Minju An is a skilled 29-year-old illustrator from Seoul, South Korea who runs her own freelance graphic design and illustration business. She started the business two years ago and has been creating GIFs, motion graphics, and other types of visual arts for her clients ever since.

For her education, Minju An attended the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, New York, where she received a BFA in illustration. She has always been a fan of quirky and fun visual art. Minju was first introduced to GIFs by her sister when she asked her to recommend something funny.  

In addition to GIFs, Minju also does longer animations and other forms of visual art. She does this both for her clients and for herself as a form of artistic expression. She is very passionate about visual art and that is why she was drawn to it as a career choice. 

What do you like about GIFs?

“I think what I like about GIFs is that they provide a lot of direct meaning within a short time frame. GIFs are the fastest and most powerful way to make people happy and to allow others to enjoy your work through digital communication.”

Do you have a favorite GIF?

“Oh yes, I do. I have a favorite one. It’s from Apple. It’s a promotional video for a computer. In the GIF, a young boy is at the computer monitor, suddenly he faces to the front doing a thumbs up. I think it gives me a bright vibe. Whenever I see that I feel so happy.”

Is there a particular GIF that you like to design the most? 

“I like funny things – I like to do character stickers that are good for messaging between people. I like to do funny facial expressions and to add twists in there too. I hope they look obvious – I like to use primary colors like yellow, blue, … etc. I like to play with those.” 

What are your thoughts on your GIF being displayed on the Nasdaq tower?

“It was a great honor for it to be displayed on the Nasdaq Tower. When I used to pass by Times Square, I couldn’t imagine my work ever appearing there. I can’t believe that my work was displayed on the tower. It was a great opportunity.”

What was your inspiration for your GIF for the Nasdaq Tower?

“I thought about the summer of 2019 – I heard it would be displayed in the summer, so I wanted to make something with a summer vibe combined with my quirky ideas. That was my inspiration.”

Is there anything else that you would like to say about GIFs in general?

“I think GIFs have been popular for a long time – they are the best way to connect artistically with a phone in our generation. I think in ten years’ time, they might be even more realistic, and people will be able to have even better experiences with them.” 

Minju An Contact Info:  

• GIPHY Channel – https://giphy.com/minjuan
• Website - http://minju-an.com/
• Tumblr – https://minjuan.tumblr.com/ 
• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/minjuan_/ 
• Twitter - @asky4542

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Bennett O'Brien

Bennett O'Brien is a freelance writer from the state of Massachusetts. He holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Westfield State University. Currently Bennett is expanding his writing career, and enjoying the opportunity to write on a variety of business topics. He has written for more than 350 different companies and always looks forward to providing outstanding content for his next client.

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