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October 2011 | # 16 Indian edition
“I feel calligraphy is much more than that and is a very strong medium of communication.” Nikheel Aphale 26
“I really did not look for feedback for my work. Creation makes me feel good if it reaches a satisfactory stage.” Dipanwita Biswas 06
India’s First International Design Magazine DESIGN•INNOVATION•CREATIVITY
0 Animator Prosenjit Ganguly
03
Automotive Ajay Jain
08
Cagri Cankaya
Illustrator Girinath Gopinath 12
Blogger
Cover Story
Fashion-Bombay 15
Cagri Cankaya
Photographed for POOL by Sudhir Sharma
18
Happening
Campus
Kyoorius Design Yatra 24
MAEER’S MIT Institute Of Design 30
Advisors
Perception
Abhijit Bansod Studio ABD, India
Kigge Hevid CEO, Index Awards, Denmark
Adil Darukhanawala Editor, Economic Times, Zigwheels, India
Kishor Singh Business Editor, India
Dr. Inyoung Albert Choi Professor, Hanyang University, Korea
Kohei Nishiyama Founder, Elephant Design, Japan
Anaezi Modu Rebrand, USA
Madhukar Kamath Managing Director and CEO, Mudra Group, India
Prof. Anil Sinha Principal, NID, India
M P Ranjan India
Anna Muoio Social Innovation, US
Prasoon Pandey Corcoise Films, India
Anuj Sharma Designer, India
Rajesh Kejriwal Kyoorius Exchange, India
Aradhana Goel Designer / Strategist, Ideo, USA
Rodney Fitch UK
Cathy Huang President, China Bridge Shanghai
Shilpa Das Head, Publications, NID, India
Craig Branigan Chairperson, Landor, CEO, B to D Group, USA
Dr Soumitra R Pathare Psychiatrist, India
Christopher Charles Benninger Architect, Studio CCBA, India
Shrikant Nivasarkar Founder, Nivasarkar Consultants, India
David Berman David Berman Communications, Canada
Subrata Bhowmik Subrata Bhowmik Design, India
Deepika Jindal Managing Director, Artdinox, India
Sudhir Sharma Designindia, India
Essam Abu Awad MIDAS, Jordan
Suresh Venkat CNBC, India
Hrridaysh Deshpande Innoastra, India
Uday Dandavate Sonicrim, USA
Jos Oberdof NPK Design, Netherland
Umesh Shukla Auryn, LA, USA
Perceptions are the first law of success for any business, brand or product; understand how to create and use them. Understand how to be on the positive side of the perception.
Julia Chiu Executive Director, JIDPO, Japan
William Drentell Winterhouse, USA
That’s the first step.
Kieu Pham Haki Brand, Vietnam
William Herald Wong WHW Design, Malaysia
At Kolayat in Rajasthan; picture by Sudhish Sharma
Perception is the illusion of reality. This is what we all try and create professionally. In a world where very few get the experience to form an opinion, most of us are driven by our perceptions. We tend to seek experiences and opportunities that help us form perceptions. Brand companies are adept at creating perceptions in far flung places where such experiences would take a long time to reach. Advertising and PR are quick ways to create impressions. Many businesses now believe that these impressions are the perceptions of reality, and spend big money on creating perceptions that may not always be what people might experience. Religious rituals are mainly experiences that create perceptions that are difficult to shake or question. Very few question such practices, even when they doubt them. I believe design has a big role to play in helping to demystify religions. Just like we have millions who go through an unpleasant experience regarding a product and service that has created a positive perception beforehand (though the bluff gets called eventually, but only after the company has laughed its way to the bank), millions of us go through life experiences that we or even our parents don’t understand or question. If someone could explain the logic of rituals during such events, the whole experience of undergoing the ritual would be transformed. Perceptions make us the king who cannot call the bluff, which perhaps is not a bluff at all. I just lost a very dear aunt in Bikaner and observing some rituals at such close quarters made me squirm with helplessness while some which I understood amazed me by the depth of thought someone had put in to create those perceptions.
Sudhir Sharma Editor in Chief sudhir@indidesign.in
Editor in Chief Sudhir Sharma sudhir@indidesign.in
Marketing Arjun Samaddar, Tarun Thakkar arjun@indidesign.in
Copy Editor Ashvina Vakil
Assistants Yamanappa Dodamani, Shailesh Angre
Research & Design Coordinators Shriya Nagi, Maitreyi Doshi-Joshi
Publisher INDI Design Pvt Ltd www.indidesign.in
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October 2011 | # 16 Indian Edition Designindia was founded in 2002. It was started as a platform for interaction for the design community in India and abroad. Over the years it has grown into a forum spread over many social and professional networking domains, linking design professionals into an active, interactive and thought leading community. http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/designindia International Design Media Network Participant
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tooning
IN
Animator
He’s an animation designer, screenwriter, and mentor. He is also a creative director, IP creator, voice artist, and media educator. Trivandrumbased Prosenjit Ganguly is quite comfortable with his various job descriptions. An alumnus and former Member of the Faculty of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, he currently works as an independent consultant, and conducts specialized animation workshops across the country. Prosenjit’s short films have been showcased in more than 20 countries, winning three international awards. He has also been on the advisory board of Nasscom’s Animation and Gaming division, and has served Toonz Animation India as the Director, Special Projects, creating animation properties for international broadcasters. Whether he is working on screenplays or engaged in game design, bringing animated characters to life or kindling a creative spark in students, Prosenjit brings to it all an infectious enthusiasm. In a life that might seem hectic to others, he effortlessly, and quite animatedly, slips in a short interview with POOL.
