Department of Design Faculty Member Justin Kunz Shares His Experience Designing for the U.S. Mint and Offers Advice For Design Students in This Q&A
Did you know that BYU Department of Design professor Justin Kunz has designed coins and medals for the U.S. Mint? 20 designs, to be exact. Although this was not a career Kunz had ever imagined for himself as a young design student, he said it has been a rewarding and exciting twist in his design journey. Read more about Kunz’s career with BYU and the Mint in the Q&A below.
Q: How has your work in design led you to designing for the Mint?
Kunz: It’s been 20 years or so since I first heard about the Artistic Infusion Program (AIP). It was a new initiative by the U.S. Mint to invite artists from around the country to participate in creating new designs for United States coins and medals. I was working full-time as an artist in game development studios, but I was interested in learning about opportunities to apply my artwork in the public sphere. Today, I’m one of the longest-serving members of the AIP.
Q: How many of your designs have been chosen to be on coins or medals produced by the U.S. Mint?
Kunz: I believe my total number of minted designs is about 20.
Q: What is your process when designing a new coin or medal?
Kunz: It starts with research and sketching, but not necessarily in that order. The Mint provides a helpful design brief for each assignment, which is a great starting point for my own research. I like to learn everything I can about the subject in the time that I have, often listening to audiobooks or watching documentary films. I use a circle template to do thumbnail sketches at the final size of the coin or medal.
Once I have some good concepts, I’ll typically zero in on one or two of my favorites, then start gathering reference images. Often that means scouring the internet and library databases for historical imagery that I can use indirectly for visual information. It usually also means hiring models and renting, buying or making my own costumes, then doing photo shoots with the models posing how I envision the figures in the design. I also build 3D computer models for things like architecture or other human made objects, or even sculpt clay maquettes [scale models] for things like portraits, land formations or other organic forms.
Once I feel like I have all the reference material I need, I start on the final drawings, scan them, and lay out the typography with the images in Adobe Illustrator. There are always at least a couple rounds of reviews, feedback and changes that need to be made.
Q: Does that process differ from other types of design work?
Kunz: My process for other types of work, including illustrations and paintings, is actually very similar. My thumbnail sketches are generally rectangular rather than circular, and I’m usually rendering the final artwork in color without typography, but the rest of the process follows essentially the same progression—ideation, research, observation, sketching, reference-gathering, costumes, models, photo shoots, comprehensive sketches and executing the final artwork.
The first several stages from ideation to final sketches typically take about half the total time; I spend the other half of the time rendering the final artwork.
Q: Designing coins and medals might not be the first career path that comes to mind for illustration students. As a student, did you ever envision that designing for the U.S. Mint was a career option?
Kunz: No, it’s kind of a rare niche I fell into along the way — not something I imagined myself doing, although I was always fascinated by coins and the artwork on them. I never planned on designing coins or medals, especially not as many as I have, but it has been an interesting and rewarding experience. I’ve loved learning more about U.S. history, people and symbolism through the process, and it’s gratifying to see my artwork realized in something as permanent as a piece of precious metal.
Q: How did your BYU education prepare you for your career?
Kunz: BYU gave me a great start, not only with my career preparation, but also in terms of gaining a broader understanding of the world and the positive difference you can make in it as a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. I loved the opportunities I had as an Illustration major — to study the history of art and design; develop my ability to draw and paint; travel to places like New York and Los Angeles to visit museums, publishing companies and animation studios; intern with an artist’s representative in New York City and build a professional portfolio.
Q: How has working for BYU benefitted your career?
Kunz: I’ve had wonderful associations with my students and faculty colleagues over the years. They’ve all taught me something valuable that has helped make me a better person. I’ve also received a lot of professional referrals from people who went to BYU, or people who love BYU, and have been able to connect with clients, collectors and creative collaborators who I might never have had the chance to meet or work with. I really appreciate the support BYU provides for professional development experiences and creative projects.
Q: Can you tell us about any other upcoming projects?
Kunz: My new painting, “He Took Them Up In His Arms,” will be part of the 13th International Art Competition at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City, opening April 2025 and running through January 2026. The painting is my take on the New Testament verses that describe how Jesus took time to bless the children and express his love and affection for them.
I’ve also been designing and illustrating an original, table-top game called “Hideaway Island.” I debuted a prototype at GenCon Indy last year with a learn-to-play event and the game received a lot of enthusiastic reactions. However, that project is temporarily on the “back burner” while I complete a couple of commissions I’ve agreed to do.
One of those commissions is a proof-of-concept (“dummy”) for a picture book and I couldn’t be more excited about it. I’ve wanted to illustrate a book for children since I was in high school, but I haven’t had the right opportunity or the time to really develop my own proposal.
Q: How does your faith influence your work?
Kunz: My faith infuses my creative work with a sense of hope, reverence, love and appreciation for the earth and its people, expressed mainly through imagination and visual storytelling. I find inspiration in the beauty of the natural world and the nobility of its forms, shapes and colors — particularly the human body. I’m fascinated by the spiritual truths those forms and colors seem to represent and the stories they inspire and carry within them — past, present and newly imagined.
When I attended graduate school at Laguna College of Art and Design in southern California, there were two other BYU alumni in the MFA program with me at the time. One day, the program chair remarked that there seems to be something about BYU that makes our alumni stand out from the other graduate students and he asked me what it is. I think it has to do with the sense of purpose we share that’s behind everything we do — the belief that we are striving to build the kingdom of God and help prepare the world for the Savior’s return. In that sense, everything we are striving to do as artists becomes an expression of our faith.
What is your advice to current design students?
Kunz: Be optimistic in your creative life. Always seek the light within, or beyond, every proximate darkness. When you’re dealing with heavy subjects — whether in your creative work or in the real and inevitable struggles, setbacks and catastrophes of life — remember who you are as a child of God and take the time to count your blessings. Reflect on the many great things the Lord has done for you by bringing you this far, giving you this moment, this breath in your lungs and this opportunity, however brief or limited it may be, to create something good.
Don’t spend your time or emotional energy worrying about potential disasters that haven’t happened yet. Instead, look for the kernel of hope that can keep you oriented toward your Creator and His unalterable love for you. Make a simple plan and take it to the Lord in earnest prayer. Ask Him to help you to do His will and accomplish the work He has sent you here to earth to do. Ask Him to change your fear of failure into faith in the future — specifically, faith in Him and His power to ensure a joyful future for you. Then get back to work, look for the people who can help you get unstuck if needed and take action toward your righteous artistic goals, one chore at a time.