Seethink

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Seethink ("Seethink") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

Seethink : I was fond of graffiti painting when I was a child, and I began to learn painting at an early age. Instead of majoring in art, I chose to major in advertising (marketing). However, I have always been interested in design and believe that I can be a good designer.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

Seethink : The urge to create and the satisfaction of solving a problem.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

Seethink : I realized my talent in design very early on, so I chose to be a designer.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

Seethink : I prefer to do business design, design in the business to play the value.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

Seethink : I am still very young, but I think I have to be a lifestyle first, full of love for life and curiosity to become a legendary designer.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

Seethink : Good designers solve problems and convey beauty. There are two kinds of great designers: those who solve problems and make people happy at the same time, and those who solve problems and you don't feel that they are "designing" at all.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

Seethink : I think a good design solves a specific problem first, or raises a good problem through the design.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

Seethink : I think good design makes the world a better place. Make people's life more convenient, let people enjoy the beauty, let business more prosperous... These are the values of good design. Only when everyone recognizes good design and invests in good design will there be more good designers to create good design. For the business field, design itself is an investment, design can create brand equity, make the enterprise brand, thus bringing longer term higher returns.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

Seethink : If I had the time, I would want to do design for children, and they would. They are naive and imaginative, open to different designs, and working with children should be like playing games.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

Seethink : The business design experience and business design thinking of my team and I into a book.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

Seethink : If there is one secret, it is "love life" and "seriousness".

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

Seethink : Shigeo Fukuda

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

Seethink : My parents and my wife, who were the first to recognize my talent in design, were also my biggest supporters.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

Seethink : I have no professional teachers. Self-study is a difficult thing.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

Seethink : This is a globally connected world, and publishing on the web is necessary. Of course, participating in international competitions is also very valuable.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

Seethink : People are going to demand more from better designers, and hopefully that will translate into motivation.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

Seethink : I hope that there will be a growing recognition of the value of design and more investment in the design industry. We hope that the protection of intellectual property rights will be better strengthened. We hope that there will be more cross-regional design projects and more cooperation among designers from different countries.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

Seethink : Crossover, diversity

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

Seethink : Start with research and analysis.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

Seethink : Be curious and interesting.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

Seethink : The result of mutual influence.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

Seethink : Technology is the tool of design expression, the same design concept with different technology will have different results.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

Seethink : In fact, my favorites are pen and paper.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

Seethink : I started working with design teams early on, and I believe in collaborative design. I want my design partner to be positive and objective.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

Seethink : In fact, all the books I have read will have an impact on my design, and none of them are the biggest. Sometimes when I come across a project, I may look for certain books to read. Reading is like eating. You can't tell which meal made you fat.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

Seethink : Practice in person, communication with people, reading Chinese ancients said: "reading thousands of books, Travel ten thousand miles"

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

Seethink : Awards are a beacon of where you are right now. But the joy is often short-lived. I soon need to get involved in new design projects and face new challenges. These new projects and challenges may receive more recognition.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

Seethink : I like yellow because the brand color of our company is yellow. The yellow color is positive and bright. I like little things that have a little bit of history, a little bit of ethnicity, so I go to flea markets, just book stands and things like that.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

Seethink : The world is so beautiful, there are so many interesting things I haven't tried yet, the unknown and interesting things inspire me to try to live each and every day.