Vince Uy: Creative juggler

The role of creative director in a magazine is tricky. On paper, it sounds vague and pretentious. In reality, it seems intimidating and too stressful. For Vince Uy, it’s just a job that he happens to love. Now the creative director of high-fashion magazine Preview, Vince thinks of the official title with a lot less regard than the artistic contributions expected of him. Since joining the Preview team in October of last year, Vince has slowly been transforming the style book, giving it edgier, in-your-face visuals, a bit of graphic art and a welcomed post-production upgrade. Vince’s non-traditional ideas have been noticed; his first full hands-on issue for January-February was remarked upon by industry insider’s and fashion lovers.

Vince’s contribution to Preview doesn’t begin and end at pre-production conceptualizing and post-production tweaking. He also illustrates, styles, and does photography for the fashion magazine, and exhibits the same forward thinking and amazing talent he has for art direction. Vince Uy is a jack and master of all trades. Creativity comes as naturally as breathing.

Before taking over the creative reins at Preview, Vince was already making award—winning commercial prints as an art director for multinational advertising agency Ace Saatchi & Saatchi. In the 2003 Ad Congress, Vince’s team received bronze citations in the Art Direction and Outdoor Campaign categories for a campaign for Peninsula Manila, and another bronze for a print ad for Music One. The same Music One ad also earned Vince an Ad of the Month citation from the Creative Guild. His work was also recently awarded the Grand Prix (equivalent to gold) award at the Araw Values Awards for a multimedia campaign for women’s rights group Gabriela. Vince was at the artistic helm of the campaign’s "Shout" print ad and was also part of the team that flew to Hollywood to shoot Mandy Moore for her Penshoppe campaign.

Vince’s creations, at the first awe-inspiring glance, seem to glorify the infinite post—production possibilities of Photoshop. Seeing the fashion and beauty editorials he has worked on make us think that Photoshop can do everything. Everything but perceive the details of a keen eye and realize the visuals of an extremely artistic mind. Vince already knows an image by heart even before it is photographed. The computer is but a tool, an extension that allows him to give artistic value to a frozen image. Vince does exactly what others would have done if only they had a better photographer, better lighting, better clothes, better printing, bigger budget. The only thing Vince makes no excuse for is his eagerness to try out new things and get them accomplished. For Vince Uy, there are no boundaries, no limits, no dull moments.

Full name

Laurent Vincent Uy AKA Vince Uy

Past jobs before Summit

I stared out as a graphic designer for Ace Saatchi & Saatchi’s design team. After a year, I became part of Saatchi’s concept teams as an art director.

What prompted the jump from advertising to publishing?

It was accidental. While I was still with Saatchi, I started contributing to Summitmedia as an illustrator. Myrza Sison gave me my first illustration assignment for Summit. It was to do illustrations for Cosmopolitan’s Bachelor Guide. After that, I started doing illustrations for Preview, Candy, and K-Zone. I started experimenting with photography around May of 2004. I never really thought of pursuing it as a career; I just wanted it to be another creative outlet. My sister Liz, who wanted to contribute to Preview, convinced me to shoot a fashion editorial that she was styling. We showed it to Pauline Juan (EIC of Preview) to see if they were interested to run it. She loved the editorial but couldn’t run it because the file resolution was too low. My sis was eventually hired by Preview. Pauline asked me to come back with some of my other works. I thought they were interested in giving me more contributing jobs. It wasn’t until they asked me to do a mock-up layout of my vision for Preview that I had realized I might be offered a job. The offer came and I considered it carefully. I never really planned to work in a magazine since I was very happy with my work in Saatchi. I guess what made me jump into publishing was the new challenges I’d be facing. Apart from that, I love fashion. For me, that was enough for me to join a fashion magazine.

Most creative thing you’ve ever done.

My personal scrapbook, which I haven’t shown to anyone, or an illustration of our old house, which I drew when I was in Grade 1. It showed every detail of our house – from the type of shower curtain I used to have to the type of plants we had in our backyard.

How would you describe yourself and what you do?

I guess I’m a visual person. I get ideas from everything I see. I buy books and magazines primarily to look at the visuals. I would rather look and study a picture than read the article beside it. After watching a movie, I would remember the set design and costumes more than I would the lines.

I love working in every aspect of the arts. Multitasking is my keyword. As much as possible, I try to learn everything so that when I handle a project in the future, I’ll be able to use my knowledge to come up with great outputs. I love art direction and making things pleasing to the eye – whether it’s for a fashion editorial or for my own living room. I do photography and illustration. I used to do video editing and shoots in college. My whole childhood consisted of crayons, watercolors, pencils and lots of Oslo paper. I do interior design as well. I’ve done my sister’s place and a friend’s restaurant and have a pending interior design project with a store. While in advertising, I was so used to multitasking especially if the project didn’t have sufficient budget. There was one print campaign shoot where I was the art director, the production designer and stylist – I still can’t believe I finished that shoot alive. Recently with Preview, I went on an out of town shoot with a very small crew and had to multitask again.

What are your style bibles?

My favorite magazines are Wallpaper, Surface, British Elle and British Vogue, and Lurzer’s Archives–it’s a monthly compilation of ads from all over the world. My recent obsessions are Zink and Suede. For visual inspiration I buy French and Italian Vogue, L’Officiel, and Citizen K.

What’s your biggest frustration?

Flash animation and web design. I used to do simple "our barkada" gallery-type websites when I was in college. I never really pursued web design. Now I feel everything related to the net is complicated. As much as I want to do flash animation, I won’t even bother opening the program.

Dream project?

My dream project would be similar to a one-man show. (I’d like to do) an amazing editorial with me as the photographer, stylist, art director, set designer, and location hunter. I’m thinking of adding model to the list but that would be too selfish of me. Haha.

Do you believe that a huge percentage of creative photography is digital post—production?

Not really. I would say that creative photography can be both digital and non-digital. It depends on the style one wants to achieve. Creative photography can be taking a really weird angle of a subject or using developing techniques.

Is there anything Photoshop can’t do?

Well, it can’t take pictures.

Whose work do you admire?

I love the work of Nick Knight and David LaChapelle. Nick Knight’s Dior Campaigns never fail to amaze me. LaChapelle’s work is all about details – flamboyant sets, eccentric expressions, weird juxtapositions. I also admire Annie Leibovitz’s cover spreads for Vanity Fair.

Locally, I look up to Ronnie Salvacion and Lilen Uy. They inspire me to keep coming up with crazy new ideas in photography. Lilen also supports me by lending me her camera and equipment for shoots.

How do you improve yourself?

I try to study and appreciate every visual thing I encounter – a picture, a newspaper tearsheet, a TV commercial, a billboard, a movie poster, whatever passes my sight. Sometimes, I would just open a program (new or old, it doesn’t matter) in my computer and try to discover new techniques. The trial and error theory works best for me in every scenario.

Where would you like your art to take you?

Somewhere unexpected. It can be working as a photographer in New York or doing ad campaigns in Brazil. I don’t really like to plan. I just go with the flow of things.

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