deeply with the insight of humanities and create responsible outcomes.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
TIST : As the concept of design is extending to various values, activities of designers should not only include simple formative or visual works but also brand and expand culture and brand. All these activities lead the future of design.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
TIST : My last exhibition was held while in college, but TIST projects are all special exhibitions and TIST exhibitions are ongoing.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
TIST : Everything I feel in our daily lives is accumulated then, at some point, it naturally triggers 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?
TIST : I try to create design which is faithful to the essence and roles as well as not boring even after a long time considering the features of media.
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?
TIST : I am living in Seoul, Korea. Unlike before, information and projects are shared and assessed online in real time. I think the community is leading the globalization of design. I believe TIST can challenge to a bigger stage beyond Korea, if the capacity is built enough, so I don’t feel weaknesses that much.
DI: How do you work with companies?
TIST : The key point is to narrow the gap for the goal of project with cooperating companies. We try our best to analyze based on many options, hold our best suggestion and eventually make better outcomes through enough discussion and cooperation.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
TIST : Although there may be little difference, people who are working together should look at the same place. By doing so, we can have better teamwork and clearer goal. If the destination of the project is where we want to go, I believe we can overcome difficulties during the process.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
TIST : If all messages of client are reflected for design, it can rather create confusion. So I listen to their requests, and set priorities of them based on the features of media. Then I establish concrete scope and methods of messages which should be delivered and lead them closer to the essence by a new way of design expression. That is, I put emphasis on attracting a creative design based on the analytic and intuitive thinking.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
TIST : Drawing of my first son, scribbles of my second son, a set of kitchen knives from my wife, wood-carves glasses, and a grey snapback with a fancy shade.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
TIST : I love to observe trivial objects or situations, even it can be a pencil. Then I can leave a margin.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
TIST : Before building one’s own world, we should take a step back and see objectively.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
TIST : The positive aspect is our role that makes the ugly beautiful, the uncomfortable comfortable, and the good better, while the negative aspect is the uncomfortable life because whenever I find something that needs improvement, it really bugs me.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
TIST : “There is nothing in this world constant, but inconstancy.” –Jonathan Swift –
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
TIST : Read people’s heart and express it soulfully.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
TIST : Since the range of project is wide, I use various tools. [Hand sketch, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After effect, Autodesk 3ds Max, etc.]
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
TIST : Unexpectedly the answer is simple. For time-consuming works, I tend not to be impatient and take much time calmingly. That’s why stamina is really important to design.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
TIST : Of course, it depends on the characteristics of object or the level of difficulty. If sparkling inspiration comes to me, however, I can finish it as quick as a flash.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
TIST : For non-designers, “Isn’t design hard?”, and for designers “What kind of design you want to do?” Both are challenging assignments.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
TIST : Establish TIST, run TIST, and design future with TIST.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
TIST : LOTTE WORLD MALL, LG Hausys, kt, AmorePacific, Olive Young, LF …
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
TIST : My favorite is space direction by branding because I can fully experience the communication of design by breathing with people together inside the directly created space.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
TIST : I want to build TIST that can communication with people and add values, then the next step will be awesome naturally.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
TIST : Sometimes I give guidelines as a team leader, and sometimes I concentrate on developing my own design.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
TIST : I discover what is undervalued because of design in spite of its excellent quality and faith, and make it to draw attention.
DI: How can people contact you?
TIST : Please feel free to contact me via info@tist.co.kr. I can’t wait to see the flood of emails already :)