Meet Brax Li of Pasadena

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brax Li

Hi Brax, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m a concept designer with industrial design background. I came from Nanjing, China, which is a really rainy city. I came to Pasadena at 2019 for study industrial design in ArtCenter college of design. Currently I’m graduating from college this summer and very exciting to begin the next chapter of my career as a designer. I began to focus on concept design (especially keyframe illustration, environment art, and hard surface art) since 2022. When I really thought about what I want to do for the next 20 years, I realized that I’m more passionate about concept design.

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?
Not a smooth road at all. When I started to focus on concept design in 2022, I was still an industrial design student, which means I have to learn concept design mostly by myself, while earning credits for my bachelor degree of industrial design. Design may sounds very general, but it actually has lots of categories, and each of them are very different with each other. Each design categories have their own approaches to achieve different goals. It was very frustrating at the beginning when I decided to learning a complete different major. Many ideas I’ve learned from my industrial design classes didn’t work in the world of concept design.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a concept designer with industrial design background, my design process is mix of two different mind sets. For industrial design, I dedicate on make things work. It requires researches, analysis, and problem solving. I design things because there is a problem, and I’m going to solve it with my design. On the other hand, my approach for concept design is fulfilled with imaginations. I need to step out from the real world when I design a world of imagination.

I’m very proud of my design process which is a combination of logic and imagination. My background in two different design worlds helps to come up with some creative and unique ideas.

How do you think about luck?
I don’t remember any good or bad luck. I have a more positive attitude. Even if I encounter frustrating things sometimes, I will still try to find opportunities in them. For example, during the pandemic, I completed a whole year of college courses in front of the computer. However, I’ve designed some of my best projects during the pandemic. I don’t think being isolated at home is a disadvantage. Actually, remote course is more efficient than in-person course sometimes.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.braxlidesign.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brax_li_17/

Image Credits
Brax Li