Jui-Ping Lee

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Jui-Ping Lee ("JL") 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?

JL : So I'm actually not coming from a design/art background - I have both my Bachelor and Master degree in Economics, and focusing on Game Theory/Contract Theory (the field where we study how to set up a set of rules so that people under those rules will act exactly what we want them to act). I also didn't join any schools, studios or ateliers to have any trainings. I studied my own, and follow my instinct about how to make artworks so they are both beautiful to behold and meaningful to ponder.

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

JL : I'll say that "designing" is intrinsic. When you start and think that certain combination looks most interesting/mesmerising and try to explore it, you are a designer and are designing. It's not like "I want to 'design'" and then you do design. if it is the case, then it is not designing but barely a mimicry in my humble view.

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

JL : Similar to the question above, a "designer" is not what you want to become, but a description by others when you just do whatever you think you want to do to bring the most beautiful, ingenious work to this world, and suddenly people call you a designer because there's no other word that can describe you more accurately.

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

JL : So I barely recognise myself doing "designing" consiously. I just explore the combination of elements in my artwork to find the perfect harmonic point where each elements are in concord with each other, both visually and culturally so the beholder will have the instant impression of a beautiful artwork at first sight, and then appreciate the cultural/intellectual meaning when furthur diving in.

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

JL : Follow your instinct. Make things that mesmerise yourself first, because you are the first ever beholder of every single work that you make. If you can't even feel the beauty of your design/work yourself, how can you ever expect people to appreciate it?

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

JL : I'll say the term "good" or "great" is not a permenant thing, nor a ubiquitous standard. People used to think works of van Gogh garbage. maybe in the future people will think again his work garbage. There's no need to distinguish a "good" or "great" designer - if we must, I'll say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder - if it fits your taste, then for you it is a great designer. For other people, if they think highest of certain designers, then to them those are their "great" designers.

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

JL : Similar to above, there's no such thing as an ubiquitously "great" design. To myself, when I'm composing mywork, the one that I think makes the most harmonic combination is the good one. Other people may think otherwise though, but it is their right to like them or not.

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

JL : Now we are talking about "everyone" - it becomes interesting as it comes into the realm of Economics. Or even a bit evolutionistic that the one that fits the environment the most survives, and thus is crowned as a "good" design (in terms of survivability because all other designs that didn't survive are dead and no one remembers them so no one will be able to call them good). Like human beings - why human beings are the most excellent design of an intellegent creature? Because human survived.

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

JL : I'll say I always design for myself. Like the previous question, my clients come and go, but I am always the first beholder of any works/designs I make so I must satisfy myself first.

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

JL : Kimono...I always want to draw the perfect Kimono and I drew a lot, but not yet any of them had reached the most perfect point I'm seeking for.

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

JL : Satisfy yourself first! Tons of people do arts without even appreciate the work themselves, but wishing others to. That is extremely sad.

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

JL : Lots of them, like Rella, REI, JW...lots of them.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

JL : Tons of them so I won't list them all out hehe...but they all have one thing in common, that is that I think them beautiful works.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

JL : This is a very interesting question...because even for myself, I'm not a robot so have still certain level of capriciousness with me, which means that sometimes I think this work of mine is the greatest, sometime other works, sometimes all of them, or sometimes non of them. One thing I am certain though is that at the moment when I'm making my artwork, every piece at that time is the greatest one to me (or I will revise it to be the greatest I felt at that time)

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

JL : Again, satisfy yourself first! make sure that at least at the moment when you are creating, the piece of work had reached the highest point possible for you at that time.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

JL : Aha I'll say it is impossible not to become a designer, because even if you are not called one by anyone when you are alive, someone after your life in the infinite future will.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

JL : A combination of elements. at least that is the definition for me.

