From my diary to the Illustrators Showcase in the cool Kyoorius Design Magazine :) :)

Advertising, graphic design, industrial design and many more giant words lingered all over the place when I came to Design school three years back. For me they all meant the same then. The only reason I came here was that painting was, rather is my passion and I wanted to do something that was associated with art in some way. On the first day itself there was a huge wall constructed by my professors between art and design. I sensed a conflict in opinions everywhere as far as art and design were concerned. Everyone said they are different and meant for different people. I never thought this way and hence I was very reluctant to accept art as different from design.

I came to design school with no background in design from my entire family. My entire childhood has gone amidst colors and art books, thanks to my grandfather. I was then guided by a very special person, my Guru, late Mr. Subhash Mali. My sensitivity towards art was developed in a very convincing manner by a lot of people and hence I got a little rebellious when it came to arguments related to art and design. In my initial assignments at design school, I always turned to watercolors and I found it very easy to communicate what I wanted through them. Water colors as a medium have been very close to me because of my Guru and also it’s a medium I relate to the most. It became my weak point in design school.

Artists are considered to be outcasts in design schools. I shall always stand by this opinion of mine. Because apparently artists create for themselves and designers create for the people who cannot create for themselves. It sounds rough but that’s the case. I found it very difficult to maintain my belief in my art initially because the moment I would lift my brush I was reminded that I am not in an art school and I should ideate and mind map all the time. Sketching was always encouraged but people around me left the pencils the moment the ‘user friendly’ soft wares became an integral part of our lives. More like our saviors. I continued doodling.

I walked through all my semesters, still doing what I believed in. In all my juries I was asked to join an art school. My work was always appreciated but it was referred to as art and not design. I never figured out the difference. In my mind it was all the same, as long as it communicated.

I always liked graphic design. Illustrations intrigued me. But I never took up Graphic design for my specialization. I took film instead because film is a medium that is very personal and intuitive just like art. I took my art to the next level. I took simple quotes, songs, poems and sometimes even thoughts and illustrated them in my diaries. I never felt the need to explain them to anyone because it was for me, just like my art. I took it seriously, more than what I was supposed to do. Graphic design according to me is the most difficult and challenging faculty in Design. But majority of the lot of graphic designers are within confined boxes. A box that is an end itself and not a means to an end. I kept myself updated with various aspects of illustrations. My style of illustrations is not very unique but I believe in it and hence I kept on doing it. After a point I reached at a stage where I could put my thoughts in order through illustrations.

Today as my work is featured in the only dedicated Graphic design, Branding & Communication magazine of India, The Kyoorius Design Magazine I am extremely honored by making it till here without any formal training in Illustrations. In fact according to me one cannot take education in illustrations. Illustrating something is expressing something through the most intuitive forms and elements. I am the youngest amongst the nine illustrators featured in the magazine. I am happy to get this recognition only because I kept doing what I believed in.

Some believe in God, some in God men, some don’t believe in anything. I believe in my Art.