Today we’d like to introduce you to Yani Sun.
Hi Yani, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started to learn a mix of digital arts during college because I’m interested in music and art. By exploring visual design with new media forms in 2013 with a focus on creative brand identity, UI&UX design, and immersive interactive installations, I developed a passion for motion graphics and animation. So, I moved to New York and attended the School of Visual Arts to pursue my MFA degree. After I graduated from SVA, I worked with brands in various industries, including fashion & beauty, emerging tech, and food & beverage, etc. as a motion designer. I got to know a lot of amazing creatives who are in the industry.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was definitely not a smooth road. I didn’t know anyone here when I came to New York, even though I was a super introverted person at that time, I had to put myself out there. Also, the pandemic started when I graduated from SVA in 2020. It was perhaps the toughest job market in the past few years, which was the most challenging thing for me. So I was super stressed, and I believe it was a hard time for many new graduates as well.
Starting working as a full-time motion designer, the production team is a fast-paced place with quick turnarounds where I will have to learn to work efficiently and get aligned with the team on workflow. This will extend my education beyond what schools can’t possibly teach. Sometimes the tight deadline makes me both mentally and physically exhausted, but every time I accomplish something big with my crew together and as a whole team, that makes it so fun and worth it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a Motion designer and Animator. I specialize in combining dynamic visual elements and color balance with a contemporary and lively style. The areas of my expertise include 2D&3D motion design, animation, graphic design, and illustration. My work now focuses on creating 2D motion achieving a smooth visual feeling, and helping brands promote their concepts and products to clients. I’m still exploring this field, and I worked on brands like Ralph Lauren, The Atlantic, Playboy, Forever21 and Noggin, etc.
Many motion designers want to find their style, but I keep telling myself that designers should be able to adapt to different types of work at first, and the personal style develops over time and with work experience. So I love experimenting with different styles and visuals.
When not designing or animating, I love live music which inspired me a lot. And similar to music, the visual is no boundary between the country or language. Everyone can be the audience. So motion is another language for me to convey stories and allows me to communicate emotions with others. I can express myself via visuals, and it makes me calm. When I hear my work lifts people up and encourages them to think, I am genuinely proud of my career, which keeps me wanting to create more work.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I’m lucky to have my parents who always support me in pursuing my passion, and the SVA MFA Computer Arts faculties are very supportive, shout out to Adam, Kun-I, and Ben, they helped me a lot when I was going through a rough patch during the pandemic. I’m grateful for having an opportunity to work with talented designers/animators, and they never failed to inspire me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://yani.work/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromyanisun/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yani-sun-505a6716b/
Image Credits
Yani Sun
