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Indrajit Nattoji pg 34 | Photographed by Nandita Nattoji Dr. Naushad Forbes 04 Malti Gaekwad 10 Gita Wolf 16 Sarah Fotheringham 22 Nasheet Shadani 28 Gaurang Shah 46 Karthi KN Raveendiran 54 Pooja Ajmera 60
Poster by Subrata Bhowmick Design, Ahmedabad, featured in the ‘18th Biennial Colorado International Invitational Poster Exhibition’ hosted by the Department of Art in the School of the Arts at Colorado State University. The Biennial highlights excellence in poster design from leading and emerging graphic designers from around the globe.
Editor in Chief | sudhir@indidesign.in
October 2013 | # 40
Sudhir as a part of the Jury Panel for Design at Spikes Asia 2013 at Singapore POOL 40
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Indrajit Nattoji pg 34 | Photographed by Nandita Nattoji Dr. Naushad Forbes 04 Malti Gaekwad 10 Gita Wolf 16 Sarah Fotheringham 22 Nasheet Shadani 28 Gaurang Shah 46 Karthi KN Raveendiran 54 Pooja Ajmera 60
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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
Be Visible Time and again I feel challenged to fight an instinctive streak of shyness and insecurity towards asserting myself. I know this will surprise many of you (who don’t know me well), but I am not always comfortable speaking out, or being overtly visible and distinct. I was always more comfortable being a ‘back-bencher’, not putting my hand up despite the many questions going around in my head, and never approaching someone, despite being terribly attracted towards them. But then I figured, I had better questions that needed to be answered. I had better ideas than what were suggested, I was a better friend than what someone else could be. Unfortunately, I was the only one who knew this. I pushed myself to become visible even though I never really got over the shyness. Then I figured out something more important – No one is ever going to know what you think unless you voice your thoughts, write your opinions and get them published. For the sake of survival, I took this to heart and believe me, since then, and with every passing day, I have been working very hard towards becoming visible. The logic part is quite straight – unless they know who you are, clients wouldn’t know whom to give work to or whose name to write on that cheque. So stand up, write, talk, design and become visible. Let history decide if what you did was brilliant or crap. Be the one whom potential employers, clients and friends find first. It is a learning to inculcate within yourself. Believe me, the more you practice this, the better you become.
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32 Aditi Gupta pg
by Tuhin | Photographed
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er Peetz 16 e 12 Christoph aysh Deshpand an 50 Jain 04 Hrrid an Purie Treh Lakhi Chand Kalsi 44 Shon skar 26 Swati Veto ajit Saty aya 63 h 58 Cagri Cank Satyarth Sing
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MAKE A DIFFERENCE! At the recently held Convocation of D Y Patil DC Institute of Design, Pune, Dr. Naushad Forbes urged students to embrace their professional life with passion. Extracts from his convocation address…
It is a particular pleasure to be with you today for two reasons: First, it is always a privilege to do anything connected with design. I deeply believe in the role that design can and should play in building better products, better companies, and a better environment. Second, it is always a pleasure to talk with fellow students. I said ‘fellow’ students, and I did so consciously. I believe that the essence of being alive is to learn, so if one ever stops considering oneself a student, one is probably dead! Ever since I was asked to speak to you today, I’ve been trying to figure out what would make sense to talk about. I finally decided that a convocation address was an opportunity to indulge oneself. And since you don’t get to ask any questions, this is a fine opportunity to give advice with no consequences! I thought, therefore, that I’d make a few comments about what in my view makes for living a good life. I’m mindful that most of you here are about to graduate as designers, are parents of students, and are current design students. Having a degree in design is a privilege; it means one automatically has options and opportunities that are distinct and attractive. So these reflections on living a good life are for those, like you, who have the privilege of these options. How does one choose a career? I believe very strongly that one must enjoy what one does. This to me is an absolute. If you don’t enjoy your work, change what you do. Too many of us choose fields of study and choose careers because someone tells us they are good to do. By choosing design you made a deliberate choice – you picked something that was different, that was unconventional. If I think of the many hundreds of people I’ve worked with over the last few decades, I think I can safely say that designers were amongst the most passionate and committed to their fields. So let me start by complimenting you on your good choice of field. If we work on something we are passionate about, we generally end up doing a 4 POOL #40
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good job and the rest takes care of itself. So I really think you have started right. (I say this especially to help those of you whose parents kept wondering what this strange animal ‘design’ was, that their child had chosen to study). To me it is important to make a difference. If you are one of 500 professionals recruited each year into a company, the chances of making a difference are very limited. That, to me, is the single big advantage of manufacturing companies over IT companies. For the IT service business, ‘People are the Product’, so recruiting more and more people is the way they grow. Even the largest manufacturing companies recruit dozens of professionals, not hundreds and certainly not thousands, so the chance of standing out, of making a difference are much greater. It also matters where one works. Until a few years ago, I used to teach a course each year at Stanford University. I loved the course, the university, and the teaching. People used to ask me which I enjoyed more, teaching at Stanford or working in Pune. My answer
