Han Zhanning: Wu Yong Hello! It was a coincidence that you met in Shenzhen. Do you often come to Shenzhen?
Wu Yong: Before I often came to Shenzhen, I spent three months at a time when I was mainly studying and inspecting the printed books. Now that Beijing's printing level has improved a lot, so the chances of coming are less, but Beijing's binding and post-processing levels are still very poor, so this time again.
Han Zhanning: Actually, I was familiar with your work long ago, especially after you published the book design for four people in 1996. It was even more familiar to everyone. I like that book very much. I think it was an original creation at that time. The book binding works, talking about articles, special papers, book bindings, common sense, etc. were unified and published as a unique book. It was really creative, but also domestic books. Binding has played a big role.
Wu Yong: This is indeed the case. At that time, the book design was like our entire graphic design. Its enormous social value and potential economic value have not been widely recognized (so great social value is due to a large number of excellent The existence of design works will improve the people's quality of life; and the huge economic value is reflected in the market economy today. In this situation, our activity has played a social role of stimulating and inspiring.
After that, the country has formed a good state of design sense of competition and interaction. The work of book design has also been better respected. The good design and excellent designers of various publishing houses have emerged one after another. Compared with the previous year, a more favorable social identity was formed. With such a good working atmosphere, designers can work more smoothly and the overall improvement of the book design level has become a natural thing. From the “National Book Binding Art Exhibition†with a higher level of design than the previous one, we can see that it is a clue.
Han Zhanning: As a graphic designer, I especially like to design books. My previous ideal was to go to the publishing house as an art editor. You don't laugh, it's true. Although I did not enter the publishing house, I also designed a lot of book works. I really like the bookishness and cultural sense of books, and the joy of the design process. I wonder if you feel the same?
Wu Yong: Indeed, the book itself is a carrier of culture. It is a special kind of commodity. The bookishness and sense of culture may be its characteristics. So for design books, grasping this basic trait is a necessary prerequisite and foundation.
The fine arts editor was once an ideal career for art workers, and it is the location that many people have been longing for. It's nature is like the studio in our painting house, and it is a utopian creative group. This form, as far as I know, is almost unique to China, foreign publishers are all invited to perform a variety of design companies or designers, do not set up internal posts. As for the "process," it will always be the process of human psychological feelings, but it is not just a pleasure, it will also bring you pain and suffering. It is this ups and downs of mentality that constitutes the process of our creative desires. Therefore, it is pleasing, and the result is only a sense of satisfaction or a heavy sense of failure. The “process†is always the most attractive to pay.
Han Zhanning: I can feel the atmosphere of this kind of book from you. This is what Lu Jingren's teacher gave me most. I know you and the teacher of Lv Jingren are colleagues. Have you been affected by him? At least your refined temperament is very close. I even think that most of the fine designers who do book binding have such a refined atmosphere. I think this is the influence of books on designers, or the influence of culture on designers.
Wu Yong: Lu teacher is my leader and my most respected teacher. I graduated from college and went straight to the publishing house. The ideal design concept in the college is very different from the actual work style of the publishing house. In the transition between the ideal and the reality, Lu teacher has given me a lot of guidance and support selflessly. At the same time, he is also a great master of character and temperament. His friendliness and full of “ink†form his unique elegance. I am not at all elegant, even a little deviant, always his patience to introduce me to the quiet and transcendental design realm, forget about the fame and fortune beyond the "design level". Practicality, duty, and atmosphere are the advice he often gives me. Because the design is still in the primary stage in our country, mutual cooperation between peers is necessary, and the big climate is not what it is. This is contrary to the original intention of the design and the designer’s role in society. I think that you are referring to the Confucian temperament is formed by Lu teacher's ecstasy style.
Han Zhanning: I like to think that books are the premise of book design. I love the design of the carrier and I think it is the premise of the design.
Wu Yong: Yes, at the time of applying for a major at the university, the recognition of the book and the impact of the book on me led me to choose a book design major. In that year, the Department of Fashion Design recruited two majors, and the other was commercial packaging design.
Love books are my nature. Of course, I have had my books piled up in my books. Others choose to read the lights at night, not necessarily have a good book to read, and never to read thousands of books. So I don’t have a long way to go now. The ability is sometimes shallow and shallow. But a real good book is always my mentor.
