my name is jessica yu and i am a graphic designer and illustrator.
design:
i love to design for print, specifically publication design in the form of books and magazines, and sometimes posters. i really enjoy the design process of a product that i get to physically hold when i'm done, and i find both the journey and the end result highly satisfying. my favorite type of print to design for are accordion books, as i find designing them to be both exhilarating and creatively challenging. when designing accordion books, i love to make the elements of each spread flow smoothly into the next spread, so that when the entire book is displayed, everything connects together.
illustration:
my interest in illustration lies mainly in food illustration, but i have many ideas in the works, some of which are not food-based. my cookbook, food for thought: a chinese-american memoir, was one of the most intensive projects i have worked on, and i played with multiple levels of illustration within the book (flat, rendered, lineart, etc.). while i have a background in fine art, i have veered more into illustrating digitally, and most of my finished pieces are digital, even if the initial design is sketched on paper.
values:
the main values i hold close to my heart and want to perpetuate through my personal design work have to do with my culture (chinese/chinese-american), and food/food waste. during the pandemic, i became aware of the fact that there are many widespread misconceptions about chinese culture, and one of my goals as a chinese-american designer is to educate about my culture and correct misconceptions, while also educating others about the problems that the chinese and chinese-american community have faced. food and food waste relate to my culture in that my appreciation for food and concern for food waste are due almost entirely to how i was raised. my parents made a point to educate me on health and nutrition in conjunction with taste and waste. food waste is a huge no-go in my household growing up, and i have continued to hold onto these values.
culture:
growing up chinese-american, i did not appreciate everything my parents were trying to teach me as much as i do now. i am forever grateful for my parents for teaching me not only about my culture, but immersing me in it; pushing me to take language classes and speak my native language at home so that i can communicate with my extended family, use my skills in my work, and further connect with my roots. now, one of my main goals as an artist is to shine a light on my culture and share it with people, especially since i see so much misinformation being spread online.
jessicayuart:
i currently provide freelance design and commission illustration services, and hope to soon begin to sell my own products as well. for references on what my artwork and background in design look like, please refer to my portfolio. if you are interested in any kind of business inquiries, please contact me through the contact form or my email. to see my corporate design experience, please contact me through my contact form or email.
personal:
aside from art and design, my main hobbies include reading and writing, cooking and baking, playing a few select video games, and spending time with my loved ones.