"Designing Woman" ... an interview with graphic designer Stephanie Chang
As I mentioned Friday, I was excited to work with local graphic designer Stephanie Chang on my new novel Chasing Cowboys.
Stephanie (Stephanie Chang Design Ink) designed both the cover and the interior pages. We spent over nine months on the book design (a friend called the book our “elephant baby”).
Stephanie and I will be signing this Wednesday, October 21, at Bestsellers in downtown Honolulu (Hotel and Bishop Streets), from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Stop by and say howdy!
I asked Stephanie to talk about her Hawaii roots, her design work, and her creative choices on Chasing Cowboys.
Q. How did you get into graphic design?
Stephanie: Dance was actually my first love. Ballet specifically. My childhood memories of growing up here include Nutcracker rehearsals and bake sales and long rides out to Leeward Community College. Bless my parents who trucked me out there and saw EVERY performance of mine!
Looking back now, the experience of being immersed in dance as a young girl really made a big impact on me in terms of a willingness and compulsion to open the door to creativity as an adult. Because it wasn’t until I was out of college, and in grad school, and in New York, that I found myself undeniably and consciously moved by art. ALL Art: high and low, visual and non visual: music, dance, theatre, film. I breathed art and ate it up: I went to countless exhibits, performances, art shows. I went to hipster art parties in DUMBO, and also worked as a museum educator and project assistant at two New York museums while there.
It was through art that I came to understand the world, myself, and others. Even though my Master of Arts is in American History, my undocumented education was in Art.
When I was in New York, I collected and saved my art postcards and brochures that announced upcoming performances, gallery guides, artist talks. I loved these pieces of design. Interestingly, I brought all of these home with me from New York in 2001 before I had even conceived of the idea of being a graphic designer. The love and appreciation was there for these printed things, and it was as if my unconscious self knew that I would be doing this kind of work. I still have my new york art postcards that I often refer to for inspiration or ideas.
I was working at the Koa Gallery at Kapiolani Community College when I was so fortunate to have the chance to delve into studio art with the college’s amazing art professors. I felt the drive to create. I wanted to be really really good at design. I loved the practice of design and thought that the ability to work with clients and problem solve with them would suit me very well. I really really love what I do. It has been such a rewarding experience to now not only push myself to grow as a designer but to also grow in the area of business development, something else I am passionate about, both for my clients and for my own business.
Q. What did you learn by designing Chasing Cowboys? What kind of choices did you have to make? Did it help to work with the author, or was he a pain in the neck?
Stephanie: I was so thrilled Michael invited me to work with him on Chasing Cowboys. His story offered so much to work with: cowboy culture, American west, two narrators, two couples (one unexpected), and a lightness to the novel. It was nothing short of taking a joyous journey to Reno and cowboy land.
I was so pleased that in being asked to design BOTH the cover and the book inside, I had the opportunity to impact the reader’s entire experience. If design involves communicating a message or idea visually, these messages and ideas come through with every choice made to put the book together. It includes: treatment of chapter headings, page headings, font choice, layout of the individual page, page numbers even. With each of these, I ask: have we used these elements to best “fit” the book’s personality?
All of these elements together make for a book that is “easy on the eyes” (and highly professional) which means the reader can focus on reading, and the story can be received in the best way possible.
We incorporated visual western iconography into some of these elements. The “lone star” as scene breaks, and two logo treatments for the chapter headings. As is often the case, design “looks nice” but also conveys information quickly and visually. In this instance, a quick look at the fancy cowgirl boot at the beginning of chapters lets you know it's Donna narrating these chapters, and a cowboy hat appears at the beginning of chapters that Charley narrates.
I must say though, I am most pleased with something most wouldn’t even notice: our book’s font and page layout. Reading it flows like butter to me. And if you didn’t notice it, it means I did my job!
Was the author a pain in the neck? Well ... do you have to ask? ... total PAIN! Ha ha.
Q. What else have you been designing? What do you want to do more of?
Stephanie: I love most that design involves people. It’s me working with you. It involves people responding to design and hopefully inspiring them to action. I just want to keep creating dynamic and distinctive design that allows clients to do the best marketing possible.
Recently, I have been working on the brand identity for Kona Bowl and Baby AWEARness; website design for HPR reporter Noe Tanigawa and drama educator Daniel Kelin; invitation and advertising design for Hookipa 2009 and the Assaggio Kahala Bistro Grand Opening. I most enjoy helping clients with solutions for generating attention, and creating results with strategic and dynamic design.
Tags: Bestsellers, Chasing Cowboys, Romance, Stephanie Chang
