Michael Chou
Visual Identity Designer
Each individual and business has a unique culture they want to express through their identity and products. I enjoy creating identities that communicate the culture they want to cultivate. That could be through visual and abstract concepts that come in different forms: logos, stylized illustrations, typography, color palettes, photography, writing, and visual patterns, etc.
Empathy & Conversation
Discovering and re-discovering someone by knowing who they are through dialogue and searching for the initial “!” moment that inspired them to do what they do. People change and so do brands, so thoughtful conversations help locate the “Where are we at?.”
Visual Research
Research and finding inspiration is like the silence between music, empowering one with ideas for the next sound. Here I gauge the environment to understand what exists and doesn’t exist so I can better position a brand. I am also researching for information through archives, photographs, books, the internet, and various forms of documentation.
Conceptualization
This includes the practice of curating similar and contrasting ideas, abstract and concrete, to see how each communicate together. It’s also a moment of reflection to consider the sustainability of a product; Is it healthy and versatile enough to adapt to evolving environments?
Artistry
The actualization of concepts into visual and interactive forms. I am making something thoughtfully and artistically, and each new project is an opportunity to train the eye of art & design. Artistry considers how the user uses the product so that the way the product is used also becomes an art form/movement.
