We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Jinho Kang ("JK").
He is something new artist in illustration area compare to his long career of animation. He splits the human's thinking into small pieces and put it together by weird way. It represent the human's ego, mind, natural characters that every human being has.
Jinho Kang Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Jinho Kang.
Jinho Kang Design - Crazy Head Digital Art
Designer Interview of Jinho Kang:
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?
JK : My major was physics but I was an animator for over 20 years in South Korea. Animation and design is much similar like brothers and sisters. When I saw the artwork of Moebius I was shocked. This is the new world I have to go into. It was started in 1988. Since then my works going as animator, illustrator, character designer until now.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
JK : I was working many animation companies over 10 years since 1990. After 2002 I work alone as freelance artist. Sometimes I work for some animation and mobile game company.
DI: What is "design" for you?
JK : It seems like creation of God. Every object surround us have their own beautiful shapes to care.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
JK : Mechanic design of human related.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
JK : The recent works that is combined with human, cars and something else.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
JK : That was some illustrations for the SF short novel in 1993.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
JK : Digital program with photo of human and object of modern society/facebook, YouTube.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
JK : When I saw the many other artworks of different artist.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
JK : Every time I do I focus on the fun and satire with some cyberpunk.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
JK : Trying to keep happy smile with fun.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
JK : It feels like melt down every stress.
DI: What makes a design successful?
JK : Something related to the human.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
JK : I always consider the good idea, layouts for human first.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
JK : Every design has born for the human society so It should goes back to them.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
JK : I think It goes to the more convenient for human as always it did. In case of me Let's make new things which is you never seen before.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
JK : It was group exhibition with various artists at Seoul Korea in ten years ago. I have no plan the next one.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
JK : It comes out from all kinds of media. movies, games, music video, etc.
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?
JK : what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design? My design is like complexity of human especially their thinking, ego and natural born characters. What are they thinking about now? What are they interested in most? So I stick their interest to their head together which they can't take it away.
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?
JK : I was born and live in Seoul Korea now. My design was not affected by my country but different many artists of different country through the YouTube channel.
DI: How do you work with companies?
JK : My main job is making animation with various different companies of animation and game.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
JK : There are two things to consider which is personality and work ability. Good designer should have both 50:50.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
JK : 1) sketching for the proper layouts 2) searching and drawing object for the character 3) makes detail for more goes with the concept.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
JK : 1) scissors 2)home made shelf 3)I-phone 4) fruit knife 5)clothes hanger
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
JK : Living a day with joyful mind. Negative mind doesn't help my creative artwork.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
JK : Whoever you are what you have is most creative so always focus on yours first.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
JK : Being a designer It's cool job not only you make create something new but It help other people. Negatives are you are becoming more sensitive person.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
JK : Find something in your head that makes you happy and just enjoy the rest of it while you're working.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
JK : Being able to design the layout that fully conveys your ideas behind the work.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
JK : I usually use Photoshop. And my tool box is usually filled with various photos, music videos and movies.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
JK : I chop it down into small tasks i can do every day and try to keep that schedule.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
JK : It takes about three to four weeks.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
JK : Where did you get this idea?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
JK : Working on the TV animations from Warner Brothers in 1990 and 2020 was the turning point of my career.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
JK : I'm just new beginner of this area so don't have yet.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
JK : Human related robots and mechanics. Because they make me feel like I am looking at a completely different world than ours.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
JK : I plan to experiment with cyber punk style pieces more.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
JK : Most of time I work alone for design area. Sometimes I work as team leader for animation.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
JK : There are no special works-in-progress but I always care about layouts for fun.
DI: How can people contact you?
JK : By email j2kkjino@gmail.com
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
JK : Nope. I already had so many questions.