We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Qianying Niu ("QN").
Qianying Niu, a talented and dedicated designer who possesses exceptional skills in various mediums, particularly in packaging experience design within the FMCG industry. Qianying is a creative, curious, and passionate individual who takes pride in understanding her clients' needs and delivering thoughtful solutions while expressing her creativity. With experience gained from working in design agencies and corporate settings across Bridgeport, Chicago, Paris, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, Qianying has a broad perspective on the design industry. Her insights and experiences have led her to believe that the combination of design, thinking, and doing can be a powerful growth lever for sustainable development.
Qianying Niu Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Qianying Niu.
Qianying Niu Design - Bamboo Slips Liquor
Designer Interview of Qianying Niu:
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?
QN : I am a talented and dedicated global brand packaging experience designer. I excel in utilizing various mediums and have demonstrated exceptional skills in packaging experience design in the fast-moving consumer goods industry. I have interned at design agencies and renowned top 10 domestic and international FMCG companies in Connecticut, Chicago, Paris, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, giving me a broad perspective on the design industry. In the FMCG field, I am an outstanding packaging designer. In my personal life, I am an independent artist. I formally define myself as an artist, which I discovered during my graduate studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. During my time at the school, I learned to become my authentic self. My design inspiration comes from my life experiences and the unconscious behaviors and actions of people around me, which I interpret from a unique perspective to create designs that address pain points. My art is influenced by my cultural background, upbringing, and my distinctive gender identity. I have always aspired to be a creative designer and artist, and I believe these two roles are not mutually exclusive. Art is about self-expression, while design is about considering others. Both art and design prompt me to reevaluate and reflect on everyday life.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
QN : I founded a packaging design studio called “niugraphiks”, which brings together a group of young and innovative designers from the millennial generation. While each of us holds different professional roles in society, we come together to share resources and leverage our individual strengths to provide clients with high-quality visual and packaging designs. You can find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niugraphiks/
DI: What is "design" for you?
QN : Design, to me, is a magnifying glass through which I view the world. Even the smallest object or action can be made more rational through design. Additionally, design enhances my empathy, as warm and well-crafted designs bring a smile to people's faces and have a positive social impact.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
QN : I enjoy working on packaging design because packaging, though a small medium, is tangible and something people encounter throughout their day. I appreciate designs with warmth, unconscious elements, and rich cultural significance. I believe these aspects provide positive emotional value and a humanistic experience for society.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
QN : One of my recent favorite designs is the RICEMAN packaging for rice, created by the independent brand studio Backbone in Armenia. "RICEMAN" was chosen as the name to pay tribute to the rice farmers. This packaging not only conveys emotional and humanized messages but also demonstrates functional design and usability. The incorporation of Asian calligraphy symbols on the packaging adds cultural characteristics, making it an exceptional design in my opinion.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
QN : The first design I created for a company was the packaging design for Oriental Leaf's Osmanthus Oolong. I was an intern designer at Nongfu Spring Co., Ltd. at that time.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
QN : I appreciate the tactile qualities of all materials and maintain an open attitude towards them. As a good packaging designer, I believe it's essential to have broad acceptance of the materials used in packaging. I also enjoy the tactile experience that different materials provide.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
QN : When I am alone, especially at night or when I am feeling down, I find it easier to observe my surroundings and raise questions and thoughts.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
QN : Without a doubt, packaging design. If there were other options, I might add experience design (specifically in the packaging field).
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
QN : I am willing to devote myself entirely to my work, sometimes forgetting to eat as I become engrossed in capturing and clarifying my ideas.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
QN : The happiest moment. Being recognized and discovered is important to me. I hope my designs resonate with more and more people. It's a magical way to build bridges with others through my work.
DI: What makes a design successful?
