Meet Kevin Yang | Concept Designer

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

Hi Kevin, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I come from a Chinese immigrant family, and spent my childhood years in China. During that time, my grandfather, a hobby artist and painter, taught me how to draw. He was also a fantastic traditional Chinese painter, which meant he painted with an ink brush on parchment paper.

It is a gorgeous medium, one that requires precise control of your tools (your brush and the proportion of ink to water), as well as an intense focus and confidence. I begged him to teach me, and by the age of 4, I was painting with a brush of my own. I went on to continue doing Chinese painting for the next 13 years, usually doing studies from old masters. It was a meditative act. I was especially interested in painting vast mountain ranges and waterfalls, usually on parchment paper 5-8 feet long. They would span across the table as I worked, and I would watch as the beautiful scenery almost came to life. I eventually paused it due to work, but I think my experiences with Chinese painting continue to influence me in my creative pursuit.

As a concept designer working in the entertainment industry, I feel a strong interest in designing environments. To me, it is what gives a world life and believability. Just like my paintings, I love to imagine living inside my designs and seeing them in action.

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.
As a concept designer, I love being able to have a hand in designing for the entertainment of others. Specifically, we focus on subjects from fictional characters to the world they inhabit. I like to think that we play a big part in making fantastic worlds come to life, so that people can enjoy them.

I love doing what I do purely because I get to branch out into so many different fields and sciences. My work has taken me into space research, military history, wildlife, and much more. Through these experiences, I can rely on my previous knowledge to iterate and design quickly.

I’m still beginning my creative journey and where I want to go, but to sum up my progress, I have to give credit to the sleepless nights, staying up and working until daybreak. Of course, there would be periods where I needed to take a break from it, which only fueled my desire to get back to work. For me, it’s full of ups and downs, but I find it necessary for my growth as a creative.

I think knowing when to rest and step away is so important. It’s a really difficult thing to balance. I would sometimes find myself stuck on a task, yet unable to leave it alone since I desperately want to finish it. In the end, I get very little done due to fatigue and frustration. Sometimes, the best thing to do is just to walk away, even if it’s only for a minute.

I love designing for the mundane things, the things we use or pass by every day without blinking an eye. There is something so beautiful and powerful about using these simple subjects and attaching a story to them. Ultimately, my work is about creating stories and worlds surrounding the ordinary, and make them extra-ordinary.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Stargazing in Joshua Tree! In the morning, we’ll hike and explore the parks and landscape. Once it gets dark, we’ll set out once again and watch the galaxies and constellations. The pizza there is great too!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m so incredibly fortunate to have such a supportive family who cheered for me along my journey. Coming from an immigrant Asian family, it is rare to see someone pursue a creative field, usually due to cultural pressures. I am thankful everyday for their constant support and love.

I also want to shout out my close friends. I would not be here if not for their constant inspiration and motivation. They’ve been with me through every step of the way.

I am also fortunate to have incredible mentors that I met along the way. Their guidance has been crucial, no matter how small or insignificant it might have seemed. Their confidence in me meant the world.

Website: https://www.artstation.com/kvnyng23

Instagram: @kevinyang.art

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinyang-art/

Image Credits
Kevin Yang