Behind the Screens with Crystal Lui – An Interview for Limbo Radio
Crystal Lui is the Manchester-based designer responsible for Limbo's artwork this week. I met with her for a chat at Manchester School of Art where she's currently in her third year of studying Graphic Design. Crystal has created some amazing motion graphics for our social content and website which you can find on all of Limbo Radio's pages.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
So, I'm originally from Hong Kong, I was born there, I grew up there and then when I was 15 I went to boarding school down south in Surrey. It was an all-girls Catholic boarding school... Then I did my art foundation at Kingston down in London and now I'm in Manchester in my third year.
What was it like growing up in Hong Kong?
It was interesting, My first language is English because I was put into international school education since I was a baby, and that was something my parents made a conscious choice to do. I didn't really appreciate the city until I left it. But there's nowhere else like it, its such a diverse city in terms of the people and cultures and you have all the islands surrounding it. I think that influences how I think as a creative because if one place can have so many facets then an idea can be like that, as well.
What inspired you when you were younger?
I don't know, you know. My parents aren't very creative but as a kid, I was very into art and music and sports and stuff. My parents used to just throw us into stuff like piano lessons, swimming, Mandarin... I hate piano though. I learned it for like eight years but I can't say I know how to play it now. Even though I was involved in so much as a kid, it always had a negative association since it was somewhat forced, so I was inspired to do the opposite or anything but.
What's the idea behind the pieces you have done for your Limbo artwork residency?
I kind of wanted to show a certain depth to music and music-making, so like within the template and specs you gave me, I wanted to create a sort of false frame so it had an illusion of depth to it. And like the shapes and colours help to depict the different facets to a mix or song. I wanted all the pieces to correlate but appear somewhat dissonant, as music as a whole creates harmony but no tune is the same.
When did you get into motion design?
So, I do illustrations as my own thing aside from the Graphic Design I do, but I've always been interested in making things move to further interpret my idea. But I think that just like helps me do what I do better and brings it to life.
Hows the course going this year? I know all too well that third-year Graphic Design is tough!
It's good. I think because I do so many other things outside of Uni my attention always seems to be elsewhere. But it is good. I think, what I can't do on the course I try to do outside.
Speaking of what you do on the outside, how did you come about getting involved with HelioCentric?
So Nirav initially brought us in to do all the design work like the posters and promotional stuff, but because we were so involved in that were just kinda like a part of the team now and we're responsible for all the visual stuff like graphics, motion graphics, visuals on the night, social media and just generally helping out where I can.
What do you do to get into a creative flow? Do you have a creative process?
So Shannon, Elliot and I live together and we're all on the same course. But on a normal day or night, we just come together sit in the living room and just chill out. Having like the TV on or music helps me think about things and we just bounce ideas off each other. It feels like a really comfortable and safe space. There's no pressur
What music are you listening into?
Truthfully, a little bit of everything! I grew up having to explore my own music taste because my parents weren't that invested in it and also the primary genre in Hong Kong was Chinese pop which didn't merge with my identity at all. I love a good DnB rave just as much as I'd love seeing Chandé bust out the jazzy&funky tunes at Night & Day and jamming out to Ocean Wisdom as I'm getting ready in the morning. I am currently hugely influenced by the music-makers around me such as my housemates and Fry Up Studio members Elliot & Shannon as well as the collectives we are involved with Within Bodies, Heliocentric and Me Gusta. We're surrounded by it and it's more of a case of the music finds me. But yeah because we've known Nirav for a while now it's opened so many opportunities up for us. He basically brought us into Heliocentric and it's nice because it's like our thing as in it's actually "out there", as opposed to a Uni brief. I feel like we have the freedom to make anything out of it.
So what can we expect from you in 2020 and the future in general?
Well possibly masters, we'll see how that goes... but I feel like because the Master's degree is more self-directed, you just do what you wanna do with the help of your tutors. Also, I'll get to show my ability in the full while having more time to explore and put more thought into a project I'm personally passionate about; which will be nice because there are lots of things I'd love to do right now but I just don't have the time to do it!
Any advice for aspiring creatives?
I think creating something that is whole-heartedly YOU is really important in order to show who you are as a person and as a designer. Being involved with music and design at the same time has opened up so many more avenues for me. so get involved in creative projects which you're passionate about that's outside of the course. Also, we wouldn't be chatting now if I never met Nirav so networking, meeting new people and genuinely getting to know people. And just having fun!
Thank Crystal, it's been really great chatting with you.
Thank you for the opportunity!
