Visual Thoughts John(Zhenjie)Xu

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VISUAL THOUGHTS (Name) John(Zhenjie)Xu (Degree) MA Graphic Design (School) Academy of Art University

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(Concept)

VISUAL THOUGHTS (Name)

(Years)

John(Zhenjie)Xu

2021-2023

(Major)

(Project)

Graphic Design

Selected Works of John(Zhenjie)Xu

(Degree) MA

(School) Academy of Art University

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(Copyright @ 2024 John(Zhenjie)Xu) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission and transmitted, distributed, in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording and other electronic or mechanical means.

Student project only, no part of this book is for commercial use.

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(Concept) In graphic design, every idea revolves around the process of visual thinking. This represents an exploration and extension of the designer’s internal creative process, demonstrating how moments of dreams and inspiration transform into tangible visual expressions.

Portfolios use thought leaders as guides for the work, opening pieces with their perspectives. Each thought leader, being an inspirational figure in their respective fields, aids in understanding and inspiring the entire piece, expressing the concept of the work in their unique way.

By unveiling the layers of thought behind each project, it celebrates the beauty of creativity and the boundless possibilities that sparks of inspiration can ignite. This portfolio underscores the power of visual thinking, inviting viewers to appreciate the artistry and introspection that define the journey of graphic design.

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(Introduction)

Table of Contents

(01/09) Page 02

(06/09) Page 120

Spotify CSR Report

Museo Serif Type Promoition

(02/09) Page 18 Rebranding Crayola

(07/09) Page 138

(03/09) Page 56

Neiborhood Store App redesign

Chungking Express Movie Poster

(08/09) Page 152

(04/09) Page 72

Lake Erie Branding Design

Time Management App

(09/09) Page 182 (05/09) Page 94 FRONT UI/UX Conference Promotion

San Francisco Building Inspired Beer

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(Thoughts) Sustainability is at the heart of what we do. We are constantly seeking innovative ways to reduce our environmental impact and promote a sustainable future for all.

It’s not just about being a leading music streaming platform; it’s about being a responsible global citizen.

—Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify

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JOHN(ZHENJIE)XU

GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

MA DEGREE

(Course Name)

(Keywords)

GR601: Type System

Rhythmic, Creative, Communication

SPRING 2024

(Project) Spotify CSR Report

(Discipline)

(Instructor) John Nettleton

Typography, Editorial Design, Printed Matter

(Semester)

(Selected)

2022 Spring

2022/2024

(Title)

Beats, Bytes, and Betterment (Approach) I revitalized the report by redesigning its layout and content, making it reader-friendly and reflective of Spotify’s creative flair. By employing graphic design, I converted bland data into captivating visuals and infused the text-centric report with dynamic layouts, enhancing its overall appeal and readability.

(Background) The 2021 Spotify Sustainability Report provides an overview of the company’s finances, environmental impact, and future aspirations. It underscores Spotify’s commitment to sustainability, aiding in strategic planning and fostering responsible corporate practices that support environmental, social, and economic development.

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(Thoughts) We have eyes, and we’re looking at stuff all the time, all day long. And I just think that whatever our eyes touch should be beautiful, tasteful, appealing, and important.

—Eric Carle, American author, illustrator of children’s books

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JOHN(ZHENJIE)XU

GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

MA DEGREE

SPRING 2024

(Course Name)

(Keywords)

GR604: The Nature of Identity

Creativity Support Encouragement

(Project)

(Discipline)

Rebranding Crayola

Brand Identity, Editorial Design, UI/UX Design

(Instructor) Hunter Wimmer

(Selected) 2023/2024

(Semester) 2023 Fall

(Title)

Inspiring the Colorful Future of Creativity (Approach) Researching and understanding Crayola’s history and evolution informed my grasp of the foundational elements of the brand’s visual identity. A brand’s redesign should mirror its essence while casting an eye towards a future vision. For Crayola, creative expression has always been at the heart of its brand.

(Background) Crayola is an icon of American childhood that recalls our collective memory of coloring both inside and outside the lines.

We have transformed art education and fostered creativity in schools and homes, providing color to children for generations.

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Sparking

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C

Letter “C”

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(Thoughts) Love is a maze; sometimes, we lose ourselves trying to find it.

—Wong kar-Wai, Film director

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JOHN(ZHENJIE)XU

GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

MA DEGREE

(Course Name)

(Keywords)

GR613: Type Experiments

Retro, Reflective, Consciousness

SPRING 2024

(Project) (Discipline)

Chungking Express Movie Poster

Typography, Photography, Print Matter

(Instructor) David Hake

(Selected) (Semester)

2022/2024

2022 Fall

(Title)

Love Letters in Neon (Approach) Chungking Express epitomizes his cinematic aesthetics for me.

