CTS B | Week 2: Connecting Theory and Practice
Identity is a simple and common word we are very familiar with, but it is like a mirror that is never fully clear. It can be both a mirror and a window: how we see ourselves and how others see us.
When I asked my friend to describe me with some words, their words surprised me. Words like “Creative”, “Cool”, “Easy Going/ Chill pill”, and “Imaginative”. One friend even mentioned “explorer”, which is almost the opposite of how I see myself. This kind of exercise is really helpful not just to see as a personal but also as a designer. This gap between self and social identity reveals something interesting: identity is not fixed, but rather a conversation between who we think we are and who we become in relation to others.
My personal identity goes around curiosity and plays with how things work, why they look the way they do, and what makes visual communication crisp or flat. I'm drawn to playful but timeless at the same time, but maximalism in collecting/ stealing visual inspirations. I believe these don't weaken my identity; they define it. Understanding our own selves is crucial, and I reckon that we have full control (50%) over how people see us, but not how they think (50%).
Personal Identity vs Design Identity are not separate things; they rely on each other. When I design something, my first picks are our personal favourites, whether I work on a personal or a client project. Which made me realize that we channel our personal identity into visual language, every choice from typeface, color, layout, to hierarchy.
When we talked about Identity and Graphic design, I wanted to mention our current favorite designer, Kris Andrew Small, a legend with a strong and immediately recognizable identity.
[Work count: 296]
Reference:
Small, Kris Andrew. "About." Kris Andrew Small, 2024, https://krisandrewsmall.com/about
"Kinetic Type, Collages and Abstract Pieces Combine in Kris Andrew Small's Portfolio." It's Nice That, 28 Nov. 2018, www.itsnicethat.com/articles/kris-andrew-small-graphic-design-illustration-281118. Accessed 20 Sept. 2025
"What Is a Visual Identity and Why Does It Play a Crucial Role in Branding?" The Branding Journal, 19 Sept. 2023, www.thebrandingjournal.com/2023/05/visual-identity/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2025
In my submission, I acknowledge the use of GenAI: Grammarly to check grammar, spelling, and improve sentence structure.
