Meet Jun Lin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jun Lin.

Jun, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Taiwan. Art and Literature have equally fascinated me since I was a kid, but prior to college I’ve always felt I had to choose one over the other when it came to pursuing a serious career. I did my undergraduate studies in Foreign Languages and Literatures and thought maybe I’d become an interpreter. But then it became clear to me that I wanted a career in the arts, so I was keeping an eye out for ways to transition into the field.

My university didn’t have a design school, but at the time they offered a few electives in the arts along with a neighboring university, so I took those and did illustration on the side.

Then in my junior year, I received a scholarship to attend a sponsored exchange program at ArtCenter. That was a life-changing experience for me. I learned so much from the people there in that one-year time frame. By the end of the program, I knew it was what I wanted to do. After going back to Taiwan and completing my Bachelor’s degree, I applied to ArtCenter’s MFA Program in Graphic Design and am now in my second year.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It was definitely tough at first trying to make the transition into Graphic Design. In terms of skill, there was a lot that I had to catch up on in the beginning of my exchange. I remember not knowing exactly how to make a presentation, or what to say during critique. But I learned so much just by working along my peers, who were these talented, hardworking students not afraid to share. It was ultimately a great experience.

I’ve been fortunate to receive a lot of help and support from family and instructors, for which I am extremely grateful, and having the opportunity to do the exchange program really changed my life in a positive way. So yes, I think overall it’s been a relatively smooth road.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m a graphic designer with a background in Literature. As a result, I think, language is something that has consistently found its way into my projects. In college, I did a lot of writing and that has influenced the way I design, too. I work to distill an idea down to only the essential moves, similar to how I was taught to write in a concise style. In a way, design feels like writing. There’s logic and structure to it. There is intention and control over language.

A lot of my work has been in publication. I’ve always loved books. Having been immersed in Literature all throughout college, it feels refreshing to approach it from the perspective of a graphic designer. It’s given me opportunities to think about how people read and to have fun with it. For each project, I begin with extensive research. Taking the materials I’ve gathered, I develop concepts appropriate to the subject matter, before translating the idea into the form. In a publication project, there’s a lot to play within the structure and format of the book, on top of the layout, detail, material, distribution, all of it. And so I think as a designer that’s where I try to be, in that space for play and experimenting with the limitations of the book. It’s a lot of fun.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’ve been extremely fortunate along the way. I have received so much support from my parents, my friends, and family. Recently, I am most thankful for my instructor Stephen Serrato, who has been sort of a mentor to me. He taught me a lot about book design and encouraged me to experiment with different methods to approaching a book. It’s truly inspiring. Being his student has influenced the way I think about design.

Contact Info:

• Website: yujunlin.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuujunlin/

Image Credit:
Victoria Chen

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