Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew V. Tran
Hi Andrew V., we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a graphic designer currently based in LA. I chose this field because I think I’ve always found joy in being creative and making things. As a kid I used to spend a lot of time drawing cartoon characters and creating levels in LittleBigPlanet. In school, my favorite assignments were ones where I had the chance to create art, like poems and short stories for english classes, and video skits for history projects that I would shoot with my friends.
In my junior year of high school I downloaded a cracked version of Photoshop and started making t-shirts for the different clubs around campus. I really enjoyed the process and found it to be really rewarding, so when it came time to choose a major in college it made sense to study graphic design. From there I met an amazing group of peers and professors and am now fortunate enough to be able to work professionally in the field!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I don’t think it ever is for someone pursuing a creative field. Even though I never doubted my love for design, there were many points where I questioned if I should’ve chose a more conventional career since I come from a STEM based family of immigrants. After obtaining my degree, I had some time to contemplate if this was the right path for me and realized that I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else; I think my brain’s just hardwired to think in a way that’s suited for design.
Any creative field will be immensely competitive, but this is especially true for graphic design because the barrier to entry is so low for new designers (as opposed to, say, filmmaking, where you need expensive gear and a team of collaborators to create a movie). To stand out, you need to really be dedicated and have a genuine passion for the craft. I had to learn that finding an opportunity to work professionally in design is equal parts skill, networking, and luck.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a graphic designer, so I work a lot with type and image. I enjoy working in any discipline in design whether it be editorial design, packaging, UI/UX, etc, because I feel as if they’re all different expressions of the same visual principles. For that reason I think I enjoy branding the most because you’re able to tap into all those different fields along with the additional challenge of differentiating a brand from others.
I’m most proud of a personal branding project that I recently finished called Filmline. I was able to combine everything I’ve learned about design so far and my love for filmmaking into one project.
I think what sets me apart from others is that I understand the fundamentals of visual design really well, such as hierarchy and layout, which allows me to work in a variety of styles and subjects. I also try to find influences from things outside of design. I think if you pay close attention to seemingly unrelated fields like the fine arts, movies, design, and even literature, you’ll find that there are many things in common they share with each other.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
To stay humble and kind above all else.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://andrewvtran.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewvtran/