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

JL : Myself! You will find that the greatest obstacle in your life is always yourself...like for example lots of people say that you need to have a rich parents to support you to become a great artist. But was van Gogh born in a ricj family? Was da Vinci a Bourgeoisie? No...the only artist that had gained plenty wealth when still alive is probably only Picasso...

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

JL : Myself, hehe

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

JL : Had I become a design master?...Well at least not under my own understanding of myself. I'm just an explorer in the vast sea to find the pearls that shine the most. People could call me master but I think it is a bit irrelevant for myself if I call myself one or not.

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

JL : Intrinsic. Art is intrinsic. If the beholders cannot feel any beauty of an object themselves but need explanation to start and appreciate any, then it is not art, but an artefact, cultural or historical.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

JL : Kimono...quite some of them. But you know, the God Muse is capricious that who knows what will come out next!

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

JL : To find the most shining pearl in the vast, dark seas...

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

JL : Something they like, I guess? To me, it is like people find restaurants because they think that restaurant has the most dishes they like.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

JL : I'm going to be a bit evolutionist - it is whether the society change and fit the new design (like we have no more keyboards on cellphones anymore), or the design survives the society (like telegram dies out). So in the end only the ones that fit both sides are left, and they are called a good design (if it is the case that it is the design that survives) or a better society (if it is the case that the society changes to adapt the design)

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

JL : Kimonos, hehe

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

JL : Every one at the moment when I am composing them, because otherwise I will revise them until they become so. Whether they remains so afterwards is out of the equation though...

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

JL : Hmm is there a "design industry"...? at least for myself I find it awkard to define one, because once you define one, people will try and find which part is more "authentic" then other parts, and call it the more "real design industry", whence people will start and try to seek the "more more authentic" portion amongst it and declare it the "real real design industry"...until there's nothing left, which means everything is design industry and here we come all over again.

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

JL : Same as above, since I don't define a "design field", I don't anticipate any destination of "design fields".

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

JL : like 30-40 hours max? 20 if it is quick.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

JL : Art should be intrinsic. My only rule for art is simple: it should look beautiful. We have already enough ugliness in our world, and we don't need to add more.

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

JL : Could be both!

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

JL : Make my speed faster and easier.

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

JL : I use Easy Paint Tool SAI 2.0 as software (Photoshop a bit sometimes), and Cintiq as the drawing tablet.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

JL : Everything. if there's no color, there's nothing. even when you close your eyes you see colors dancing around.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

JL : They don't need to - just behold in the way they like

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

JL : I like it! I want to make something like that!

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

JL : Not yet any ideas...the road of art is simply solitary, just like any of our lives that in the end, everyone suffers solitude, and that's why we have the illusion and want to seek company, a partner, etc.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

JL : Not aware of any...

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

JL : The Kimono Patterns Dictionary

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

JL : Just try and make sure that I can draw whatever I want to draw. This sounds simple, but is most difficult!

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

JL : Right now it's someone I'll call C

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

JL : I'll say that fame comes afterwards that you are not seeking fame, but seeking the best work you can make, and then awards and fame will seek you!

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

JL : Right now purple, but previously red, and sometimes blue. Capricious!

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

JL : It is that funnily whenever I finish my work, though I think it is by far the best work I made, at the same time I also think that it is so miserable and I'm so poor at drawing (and other works are simply worthless). it usually takes like one month to recover and think that actually that work has some merits in there and is not *that* worthless. Lol.

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

JL : If I draw things quick, it makes my day...because I can enjoy the afternoon and afterglow more!

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

JL : No I don't think so...my parents always say that there are signs that I'm a bit paranoid like when doing art assignments from school I always want to draw into very very details of them...but whether that is a sign of a great designer or it is a sign that I'll become a psychopath, I don't know...or maybe great designers are all psychopaths!

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

JL : Not very interested in that though...my priority is to find the Pearl, no time to muse about the future!

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

JL : I never think myself talented or gifted. And so can you be an artist/designer like me (if you call me one) even if you think yourself mediocre or mundane!