Story: At the Beginning of Career
Everyone has to choose an occupation in life. In young age, people consider what I want to do in the future. If you find your heart/passionate, it’s great. This is a start line for success. Some people work for just a paycheck and it’s a disaster. Because we generally dedicate our half of life to work.
Luckily, I found what I want to do by chance. After that, I focused on my study to be a graphic designer. I went to college and worked at 2 companies in Tokyo for 6 years. I’ve worked over 10 years as a graphic designer now, but I still passionate about designing work (not only graphic design). To me, life is work and work is life. I don’t have a border between life and work. I’m blessed.
The reason why I became a graphic designer is that I saw an advertising magazine in the library. I studied trading at that time. During a break, I browsed Koukoku-Hihyo(広告批評). It clicked my heart. I was not artistic guy. I had two options for working in the advertising industry, graphic designer or copywriter. I’d never considered any other title, I simply didn’t know that. I chose a graphic designer. Because the visual is stronger than the word, I thought. It was the right choice. I can work in the abroad by utilizing visual language now.
I would like to introduce my influence art/creative designers. They are the top creators in Japan. If you are in the advertising industry, everyone knows them. Quite famous.
Kashiwa Sato
Kashiwa Sato, one of the world’s leading creative directors, delivers a fresh perspective of design to the world. From concept and communication strategy building to developing brand logos, Kashiwa’s ability as a brand architect to identify, elucidate, and visualize the essence of the subject is highly acclaimed in a number of fields. Recently, he has extended his vision to include the design of space and major architecture projects. – kashiwasato.com
When I started to study advertising, Kashiwa Sato was featured at industry magazine a lot. His art direction, typography, color were stand out. He already implemented user experience approach in the late-1990s. Kashiwa Sato was one of a teacher(Gugi Akiyama, katsuNori Aoki and one other?) at advertising school produced by Kokoku-Hihyo. What a precious time, now I think. I remember when I chat with him, ‘I’m too busy. I will overnight today as well.’ I thought I have to work hard seriously. Because the top creator is working so hard.
I read the article a couple years later since then. Kashiwa Sato has changed project management after he created a cell phone with DoCoMo which is the largest telecommunications company in Japan. I’m sure his life/work style is quite shaped more than anyone else. I was glad to share the time even a short period.
Manabu Mizuno
Manabu Mizuno, the founder/creative director/author of good design company. As art and creative director, Manabu Mizuno works in various fields including graphic design, advertising, product design, shop design, space design, branding and design consulting. His work is always executed with the goal to “make it better”. Through this approach, he has won and judged numerous international and domestic awards including One Show, Clio, and D&AD honors.
His design principle influenced me a lot. “make it better”. I always remind the word when I work with a client. I read a lot of articles and his book, I could say his design principle is one of the businesses of design which Chris Do teaches me. We are a business person before a graphic designer. We have to communicate, engage, facilitate, manage with/to a client/project. A designer can design. It’s not unique anything. We have to enhance, maintain an attitude to be a great designer. I deeply feel that from his comments.
Kenjiro Sano
Kenjiro Sano, art/creative director/MR_DESIGN founder/professor of Tama Art University Department of integrated design. Kenjiro Sano was born in Tokyo, 1972. After graduating from Tama Art University Department of Graphic Design, Kenjiro worked at Hakuhodo (Tokyo) as an Art Director and Creative Director. In 2008 Kenjiro became the founder of MR_DESIGN INC. TOKYO where his work covers a great variety of advertising including graphics, commercial film, character design, exhibition design and product design. – MR DESIGN.JP
Simple, clear and bold. This is his graphic design principles. I attended his talk show a couple of times. His graphic has quite strong, impact and impression as same as his characteristic.
You may know the story, a controversial of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics logo competition. At first, the board directors chose his design. After that, Belgian designer Olivier Debie suggested that it was a copy of a logo he designed in 2011 for the Theatre de Liege.
I felt it’s not copied at all. He is a victim of the public misunderstanding. The design concept is totally different. The motif may look similar, the approach may be close. After I watched a graphics expansion, especially typography, I felt that it’s appropriate for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Kenjiro Sano also respected the logo, Tokyo Olympics 1964 designed by Yusaku Kamekura who is the pioneer of Japanese graphic design.
Chie Morimoto
Chie Morimoto, Chie Morimoto is an art director and graphic designer. She was educated at Musashino Art University and joined the Hakuhodo advertising agency upon graduation in 1999. She subsequently moved to Hakuhodo Creative Vox before establishing the company goen° in 2007. Her many awards include a New York ADC Award, Asahi Advertising Award, Tokyo ADC Award, and JAGDA New Talent Award. In 2006 she became the youngest-ever member of Tokyo ADC.
It’s a different reason why I pick up Chie Morimoto here. Here design approach is useless for ordinary designers, like me. She is artistic, imaginary creator. She uses her past experience and memory as well. She created advertising and CD jacket of Mr. Children which is the most well-known musician in Japan. I saw the artwork, advertising on the newspaper and CD jacket HOME. Then I found passionate, became a graphic designer. I liked Mr. Children. I had a CD, but I’ve never thought about behind the story of artwork until that time. Anyway, I was lucky. Photo by Mikiya Takimoto
Conclusion: Think more flexible
These creators are talented, awarded and well-known in the industry. I know at least 50 creative/art directors more even only in Japan. I won’t be able to get there stage.
However, talented and business are different. I like advertising, graphic design. However, I would like to pursue my career in the business of design. I’m going to create a service/product. I don’t a talent, but I can collaborate with talented people in the world. I look forward to working with them.
