Check Out Shuohui Zeng’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shuohui Zeng. They and their team shared their story with us below:

Shuohui Zeng is a graphic designer and typeface designer based in New York. He has been practicing lettering, typeface design, typography. Working with clients around the world, he provides creative direction, branding, visual identities, typeface design. He graduated from MICA GDMFA program and Central Academy of Fine Arts. He has been working as a graphic designer over four years. He is currently in Type@Cooper 24 extended program. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I was surrounded by studios constantly building things in the Swiss style. These experiences left me with the impression that graphic design should be straightforward and minimal without decoration. The studios where I worked used Neo-grotesque fonts, such as Helvetica. At moments, I felt like I could simply use one of these Neo-grotesque typefaces, track it tightly, and I would be guaranteed a cool design. Importantly, I believed that these designs would be accepted—readily—by graphic designers and consumers alike. 

These ideas changed when I studied type design at Type@Cooper; I came to understand the profound impact that typefaces have on our daily lives and recognized the diverse aesthetics that define our visual culture. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a graphic and typeface designer based in New York, my practice is deeply rooted in a passion for the intricacies of lettering and the expressive potential of typography. 

I’m interested in the reciprocal relationship between letters’ forms and counterforms, and it guides my approach: I aim to create typefaces that are not only visually experimental but also highly readable in everyday applications. 

Each of my project is a problem-solving process, I’m passionate about addressing visual challenges, as I believe that each problem is an opportunity to uncover a fascinating solution. For me, this is the essence of “experimental design.” 

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I loves observing the design in everyday life, whether it’s the signs of Brooklyn shops or the fonts used in second-hand books. Observing is a daily practice, a discipline, and, most significantly, a playground for creative experimentation. 

Contact Info:

• Website: huitypography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zengshuohui/