We caught up with the Hong Kong based designer Crystal Jane Wong as her latest design for graniph hit our shelves…..

(1) Please tell us a little about something you are currently working on/obsessed with: Recently, I’ve been working on various branding projects for cafes and bars as well expanding my company Cranes Media into Beijing China.  I am stealing time to work on my own projects though – creating more graphics to express global warming or anti-animal cruelty.

(2) What are the main obstacles you face to working creatively? To have an absolute quiet environment sometimes is impossible, usually my creativity flows in around midnight when I can just play music that I enjoy and feel relaxed.  Interruptions by calls, people around me can distract me and make me lose my creative continuity.  Luckily my business partner, Anne takes good care of clients and allows me to have my moody creative moments. As well, I must continue to sustain confidence in my own creativity to avoid the fear of criticism – criticism can be positive, but also can be subjective and twist an art’s originality if I am easily being persuaded what’s best.  In other words, I need to keep my stubbornness for good.

(3) What do you do to come up with new ideas or when you are having trouble being creative?
Constantly observe things and people on the street, in coffee shop. Relax myself and work in different places with my macbook and internet connectivity, sketchbook and pen.

(4) What are some books/websites/bands/etc that you recommend?
Website: http://www.logodesignlove.com/ – keep myself update from branding news.
Music: Joe Hisaishi , The Cranberries

(5) What is the future of the T-shirt? (Does it have one?) Why?
Everyone should wear t-shirt to work,  customized t-shirt to express what u think, how u feel and who u are which brings uniqueness of oneself. No more suits, please! its too dull and makes working like a job… it should be a fun thing instead!

Crystal Jane Wong is a Hong Kong based designer with a passion for silly graphics, cartoons and animals. Born in Toronto, Canada, she studied and grew up in both distinctive cities and grasped the perspectives of both Western and Asian art cultures. In 2008, she co-founded the design studio Cranes Media. As the creative director, she works on logo insignia, illustrations, and web design through to ad campaigns. Her inspiration for illustrations often comes from the black humor of day-to-day life.