Meet Yitong Jiang | Graphic Designer

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

Hi Yitong, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I rarely refer to risks as “risks”—to me, they are simply decisions. Even choosing to take the same route to work every day could result in an unexpected fall. Who can guarantee that any decision is 100% right? What we can do is reduce our fear of taking risks and embrace the possibility of making mistakes. I believe that risk-taking and caution are opposites, much like pain and joy or storms and rainbows. If life were only filled with joy and rainbows, we wouldn’t appreciate them as much—they would just be ordinary. It’s the challenges, the storms, and the risks that make joy, rainbows, and achievements more cherished.

So, I’m not afraid of taking risks. Caution often comes from a fear of making mistakes after having failed before, but breakthroughs are often born from continuous risk-taking. If your goal is clear and steadfast, I believe taking risks is worth it. As a graphic designer, although I’m still growing my client base, I’ve noticed that the clients I’ve worked with so far genuinely appreciate sincerity. Other fields might be different, but in our line of work, which is driven by ideas, creativity, and execution, “risk” acts like a seasoning—it’s something to be valued. With thorough research and the sincerity a designer brings to the table, I believe the potential consequences of taking risks are nothing to be feared.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a graphic designer, but I hesitate to use that label to fully describe my learning journey so far because I don’t want to limit myself to just one field. When people think of a graphic designer, they usually imagine someone who creates posters or designs branding for companies. However, I’ve also studied motion design, modeling, photography, illustration, woodworking, and even tried my hand at jade carving and printmaking. I aim to use these various skills to express my ideas.

I believe there are three things that set me apart. First, I am extremely hardworking. I never focus on how much time or effort an idea will take—I only consider whether the outcome will be good or bad and if it’s worth pursuing. Second, I never settle for “good enough.” Even if my abilities are limited, I push myself to achieve the best I can within those limits. Third, if an idea sparks my interest, I am determined to see it through.

As a girl from China, I am passionate about representing my culture. One of my projects involved creating a set of wooden mahjong tiles. For those unfamiliar, mahjong is a traditional Chinese tabletop game, and this project sparked my interest in woodworking. I initially planned to find a platform to sell my handcrafted mahjong sets, but for various reasons, I had to put that on hold. Nonetheless, the achievement still excites me.

I also worked with two classmates on a rebranding project for Cesar, a pet food company under Mars, Inc. The three of us handled everything, including research, product design, packaging design, modeling, rendering, 3D printing and painting, motion design, photography, and creative direction for marketing. I’m incredibly proud of this project. Given that we were all graphic designers, the effort we put into product design was immense, and the iteration process was challenging. But as the director of the product portion, creating a product that the client was thrilled with was exhilarating.

This experience made me realize that my potential shouldn’t be confined to my field of study—human potential is vast. It also taught me that our imagination often limits our growth. I used to think that certain tasks were too difficult for me to accomplish, but when I broke down the “end result” into manageable steps and took that first daunting step, the process began to demystify itself. What once seemed intimidating became tangible, and I realized it wasn’t as scary as I had imagined. This approach has allowed me to learn new skills and expand my capabilities.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a fried chicken enthusiast, and the best fried chicken in Pasadena is definitely at Main Chick and Hot Chicken! There was a time when I was so obsessed that I ordered from there three times a week. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Pasadena. My second favorite spot for fried chicken is Howlin’ Ray’s—it’s delicious and the portions are generous, making it a great place to go with friends.

As for fun places to check out, I’ll skip the well-known spots you can easily find online. Instead, I’ll share a hidden gem I discovered while hiking with friends—the Bridge to Nowhere. It’s a beautiful spot with scenic natural surroundings and a creek, perfect for hiking with friends or bringing your dog along.

In South Pasadena, there’s an antique store I absolutely love called Hodgson’s Antiques. I pop in there every now and then, and I always find something new and interesting!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people to thank. I’m constantly inspired by the generosity and support of those around me. I’m currently studying at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, LA, and my entire cohort has been incredibly supportive. Whether it’s providing a critique on your design or lending their expertise to help complete a project, there’s a shared understanding among us that if you need help, you’ll get it. People don’t help each other with the expectation of getting something in return in the future—they do it simply because help is needed. If you ask, anyone will go out of their way to assist.

One of my most important mentors is my teacher, Gerardo Herrera. His guidance extends far beyond just the classroom. His principles and the way he conducts himself have had a subtle yet profound influence on us, inspiring us to strive to be like him—calm, broad-minded, and responsible.

I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to my parents. Without their support, I wouldn’t have the confidence to pursue the field I’m passionate about. Their openness and understanding have always been a source of encouragement for me.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yitong.design?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yitong-jiang-32294024b

Image Credits
Photo 2 Credit: Background generated by Midjourney; hero product photographed by Yitong Jiang (me).
The other photos photographed by Yitong Jiang