This inspired me to recreate and design using typography to capture the essence of the film. I play with light and shadow, using reflections and distortions through glass to add storytelling elements to the fonts. Combining Sans Serif and Serif fonts reflects the inner turmoil and uncertainty of the main characters in the movie.

(Background) Chungking Express” is a 1994 Hong Kong drama film directed

by Wong Kar-wai. It consists of two separate stories about love and longing, both set in the bustling streets of Hong Kong.

The film explores themes of loneliness, connection, and chance encounters against the backdrop of the city’s vibrant nightlife.

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(Thoughts) Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they’ve started.

—David Allen, American author

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JOHN(ZHENJIE)XU

GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

MA DEGREE

SPRING 2024

(Course Name)

(Keywords)

IXD606: User Experience Design

Effective, Well-planned, Relaxed

(Project)

(Discipline)

Time Management App

UI/UX Design

(Instructor)

(Selected)

Eddie Cho

2023/2024

(Semester) 2023 Fall

(Title)

Effective Planning for a Well-Designed Life (Approach) Informed by research, I’ve designed a software addressing users’ fragmented time management needs. This tool facilitates efficient schedule organization, optimizes short time periods, and analyzes usage patterns. Created from user feedback, it embodies a practical solution for enhancing daily time management through thoughtful design and user-centric functionality.

(Background) In today’s demand for efficiency and time conservation, people aim to enrich their schedules but often lose time to unexpected tasks, creating unique challenges and needs. Recognizing these issues, I propose designing an App solution focused on enabling users to better understand and manage their time, offering a bridge between user needs and effective schedule organization in our fast-paced world.

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(Thoughts) You’ve got to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology. You can’t start with the technology and try to figure out where can I sell it.

—Steve Jobs, Former CEO of Apple

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JOHN(ZHENJIE)XU

GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

MA DEGREE

(Course Name)

(Keywords)

GR601: Type System

Rhythmic, Creative, Communication

SPRING 2024

(Project) Front UI/UX Conference Promotion

(Discipline) Brand Identity, Editorial Design, UX/UI Design

(Instructor) John Nettleton

(Selected) 2022/2024

(Semester) 2022 Spring

(Title)

Clicks, Colors, and Creativity Unleashed (Approach) Researching the city’s memories and Utah’s unique geography, I’ve tailored the UI/UX conference theme. Orange and deep blue colors evoke a strong visual impact and futuristic tech vibes. Three-dimensional shapes reinforce a user experience and human-tech interaction. Cube rotations symbolize the fusion of humanity, technology, and product interaction, shaping a dynamic design concept.

(Background) The Front UX & Product Management Case Study Conference 2023 is a three-day event for UX designers and managers featuring 16 top designers and managers discussing practical aspects of UX and product management. Over 800 professionals will gather to gain insights from industry influencers, shaping digital user experiences.

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(Thoughts) The job of the designer is to make things understandable, usable, accessible, enjoyable... important to a public, that involves the public.

—Paula Scher, American graphic designer

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JOHN(ZHENJIE)XU

GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

MA DEGREE

SPRING 2024

(Course Name)

(Keywords)

GR619: Type Composition

Practical, Comprehensive, Functional

(Project) Museo Serif Type Promoition

(Discipline) Packaging Design, Editorial Design, Poster

(Instructor) John Nettleton

(Selected) 2021/2024

(Semester) 2021 Fall

(Title)

Where Typography Meets Emotion (Approach) Choosing the Museo font, known for its rich variety and unique emotional range, allows for deep creative exploration. Presenting results in packaging showcases the font’s versatility, offering type foundries diverse methods to reveal and communicate the essence of typography, enriching the narrative and interaction between design and audience.

(Background) Typography enriches graphic design, with each font expressing distinct emotions. Introducing new fonts through engaging methods ensures their proper emotional impact. This strategic approach allows fonts to enhance designs, resonating accurately within their context and amplifying the overall communicative effectiveness of graphic works.

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(Thoughts) Great problem solvers don’t depend on one solution. They rely on their ability to adapt and explore alternative avenues.

—Ty Pennington, TV host and artist

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JOHN(ZHENJIE)XU

GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

MA DEGREE

SPRING 2024

(Course Name)

(Keywords)

GR605: Digital Design Studio

Practical, Straightforward

(Discipline) (Project)

UI/UX Design

Neiborhood Store App redesign

(Selected) 2022/2024

(Instructor) Lloyd Mitchell

(Semester) 2022 Spring

(Title)

Local Coffee Shop Digital Refresh (Approach) Choosing a Mission District coffee shop in San Francisco, with its dedicated clientele and reliable coffee supply, revealed limited digital needs. By adding functionalities like online ordering, bean sampling, and seasonal selections, I enhanced its digital footprint, enriching customer interactions and extending its offerings beyond traditional boundaries through innovative digital solutions.

