We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Xuesong Li ("XL").
Li Xuesong, Professor，School of Industrial Design，Luxun Academy of Fine Arts (LAFA), Design Director of Goldshield APEC company China branch, American. The member of China Liaoning Arists Association. Led the design team has won the Best Designer Award of 2014 China Red Star Original Design Award、The 12th National Art Exhibition Silver Award winner and 2016 reddot award winner. He engaged in product design education for nearly 20 years, trained a number of outstanding designers.
Xuesong Li Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Xuesong Li.
Designer Interview of Xuesong Li:
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?
XL : I graduated from Luxun Academy of Fine Arts, industrial design, from an early age love art, in the middle school like the product design. During the University, under the influence of the teacher, after graduation to become a university teacher, continue to engage in product design education, to achieve their ideals.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
XL : The predecessor of Luxun Academy of Fine Arts (LAFA) was the Yanan-based Luxun Arts College (LAC) founded, in 1938, by the pioneering generation of Chinese Revolutionaries including Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. Mao personally handwrote the Motto of LAC: Strenuousness, Seriousness, Diligence and Modesty”. The college was removed to Northeast China in 1945 and evolved to Luxun Academy of Fine Arts in 1958.In 1988, the Department of Industrial Design was established in 1988 based on the professional design of industrial design. Mastering the latest achievements and trends of the specialty and the basic theory and basic skills of industrial design, it has strong pioneering and innovative ability and comprehensive implementation ability. Of the industrial design of senior specialized talents.
DI: What is "design" for you?
XL : First I was a teacher, designed for me, just like the spices of life.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
XL : I like to design products related to outdoor recreational activities, such as automotive products. Also like to design some rich semantic features of the product.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
XL : I love product design. For me, the design must meet the needs of people, design from life, higher than life.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
XL : "Positivecare" brand pet care products packaging design.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
XL : I really like 3D printing technology, she let the design become more free.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
XL : My design inspiration comes from the subtle observation of things, from the life experience. The design is ubiquitous, even in my dreams.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
XL : Function to determine the form, pay attention to the needs of users. I liked the design style of Naoto Fukasawa, and I admired Daniel Simon's understanding of the form.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
XL : Quiet design is a very happy thing, in the face of the design of the choice will make people very tangled.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
XL : When I see my work become a reality, I feel very satisfied, very excited.
DI: What makes a design successful?
XL : Good communication.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
XL : Whether the design can meet the needs, to bring designers and consumers more thinking.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
XL : Designers are walking in the forefront of the times, good design can lead the concept of consumers, good design should pay more attention to environmental protection, to maintain the sustainable development of society.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
XL : In the relatively low level of living, people are more concerned about the function of the product. With the improvement of living standards, good design often meet the basic functions of the product at the same time, inspire people to think more, pay more attention to human emotions. The future of the design is no borders, through the design can lead the public a better life.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
XL : At the end of the 2016 red dot design concept award ceremony, I had the honor to attend the awards ceremony and won my first red dot design award.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
XL : Share and discuss with friends.
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?
XL : I like the design style of Naoto Fukasawa, the design can let people think about the story behind the product. This is what I am now trying to convey the semantics of the product by designing better.
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?
XL : My design is inspired by the careful observation and experience of life. I will always focus on design-related information, conscientiously collect and organize, share and discuss with friends.
DI: How do you work with companies?
XL : I am a university teacher and also a design director for Goldshield APEC, responsible for product design and presentation.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
XL : Designers should adhere to their own design style, but must be market-oriented and company-oriented development. Enterprises in the choice of designers should be more concerned about the designer's cultural literacy and design style, choose their own development for the company's designers.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
XL : As a conceptual design, it is important to put forward a good idea. And then is based on the concept of thinking divergence, find a good way to solve the problem. For marketed products, market research and analysis is very important, must be functional-oriented design.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
XL : I really like IKEA products because he is easy to install and functional. And my handmade model in the studio, she made me more intuitive look at the beauty of the product.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
XL : Almost every morning I have to teach courses in college, at noon I can relax, listen to music, watch movies and so on. Afternoon time I may be in the company while drinking tea and the boss to discuss the company's next product development plan.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
XL : Young designers should learn more, do not sit at the desk every day thinking about the program, the designer must go out, enrich their experience.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
XL : Designers should have good habits and schedule, planned, active communication and work. Product design should be moderate, follow the principle of less is more. Too stick to their own design style is not conducive to the company team cooperation, the saying goes, "modest make progress."
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
XL : Less is more.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
XL : Ability to identify problems.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
XL : Ruler, pencil, computer, software, including AI, PS, AutoCAD, 3ds max, Modo, Rhino, Keyshot, etc..
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
XL : I will develop a timetable for the task, Monday to Friday basically every afternoon is my work time, try not to take up the night time.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
XL : About a month or so.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
XL : Product use behavior.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
XL : Design Director of Goldshield APEC company China branch, American.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
XL : 2016 China Bohai Rim Rally, Hubby Rose（HK） Limited, HD Goldshield (Shanghai) Ltd
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
XL : Outdoor product design. Out of the room is outdoors, we are eager to outdoor freedom, by car, walking, crossing, etc., this is a very large design area.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
XL : The next step, hope to have the opportunity to study abroad, open up horizons. Leading students to practice actively.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
XL : There is currently a small design team.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
XL : At present in the research and development of automotive products, hoping to enter the market from a private point of view.
DI: How can people contact you?
XL : My email: steven.lafa@icloud.com
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
XL : Basically included, no other problems.