Interview with Nova Hung

Nova Hung ("NH") interviewed on Friday, 18 May.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

NH : I was graduated in Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) in 2009 and work in the design industry until now.

How did you become a designer?

NH : Since I was very young, I wanted to have my life by surrounding with art. When I was a little kid I just love to draw, when I draw I feel free. Then I grow up, I successfully went to the HKDI (Hong Kong Design Institute) to finish my study in design, to get my first job after graduate. Every job is like a maze, no model answer for a design job, it's the most difficult but also most fun way to encourage me to keep doing the job.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

NH : 3 most important aspects I would say in my works: Message deliver successfully? Is it easy to remember for the audience? Can it be a more unexpectable solution apply on this job? I preferred to nail down a complex thing into a simple way to present, I believe "less is more", a simple image contains messages, it can last much longer.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

NH : I feel totally enjoying myself. It's freely and challenging because I will break through my concept and get more upwards. It's like a war that I fighting with myself. Fun and satisfy. I usually listening song when I'm working, I would pick some suitable mood of songs that can relate to the job that I'm working, it helps my concept come out more smoothly.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

NH : I think it's really helpful that my parents sent me to learn piano when I was young. I stop learning piano when I got my grade 8 piano passed, I've been learning piano for over 10years. Music learning is a really good way for a child to learn facing the achievement and train up the vision of getting better on their own. Practice is a hard and boring process, but I've learned one precious thing - the patient. Things will come out brightly if you not giving up and keep working on it. Also the very important thing I've learned from music which is the layers of a song, just like design work, the main message at the front? Or background pattern music at the back, to make a song complete.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

NH : Design is my first priority, and music must be the next. I also write my own song sometimes, it's not that good but I'm still planning to do my own record in the future. Music helps me a lot in design which is indivisible. I wish I can work on some design projects that relate to music or fashion industry in the future.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

NH : Just remember design is a service, service means everything needs to be balancing - your design concept, the design look and feel, the marketing strategy and the client's thinking. Things won't work if lack of any of it. Being creative is not just Only come out an idea, but to make your idea into the business and shock the world, getting the win-win situation.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

NH : Work hard but remember to play hard too. And don't believe in "trend" too much, the trend will pass, but your job needs to last longer than that.

What is your day to day look like?

NH : Turn on my Spotify every day before starting my work. Email checking, updating the latest job in the world with social media/ Behance/ Pinterest etc. What I like the best in a boring business day which is I can come out good ideas with my partners, we modify and find a way to execute the idea, it's like an adventure, full of challenges and fun.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

NH : I think visiting exhibitions and reading books and magazines is important for us, we need to know what is the latest, but I don't think we have to do it exactly the same with the trend. I found that quite a lot of young designers are doing the jobs are very similar, I think The uniqueness of a brand is very important, if the job needs to stick to the trend, there must be a reason to convince the audience. If I think the job is suitable for the design trend, I still try to figure what uniqueness of this Job, what are more other styles I can put on it? Maybe it will become a new style?

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

NH : I will define a good design if it is full of consistency, consistency means considered and effort. And questioning about would it be a forward-looking solution? How was the user experience? Is it well targeted to the audience?

How do you decide if your design is ready?

NH : I think most designers decided the design is ready when the deadline is coming. For me, there's always a way to improve the job.

What is your biggest design work?

NH : I'm still reaching the bigger job of my life.

Who is your favourite designer?

NH : Kenya Hara from Japan. He is definitely a master of balancing, the spaces using and the typography. He affects the whole business market by his insight and aesthetic. His jobs are not just graphic design but art, is the level that I admire and wish I can reaching one day.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

NH : We are from Hong Kong, in my opinion, design knowledge can be much more popularization in Hong Kong. I think the future of design would be the whole society understand more about how design works, and how design affects human activities. So our company targeted to work on small to medium scale company, they are mass market, if they started to change, then the whole society will improve the aesthetic judgment day by day.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

NH : My company started in 2015 by me and my partner Marvis. He is working on marketing part, and me, of course, focus on the design part. Our company name is "Chatter Design", as everybody knows chatter is the meaning of people talking. After I've been worked in the design industry for over 8 years, I realized deeply that a good design base on communicate than anything, without it, everything just doesn't work. So I started my own business, our vision is to treat our clients as a friend, we talk a lot, and gain a lot.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

NH : One of our company's philosophy is to try our best to help people, we even have a clear discount offer on our official website for non-profit associate or organization. It's not only for a designer, all of us are responsible to help the socially vulnerable groups, this is what we capable, then why don't we give a hand?

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

NH : It's my lucky day of being the Designer of the Day in A' Design Award. Also, it's my honor to get the award from A' Design Award, the first international award of my life. It means a lot to me, proven my ability, and telling me that the dream I'm seeking is the right direction, and it's a good opportunity to learn from other designers, sharing our vision our thoughts, I will keep doing my best. Thank you so much A' Design Award.

Nova Hung Profile