We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Nova Hung ("NH").
Nova worked in the branding industry for almost 10 years. She is a graphic designer who believes that design can change the way of how people see business. She started a design firm - Chatter Design, mainly target on small to medium scale company who needs a design to rebuild their image, to increase the brand value of their products. She thinks good design is needed for everyone, not only big brand.
Nova Hung Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Nova Hung.
Designer Interview of Nova Hung:
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?
NH : From a young age, I have been drawn to the world of art. As a child, I found solace in drawing and it gave me a sense of freedom. However, my family had different aspirations for me and encouraged me to become a piano teacher, leading me to study the instrument from a young age. Despite reaching grade 8 in piano, I realized my true passion lay in design and expressed this desire to my mother. As I grew older, I pursued my passion and successfully completed my studies in design at the Hong Kong Design Institute. I am proud to have secured my first job in the industry after graduation.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
NH : In 2015, my partner Marvis and I founded our company, Chatter Design. Marvis manages the marketing aspect of the business, while I focus on design. The name "Chatter Design" reflects our belief that effective design is rooted in communication. Having worked in the industry for over 10 years, I've come to understand that good design is all about effective communication. Our vision is to treat our clients as friends, fostering open dialogue and collaboration to achieve the best possible results.
DI: What is "design" for you?
NH : I believe that open dialogue is essential to creating successful designs that meet the needs of our clients. By fostering an environment of open communication, we encourage our clients to share their ideas, concerns, and feedback throughout the design process. We listen attentively to their needs and collaborate with them every step of the way to ensure that the final product meets their expectations. This approach allows us to build strong relationships with our clients and deliver designs that truly resonate with them.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
NH : I believe that a job should not be defined by its category, but by the potential to push boundaries and drive progress. Design, for me, represents a constant challenge in my life - the challenge to create visually appealing and impactful products while also effectively communicating with the client. When clients understand the true value of design and what it can bring to their business, it makes the job all the more enjoyable and the results all the more successful. At Chatter Design, we strive to go beyond just meeting the client's brief and aim to create designs that truly push the boundaries of what's possible. This approach helps us to not only meet but exceed our client's expectations and drive innovation in the industry.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
NH : My own company branding. The logo, the cartoon character that represents our company, the brand image of our company.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
NH : That must be "Behance". Gathering all the best design works up there that really inspired me a lot.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
NH : Can my design deliver the message that it aim to do? Communication is the very first considered point.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
NH : I feel totally enjoying myself. It's freely and challenging because I will break through my concept and get more upwards. It's like a war that I fighting with myself. Fun and satisfy.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
NH : Exciting and thankful. A motivation to keep me pushing myself get better and better.
DI: What makes a design successful?
NH : The message that the design can deliver, the image of the design that can catch target audience attention, also a new idea that to keep the design environment progress.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
NH : Could target audience get what you are presenting? Would it be a direction or confusion?
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
NH : A designer should not support the "Free pitching" action. Mostly those free or very low-cost job would come out lots of bad design to the society, we are designer, we have to keep ourselves upward, and elevate the whole society's esthetic level. Not to ruin it. Most of the customers that don't know how to judge esthetic, we are designer we have the responsibility to educate them.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
NH : For my opinion, in Hong Kong, design knowledge can be much more popularization. I think the future of design would be the whole society understand more about how design works, and how design affects human activities.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
NH : My inspiration comes from everywhere. The place that I go, the video I watched, the book I read, friends of mine, the game I play, the experiencing of my life.
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?
NH : I think my design style is simplization that I'm still working on it. Simple but unique is not easy, I think I will keep reaching and create a style that belongs to me.
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?
NH : I live in Hong Kong, which is a famous international city, and we got lots of great designers here too. I can learn and inspired by them, also we got lots of exhibition here. But I think design concept can be more popularization which I'm working on it now.
DI: How do you work with companies?
NH : To understand their needs as I were them. Keep asking a question of "what if". We are friend and we are looking for an answer together.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
NH : A good designer never rest. I'm not meaning the working hour, I'm talking about their mindset. They can't stop attracting by information or picture that related to design. Just let them create, don't interrupt their thinking, the answer needs time.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
NH : My design process would be researching before I start. Sometimes not only research on the job-related information, sometimes it can be totally not related but I can get inspired by it, to see the possibility of this project. Then I will share my concept with the client first, to commit in the same direction, then I will start my sketching and work on it.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
NH : My Piano, My iMac, "Back to Future" poster, Bobbie Brown make up case, Chatter Design Calendar 2018 :-)
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
NH : Just remember design is a service, service means everything needs to be balancing - your design concept, the design look and feel, the marketing strategy and the client's thinking. Things won't work if lack of any of it. Being creative is not just Only come out an idea, but to make your idea into the business and shock the world, getting the win-win situation.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
NH : Being a designer is full of creativities, maybe funny too, but design is a really time-consuming work on our own, so maybe we are busy all the time. :-P
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
NH : Never stop being curious.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
NH : Knowing how to judge esthetic.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
NH : Adobe software, and my collection in Behance or Pinterest, my design books also.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
NH : It really depends on the job time-lime length to decide how long I can struggling or researching on it.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
NH : It mostly around 3-6 months.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
NH : Where did your inspiration come from?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
NH : I was working on a Hong Kong fresh seafood delivery company branding. It's a really tight schedule and got to handle the whole branding including website design and develop, also photo shooting too. Which was a really experiencing to gain so much seafood knowledge of this time and had fun with the crew.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
NH : Sony, China Unicom, Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited (HKIRC), The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG), FuLum Group, Mic Kitchen, Private i Salon, Choi Fook Wedding Banquet Group etc.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
NH : Branding, because to build a brand image just like building a country. The challenging and satisfying is unforgettable.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
NH : We will try our best to educate more customer to understand more about design, not only the big brand, we wish design can be more popularization in the future.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
NH : I will do the first step of the design project beginning, sometimes I need to work by myself, sometimes I need to cooperate with other partners or buddies.
DI: How can people contact you?
NH : My email: nova@chatterdesign.com / or for more contact information here: http://chatterdesign.com/