You seem to wear multiple hats - which do you most identify with? PG: As students, we have grown up working on multiple aspects of Animation Film Design, right from the ideation process to the final mix, so I find every involvement equally exciting. It is difficult to pick one hat because they are all so unique in their challenges. For instance, Voicing for characters is very challenging and seriously funny! Developing an Animation IP is a crazy adventure where your own characters can surprise or shock you with their idiosyncrasies! Writing a film screenplay is simply thrilling where the layers unfold within the journey of the characters. Stop Motion again is thoroughly engrossing as a process and a true delicacy on the filmmaking menu! Working with children is like meeting your own true
self. I try to keep the variety alive in the assignments I take around the year. I’d freeze from within if I had to stick to one! How do you juggle your time? PG: Honestly, 24 hours is a lot of time! I don’t think we can get more in the immediate future. So I try and manage it as best as I can, set the priorities right and make sure that I keep my personal deadlines on track. Tell us more about Animation as a career. PG: I think it is a privilege to wake up every morning and get to do your favorite thing all day! For me that matters. There are challenges all the way, whether you work for an organization or for yourself, but these are disguised opportunities. They let you
@LogoMotives Read all Dibdin books. @PBS version of ‘Zen’ beautiful. Italy|Rufus Sewell are great scenery.
Characters having British accents distracting.
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Animator come out with your craziest best and set new benchmarks. The best animation professionals that I know of, never had ‘career’ as a reason for getting into this stream. They wanted to learn animation simply for the love of it. That is what makes the big difference. What does it take to be a successful animator? PG: The desire to ‘tell’, an eye for the unusual, an appetite for pushing sense beyond its boundaries, the latent energy to capture, translate and deliver performances, an ear for music and metaphors, an awareness of the world around and maybe a good supply of fresh orange juice. The word ‘successful’ doesn’t quite apply here. Either the Animation works, the film reaches out to move people, entertains, captivates, or simply doesn’t. What are your inspirations? PG: Oh, I think I am too easily inspired! There is awesomeness all around to draw from. I find inspiration even in the most insignificant of events happening everyday. When you spend a good part of your day believing in the ‘impossible’, it isn’t all that hard to find rhythm in cacophony! How did you get into screenwriting? PG: I have always enjoyed playing with words but had never given writing for
films a serious thought. But all that changed after I wrote my first 22-min episode for a home production. I had written several shorts over the years but this was an entirely different ball game that seemed to go on forever! I would spend the night writing out the most captivating scenes only to find it utterly disgusting by morning! I was beginning to enjoy this battle! Finally the fascinating ordeal was over and shockingly enough my show director, Atul Rao, a very accomplished television writer himself, loved the script! He encouraged me to write more and read film scripts. Six months later I was writing my first feature length film. And that was another mad, mad ride and the learning was immense. How rewarding do you find mentorship? PG: Very rewarding! I get to learn. I get to grow as a student myself. And in the process a wonderful exchange takes place across time. Whose work do you admire? PG: Too many to name, but I’ll try. I am a huge fan of Satyajit Ray and Chaplin. I admire Sylvian Chomet, Hyayo Miyazaki, and Alexander Petrov for their mindboggling artistry; Brad Bird, Mark Osborne,
and Lee Ukrich for their sheer ability to entertain; Aardman, and Laika for their incredible stop motion work; Vaibhav Kumaresh, Gitanjali Rao, E Suresh, and Chetan Sharma for taking Indian animation towards where it ought to be. Nina Sabnani, RL Mistry, Prakash Moorthy, JL Naik, and S Balaram have all been fantastic teachers and continue to be! Can you recall any career-related incidents that have had an impact on you? PG: That would be my first festival screening in 1999, in front of a huge audience in a foreign land. The most tense five minutes of my life! When the film got over it was greeted with a very long applause that felt like a weird silence! I wish every animator experiences that moment. Belief was reinstated within my constitution! What does the future hold? PG: I take a year at a time. This year I have to make my long delayed stop motion short, once my present commitments are taken care of. I want to illustrate and voice a little audio book for children and work on the concept of a film set in the city of Kolkata, where I have grown up. That’s quite a wish list! pjganguly.blogspot.com
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Expression
Woman of
Substance Dipanwita Biswas is a web designer with the soul of an artist. In her own words, why strong, multi-faceted women inspire her to paint...
