Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jiyun Choi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Jiyun, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
I am quite an optimistic person. I do not easily get frustrated by the difficult situations. I always find a good part about it and ways I can improve the situation. However, I was not always like this. I was a very anxious and negative person when I was a teenager. Back then, I worried about situations that has not happened yet and got stressed about it. It made me to avoid challenges and fear about unexpected situations.
After graduating high school, I came to the U.S to study illustration at college. And it became a turning point for me. Coming to the foreign country by myself was scary and overwhelming for me at first. I had to face the challenges that I have been avoiding. However, I slowly realized most of the things are not as scary as I thought when I actually do it. Various experiences such as meeting a lot of new friends, presenting my work in class, and going to the new places in a foreign country made me braver.
Experiencing new things helped me not to fear uncertainty and enjoy challenges. Based on those experiences, I built trust in myself. I think my optimism comes from the belief that I can overcome any difficult situations. Even though it might take a long time, I will learn something from that.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Hello! I am Jiyun Choi. I am an illustrator and Designer based in Los Angeles, California. I create illustrations for editorial, advertising, and publishing. My works include bright colors, fun shapes and humor. I also like to work with typography and incorporate that in my illustration.
Since I was a little kid, I was fascinated by the beauty and creativity in art. Especially, illustration can tell stories to the viewers and convey the emotion behind it. It can be a narrative image that supports article or a book, design on the packaging and an individual piece in the gallery.
The special thing about the illustration is that it stimulate people’s imagination. It recreates the things we experience in real life in a more creative and fun way. Even if the piece is about people’s mundane life, we can see it in a different perspective when the artist’s creativity is added to it.
Art has always been a way for me to connect myself with the world. So, I really hope I can share the good experiences that I got from art with other people through creating works that have meaningful stories!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities that I think are the most impactful in my journey are thinking outside the box, having my own voice and time management.
As an illustrator and designer, I have always been challenged to come up with more creative and fresh ideas. There are so many talented people in the industry. The most effective way to survive among those talented people is doing something that no one does. I experimented a lot and always tried different things with my work during college to find my own voice. Through that process, I could understand myself better and figure out what I truly like. It helped me to enjoy creating art even more. Another important quality is time management. It is very important for illustrators to deliver work in time to the client. So, I always write down all the projects and deadlines. Then I set priority based on that schedule.
The advice that I want to give to people who are early in their journey is experiencing a lot and do not fear to challenge yourself. You can build trust in yourself by solving trial and error. Also, do not compare yourself with your peers or people in the same industry. Even if you feel you are not good enough, I believe you will achieve your goal if you keep developing your voice and consistently do what you are doing.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I met so many nice people during my journey who helped me to pursue this career and become a better artist. Especially, I want to thank my friends and professors who I met at Art Center College of Design. I learned so many things from them. My professors not only taught me artistic skills, but also how to survive in the industry as an illustrator and designer. The advices they gave helped me to plan my career ahead and have more courage to work in the design field. Also, my peers always supported each other and inspired with their amazing works. I learned how to truly enjoy art and find my own voice from them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jiyunchoillustration.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jiyunchoi.art/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jiyun-choi-69816222a
