Today we’d like to introduce you to Huyen Dinh.
Huyen, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey as an artist divides into two main parts: how I became a designer and how I became a letterer.
How I become a designer:
I grew up most of my life in Vietnam and moved to the U.S. when I was 16. I started drawing at the age of 10 and won quite a few contests while in school. The thought of becoming an artist never occurred to me because in Asian culture, people define success as getting straight A’s, graduating from elite schools, and becoming a doctor, lawyer or engineer.
I majored in Accounting at a small liberal arts college in Missouri for two years. Taking a lot of elective art classes: drawing, watercolor, ceramics, painting made me fall back in love with art again. I would rather spend my time in art studios than doing my accounting homework. I decided to switch to graphic design major after taking a design class since it is a good intersection of fine art and a stable job. I liked that graphic design is all about solving problems for projects/clients. I recalled my counselor telling me to reconsider my decision since I could earn more money being an accountant than a designer. I figured I could make money if I were good at art, so I went with my gut and never looked back.
How I got to lettering:
I didn’t know about lettering until I took an online course on Skillshare in 2013 and became obsessed. I would practice for fun and enjoyed drawing each letter. I didn’t get serious about it until last year, when I spent more time to work on my lettering portfolio and Instagram, and started landing lettering gigs. I would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night getting excited about a new idea, and wanting to execute it right away. That’s when I know I’m very passionate about lettering.
Has it been a smooth road?
There is a classic saying “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor”. It is far from smooth for my journey but I have learned a lot from my mistakes and still learning as I go. There are some sacrifices I had to make pursuing my passion while working full-time. I have learned how to deal with different clients and how to compromise with them while standing my ground. I struggled to find my style but I realized it is more important to find my voice – what kind of message I want to deliver to my audience.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
My name is Huyen Dinh, pronounce “Who-yen Ding”. I’m a Vietnamese designer and letterer based in sunny Los Angeles. I enjoy combining my passion for lettering and beauty to create different tactile lettering pieces. For example, using lipstick as a medium or creating a lifestyle flat-lay of my favorite makeup products to combine with my lettering. I’m known for giving type makeovers by blending colorful pastel palettes with sarcasm.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, definitely. Los Angeles is the heart of entertainment and offers endless opportunities for artists. I would definitely recommend young artists starting here. They will have plenty of chances to explore the diversity culture in LA and challenge themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.huyendinh.com
- Email: hello@huyendinh.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misshuyendinh/
- Other: Side project: https://struggletomingle.online
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