There are unlimited ways to express my inner self. My intention is to make creative and unique art with heart and soul. I believe that’s what makes my creations individualistic. I work as a web designer and creative visualizer, but I also enjoy graphic design, painting, illustrating, sketching, and photography. Studying Applied Art/Graphic Design and History of Modern Art Movements at the Government College of Art and Craft in Kolkata taught me a lot about contemporary art and its possibilities. In my painting I always try to present simple thoughts with necessary details. The motif is usually very Indian. My close relation with nature during my childhood also gets reflected in my work. During my early days in college, my mother suggested I opt for women as subjects for my paintings. In Indian mythology we can see goddesses like Lakshmi, Durga, Kali and characters like Sita and Radha - it is like projecting several perspectives of women. Durga depicts power, Kali - aggressiveness, Lakshmi – beauty, Saraswati – innocence, Radha – love, and Sita is the ultimate Indian woman. We can find a bit of them all in the women around us. I am inspired by the women around me. The paintings are very close to my soul, unspeakable thoughts which I try to capture on my canvas.
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What have I learnt so far? “Success doesn’t have any short cut,” said Ramlal Dhar, a great artist and one of my teachers. Another teacher Prof. Manoj Sarkar once told me to be like a deep pond, so that if anyone throws a stone there will be a few ripples which will gradually vanish in a few moments. The stone will go deep inside and the pond will be the same as before. I really do not look for feedback for my work. Creation makes me feel good if it reaches a satisfactory stage. My mother and grandmother have been real inspirations. I grew up watching my maternal grandmother making elaborate embroidery designs with colorful threads on every household item. That was a rare experience of living with art. She was extremely talented but unaware of her talent. My mother was a great spirit herself and a great inspiration for everyone she touched. She used to tell me that no matter what you do, you need to make the best of it. My desire is always for more, to put my life together and give it meaning. I’ve realized that creative art is the only thing that gives me peace, keeps me alive. It’s like breathing oxygen or eating food to live, or listening to good music, which stimulate our nerves. It’s better to wait for uncertainty and surprises in the future rather than plan for it. wwww.dipanwita-biswas.com
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Automotive
One of the few Indian born car designers, Ajay Jain has designed a variety of exteriors as well as interiors for production vehicles and concept cars over the past 15 years. At the age of 17 he went to Switzerland to study Design at the Art Center College of Design. While there, Ajay was awarded an internship with Adam Opel AG – General Motors (Europe) and sponsored projects with Volkswagen and Volvo among others; his degree project was sponsored by MercedesBenz AG’s India Concept Car Project. The talented young designer has worked for some of the most reputed French, Swedish, American, German,
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Come, Participate & Experience! How can design help innovation & sustainability? How can social innovation help bridge the gap between people, society & business? Is there any framework that can help accelerate social innovation? What can design & designers do to trigger and direct social innovation? Is there any social innovation framework speciiic to design and designers? How can a designer conceive and develop favorable context and enable solutions? How can a designer conceive and develop favorable context and enable solutions? & Experience Auroville first hand!
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Japanese, Romanian and Korean car brands, and is equally competent at designing cars on his own as he is at stimulating a creative team. Currently working as a consultant to a Chinese car manufacturer as an Exterior Chief Designer, Ajay hopes that some of the projects he is helping to create will be launched in the Indian market soon. He also regularly tutors Masters of Vehicle Design students at Umeü Institute of Design in Sweden, and DSK-ISD, Pune. POOL takes a peek at his drawing board‌ a.jay.spice@gmail.com
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Illustrator
Th e
of
interconnections An academic by profession, Girinath Gopinath has a creatively satisfying second life as accessory designer. He tells POOL how he moves from molding young minds to designing products that tell stories. Tell us a little about yourself and what you do. GG: I’m from Cochin in Kerala. I studied Accessory Design at NIFT, New Delhi, and currently I teach Accessory Design at NIFT, Bangalore. Whenever free I like to grab some pens and go on a long doodle drive where the sheets have no name. Doodling is like breathing, fun and meditative. I have also been designing accessories such as jewelry on a commercial basis for eight years. Other than that any project that involves craft also appeals to me. How would you describe your work? GG: I like to work with a sense of imagination that interconnects objects around me…the way we see anything and how it’s connected to anything else in various ways. Then if the web of interconnection becomes large, I see it as a complete visual woven by the spider mind. Once the weaving is done, interesting concepts can be taken from these visuals and explored further to create a physical product. Products that involve ‘story telling’, animated, surreal, witty, something that we would like to believe in as children. Be it a leaf, an ant, teeth, buildings, plastic, biscuits, or
@RajniSapien Sitting on footboard in train and tweeting in this awesome weather is
something very cool!;) #epicwin
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Girinath’s work in collaboration with ‘Iresistibleresist’: Shipra Roy tent her embroidery to the illustration
an eyebrow, everything has a story to tell. And bringing that out and celebrating it is something I personally cherish. For instance, the ‘Serendipity’ series of artwork that I created by spilling the colors first and then inking out the outlines after they dried – it was automatic and unplanned. It happened while cutting a pomegranate – the juice spilled onto the paper and when it dried it brought out lots of unusual shapes with stories to tell. Just like how a child sees an elephant in a cloud or peeling paint reveals mysterious characters. Even while making a product, the fun of doodling takes over. The lathe machine becomes the pencil, and the wood the paper. And then it’s your imagination that can carve out some farm animals, cars, cakes, buttons, or whatever you wish. Everyday objects similarly go through the filter of imagination and what comes out is a product that speaks to you. I was recently part of a workshop organized by the World Craft Council in association with GJEPC where designers and craftsmen worked together towards the revival of Indian crafts. I had the chance of working with Cuttack filigree. The technique involved taking thin wire and creating net-like work that is so fragile. That kind of fragile element is explored by spiders while making a web, by a cotton candy machine, by a paper shredder, by a kid entangled in thready loops, by a sweater-knitting friendly neighbor, or even dried leaves displaying
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a net of veins. We chose the leaves and worked to recreate them with filigree. We became filigree, we wove ourselves, became dry, shred ourselves to define that one piece. And finally the physical reality was recreated – a thing to cherish.
