Graphic Designer Application
Julia Shao presents visual stories using an interdisciplinary approach that integrates the 2-dimensional mediums of photography and design to evoke multi-dimensional responses aesthetically, intellectually, and emotionally.
Her personal work is centered around Asian-American personhood, diaspora, and community, and she uses aesthetic disciplines to explore, deconstruct, and challenge cultural impositions and individual experiences. She recently graduated from New York University’s School of Engineering, with a B.S. in Integrated Digital Media and a minor in Art History.
Julia is currently E-Commerce Manager at Sandy Liang and Zine Curator at Chinatown Soup Gallery both located in L.E.S. Manhattan. She has previously interned for Refinery29 and Office Magazine. See full client list here.
Julia turned to fashion and external aesthetic expression to reassert control over the way others perceive and assign value to her and to dispel the implicitly colonial narratives projected onto her being a first-generation Asian-American woman living in a predominantly white, conservative, and suburban community. As time progressed and as she became increasingly more attuned to the nature of the American political climate, she understood she has a duty to utilize her privilege (as privilege and oppression are not binary), talent, and platform as a college-educated Western subject to contribute to the reconceptualization of media more generally, focusing specifically on challenging the ways we are conditioned to consume news, politics, and culture.
Julia is currently E-Commerce Manager at Sandy Liang and Zine Curator at Chinatown Soup Gallery both located in L.E.S. Manhattan. She has previously interned for Refinery29 and Office Magazine. See full client list here.
Julia turned to fashion and external aesthetic expression to reassert control over the way others perceive and assign value to her and to dispel the implicitly colonial narratives projected onto her being a first-generation Asian-American woman living in a predominantly white, conservative, and suburban community. As time progressed and as she became increasingly more attuned to the nature of the American political climate, she understood she has a duty to utilize her privilege (as privilege and oppression are not binary), talent, and platform as a college-educated Western subject to contribute to the reconceptualization of media more generally, focusing specifically on challenging the ways we are conditioned to consume news, politics, and culture.
Table of Contents
Design
1. New York Public Library
2. Text Exercises
3. Sandy Liang Textiles
1. New York Public Library
2. Text Exercises
3. Sandy Liang Textiles
Photography
4. Sandy Liang E-Commerce
5. Second Sight
6. Miscellaneous
4. Sandy Liang E-Commerce
5. Second Sight
6. Miscellaneous
Photo Editing
7. Ganni Girls Lookbook
8. Barney’s New York
9. Hunger Magazine
7. Ganni Girls Lookbook
8. Barney’s New York
9. Hunger Magazine
**Featured Work: July Apartment
July Apartment is Julia’s 6th self-published work (c. May 2018). July Apartment is a 100 page print book containing a collection of interviews of 6 women of color discussing their relationship between home and ethnic identity. Full production, from interviewing and transcribing, to photography, book design, and publishing was done by Julia Shao.To request a copy, please email juliaxushao@gmail.com
Design
1. New York Public Library, Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library worked with me and a 3 other students at NYU to create a simplified instruction manual for the TactileView software to increase usability of their braille printers. I led the team in user testing and the 3 iterations of the instruction manual that we created, with the help of the Assistive Technology Coordinator at the library. I then used TactileView to create and print the .RTF manual in braille. The .RTF file is additionally compatible with their screenreaders.
2. Text Exercises is a collection of texts and patterns Julia created for Instagram as a way to engage her followers in mindfulness of the current political climate.
are you registered to vote? voting is your civic duty and a privilege you must exercise for those who cannot vote.
mobilization vs organization?
3. Sandy Liang Textiles is a collection of various designs made for the Sandy Liang Resort 2019 and Fall Winter 2018 collections. These designs will be sold as select retailers including Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Browns, Net-A-Porter, and Amazon’s ShopBop.
Photography
4. Sandy Liang E-Commerce is currently being directed and managed by Julia. She has driven online sales 412% in 2018 by creating a marketing plan including organizing and photographing e-commerce photoshoots, managing community engagement on Instagram, and taking advantage of public relations with celebrities and influencers.
5. Second Sight is a NYC based brand Julia shot for during the Summer of 2018. She additionally edited the images.
6. Miscellaneous is a collection of images in Julia’s day to day life. Peer in to see what she does, where she is, and who she surrounds herself with.
Photo Editing
7. Ganni Girls Lookbook is a lookbook shot by photographer, Jen Steele. Julia edited the photos, produced the lookbook, and packaged files for printing.
Edits include color correction, cropping, garbage and gum removal from streets, clothing manipulation.
9. Hunger Magazine featured an editorial shot by Erika Bowes. Julia edited the images.
Edits include smoothing of the seamless, color correction, skin and clothing manipulation.
Contact
Thank you for your time and consideration for the Graphic Design position.To get in contact, please email juliaxushao@gmail.com