Creative Spotlight | Good Practice
Published on 14 December 2020
Tell us a bit about who you are and what kind of creative work you make
Good Practice (GP) is an independent design studio founded by Helen Chang and Maggie Cheung. Beginning as two friends in design school, GP emerged as an outlet for experimentation and realising our own design vision.
Intuition and collaboration are important factors in our process, as well as a value for unique perspectives and ideas. We don’t believe in following a single aesthetic, rather that each project comes with its own voice. Whether it be in the fields of art, commerce or culture, we offer insight and expertise in crafting rich creative solutions that elevate the everyday and enable businesses to flourish.
Whereabouts do you look for creative ideas? Who or what inspires you?
It’s hard to pinpoint specifics, the reality is that we get our inspiration from many places, more commonly it’s books, art, music or film. Maggie loves history and looking at archive material like old books or typography to spark an idea. More specifically, some of the graphic designers that we look up to include Karel Martens, Ikko Tanaka and Tadanoori Yokoo.
How does your personal history, culture or experience inform your creative work?
Because of our heritage as Australian-born Asians we don’t feel tied to any specific aesthetics. Both of us have also been fortunate to have lived overseas at some point; Helen in Lausanne, Switzerland and Maggie in Kyoto, Japan. Being multilingual as well has meant that our influences are an uninhibited melting pot which is creatively liberating. Of course, we respect our roots (Helen has a Korean background and Maggie has a Chinese background), however we’re not particularly conscious of this which gives us the freedom to build a visual language that is uniquely ours.
What creative project are you working on at the moment?
Currently we’re in the process of designing for a film/art collective based between Los Angeles and New Delhi. There’s an interesting synergy when working with creatives outside of graphic design so we’re keen to see what the outcome will be. It’s also quite incredible that we’re able to work together despite having never met, allwith the power of technology!
What’s your favourite part of working as an artist / creative?
Working in graphic design means we have to think on our feet as no projects are ever the same. What we love about design is that it challenges us to consider different perspectives, cultures, processes and really engage with the world. And since our work is visual and often tangible, getting to see how people respond to it is always exciting too.
What’s the most challenging part of working as an artist / creative?
The first thing that comes to mind would be the culture of comparison that we often find ourselves in with social media. Being overexposed to content everyday, it can be hard to find your own creative voice and not feel pressured to compare yourself. With that said, it does give us a lot of access to content we may not have known about otherwise and brings about a lot of discussion between us as co-workers.
Do you have any rituals or routines that help you to be more creative?
We don’t have any set rituals but we believe that having interests outside of design is important to break from strictly being in that “creative” mindset. Surrounding yourself with people that aren’t in the industry is also refreshing, being able to have diverse conversations and interactions can be unexpectedly insightful. Breaking routine can also be good, Helen often spends time alone exploring new places and documents it through photography to recharge her creativity.
Where can we find out more about your work and get in touch?
Website: good-practice.com.au
Instagram: @_goodpractice
Email: info@good-practice.com.au