(Background) Websites and apps are vital for today’s businesses. Discovering a store’s specific needs and challenges allows for the creation of bespoke digital solutions. As actual users, understanding these necessities from a consumer perspective informs a design rooted in genuine user requirements.

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(Thoughts) Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care, we will help. Only if we help, we shall be saved.

—Jane Goodall, English primatologist and anthropologist

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JOHN(ZHENJIE)XU

GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

MA DEGREE

SPRING 2024

(Course Name)

(Keywords)

GR620: Visual Thinking

Eco-friendly, Protective, Inspirational

(Project) Lake Erie Branding Design

(Instructor)

(Discipline) Branding Identity, Environmental Design, UI/UX Design

Sandra Isla

(Selected) (Semester)

2022/2024

2022 Spring

(Title)

Erie’s Eco-Revival Initiative (Approach) By researching Lake Erie’s environmental woes and pinpointing pollution sources, we’re crafting a brand dedicated to solutions.

This endeavor will feature a distinct visual identity throughout its narrative, aiming to enlighten the public on pollution causes while presenting actionable recovery methods. Our brand’s mission is to communicate the necessity of immediate intervention for Lake Erie’s revival through engaging and educational visual storytelling.

(Background) The Great Lakes, humanity’s freshwater jewels, with Lake Erie being the most polluted, demand our attention. Analyzing its issues offers graphic design a powerful role in environmental protection. As designers, we craft solutions that raise awareness and inspire action, using our creativity to safeguard these vital resources through impactful visual communication.

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(Thoughts) Generative AI has the potential to democratize access to creative tools and empower people to express themselves in new and exciting ways — Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO

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MA DEGREE

(Course Name)

(Keywords)

GR699: AI for Designers

Bauhaus Style, Young

(Project)

(Discipline)

San Francisco Building Inspired Beer

A.I. Design, Branding, Packaging

(Instructor)

(Selected)

Jeff Carino

2024/2024

SPRING 2024

(Semester) 2024 Spring

(Title)

AI Merges Art in SF Beer Designs (Approach) San Francisco has always had a rich and diverse cultural heritage, which I have always wanted to incorporate into an interesting design. Through research, I have learned that San Francisco’s architecture offers unique perspectives and scenery. I would like to use AI to create a youthful and distinctive packaging design based on these elements.

(Background) San Francisco’s architecture has unique perspectives and styles, and it boasts a rich palette of colors in California’s history. By researching and thinking expansively about San Francisco’s characteristics, along with AI tools, designer can introduce more constants into the design. This is not only an experiment in packaging but also in brand content.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

MA DEGREE

SPRING 2024

(To My Family) Thank you, Dad and Mom, for all your support. You have given me the freedom to explore this world and have always encouraged me to pursue my ideas. I could not have completed my studies without your support. Thank you.

(To All My Friends) Thanks to my friends who have been with me throughout this journey. Not a single moment of this journey was easy, but thankfully, I had you to walk through these challenges with me.

I hope you will continue to pursue and complete your own jouneys.

(To My Instructors) Thanks to Mary Scott, Hunter Wimmer, David Hake, John Nettleton, Sandra Isla, Jeremey Stout, William Culpepper, Jeff Carino.

Thank you for your patience and inspiration, which makes me become a better and professional designer and hard worker through continuous experimentation and exploration.

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COLOPHON

MA DEGREE

SPRING 2024

(Contact) John(Zhenjie) Xu johnxudesign@gmail.com +1 415-800-9137 Johnxudesign.com

(School) Academy of Art University, School of Graphic Desgin 79 New Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA94105, USA

(Major) MA, Graphic Design

(Instructor) Mary Scott

(Book Title) Visual Thoughts

(Typeface) New Frank

(Book Details) Printing and Binding: Blurb.com Paper: Mohawk Superfine Eggshell 100# Text

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BACK COVER

These instructions should not appear in your exported pdf.

Please be sure to complete your Pages design prior to creating your Cover template. The Page Count must be exact when creating your Cover template.

Please note, all critical text and art should appear within this gray area.

Any content outside this area may be unevenly trimmed or hidden when the book is bound. If you would like your artwork to extend to the very edge of your finished book then pull your artwork edge to the red bleed line.

Be sure to review your exported PDF in an outside program (like Adobe Reader) to ensure it appears correctly and without these instructions.

Further info can be found at http://www.blurb.com/apps/indesign-plugin.

(Website)

Johnxu.design

The placeholder ISBN below is to show you where the ISBN will be printed on your book. All Trade Books require this ISBN. If you have chosen not to include an ISBN on your Photo Book or Magazine, you may ignore this placeholder.