Today we’d like to introduce you to Zipeng Zhu.
Hi Zipeng, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I used to want to be a manga (Japanese comic) artist when I was a kid till I realized I have no talent in drawing… But that left me a ton of Photoshop skills. So I started to make posters for my school clubs, newsletters, designing my own PowerPoint presentation (haha). One of my high school teachers asked me if I would ever consider to study design in college… Then I got into a huge fight with my parents and begged them to let me go to an art school since I was determined to study biochemistry. August of 2009, I moved to New York City and started my time at the School of Visual Arts.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Lol, I wish it’s a smooth road. I’m a queer immigrant living in America, nothing is smooth (besides my skin hah) On one hand it’s hard to find a place for yourself in the industry but on the other hand, it’s incredibly difficult not feeling tokenized along the way.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a Chinese-born artist, designer, art director, illustrator, and animator in New York City who wants to make every day a razzle-dazzle musical. My clients include Apple, Adidas, Adobe, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Twitter, Netflix, New York Times, MTV, and Samsung. I was one of the Art Directors Club Young Guns 13 winners and has been recognized as Print magazine’s New Visual Artist and The One Show Young Ones. My work has been exhibited all over the world including New York, Barcelona, Dubai, Mumbai, Shanghai, Beijing and other major museums and institutions. Now I run my creative practice Dazzle Studio and gift shop Dazzle Supply to push the dazzle life to the next level. The project that I’m proud of is the Stop Asian Hate campaign I did with Times Square in NYC.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
“If you don’t ask, you won’t get” by my mentor Stefan Sagmeister & “Make Your Luck” from my other mentor Jessica Walsh. These two advices gave me the confident to just go for it. and here’s one of my own “Worst comes to worst is a no, and no is literally nothing”.
Contact Info:
- Website: dazzle.studio
- Instagram: @dazzle.studio / @zzdesign
