We were lucky to catch up with Anqi Qiao recently and have shared our conversation below.

Anqi, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I have been an animal lover since I was small. I have countless happy memories of animals from my childhood: when my grandparents took me on their bicycles to the petting zoo to feed carrots to the sika deer and millet to the parrots; when I sat on my dad’s shoulders to watch the giraffes and elephants; when my grandpa made cricket cages out of bamboo to keep crickets, and I watched them chewing on cucumbers and listened to their chirping; and when I pressed my face against the huge fish tank, watching the tropical fish swimming around and eating fish food on the water’s surface.

My passion for animals made me a curious kid eager to observe every detail in the world. This love for observing led me to start learning how to draw, and I have always enjoyed drawing, from kindergarten through high school. I took lessons in sketching and coloring for years. Back then, I wanted to become an illustrator who could bring warmth and joy to people. In high school, I learned about industrial design and developed the idea of designing products that improve people’s lives. My initial curiosity about animals sparked my creativity and guided me into the design world.

6 years ago, I moved to Los Angeles and attended ArtCenter College of Design to pursue my dream of design. Now, I am a multidisciplinary designer specializing in visual design, branding, industrial design, packaging design, and 3D graphics. I studied at ArtCenter College of Design for four years and worked in a design agency for two years. It has been a journey of self-exploration, full of challenges and obstacles. Whether it was stressful, enjoyable, uncertain, or overwhelming, every step has been part of my journey, making me a better person and a better designer.

Anqi, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

During my work experience, I have created digital design assets for Google, Meta, YouTube, Japan House, and 88 Rising, related to branding, campaigns, and 2D and 3D illustration.

In my personal design work, I describe myself as a dreamer and a visual storyteller. I imagine how future technology could enter people’s lives in a humane and humorous way. I am also very interested in graphic design, using simple lines and shapes to express a brand’s culture and personality.

My designs have won multiple awards. In my packaging design class, I contemplated and imagined how to create futuristic and space-themed packaging designs, or creatively rethink how to eat ice cream experimentally. When I hear news about space travel, I reimagine food packaging for meals during space travel. Moreover, as someone who wants a pet that can follow me anywhere, I ponder how technology could be used to design a small drone pet that can accompany you everywhere.

These ideas may seem impractical to most people, but I find joy in exploring them. Imagining future lifestyles and possibilities excites me and sparks infinite ideas.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I feel that my 6 years studying and working in the design field were a journey of self-discovery.

While the four years of industrial design classes in school were indeed an interesting experience, I gradually found myself weary of endless market research, filleting edges, and countless ideation sessions with basic cubes. I often felt lost during that time. Some of my peers already had their clear goals in college – such as designing shoes, consumer electronics, or furniture. However, I seemed unable to find joy in design for myself at that time, I just finished the homework the instructors gave to me without finding value in doing these designs.

Fortunately, I slowly got exposed to courses outside of product design – graphic design, branding, and packaging design. Gradually, I realized that I seemed to have a passion for pure visual expression. I enjoyed telling stories with simple graphics or layouts, wanting to express ideas or narratives with my imagination, rich colors, and simple shapes. Of course, I hadn’t completely lost interest in product design; I still enjoyed ideation and brainstorming concepts for products. I just didn’t want to do the traditional industrial design anymore. I feel like the ideations in industrial design have too many limitations for me. So, in the months leading up to graduation, I applied and got into a graphic design agency, thus beginning my journey from industrial design to graphic design. Or maybe the combination of both.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding moments are when I witness my designs seamlessly integrated into people’s everyday lives. It makes me feel like I’ve made a small difference in their lives and in society. Whether it’s seeing my product renderings displayed on a website, a promotional screen outside an art museum, or a campaign for a tech research institute, the thrill of seeing my creations actively in use is something I never experienced during my student days. This has always been my childhood aspiration—to enrich lives, even in small ways, or to bring a smile to someone’s face. It’s truly an honor.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://anqiqaq.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anqi-qiao-0330501b2/