Daily Inspiration: Meet Bojun Tan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bojun Tan.

Bojun, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin? 
Growing up in a culture rich in artistic tradition sparked my fascination with art. I have been interested in painting since early childhood. During my college years at Rhode Island School of Design, I became interested in visual culture, thereby pursuing a career in graphic design. After graduation, I worked as a freelance graphic designer; my passion was branding and visual identity for start-ups. My path was fueled by a mixture of true passion for the art and commitment to understanding the nuanced needs of my clients, which helped me develop a distinctive style and an adaptive workflow in my works. This way, I have grown professionally and established a solid reputation in the creative community. My work has been featured in several prestigious exhibitions, including the Muse Award, the German Design Council, and the Worldwide Logo Design Annual, allowing me to collaborate on a broader range of projects and push myself to continue refining my craft. Currently, I work at the renowned artist Cai Guo-Qiang’s Studio and continue with a variety of personal projects. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Truly, it has been an unsmooth road; my journey as a graphic designer has been tough, marked significantly by the transition to a professional role. This required refining my artistic abilities and better navigating the design industry’s business and interpersonal aspects. I faced major challenges at the start of my career, such as client acquisition and managing several projects at once under tight deadlines. Overcoming these hurdles involved a lot of trial and error, which taught me valuable lessons in time management and effective client communication. Another big challenge in my career in design was the enhancements of the technical aspect of the design, from mastering the skills I already have to adapting to new technologies. I aim to attract better clients and work on larger, more impactful projects, meaning a continuous refinement of my design portfolio. The pressure to remain relevant and innovative is immense, but on the flip side, it is also the biggest motivator, as every problem solved in the process only marks a step forward in my career path. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a graphic designer, I focus on creating compelling visual identities that help brands tell their story in an impactful way. I specialize in logo design, typography, and branding for cultural and food-related brands. I’m known for my innovative approach to design that incorporates all sorts of tools and techniques to bring ideas to life. Therefore, I’m proud of my recent personal lettering project, “Spray,” where I made a spray-painted alphabet made from spraying stencils with spatial complexity. I was inspired by the coexistence of crispy and blurry shapes in spray-painted graphics and wanted to utilize that to make letters that have blurry and even spatial qualities. I folded the paper stencils differently so that they would make a variety of spray marks on the paper while showing readable letters. I want to be an open-minded creative who gets inspiration outside of design, so I will keep making these fun explorations with design and non-design tools to stay inspired and even put them to use in the future. 

Any big plans?
As I mentioned earlier, I am excited about exploring new techniques. I am currently learning new tools like 3D rendering, creative coding, and artificial intelligence, and I can’t wait to bring them to my upcoming projects. Driven by a desire to push the boundaries of traditional design, I am keen to create more interactive and immersive experiences for users. This quest for innovation is not only in the application of new tools but in how one seamlessly integrates them into my design philosophy so as to enhance the narrative and aesthetic coherence. Additionally, I target new clients from abroad, which will enable me to experience various design challenges along with the different cultural narratives. Engaging with different cultural contexts will enrich my understanding and appreciation of global aesthetics, ultimately broadening my creative outlook. Graphic design is a tool for powerful cultural expression, and my highest dream is to contribute to the evolution of graphic design by providing new design approaches and perspectives. 

Contact Info:

• Website: tomtan.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomtbj/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-tan-1144371a1/