Today we’d like to introduce you to Xingtong (Jane) Liu.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hi! My name is Xingtong (friends call me Jane) and I am a Graphic Designer, Art director, and illustrator from Beijing, China. I grew up in Hebei, a smaller province four hours away from Beijing. As a kid, I have always liked art. Drawing, paper cutting, painting, and collecting stickers. It sounds cheesy but when my parents asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up, I said “artist”. My older cousin was my biggest inspiration – we would spend our free time at my old house and just draw little cartoon and anime characters on scrap paper. My cousin was the artist in the family and was really good at drawing, so little me learned all my fundamentals from her and copied her techniques and whatever she drew, whether that was her favorite anime characters or something she made up. Thinking back, maybe I’m not a “genius” or natural talent at art, but I sure had a taste for it, and loved every aspect of it.
My family moved to Beijing when I was 10, and then moved to Germany when I started high school. I felt strange and unwelcome at first, having difficulties acclimatizing and communicating. Starting somewhere completely new was scary, especially for my 15-year-old self. Thinking back on those days, I hated it when I was there, but now I wish I could go back one more time. I never regretted anything because it was when I truly had the resources to practice something I was truly passionate about. It was when I truly developed something I loved, and the first time I opened Adobe Illustrator and started playing with all the features.
SCAD came to my high school for a presentation during a college fair, and I didn’t even know schools like that existed. I decided to try it out and attended SCAD’s summer program. I fell in love with the school and attended the school when I graduated high school in 2019. During my time at SCAD, I learned many essential and practical skills about typography, layouts, print production, and visual communication. It also really sparked my interest in art direction. I was honored to join projects with clients like Proctor & Gamble, and Pye Barker, really polishing my tools in preparation for my design career. Now here I am, after four years, a proud alum with a graphic design degree and a passion for everything design and the power and beauty of it.
As of right now, I am working on a freelance project with Sushi Zen, a local Japanese restaurant. I am responsible for their branding & identity, as well as future menu and website design. I also have a contract position in a production team, who I working on a comedy/satire mini-series. I am open to more freelance work as well as full-time positions, and I’m excited for what the future brings!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Of course not, life is never a smooth sail. For me personally, when I was younger, I struggled with finding my place in my surroundings, and as I got older and graduated college, I struggled with finding myself in the design field. The latter is more profound to me. I think everyone who is fresh out of college can relate – the struggles to find a job that aligns with their career. They keep questioning themselves if it’s worth it, with the time, effort, and money they spend in getting their degree and following their dreams. While I’m perfecting my work, and trying to complete good quality work for my clients, I’m also struggling to find my big break and in need of everything from financial stability, recognition, support, and more. And I find this road especially hard for international students because of their visas and the struggle of companies not willing to spend extra on sponsorships. I believe that timing is important, so I keep telling myself to be a little bit more patient.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a Graphic Designer, I specialize in branding, layouts, editorial, and visual communication. I am the most experienced in branding and editorial, and I love exploring print-making and print production. I am the proudest of SCADpro accomplishments. Me and a team of 20 SCAD students developed an updated logo and brand identity for B2B life safety company Pye Barker Fire and Safety. Seeing how our client loves the final product with a smile on their face and how they embrace their company’s new identity, reminds me all the time why I do what I do. I love using my creative power to solve problems, I think what sets me apart from others is that I thrive on opportunities that allow me to apply my authenticity, quirks, and a touch of rebellion to tell stories like no other. My goal is to make an impact with design, give back to my community, and grow my creativity. I believe designs should be one of a kind, smart, impactful, limitless, and taken seriously.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I’m a lover of human culture, communities, punk music, animals, and good stories. You might catch me on a jog with my favorite tunes, sitting outside when it’s dark and cool with a circle of friends talking, making a poster for my friend’s band, whipping up some delicious home-cooked meals at a local show in a grimy dive bar tapping my toes and head-banging to a punk band, and cuddling with my cat watching a new hit blockbuster everybody is talking about. To sum it up, people, animals, cultures, and observing make me happy and the most myself. I charge my battery when I give back to my community and inspire people the same way they inspire me.
Pricing:
- Logo + Brand Guide: $300
- Poster: $200-$500
- Zine/Publication/Editorial: $70 per page
- Social Media Posts: $50 per image
- Website Interface (with platform): $300-$1500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.designedbylxt.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedbylxt/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xingtong-liu-08139b132/
