We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Danni Xi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Danni below.
Danni, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
This is actually the question that I ask myself all the time: Am I truly content with where I am right now? After completing my education and delving into the professional creative industry for a year, my answer has become increasingly uncertain.
During my time at school, the artistic realm was an open canvas; I could be whomever I wanted to be, with endless paths to explore. There were never worries about project feasibility, costs, or marketing perspectives; it was all about exploration, new ideas, and passion.
However, the professional world presents an entirely different narrative. The reality is – even as a creative, the work isn’t always a joyous ride, most of the time, it’s far from enjoyable. You always get five soul-sucking, mundane projects before occasionally receiving a thrilling one as a reward. Meanwhile, lower income, lack of work-life balance, and a competitive market are facts that all creatives are facing today.
As I watch my peers flourish in various careers, all seemingly yielding greater returns on investments, I can’t help but occasionally wonder what life would have been like if I had followed my parents’ wishes and pursued a “normal” career like engineering.
This contemplation yet led me to realize my genuine love and passion for my current industry, and the thought of life without it feels unbearable. As a designer, I find joy in expressing myself through the world of shapes and graphics. The ability to bring my imagination to life and make an impact through my design is incredibly fulfilling. It’s a source of happiness that fills my soul with purpose and meaning. I became aware of how fortunate I am to be able to pursue a career in something I love. Life is an extensive journey, and work is just one part of it, not its entirety. Every profession carries its share of monotony and challenges, much like everything else in life. But being able to infuse joy into our work is an exceptional stroke of fortune. Job is just a job, but it is the passion and purpose behind what you do that truly matters.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Hello, I’m Danni Xi, a graphic designer from China now based in New York. Growing up in an artistic family, where creativity flowed through every relative’s profession, I was immersed in an artistic environment from a young age. Despite my parents’ wishes for me to be the different one in the family and venture into a non-artistic field, I had inevitably gone down the same old path of art. Currently, I’m working at a motion-driven creative agency, focusing primarily on brand identity design and digital campaigns. My traditional art background has given me unique insights into typography, illustration, and color. Moreover, I possess a systemic mindset, passionately integrating logic and structure into my designs. My mission regarding art education has led me towards branding design, as I see it as an accessible form of art that seamlessly merges into people’s daily lives, negating the need for a museum or gallery visit to appreciate it.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
One of the major misconceptions the general public has about the design industry revolves around the value of design, particularly brand identity design. The amount of work and thought that goes into it is often underestimated. Since what is ultimately presented to the public is often just the logo, and a logo is a highly abstract and simplified form of representation, many people mistakenly believe it to be a simple task that they could easily handle themselves.
However, the end result you see is actually the concentrated essence of countless talents pooling their skills over the span of months. The outcome of a brand’s rebranding is the result of rounds and rounds of negotiations and discussions among the client, the design team, and the production team. It’s a collaborative effort that takes into account various factors and undergoes rigorous selection processes and back-and-forth. The logo is just like the tip of the iceberg. The deeper layers are filled with strategic considerations and core values that the logo represents for the company.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative, in my opinion, lies in cultivating a constant sense of freshness and vibrancy in life. As a graphic designer, I am constantly extracting inspiration from various aspects of daily life, which also fuels my motivation and vitality. This practice empowers me to view the world through a unique lens, offering a distinct perspective. Moreover, our aesthetic awareness not only enables us to appreciate beauty but also empowers us to craft it in everyday life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dannixi.com
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dannixi