We recently connected with Weiying Ma and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Weiying, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with education – we’d love to hear your thoughts about how we can better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career.
My design school had a strong focus on practical, real-world applications of design, aiming to create work that fits well within the business world. The curriculum emphasized entrepreneurial thinking, incorporating classes designed to enhance our professional growth and a strong alumni network for support. This approach isn’t standard across all art schools, leaving many students to navigate their career paths independently. a designer friend of mine struggled with job hunting, needing to seek advice from peers because her school did not cover this aspect of education. She is an excellent designer with impressive work but was confused about how to turn her designs into viable commercial projects. While some designers may thrive on their artistic talent alone, the majority of us anticipate joining design studios, advertising firms, or corporate design teams where understanding business needs is crucial. I believe art schools should blend teaching design creativity with business insight, preparing students not only to excel in their craft but also to tackle the professional world’s demands.
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?
As a multidisciplinary designer, I believe that design is not limited to two-dimensional spaces. In fact, I strive to explore different mediums and use them to convey stories in a unique and impactful way. ArtCenter College of Design, where I studied, encourages experimentation and innovation, which has allowed me to learn and work with emerging media such as 3D modeling, creative coding, spatial design, and motion graphics.
This foundation in diverse design practices laid the perfect groundwork for my current role. I am now a junior designer at Nippon Design Center USA Inc in Los Angeles, a multidisciplinary creative agency focusing on Design Strategy, Branding, and Spatial Design. Here, my projects span from motion graphic design for a Digital Agency in Japan to 3D/CGI production, and even pictogram design for the Experience Japanese Pictograms project and BANLAN in China, among others.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
In my design work, it’s all about experimenting and innovating. In my project EMOTXT, I used machine learning to create a typeface that can convey human emotions. I like blending design and technology to create memorable experiences for my audiences. The design world is always changing, especially with emerging technologies and platforms coming out. I think these innovations open up more possibilities for design, making it more engaging and powerful. Looking into the future, I hope to explore more emerging mediums, like AI and machine learning. At the end of the day, I want my designs to connect with people, to create something they can relate to and enjoy.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
My design philosophy is to reveal the essence of things through simple and direct visual methods. I design to connect with people and create experiences they can resonate with. I want to make designs that are not only looking good, but also communicate a clear message, and evoke emotion. I really like an artist named Olafur Eliasson. He is an artist who creates large-scale, interactive installations. His art isn’t just about visual experience; it engages touch, smell, taste, sound, and sight. His creative philosophy has influenced my design thinking: how to inspire people’s senses to fully experience a design and how my design can resonate with them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://weiyingma.work/
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/weiying-ma