Carolyn Chen
Carolyn is a Spatial/Product Designer and Manager. She is passionate about emerging technologies, designing for culture, and creating digital products and experiences that impact the world.
She leads AI, Spatial, and Web3 initiatives, driving innovative projects that leverage cutting-edge technologies to transform the sports and entertainment landscape. Her work focuses on integrating advanced technological solutions to stay at forefront of digital innovation.
Generalist designer, specializing in interaction, motion, 3D
Latest inspirations?
Monotone/neutrals, the color white, the shape and form of designer chairs
Most surreal project?
Nike’s AI/VR basketball game - 3D modeling, illustration, branding, doing a metaverse game and seeing people interact with it and using my design
When are you most inspired?
When I’m surrounded by people who have the same vision as me
Creative habits?
Trying to keep up to date on trends/events (going to happenings/popups/fairs) throughout the day/week
Creating over consuming / categorize activities across those baskets, being conscious about it
What is your creative process?
Idea, research, brainstorm, feedback, drafting/concepting/wireframing, more feedback
Where/how do you do your best work?
In my room, having my own space and having time and control over my work
Focusing on collaborative work that’s not yet ready for public viewing
What are the challenges in your creative process?
Putting words to images
“When you tell ChatGPT to design something and it shows up not how you envisioned”
Searching on Google back and forth for images to quickly show what to convey
Map out your creative journey
(1) Pre-creation - 1-2 days research
(2) Creation - 3-5 days, 3 days to polish
(3) Post-creation - intertwined with polishing, editing
Favorite design tools and why?
Pencil, paper, pen
Google for images
Pinterest – all search for keywords, don’t use boards, save it on Figma or on computer (keep individually, don’t send), show you what’s trendy
Are.na - sometimes isn’t as flexible
Dribble
Behance - not as wide variety as Pinterest
Figma - UX design creating experiences/apps for people
Illustrator - studied graphic design, graphic design works in freelance, still love
Pencil/paper/pen - fastest and easiest way to get out ideas, do my job… wireframing or drawing on a whiteboard to have rapid fire round ideas, get half baked ideas out to cancel them immediately, grew up with the most - drawing with the simplest form before making it into 3d medium
Looking for royalty free patterns/shapes
How do you hope to grow as a creative?
To make more work - push myself to make more work even if it’s bad, can’t have quality without quantity