Design

Zachary Lin, of Zachary Lin Graphics, is a young, up-and-coming graphics artist who created my Silver Man graphic on my Reality Check blog site. I’ve known his family for a few years, and when his name came up, thought, yeah, I should use his services! After having dealt with him for a couple weeks on the graphic design, I found him to be great, detail-oriented, easy to work with kinda guy, and wanted to get his name out there and interview him.

So, ladies and gents, here is Zachary Lin!

Tell us a little about yourself, Zach.

In 2011 I graduated from the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design with a BFA in Graphic Design. Subsequently, I worked for YS, a regional magazine, designing ads and illustrations. Since then I have been a freelance graphic designer and illustrator, working mostly with writers.

How did you get into the graphic art business?

In my last couple of years in high school I got into drawing in the style of manga (Japanese comics) and considered going to school to become an illustrator. I scanned my sketches into the computer, where I discovered how much I love working with software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator. I decided to major in graphic design, because I felt it would give me the greatest education in working with these programs.

What type of work do you take on?

I take on anything from logos and branding collateral to entire page layouts for novels. Since the beginning of 2012, I’ve also worked regularly on vector illustrations. I enjoy telling stories with illustrations.

What kind do you not take on?

I have worked with websites before, providing branding, layouts, and color concepting. Coding the sites is something I don’t take on that frequently, though. In the future I would love to learn more about coding, however, right now I enjoy collaborating with professional coders.

How do you describe your work?

Most of my illustrations include a humorous, comic element to them. Most of my illustrations are vector illustrations made in Illustrator. Illustrator makes it easy to move lines and points around, while resizing. It also allows for sharp lines and smooth gradients that I find give a nice clean look to the finished pieces. I like to use bold colors most of the time to make the image “pop.”

What are your short and long-term goals in the business of graphic art?

At the moment my goal is to find a workplace were I’m able to collaborate with other designers on a variety of projects that will give me experience in many different media, so I can continue to expand my skills. This would also serve to show me what I enjoy doing most, and help me out, deciding where I want to be in the long run.

I hear you like acting. True?

I have “acted” in several student films created for video editing classes. They were fun to make and film is a great way to tell a story. I personally enjoy telling stories about how they were made. For example, I once got punched in the face—twice—and slowed it down for a scene.

Full Video, titled “Rollover”:

The Making of “The Punch” Scene:

Ouch. Have any other videos we can share?

In 2012 I started to screen capture my process while working on certain projects. Here is a video showing my process on one of my most detailed vector illustrations (warning: don’t have had too much coffee before watching this one [just sayin’]—FPD):

You can view all of my process videos at www.youtube.com/zacharylindesign

What else do you have your hands in?

I’ve been working part-time at a grocery store to help pay the rent and keep myself fed.

Well, we all gotta eat! Can you let us in on three surprising things about yourself (uh, that are legal!)?

I enjoy painting. Unlike most people I’ve asked, I prefer oils to acrylics because I enjoy having the time to work with the paint on the canvas for a little while. Acrylics dry too fast to do that.

I have a very messy room but I keep very organized computer files.

I live mostly on chicken strips, quesadillas, and Oreos.

What’s your life’s goal, my friend?

I would like a steady graphic design job where I will always have opportunities to continue to improve my skills. I’d like to be able to afford a house and a family.

Noble. What do you like to read, and what are ya currently reading?

I enjoy reading manga and graphic novels. I enjoy visual storytelling. I’m currently reading Naruto, Gantz, and One Piece.

If you were to have a gravestone, what would you have engraved upon it?

I’m not sure about what words, but I think it would be pretty cool to have a personal logo I designed on it. Symbolizing my life as a graphic designer with a symbol.

Thank  you so much for your time, Zach! And thanks, again, for doing the graphic for Silver Man! It has been a pleasure, and we wish you all the best in your burgeoning career!

To contact Zach:

Website: http://www.zacharylin.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/zacharylindesign

E-mail: zacharylindesign@gmail.com