reappears through the pillars and tears open the cold of the glass to find something that we are yet to find or rebuild. I wanted it to be a very contemporary and yet mythological comic strip.
What was your first commercial project? Is there a divide between your commercial projects and the things you create for fun? GG: The first project I did was for a fashion accessory brand where I got to sculpt wax and create a small dress form with wings. It was supposed to portray graduation and I enjoyed working on the tiny dress form and wings. Recently I carved out a batman ring too.
What is the most encouraging feedback you have ever received? GG: My father has framed some of my work and hung it in our home back in Kerala, and that’s the best thing to happen ever! Graphic novelist Sarnath Banerjee once said that the ‘Art and City’ work had strength and integrity, which was very encouraging feedback. People often say, “If anything gets spilled, put a paper on it and give it to Giri!” They also tell me I am ‘the King of interconnections’!
Fun is an intrinsic part of work, both commercial and non-commercial, but doing it for a client is a bit more giving you are not just thinking alone, but with a few more minds. Even if it’s to draw that one tiger requested by my tiny friends until I understand their world, I won’t be able to create that perfect roar. You have to let the client be a part of your joy. Who would you say are your clients? GG: All the kids in the world, both big and small! Do you have a favorite project? GG: My favorite one is the ‘Art and City’ theme comic strip contest for Goethe Institute, where I drew Bangalore’s Vidhana Soudha, the state legislature building, in an animated yakshagana manner. The concept showed all these recently built cold, glossy glass buildings, against the warmth of the old stone carvings of the temples in Hampi. It’s about finding the will to touch, and rediscovering the inviting nature of material. So we have Narasimha who
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How would you describe yourself designer or artist? GG: As an unidentified creating object! The artist in me likes observing people, looking into their eyes, absorbing them… the designer in me gives them a name, an aspiration, and bonds the two together. What insights have your profession given you so far? GG: I keep making the same mistake again and again. I think the biggest learning is to always be empty - don’t fill yourself with too much learning. Travel light. Your mistake today can be your shining tomorrow so keep making mistakes. What are your plans for the future? GG: To keep doodling and sculpting, to create my own graphic novel, to collect samples from various planets, and to create an Indian Girisneyland one day! www.jumpingcow.blogspot.com
Blogger
www.
Jasleen Kaur Gupta and Sonu Bohra help the fashion conscious reinvent their style without burning a hole in their pockets
Jasleen Kaur Gupta
“We visualize Bombay becoming like NYC and London where people are dressed to the nines even at seven in the morning. Dressing up well is something you owe to yourself, not others. Why shouldn’t we all look our best? In India people only dress up for an occasion; we dress up because it makes us happy,” say Jasleen Kaur Gupta and Sonu Bohra, and that is the simple motivation for their blog, Fashion Bombay.
decided to shoot pictures of themselves instead. “The huge jump in the number of hits made us realize that no one wants to see models and product shots! We were real women and people could relate to that. Also, we are not model figures who look good in anything they wear. We have problem areas, and chubby bodies, so we can practice what we preach.”
“We are big propagators of affordable fashion, recyclable fashion and remaining true to our body and style,” says the duo. “The blog was born out of a mutual passion for shopping and styling. We both worked at The Times of India and met through a common friend, and conceived the blog purely to showcase our styling work and products.”
Unlike many other fashion blogs that are high on visuals and lacking in actual substance, Fashion Bombay offers usable advice in a simple, readable style. “We love to give easy-to-use tips so people can maximize their wardrobes. It’s easy to get stuck with the same combinations; we want people to break out of that. We make sure we showcase things that can be used by other people,” says Jasleen.
Realizing that featuring products didn’t make for scintillating reading, the two young features and fashion writers
The name of the blog is as unpretentious as the content, a definite plus. “We wanted a name that was not pseudo, was
easy to remember, and showed up easily on Google,” the duo admits. “Since we shoot on the streets of Bombay and shop here most of the time, Fashion Bombay seemed a logical representation of our work and where we came from.” Their jobs keep them in touch with trends and the fashion scene in general: while Jasleen is Senior Features Writer with Hi! Living and Hi! Blitz magazines, Sonu is Content in-charge with Zovi. com, and consulting stylist with OK! India Magazine. Being part of the media probably makes them savvier than others when it comes to promoting the blog. “Viral marketing is powerful,” they stress. “Thanks to readers, family and friends, our blog received the much needed attention. Soon, the press got interested in us and with some publications covering us and our work, readers followed. Of course, social media like Facebook and Twitter play a huge role in gaining readers.”
