VINCENT
Journey That Will Never Stop
From a single XT286 and a copy of Harvard Graphics to AI-assisted design tools, machine learning, and hundreds of premium domain names — this is the story of a designer who never stopped learning, never stopped creating, and never stopped getting back up.
To All My Teachers & Friends
Please Identify Yourself
Design As
Design was never out of sight — not even for a moment. Long before software suites, cloud storage, or AI tools existed, there was a curiosity that simply refused to be contained. The spark that would ignite a 40-year creative journey was lit in the early 1980s, in Singapore, surrounded by family, ambition, and the very specific kind of hunger that only a true creative understands.
Vincent Tay T.W.
design is my Middle Name
I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
– Etienne de Grellet
This is How it Started...
Where It All Began
In 1985, while awaiting National Service, something extraordinary happened. My sister, Karen made a decision that would change everything. She bought a computer — an XT286 — at a time when that single purchase cost the equivalent of a full year’s salary. Four thousand dollars. An almost incomprehensible sum for a family in that era. That act of generosity wasn’t just a gift. It was an investment in a future that neither of them could fully picture yet, but Karen believed in it anyway. Thank You.
Learning to See: as A Display Artist
88' @ Sogo Departmental Store
March 1988 marked the first professional chapter — and it was a deeply formative one. Landing a role as Display Artist at SOGO Singapore, one of the most prestigious department stores of its era, was where the real education in design began. A special thanks is owed to Mark for opening that door. Alongside a brilliant team — Mark, Ho, Alvin, Marie, KwanIn, Gabriel, Jason, Kiat, MeiChen, Roy (Jnr), and Jorge — this was where design stopped being theoretical and became intensely, beautifully physical.
Going Out: as A Outdoor Display Artist
92' @ Graphic Point
If SOGO was the classroom, Graphic Point was where the scale went from meters to stories. Joining the team in June 1992 alongside Andrew, Arthur, Jeanny, and Jason meant stepping into the world of outdoor display and mega-scale prop production. The shift was significant — not just in size, but in responsibility. This was planning and supervision territory, with marker rendering for concepts and a serious lesson in what it means to work at heights.
Late Nights & Theme Parties
'93 @ Zepelin Craftworks
January 1993 brought another shift — this time into the world of experiential design with Zepelin Craftworks, alongside Victor, Chris, and Jaser. Theme party design is a uniquely demanding creative discipline. It’s not enough to make something look good in isolation — every element has to work together to transport people into a completely different world, usually with a hard deadline, limited setup time, and a venue full of guests
arriving whether you’re ready or not.
Finding Direction: in Design & Graphic Design
'93 @ Epica Design / Epica Kitchen
Mid-1993 marked a genuine pivot toward what most people would recognize as traditional graphic design. Joining Epica Design with Frand C. was about finding direction — not just creatively, but professionally. This was the era of Bromide and Letraset, when graphic design was still deeply physical in its process. Letraset sheets meant applying letterforms one at a time, by hand, with care. Bromide output meant handling photographic paper in darkrooms. Every design decision had weight to it — literally.
My Boldest Move: Into Digital Imaging
'96 @ Signature Photostudio
If there is a single moment in this career that encapsulates the spirit of bold, forward-thinking entrepreneurship, it is this one: 1996, Signature Photostudio — Singapore’s first digital printer in minilab. Featured on television. A genuinely historic moment in Singapore’s design and photography landscape, and it happened because of courage, belief, and the unwavering support of my wife / partner Jaser.
The Sales Designer Years
1997 – MID 2007
A full decade. Ten years of moving through some of Singapore’s most prominent furniture and interior design environments — DesignHL with George, Furniture Club with Nick and Regina and May, Stile with Quak and Rainer, City Design with Mr. Lim, Bryan, and Eric from Marketing, and finally Soul’s Living with Jeremy, Eric, Rainer, Rush (the boss), and the rest of the team. Each company brought a new context, a new set of clients, and a new set of lessons about how design actually functions in a commercial environment.
The 3D Rendering Wizard
2004
While still navigating the sales design world, 2004 brought an additional dimension — literally. Three-dimensional rendering became a parallel specialization, working across multiple companies: CBRC with Chen, I-Bridge with Alvin, and LivingArt with Thomas and Daven. The work was both full-time and freelance simultaneously, which meant operating at the kind of pace that demands serious organizational discipline.
Building Materials & The Web Transition
EARLY 2007
Early 2007 brought a reunion and a transition. Joining Tat Petroleum (Axxmo) meant reconnecting with Ben BT — a familiar face from the Epica days — and diving into the world of solid surfaces, countertop specialization, and waterproofing membrane products (Flinkote). The role at Co-Top with Eric N. ran concurrently, covering similar material territory from a different angle. This was a world of technical specifications, contractor relationships, and the kind of product knowledge that only comes from handling materials with your hands.
The Digital Frontier: Web Design & Domain Names
2007 - current
The web design chapter opened with a strong network of collaborators: T.Wei, Seng, Bryan (Prop), Farod, Jim from the US, Gary T. Chen from China, and several teachers who contributed different perspectives and skill sets. Learning Joomla, WordPress, HTML, and CSS — the foundational languages of the web — meant adapting the same design instincts that had guided physical displays, printed brochures, and 3D renderings to a completely new medium.
Behind the Wheel: Limousine & the Road Less Traveled
2013
2013 brought an unexpected detour — or perhaps not unexpected at all, given how this career has always followed opportunity wherever it appears. Entering the limousine services world alongside Alfred (HK), Vincent, Razy, Kenny, Wong, and Akbar was a pivot born partly from the sale of Limousine.com.sg, which led organically to operating in the space. Then came UBER, then Grab — and a decade of professional driving that ran alongside the digital work.
COVID-19: The Upgrade Season
2020
When the world stopped in 2020, this career did what it has always done: adapted, accelerated, and used the time to get better. The COVID-19 period became an intensive self-directed education program — a deliberate effort to close skill gaps, modernize the toolkit, and prepare for what the design world was becoming on the other side of the pandemic.
AI (Artificial Intelligence): Next Level
2023 - current
Looking back at 2023, it was a pivotal and highly rewarding year. Professionally, I joined Innotec Solutions, focusing on deploying cutting-edge surveillance software that feeds instant, multi-layered detections into Security Command Centres within seconds.
It was also the year AI (ChatGPT, Gemini, and beyond) went mainstream. The narrative was filled with anxiety about AI taking over jobs. In practice? It did the exact opposite. It didn’t take jobs—it supercharged them, enabling us to work 10x to 20x faster.
The Journey continues...,
2006
There is always an opportunity tailored for everyone. As Sir Richard Branson famously noted, “If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later.”
It is time to stop overanalyzing what we can or cannot do. I firmly believe it is far better to try and fail than to never try at all. Every attempt builds invaluable experience, and with each lesson learned, we move one step closer to our ultimate objectives.
Contact
Thank you. The journey of a thousand mile start with the very first step today.