QN : I'm not sure how to define the word "success." I believe good design is successful if it effectively communicates the intentions of the author. Many times, I define design from an artist's perspective. Of course, being acknowledged by the public or by client companies is another form of success.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
QN : What I see at first glance > Social value of the work > Narrative of the work itself > Cleverness of the creativity > Whether it is a warm design > Functionality > Aesthetic appeal
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
QN : Design itself has strong communicative power. It is the designer's responsibility to express what they want, to convey positive meaning to society, and to have a positive impact on some people through their designs.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
QN : Design is evolving towards more artificial intelligence. In fact, I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing; perhaps things have both positive and negative aspects. However, I believe the essential aspect behind design will remain irreplaceable, involving interdisciplinary thinking. The boundaries between different media will become increasingly blurred, leading to more diverse forms of design expression.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
QN : My last exhibition was the graduation exhibition at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
QN : Traveling. I enjoy venturing into unknown territories and discovering various designs along the way. I consciously collect them. Photography is another passion of mine. When I capture interesting moments in life, it sparks my thinking. I also appreciate ethnic elements such as totems and murals.
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?
QN : My design style is more simplicity. I aim to achieve the best visual impact with minimal design elements. I don't like cluttering my designs with unnecessary visual elements. This might be related to my personality. My style tends to cleverly combine aesthetic and functional aspects.
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?
QN : I was born in China. Chinese ethnic culture bears many historical traces, such as the totems and murals I mentioned earlier. These are valuable visual assets left by our ancestors, deeply imprinted in my memory, and invisibly influencing my later visual style. For example, I incorporate creative calligraphy into packaging design.
DI: How do you work with companies?
QN : The goal is to achieve good design through co-creation, respecting the demands of others while courageously expressing one's creative ideas through critical thinking.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
QN : Based on my past experiences in both large FMCG companies and design studios, when companies select suitable designers, they focus on the style showcased in their portfolios and specifically look at their areas of expertise. Therefore, designers should maximize their strengths.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
QN : My design process is not significantly different from that of most designers. The only difference is that I have a habit of creating mock-ups. I believe that when you start physically producing designs, it inspires a different dimension of thinking.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
QN : Porcelain cups, books by the bedside, a minimalist desk lamp, a world map, and a toilet (strange, but it was my first thought)
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
QN : "Trying to create ripples in calm waters" (a metaphor).
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
QN : My only advice is to find yourself in your design works. If you haven't found it yet, keep searching.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
QN : As a designer, creating artwork is like walking on a tightrope. You face restrictions and questioning from all sides. However, when you complete a piece of work you are satisfied with and receive recognition within those constraints, it brings a tremendous sense of accomplishment.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
QN : "Have Fun" and continuously explore and innovate.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
QN : Sharp insight into things around you and the ability to innovate with the times.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
QN : DesignBoom Magazine is the platform I use to stay updated on the latest design news. I follow the articles published there every day. Additionally, I enjoy reading the book "WITHOUT THOUGHT" by Naoto Fukasawa, a Japanese design master. It explores his understanding of unconscious design, which has greatly inspired me on my design journey.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
QN : I create a clear timeline for myself, completing different stages of tasks at different time points.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
QN : The duration of projects varies depending on their type. For small projects, it can take around two weeks if fast-paced, while large projects may take one to two months if more time is required.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
QN : “Tell me about the projects you're most proud of and why. What was your role?”
DI: What was your most important job experience?
QN : I have internship experience at Danone's headquarters in France.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
QN : My clients include Nongfu Spring Water, Danone, Evian, and so on.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
QN : Packaging design. I enjoy focusing on designs that are within reach in everyday life. Packaging is a small medium but essential. We come into contact with design through packaging almost every day. I aspire to infuse soul into packaging through the power of design for these ordinary things in daily life.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
QN : I aspire to have my own packaging design agency and become the leading packaging design agency around the world.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
QN : I usually maintain independent thinking and judgment, but teamwork is also important to me.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
QN : I am currently developing a conceptual design that I cannot disclose much about at the moment.
DI: How can people contact you?
QN : My email: niugraphiks@gmail.com, or you can find me on Instagram: @niugraphiks.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
QN : I hope to connect with more friends through this platform. If you like my design, you can follow my social media accounts: https://www.instagram.com/niugraphiks/