@freegeek so i seem to owe airtel some 6k odd thanks to 3g. need to figure out how that! www.poolmagazine.in 15
Sonu Bohra
There’s an integrity to Fashion Bombay that the two friends work hard to maintain. “A blog can be personal but if you do decide to cater to the public then you should do it responsibly,” they say. “Keeping it real is very important. Don’t insult your reader’s intelligence. Fooling the people is for advertising; bloggers start blogging only because of passion and as long as that remains intact, integrity and honesty will be noticed and appreciated by people.” Can they see a full time career in blogging? “We’d love to if there was enough money,” says Sonu. “The difference it’ll make to our blog is tremendous; if this is all we did, we could take the blog to greater heights. As of now we only use the blog to live our passion, and show how much we love shopping and recycling and that fashion should be a way of life and it doesn’t mean big brands and spending obscene amounts of money. But eventually we
@Design_Week Dragon Rouge has created the branding for new Indian dairy brand Savera, set to launch in UK supermarkets 16 POOL | 10.11 | #16
Event
EXD’11/LISBOA takes place from September 28 to November 27 in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, promoting debate and reflection around the theme ‘Useless’. EXD is an international biennale dedicated to design, architecture and creativity, a forward-thinking platform that cultivates and analyzes contemporary culture through discussion and reflection. Focusing on people and ideas, the biennale’s program is designed to provide insight and incentive to both a specialized audience and the public at large, disseminating information and provoking debate. The Opening Week of the sixth edition of the design biennale from September 28-October 2 saw a range of exhibitions, lectures, talks and urban interventions. Innovative and established practitioners of design reunited for the Open Talks, a highlight of the EXD’11/LISBOA Design Biennale’s Opening Week. The Open Talks brought together thinkers, curators, and practitioners including such luminaries as Italian designer Enzo Mari, Serpentine Gallery director Hans Ulrich Obrist, Dutch book designer Joost Grootens, and Austrian design studio Mischler’ Traxler. www.experimentadesign.pt/2011
want our blog to become a bigger brand name and go the international route where we are invited by fashion weeks and fashion brands.” Meanwhile they are not taking their blog lightly, completely aware of the long term impact it can have. “We are hoping that the fashion industry realizes the full potential of bloggers. It is slowly happening; we get invited to exclusive blogger events, blogger workshops and collaborations with
brands. But all this needs to happen on a much larger scale. People must realize that this has huge potential; in fact if we take this up as a full-time job, it can be a symbiotic relationship and a newer, cheaper, real, genuine way of advertising.” For now, they’re keeping an eye on what’s in, and completely enjoying the process. www.fashion-bombay.com
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Cover Story
POOL spends some time with Cagri Cankaya from Turkey, an intrepid ‘Designer on the Road’ who is in the India phase of his unique working trip around the world
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Tell us a little about yourself. CC: I was born in Turkey on 1 January 1984, and have loved drawing and creating things since I was a child. I studied art at the Anatolian Fine Arts High School in Bursa and then successfully graduated from the Dokuz Eylül University Fine Arts Faculty, Graphic Design Department located in Izmir. As a fresh graduate I wanted to work and have fun in a well known company, creating successful ads for good clients with a lovely team, and doing good design. I have worked in many different areas since then, from game development companies to ad agencies. My work has been honored by well known design magazines, books, portals, workshops and competitions around the world. Some of the clients I have worked for include Alfa Romeo, Aygaz, Aviva SA, Burger King, CNR Expo, Danone, GSC Game World, Hillside, Iddaa, ING Bank, Iveco, Karagöz, Papia, Patlican, Silvium, SinemaTV, Topaz, and Yatas. How did you hit upon the idea of ‘Designer on the Road’? CC: I was working with Young&Rubicam and Republica as an art director. After three years of non-stop work, I was bored of doing the same things. In Turkey deadlines are usually very rigid and clients usually ask for too many bad revisions. That is ok but the ego wars in the advertising business were making me more tired than the actual work! I love traveling and I love designing, so I decided to combine my two passions to create something more lovely and enjoyable. Making a world trip is a common dream - everybody wants to do that, but very few people can
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Cover Story afford it. I had no money but I thought that maybe I could do it with my design skills and it would be a nice challenge for me.
In Turkey our design is similar to that in Europe but no one knows what is going on in Asia. My plan was to start from India and go towards the Far East.
So, who is ‘Designer on the Road’? CC: A designer traveling around the world without any money…sharing his experiences with the world via the Internet, and showing everybody that nothing is impossible.
What are your impressions of India? CC: It’s such a huge country where you can find any kind of stuff. The streets are full of surprises. Rickshaws are enjoyable, the culture is great and it makes you feel that you are somewhere magical all the time.
