Christina Chern
Art Director / Creative Director / Designer
San Francisco, CA
Q What do you do?
“I’m an art director specializing in brand and editorial, which means I establish the look and feel for a wide variety of creative through photo, video, and graphics.”
I’m also a designer, so I’m often the one taking those concepts and crafting something beautiful and tangible from them, whether it’s in a digital or analog format.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
Like all great things, my journey began with Sailor Moon. I built a fan site in the seventh grade and taught myself how to design and code in the process. Then I parlayed those skills into side jobs throughout high school and college, and eventually, a full-time career as a web designer.
After a few years in that profession, I felt I was only scratching the surface of what I wanted to do creatively, so I went to a graduate program for advertising, then transitioned into art direction. I worked at large ad agencies and cut my teeth on big 360 campaigns, then went to smaller agencies and learned how to produce high-impact work with tight budgets.
A few years ago, I made the leap to freelancing brand-side at companies like Airbnb and Figma, where my work has run the gamut from making TV spots to brand identity overhauls to producing editorial content.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I've led full brand identity overhauls for direct-to-consumer products, helped Fortune 500 companies build editorial platforms from the ground up, and launched multichannel ad campaigns for tech giants. In short, I’m extremely seasoned, and with that experience comes a deep self-confidence that I can hit the ground running with any team and handle any challenges thrown my way.
Q What are you working on right now?
I’ve been working on a major rebrand for a skincare company for the better part of a year. I’ve also been working on renovating my condo since the beginning of time.
Q What’s your style?
My style in both art direction and design is refined and intentional. It skews more minimal, but I like layering in a conceptual twist or unexpected moments of color and texture to elevate the creative from something pretty to something intriguing.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Video and motion graphics
Q What is frustrating you right now?
The general state of the world, and considering ways that I can use my skill set to solve any number of the problems plaguing society. I’d love to devote more time to pro bono or nonprofit work that can make a hugely positive impact, but I only have so much time in the day, and I still need to pay the bills with more lucrative jobs. The constant push-pull of taking care of my community versus taking care of myself weighs heavily on my mind.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Make me a couple healthy meals a day, so I don’t have to interrupt my flow and decide what I’m eating during work hours. And then maybe we can play some Super Smash Bros together on my lunch break.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I’d tell the first grade version of myself to keep drawing, writing stories, and being generally creative because she can, in fact, make a living off of those skills despite what all the adults in her life might tell her. I’d also tell her it’s okay to feel like an outsider and to embrace her culture, because one day people who look like her are going to be writing bestselling novels and winning Academy Awards, and she won’t feel like her dreams are so out of reach anymore.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
How to shape and scale a creative practice successfully in the world we live in. With the advances in technology (AI, I’m looking at you…), an unpredictable economy, and the way we work evolving at such a rapid pace, it can often feel like there’s no solid roadmap for how to adapt.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I’d love to dig into a project or brand in entertainment. I think the industry is going in a really interesting, uncharted direction, and it would be both a little scary and a lot of fun to be along for the ride. Also, there are so many off-the-charts talented people in that world, and it would be a dream to work with them and learn from them.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My sweet spot is helping companies with a unique product or service develop their brand aesthetic to a level that demands attention. I'm particularly interested in projects for athletics, entertainment, food/drink/hospitality, and tech. And it's crucial that the team has a progressive mindset and values kindness and integrity.
Q What is your rate?
At the risk of being opaque, it really does depend on the project. Please shoot me a message so we can discuss your needs, and I can give you a more detailed quote!
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Email me at hello@christinachern.co anytime, and let me know a bit about who you are and what you do, the gist of your project, the timeline, and ballpark budget.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
A great friend and an even better writer, Chris Martin (notthatchrismartin.com). He’s hilarious and smart and just an all-around wonderful person to work with and be around.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Watch things, read stuff, talk to people, travel.
This member profile was originally published in June 2023