Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathie Yang.
Hi Kathie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m an illustrator and motion designer based in Savannah and currently pursuing the advanced development of my professional path. I moved from China to Savannah for my undergraduate study in 2016 and started the journey of art and creativity at Savannah College of Art and Design. In college, I was exposed to various opportunities of trying creative-related disciplines, and finally, I found my passion in illustration and motion design. I am currently a freelancer focused on motion design and illustration, as well as a student preparing for advanced study.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It is a smooth road from my perspective, but still, struggles appear sometimes. The biggest struggle I faced was finding a balance between my two identities as an illustrator and a motion designer.
I first found my interest in illustration and concentrated on my style, and later I started working on animated illustrations, which could be considered motion design. It was exciting that I thought I had found the right path to proceed as a creative, but the problem was coming with it — I realized my style wasn’t fitting the industry’s trending style when I stepped into the field. It was hard to deal with the harmony of my identity and the trend, and I had difficulty facing and accepting myself. In the process of continuous practice, I have tried many techniques that I am not good at. Not surprisingly, the results were terrible. It made me feel that I had nothing special as a motion designer.
I cleared the fog because my friends and instructors kept helping me and giving me advice. I realize and understand that my value lies in my experience and accumulation, and my unique style is the most precious treasure. With the experiences accompanying the many practices, all the knowledge is integrated into my work and is presented across various visual platforms, unconsciously forming a balanced style. It is like a reconciliation with myself. Looking back, it helped me go farther on my way, and Now I’m still on the way to keep digging for the extraordinary and treating the struggles as opportunities to see what more I can give.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I would say I specialize in color and composition, and the two successfully formed into my own style. Strong contrast and bright color are always good at catching viewers’ eyes. I also like to hide narrative details in every corner of the canvas. As an illustrator, it is essential to tell a whole story in one image, and smartly arranging every element is a crucial skill for a storyteller. This skill is applicable too while I work as a motion designer. The process is similar to solving a math problem. It is all about how to add and subtract visual information.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I am grateful that the road of creativity allows me to touch and feel my emotion and life. I believe creativity is the privilege that life has given me, so every artwork carries my feeling of life. I learned that strongness is praiseworthy, but vulnerability and emotion are equally valuable. Indeed, this sensibility that one’s piece has brought out looks like the tangible form of our soul. I hope I can keep expressing this feeling in my future work. On this road, I look forward to being the person described in Miyazawa’s poem: Be not defeated by the rain, Nor let the wind prove your better. Succumb not to the snows of winter, Nor be bested by the heat of summer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.woodgeo-art.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodgeo.art/