How did you go about planning this adventure? CC: I had the idea a long time ago but I didn’t tell anybody because I thought it was a childish dream, something beyond reality. Over time I tried to make it a more realistic project. One day while I was working in an agency in Istanbul I sent an e-mail about my ‘Designer on the Road’ project to my friend Sudhir Sharma in India. He was the first person to whom I mentioned my idea, and the next day I received an amazing and supportive e-mail from him. He wrote: ‘It’s a wonderful idea and you should do it. Why don’t you start from my office?’ And then he gave me many ideas and advice. The next day I quit my job and locked myself at home to create a website and materials for the project and began sending mails all around the world, looking for companies where I could work. Was it difficult to convince design studios about your initiative? CC: I e-mailed everywhere I could about my project. I also attached my portfolio and gave a link to my blog. Many of them liked the project but usually had excuses about many things - I don’t know the local language, I don’t know the culture, I have no place to stay, they don’t know how much they should pay me, etc. Or they had their own reasons like they already had enough designers or didn’t have enough work for me. Because I am a problem guy with many unknown issues I can understand that! I didn’t give up, however - I sent more than 1,200 e-mails, and created an Asia route with 6-7 stops, starting from India and ending in China. Why did you start with India? CC: Because my first supporter, Sudhir, was there! And the idea of working in Asian countries sounds much more exotic and full of unknown adventures.
What is your itinerary? CC: I have no idea for now. I hope to spend three months in India. After Pune, I want to go to Goa, and then I will jump to Thailand. I have just planned my trip till China. I am ready to hug any company around the world! After China I don’t know where I will go and where I will work. I don’t even know when my trip is going to end or when I will go back to Turkey. I have no future plans and that’s the nice part of this project. It’s pure unplanned adventure! What was the response of Indian studios to ‘Designer on the Road’? CC: They welcomed me very well. They like the work I am doing and they let me choose the projects I would like to be in. We have had many meetings and brainstorming sessions together which were absolutely amazing. What do think about Indian designers? CC: They are nice! I can’t say anything in general - it depends on who you are working with - but they are mostly very good at what they are doing. They are peaceful and helpful. Everybody is so friendly and polite. The spiritual side of India shows itself here, I think. These people have no ego problems. Indians are good team players. They are not running after a goal, they are passing each other to make a score. There is huge talent here. Many animators, graphic designers, fashion and product designers are creating nice things together. India has industries for all kinds of designers. They have their car brands, which is good for product designers; Bollywood is a huge cake for animators; local fashion brands are very popular and good for fashion designers; advertising is
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Cover Story also important because of the size of the population. But there are some challenges as well… What work have you been doing in India? CC: I did some t-shirt, bed sheet and nightwear designs for an organic textile company in Mumbai. I made some logos for an in-house project of Design Flyover in Mumbai. Now I am working on a small book which includes 17 design laws for designers. I am also helping the Indi Design team in Pune with their projects. What would you advise Indian designers? CC: Keep doing what you are doing; everything is going to be fine. Don’t get stuck on European design; find a unique way to make things Indian. Just like Iran and Japan, India should also have a design language. Start to forget Helvetica for a while, and try to create nice looking Hindi fonts. What has been the driving force behind your venture? CC: Actually many people didn’t believe in me. My father didn’t even listen to me; my doctor said, ‘You will be back in three
weeks’. Many famous designers told me that what I was planning was impossible to do - they told me about economic crises and other things. Even some friends didn’t believe in me. So my biggest driving force was to show them that nothing is impossible, it’s just about how much you want it. And I want to say them, ‘Hello, I did it!’ What challenges are you facing on the road? CC: Food can be a problem sometimes around Asia because I don’t like spicy food much and I am not very good with vegetables. Weather differences can be dangerous sometimes; monsoon was a huge experience for me. Hanging around alone can cause bad situations sometimes. My biggest worry is what if one of my contacts changes his mind about my working in his company? Or what if he is not even working there any more! That can cause a big problem. What would you say to other young designers who want to attempt something similar? CC: ‘Zindagi na milegi dobara.’ Focus on what you are really good at and do whatever you want to do. And do it now.
Not later. Don’t wait for anything; find a way to do it with your resources. Make people believe in you. Never give up; design first, travel later and earn people’s trust. Never look for luxury things, focus on your survival. Bring extra sweatshirts even it’s summer time! Some countries are obsessed about air conditioners - you can get cold in indoor places. Try to bring a nice camera and carry it everywhere. Don’t carry things which you can buy from anywhere. Spend your money more for experiences instead of on shopping, but don’t spend much. Listen to everybody but make your own choices. What’s next after ‘Designer on the Road’? CC: I want to lock myself at home and play console games while I eat iskender kebab and drink rakı! On a serious note, I haven’t planned anything yet but Sudhir is pushing me to start my own design company! Yesterday an Indian fortuneteller told me that I would be very successful if I launched a business. I hope he is good at his job! www.designerontheroad.com
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Happening
YATRA
GOES TO GOA! The 7th edition of Kyoouris DesignYatra, held in Goa on September 9 and 10, featured eminent speakers such as David Carson from USA, regarded by the US Magazine as one of the ‘Top 5 most influential designers of all time’; Irma Boom, renowned book designer from Netherlands who has worked on the SVH Think Book; and Adrian Shaughnessy, famous graphic designer from London. Young blood included Novi Rahman, a User Interface designer with Wacom Europe. Indian designers who spoke at Kyoouris were Sandeep Khosla of Khosla Associates, a leading architecture and interior design firm in
Kyoouris DesignYatra 2011, a two-day design, branding and visual communications conference, recently concluded in Goa
Bangalore; and Tania Khosla from tsk Design, Bangalore. First held in 2006, the conference celebrates design excellence, and provides insights into the future of brand and visual communications, while simultaneously bringing together the design and corporate community in India. The conference has been attended by a cumulative audience of more than 8,500 people from all over India and around the world.
