Meet Yiting Nan and Justin Zhang | Designer and Animator. Our design duo is called Studio Fishball

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yiting Nan and Justin Zhang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yiting; Justin, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
One important habit for success is consistency. This means consistently paying attention to details, maintaining high-quality work, and sticking to a particular style. This habit helps to establish a recognizable brand and build a strong portfolio that can attract potential clients.

Another key habit is keep learning from other successful artists and their work. This involves studying different styles, techniques, and approaches to creative work. By learning from others, we can expand our skills and knowledge, and gain new perspectives on our own work.

Lastly, a willingness to try out different projects, clients, and styles, and not being afraid of jumping out of our comfort zone. This habit helps to develop a diverse range of skills and experiences, and has led us to some new and exciting opportunities.

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.
Yiting began her career as a graphic design student, but now works as an animator. Her background in graphic design provides her with a unique perspective, allowing her to approach her work from a graphical standpoint. This sets her apart from traditional animators and illustrators. Although she primarily works in digital media, her appreciation for printmaking inspires her to incorporate some of its unique features into her work when appropriate.

Justin, who currently works as both a brand designer and motion designer, has also benefited from his background in graphic design and motion graphics. This has opened up many opportunities for his career. We’ve observed that motion graphics is a rapidly growing trend in all areas of design. Our expertise in design, illustration, and motion has led to many unexpected opportunities.

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?
The Warner Bros Studio Tour is a must-see attraction for movie and TV fans. We had so much fun there! You can explore actual sets from popular franchises like Harry Potter, Friends and the Big Bang Theory. The tour offers a unique behind-the-scenes look at some of Hollywood’s biggest productions, with the opportunity to see original props and costumes, experience special effects, and even ride on a broomstick through the Forbidden Forest.

Another great place to visit is the Getty Center. Despite its rich and impressive art collections, you won’t want to miss its modernist architecture. Its white stone exterior and minimalist design blend beautifully with the surrounding natural environment. The museum’s gardens are also a highlight, featuring stunning water features, sculptures, and lush foliage. The gardens offer a peaceful oasis for visitors to explore and enjoy.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Our motion graphics instructor, Ori Kleiner from SVA, has played a pivotal role in both our studies and careers. He introduced us to the world of motion graphics, and completely transformed our career trajectories. Before that, we had only aspired to be traditional graphic designers. However, after being exposed to motion graphics, we discovered a unique field where our skills in design, illustration, and animation could be combined.

As the motion coordinator at SVA, Ori provided us with some fantastic opportunities to design and animate promotional content for a couple of events. Thanks to these opportunities, our work was viewed and appreciated by a wide audience. So a big shoutout to Ori!

Website: https://www.yitingnan.com, https://www.justinzhang.work

Instagram: @nineteen_nan, @just1nzhang