This news segment is fully dedicated to put a designer in the spotlight. We've asked them about themselves, their creations, their process and their inspirations. This spotlight is for and by Chizumi!

Let's introduce! 

Hello!! The official chinchilla crazy lady here. I mean- Hi! I'm Chizumi! You can call me Chizu, and i'm in fact a graphic designer IRL. Well, the kind of designer I am differs a lot from the usual GSM clothing design (and i think the kind of items I do reflect that). 

I have 3 degrees in design (editorial & web), and work for a game studio (and also freelance for another game company), specializing primarily in marketing-oriented designs (social media), UX/UI, and video games. I'm also the graphic designer for goSupertools (newsposts design, website interface, etc.) and was a Focus Group member (gen 1, until its dissolution).

Unlike most community designers, I never aspired to be a JD or do items, and still barely consider myself a designer (this kind of designer GSM people is i mean), but i don't know, i started doing silly little game things and and I guess it just kind of grew. As for drawing, I'd say I don't have much experience, since I don't usually draw, so if you take away UI and special effects, I'm a bit lost.That's why my designs are, well... a little different, since I just make things that I feel capable of making! (and they're mostly interfaces, effects, or that sort of thing).

What does your creative process look like? 
For all my designs (both for the community store and for designs/work/everything) I use Photoshop. The process is different, of course, but I've always used it for everything, so it's easier for me. I'm a bit chaotic. I have an old Wacom tablet that I no longer use (oops!) and a Samsung S6 tablet with a pen that I used to use (connected as another display). Now I mostly design with a mouse or on my artist screen: I have an XPPen Artist Pro 16 (2nd gen).

As for inspiration, I just do stuff I want to use myself. I love videogames (i think it shows, since it's also my field of work), so a lot of them are related to that.

A fun little tidbit and a fact about me that often surprises people: I have aphantasia. So my process usually consists of staring at references for days or thinking about games, designing how I thought they would look, and then realizing they're nothing alike... I guess my brain is, in a way, a little decopyright machine. (A curse and a blessing at the same)

And i’m very chaotic... (ADHD's consequences i guess) so it consists of basically starting 234234 designs and maybe finishing half of them. Or I just do it weeks later. Most of the time I just start a .PSD with instructions (the first silly thing below)... I leave it pending for days until one day I have an idea of ​​what I want to do with it and I finish it in one sitting (while getting distracted by 56743 random things and pausing it a bunch of times)

This is basically my process with all of them; Notes to myself > Base > Placing everything i want to add > adding effects and retouches.

What are you experiences with being a community designer?
My experience so far has been very positive. Honestly, I didn't expect anyone to like what I do, and I was really surprised to have requests and fans of what I do, and all the love I've received. I'm not used to drawing, so my expectations for my work are always very low, but I often surprise myself with the results. I guess knowing how to do effects over the years helps a lot to make things look great.

Are there any designers that are inspiration to you?
All the community designers are a big inspiration for me. I'm more of a UI designer than a proper artist (in the drawing aspect), so every time I open the community shop i'm speechless with how creative everyone is!! Its hard to name people as i'll be forgetting half of them for sure. 

Everyone is highly talented!... But I have to give a special shoutout to Anarki, as we are always sending WIPs to each other and/or collabing and they are a big help when designing and a really great designer i look up to, that is improving really fast and i'm really proud of them!

Are there any tools/guides/tips/tricks or secrets that you'd like to share with other designers?
I don’t think i have any “secret” technique to share, but i’d say to keep experimenting with the tools in the program you use. It's silly, but people often forget about them. I use the layer effects and filters that Photoshop offers a lot (blur, mosaic, etc.) to create effects. Don't forget they exist and use them! (i def do it a lot).

Looking back, what is your favorite design? 
I'd say the "Cult of the Lamb" collaboration collection I did with Anarki. The game is one of my favorites, and the background I made for it was also the first background I made for GSM. I think after that collaboration, I started to open up to more designs and step out of my comfort zone a bit. I even tried making a chinchilla. I don't know if it's recognizable as such, but... I tried!

Looking forward, what are you working on? 
I’d like to keep this new one a bit “secret” since it is a collab and its not only up to me. But if anything this is the hint and will be out hopefully soon! (Its already in the queue). 

Finally, to anyone that reads this, thank you so much for all the support. I still feel weird when I spot people using my designs “in the wild”! And to all people that think they can’t design, just keep trying till you find what you are good at. Mine are a bit different from what everyone else is doing but hey, here I am! I think having variety is always fun, and I can’t wait to see all the stuff yet to come from everyone!

Chizumi's: goSupermodel profile, goSupertools profile, design page 

Thank you Chizumi! you're an irreplacable part of the gSt team and an amazing inspiration for all aspiring designers! The goSupertools team appreciates the time and effort you've put into the interview. We can't wait to see what you'll create in the future <3 

Do you want to be featured in one of these spotlights? Contact one of the goSupertools staff members and we'll have a chat.