initiated by Kyoorius, a not for profit organization initiated by Transasia Fine Papers, and incepted to fuel a design movement in India. This involves building awareness amongst design buyers (i.e., corporations, organizations and government) of the kind of value design can create to empower business. Kyoorius is identified as the total embodiment of the aspirations of the creative community in India. www.designyatra.com
Guided by top designers and creative heads, Kyoorius DesignYatra is a forum
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Maestro
Independent graphic designer and calligrapher Nikheel Aphale finds hidden beauty in alphabets that he strives to translate on canvas
Tell us something about your art. NA: I like to play and experiment with letter forms, using unconventional tools and techniques. My work is image-centric, visual abstraction of letter forms, where legibility often plays a secondary role. I like to explore alluring compositions of letters and expose the hidden beauty of alphabets through interesting forms, spaces and surfaces. My key interest lies in translating the visual quality of the alphabets into various objects, textures and materials. I feel all letter forms have an excellent structure; it is just a matter of peeling of each layer and exploring its hidden charm. After I finish translating words on my canvas, I feel an inner peace. Listening to the quiet music of a paint-soaked brush on paper, the dialogue of the hand, canvas and mind, and that feeling when you know the work doesn’t need a stroke more is something of a spiritual journey for me. And I don’t always know where that journey will take me. But I know there’s contentment there.
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Slug Here
What drew you to calligraphy and typography? NA: I was inclined towards the beauty of letters since childhood. Teachers in school saw more than just homework in my notebooks and soon I was the kid who would regularly stand on a chair to letter the school announcement boards. By the time I didn’t need that chair to stand on, art school came calling! I graduated in applied arts from LS Raheja School of Art, Mumbai, and went on to do my Post Graduation in Graphic Design from NID, Ahmedabad. That was where my love for calligraphy and typography bloomed. Lettering and calligraphy became more of my pastime doodles. Unintentionally it turned into a serious hobby and I realized this is what I wanted to do. Is calligraphy a skill that can be taught or does it come naturally? NA: To develop an individual’s style it’s mandatory to know the ‘basics’. Only
when you know the basic rules well can you twist and turn them to achieve different results each time. Calligraphy is the art of beautiful letters. One needs to have a skilled hand to learn calligraphy. It is as good as having a hand for illustration or an eye for photography. Calligraphy cannot be entirely taught. It cannot be achieved in a week or a few months. It needs constant practice and passion. Books and workshops can only further help you to enhance the skills. Do you follow a specific process? NA: There is no fixed process. Everything revolves around the subject and the content in hand for a particular project. Since here the letters often play the role of a visual as well as the type I need to think/try different styles, techniques to evoke/communicate what is desired. Initially I had limitations, maybe because of the lack of knowledge or exposure, but
as you grow and experiment you either discover or innovate newer tools and the numerous possibilities through them. I prefer to use a sketchbook. Whichever is the project–graphic design or calligraphy– I always prefer a sketchbook to warm up and initiate the ideas. In calligraphy assignments, the computer comes in at a much later stage, mainly for editing, composing and doing the final layout. How many revisions do you typically make? NA: It depends on the complexity of the project. Before arriving at a desired solution, I always try to do many explorations, hoping that each new stroke will be better than the previous one. Apart from the skill there are many other important factors involved to achieve the expected result; such as the stability of the hand at that moment, the consistency
@HHCGuiltFree Hey @bombayelectric, have the itch to shop but the inventory (online) hasn’t been updated in ages! :( Help a girl(s) out! www.poolmagazine.in 27
POOL IS RELEASING ITS
FIRST BOOK
A compilation of 12 POOL Magazine issues, this hard bound, 400-page book showcases the Indian Design World and More... Details: Log on to www.poolmagazine.in
of the ink/paint, the paper, etc. At times even the first stroke can be just right and workable while on the other hand you can land up wasting many sheets before achieving the perfect outcome. What comes first – the client or the idea? NA: It is usually the client first and then the idea, but at times the client may come to me after seeing some of my past work and want me to explore something based on what he has seen. I modify the particular style to suit the client’s
requirement or, if not convinced myself, I explore totally new ideas. What is the biggest hurdle in your style of work? NA: Awareness about this art and the conventional perception which is that calligraphy is about writing invites, certificates and shlokas. I feel calligraphy is much more than that and is a very strong medium of communication. Who are your inspirations? NA: There are some calligraphers like R.K. Joshi, Achyut Palav, Denis Brown, Georgia Angelopoulos, Luca Barcelona, and Brody Neuenschwander who are a constant source of inspiration. Also, history and historical monuments, India, its culture, different crafts and interesting every day stories inspire me. Given the diversity of
this country, it fascinates me how a different esthetic informs every different experience. What recent achievements are you proud of? NA: My work was selected for the last two annual juried issues of Letter Arts Review, a well known calligraphy magazine based in USA. My calligraphy blog (leehkin.blogspot.com) was featured in webdesignschoolguide.com under 40 fantastic calligraphy blogs.