Perhaps it was the special feelings of the book that made me seldom participate in the design exhibition. This time unexpectedly won the “First Hong Kong International Poster Triennial†with a personal studio image poster designed with “books†as elements. The grand prize. Really feelings of design can touch others.
Han Zhanning: Designers can not love every object that you want to design, but I think that books are different, design books are pleasing, and the process of designing books will enhance designers themselves. I often think that designers are blessed people. Design something so cultural. In this regard you are more than I feel, how do you see the book design profession?
Wu Yong: As I said before, due to the special emotions of the book that led me to choose the major of book design, and even the choice of the art editorial work afterwards, this is positioning me as a career in book design. Book design may be considered “high†status in the design of this business. Compared with other designs, it is less intrusive than some secular consciousness. That is, the customer’s subjective interference is less, and the art space is larger. So the design is relatively more desirable. All "freedom" is relative, there is no absolute freedom. But in general, book design is a profession that can always express itself happily.
Han Zhanning: I noticed that you and Lu Jingren teacher, Ning Chengchun teacher and Zhu Hong teacher mentioned a noun "book design" in "book design four people" and thought that it should replace "book binding". What is the difference between the two? Where is the difference between binding and design? Whether or not the design is more extensive and comprehensive than framing, or the core of the book that breaks through the surface decoration, is designed from the inside out.
Wu Yong: Literally, it is also understandable that “design†and “impression†are defined in terms of form, giving people the appearance of perception, and “design†is a feeling of the mind that expresses some kind of subconsciousness in a more profound and simple way. Or show a particular form of revealing connotation brought about by a certain reading style; or use a metaphorical touch formed by different papers; or a specific visual order formed by the overall design of a book...etc. Some indescribable connotations play a role in revealing external images. People's spiritual perceptions of images are rich in the language of words, and design is to make up for this. Good design ideas can inspire readers to further understand the meaning of books, which is the added value of books.
Han Zhanning: Actually, when a designer faces a book, especially in the face of a manuscript, I feel that there is an impulse to show its vitality and that it is a manifestation of individuality. Lu Jingren’s teacher thinks that the designer is now a director. How do you look at this kind of confrontation? Do you have a special feeling when you face the manuscript? How do you communicate with the manuscript?
Wu Yong: The manuscript is a medium that touches your various consciousnesses. Different manuscripts dig out your deep potential. Therefore, you and the manuscript have some kind of sympathy. If not, you will try to search for a deeper level of consciousness and sedimentation in your heart, which will form the initial stage of creativity. Then you will develop and publicize this feeling until you release it in an incisive manner. This is how I communicate with the manuscript.
Han Zhanning: I agree with your views and feelings, but I think that the book itself is ideological. I think that design is to use the thoughts and feelings of the book itself, not the designer's own personality and thoughts. I think you must pay attention to this. It's time, but it's very difficult for both to actually deal with it. How do you deal with it, emphasize the thinking of the book, or emphasize your personality?
Wu Yong: The book's thinking is diverse. Maybe it happens to be in sync with your personality; or part of it is possible, or the opposite is difficult. On the premise of this kind of class, trying to infiltrate individual things into them and handling them all together is a perfect design. What is left is regrets and lessons learned. And those things that are contrary to my personality, such as more traditional subjects, I will first try to expand its traditional factors, and then integrate my own fashion personality into it, so that its feeling is traditional, and the compositional elements are all modern .
The "Essentials of the China National Library Rubbings" recently designed by me is the result of such an attempt.
Han Zhanning: I like what you express in the design is the personality of the book itself and your personality, or you give the book is the more intense book personality you have refined, your "Collection of open bookstore famous family prose series" design I think The performance in this area is very strong. I like its slender, concise and unique design, especially the punching of the cover and the arrangement of the text. Does its design embody your design ideas and ideas?
Wu Yong: Yes, it is a set of design work that turns ideological things into visual forms. That is one of my more satisfying works. It was during the manual era (compared to the current computer age) that I explored the use of relatively simple means to bring the effect of designing production to the point of extreme conditions possible under the prevailing conditions. "Collection of open bookstore famous prose department