Meet Yaheng Li | Creative Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yaheng Li and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yaheng, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
Done is better than perfect.

When I was still an undergraduate and in the early stages of my career, I tried best to pursue perfection as much as possible. Perhaps most designers are inherently born to be perfectionism. We strive to choose “the most perfect” one from several options and present the most perfect work to clients and even superiors. Inevitably, in my pursuit of perfection, I spent more time, energy, and even money, and sometimes got lost. Until I accidentally heard this quote from somebody, it made me realize that not only for design work but also for life, completion is more important than perfection, because there may never be a truly perfect solution. In a professional or a capitalism world, efficiency and collaboration matter more.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What I am most proud of in my creations is the diversity. I am very willing to try a wide range of creative fields, from graphic and brand design to product design, and I enjoy participating in all of them. In the future, I am very excited to find opportunities in creative design related to the entertainment industry, especially since I am currently based in Los Angeles, the capital of the entertainment industry. Looking back on my previous career, I believe I have made some mistakes. Facing them was not easy, and the shame and frustration they brought me were very painful at the time. However, I am grateful for these experiences because, without them, I could not have become better.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ever since moving to Los Angeles, I always get very excited when my friends come to visit. I love sharing interesting things I’ve stumbled upon in my daily life with them. Rather than the iconic and world-famous destinations, I prefer to take my friends to the places like Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. There are many captivating works by Gauguin, Monet, and Van Gogh, which are not easy to see closely for someone come from China like me. Additionally, I highly recommend Mario’s Peruvian & Seafood on Melrose. Its flavors are fascinatingly diverse, appealing to most people, and some cooking methods are very similar to the Chinese cuisine I’m familiar with. If the timing is right during the season, watching a Lakers game at Staples Center, witnessing LeBron in his final moments, or catching a European soccer preseason match at SoFi Stadium or the Rose Bowl would be very fun, as I am an avid soccer fan.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shoutout to Mr. Lei Teng, the founder of Ark Design and also my boss before the pandemic. This was my first time participating in the entire creative and implementation process of a commercial project as a studio designer. During this process, Lei gave me with a lot of valuable insights and guidance from a professional perspective, as well as patient and continuous support. Although my duty at the ARK was not long, I am grateful for this experience.

Website: https://www.yahengli.co/

Instagram: yahengdesign

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/averach/