What kind of projects are you working on lately? NA: A variety of projects, from book covers to logos to wedding invites and name plates along with calligraphy installations and art. What plans do you have for the future? NA: I want to continue working with letters and take it to another level. I am working on collaborating with other streams of art and design; for example, calligraphy with textiles, furniture, fashion, food, etc. I would also like to own a calligraphy studio that specializes not only in conventional calligraphy but also deals in products, art, installations, educationworkshops, etc. leehkin.blogspot.com
@mid_day Meet the Ludhiana millionaire and his wife who have skipped
their honeymoon to come out in support of Anna:
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Campus
MAEER’S MIT INSTITUTE OF DESIGN Brief Overview An autonomous institute, MAEER’s MIT Institute of Design (MITID™) is a constituent part of Maharashtra Academy of Engineering & Educational Research (MAEER). MITID™ started operations in August 2006 under the guidance of leading Indian design educators. Based on the philosophy of ‘Sadhan’, ‘Sadhana’ and ‘Sadhya’, MITID™is aiming to become a research and training institution of the highest international quality. Plans are underway to create a Design Habitat in a couple of years. MITID™ offers programs at both Graduate and Post Graduate level. Three Post Graduate batches and one Undergraduate batch have successfully passed out and been placed in reputed industries and design houses. Vision To build a world class, universally respected institution that fosters innovative thinking. Faculty MITID has a very good mix of senior, middle and junior level faculty, including 35 permanent faculty members from reputed institutes such as NID, IIT, and IDC. Visiting faculty, comprising industry experts, number 60. Campus The MITID campus is spread over 125 acres at Rajbaug on the beautiful banks of the Mula-Mutha River at Loni-Kalbhor, Pune. Number of Students The fully residential campus is home to 700 students studying various disciplines of design.
Courses Offered
MITID™ currently has two streams – Industrial Design, and Communication Design, consisting of the following disciplines: • Product Design • Transportation Design • Interior Space & Equipment Design • Retail and Exhibition Design • Graphic Design • Animation Film Design • Film and Video Design • Use Experience Design The Institute offers: • Graduate Diploma Program in Design (GDPD): 4½ year intensive professional program (150 seats) • Post-Graduate Diploma Program in Design (PGDP): 2½ year intensive professional program (15 per discipline)
In the coming academic years, disciplines like Fashion Design, and Fashion Communication at Undergraduate level; and Fashion Merchandising, Fashion & Accessory Design, and Fashion & Retail Management at Post Graduate level will be introduced. Collaborative Programs: Undergraduate Programs (2+2 years) • Animation (in collaboration with University of Dundee, Scotland) • Computer Arts for Gaming (in collaboration with Abertay University, Dundee Scotland) • Product Design (Middlesex University, UK)
Number of Graduates PG Diploma Program - 91 Graduate Diploma Program – 41 PG Design Management - 17
Post Graduate Programs (1+1 years) • Animation (in collaboration with University of Dundee, Scotland) • Computer Arts for Gaming (Abertay University, Scotland) • Product Design + Design Ethnography (University of Dundee, Scotland)
Admission Procedure The admission process is in two phases: • MITID-DAT™ Design Aptitude Test conducted at various centers across the country • Studio Test and Personal Interview at MITID™ campus in Pune The Design Aptitude Test (DAT) will be conducted on 8th April 2012 from 10 am to 1 am at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Pune.
along with a demand draft of Rs. 2,000 /- (U.S. $45) in favor of ‘MAEER PUNE’s MIT INSTITUTE OF DESIGN’ drawn on a Pune branch as fees for the Design Aptitude Test. Incomplete application forms or those not satisfying eligibility criteria will be rejected. MITID’s Design Aptitude Test (MITID-DAT) fees (Rs. 2,000/-) for rejected applications will not be refunded. No official communication will be made regarding rejected application forms. Last date for submission of application form is 31st January 2012.
Application forms for the ensuing academic year will be available on the website from November 2011. The candidate has to download the application form from the website and submit a dully filled hard copy of the same before the last date
Eligibility • Graduate Diploma Program: 10+2 any stream • Post Graduate Diploma Program: Graduate in any Discipline 10+2+3 (minimum)
ADDRESS: MAEER’s MIT Institute of Design, Rajbaug, Loni-Kalbhor, Next to Hadapsar, Pune Solapur Highway, Pune 412201, Maharashtra, India
Contact: Phone : (020) 3069 3600, Fax: (020) 3069 3601, Email: info@mitid.edu.in | www.mitid.edu.in 30 POOL | 10.11 | #16
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RNI-No. MAHENG12606/13/1/2010-TC