was always that while I enjoyed the teaching very much, I knew that regardless of how much people liked my course, it made very little difference to the University. Stanford was a great university before I got there, and if it had never heard of me, would still be a great university. I felt, though, that working in Pune I made more of a difference - in our company, in the industry in general, in the society around me. Perhaps that was just my ego speaking, but I felt, and feel, that I make a difference here - and that makes it all worthwhile. Let me continue this argument of working in India. When I first started teaching my course in 1987, we lived in an India that was stuck. The Economist did a survey of the Indian Economy in June 1991, in which it said‘Nowhere in the world is the gap between what might have been achieved and what has been achieved as great as it is in India’. That is a very sobering statement. Isn’t it great that in these 22 years so much has changed that today no one could make that same statement? In all of the press coverage about policy paralysis and falling growth rates and a rupee that searches daily for a new low, www.poolmagazine.in 5
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I think it is good to remind ourselves of an India that has been un-caged, an India that has a dynamic which just didn’t exist 20 years ago. Let me illustrate what we have achieved and how much we are still to achieve, by giving you some data points: two are about people, and two are about companies. The first data point is about someone who works as a security guard at our factory. He stopped me some months ago to tell me with great pride that his son had just graduated as an engineer and gone to work for GE, and his daughter had qualified as a doctor and started work in a hospital. So within a year, this family had gone from a monthly income of ` 10,000 or so to a family income of over a lakh. That is what is driving our growth forward. It is real, it is widespread, and it has thirty years to run. This security guard is not unique - there are hundreds of thousands like him. But he is also not typical, and there are many millions of Indians who need to go through the same process. Second is the story of Vaibhav Chidrewar, who contacted me two years ago saying he had been admitted to Stanford for his Master’s in Electrical Engineering, and asking if he could come and see me. While I spent a while answering his questions about Stanford, he ended up spending much more
time answering my questions. It turns out that his mother runs a hand-cart selling bhel, (a common street food in Pune). He was in a municipal school until the 4th standard, then went to the Maharashtra Mandal (which is, I think a private trust started by Tilak), and did very well. When he was in the 10th standard, his father - who had gone into chit funds and such, and ended up with debts of ` 50 lakh – disappeared with his partners, leaving his mother and two sons behind to cope with the debt and manage. Since then his mother has supported the family. In his 12th standard, the family couldn’t afford the fees of an engineering college, so Vaibhav applied to a commerce college. An article appeared on him in the local paper Sakal and he received over a hundred offers of help from random members of the public. One of them was a trustee of the Pune Institute of Computer Technology, who offered him a full four-year scholarship. While at PICT, he got placed at Cisco, where he worked for two years. Along the way, he thought of doing graduate work, but thought the US too expensive to be within reach for him. Someone else read an article on him, and contacted him, saying he should apply to the best universities, and he would support him. He applied and got into Stanford, among other places, and was taken along to various foundations. He has interest-free loans of Rs. 23 lakh between the Mahindra and Ambuja Foundations. www.poolmagazine.in 7
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speech I have to say that meeting Vaibhav made my day, week, even year, because it provides context for what development in India is all about. It says great things about our willingness as a culture to help people, and great things about how opportunity is opening up to more and more people. It also says that opportunity still relies too much on luck, and that our challenge in the country is to make such opportunities available to all. The third story is about our organization, Forbes Marshall. Soon after I started work, we began using a metric for value added per person - sales minus material cost divided by number of people. Fifteen years ago we started comparing our productivity with that of our joint venture partners. When we first measured this 15 years ago, our productivity was one twelfth the productivity of our JV partners. In other words, it took 12 of us to do what one German or British fellow did. Today, our productivity is half that of our JV partners. That says we’ve come a long way, but half still means it takes two of us to do what one German or Brit does. So we still have some way to go. Productivity goes with pay. So 15 years ago, like other Indian companies we probably paid our engineers one-tenth what engineers doing the same job at our JV partners earned. That was a huge gap, which made for a big difference in quality of life. Today, the gap is 1/2, and if you correct for cost of living, then not very much at all. These data points illustrated both – how much we had achieved and also how much we are yet to achieve. Our security guard needs to be typical of millions, not hundreds of thousands. The next brilliant Vaibhav Chidrewar should be able to depend on a system that creates opportunity without depending on luck and newspaper articles. It should take two Germans to do what one engineer at Forbes Marshall can do, not the other way around. So there is much we have
to do as a country, but it is PRECISELY that point, that there is so much to do, so much need everywhere, so much opportunity to contribute at work, in one’s community, college and child’s school, that makes it so great to be here in our country, at this point in time. So here’s my fourth data point: a member of our board is Hans Gass, who used to be the MD of Sandvik here in Pune. Before coming to Sandvik, Hans was the MD of Sandvik’s French company, and after he retired, he and his wife returned to live in France very near the Sandvik factory. Hans has worked in Switzerland, South Africa, Sweden, France and India, but sees his time in India as the most rewarding of his career. Here’s why: in France the top questions at work were where was one going for one’s holiday that year, could one stop work at 3 pm on Fridays, how could one get an extra week of vacation each year? In India, it was about how the quality of the Indian factory was now second only to the Japanese and better than Sweden, about how one could start exporting to a yet new territory, about a new product line that could be made here for the first time. Where would one rather work? Congratulations to all the (about to be) graduates. I wish you a life of working with passion, of experimentation, of doing what you love, of making a difference. (Dr. Naushad Forbes is Director of Forbes Marshall, and CEO of the steam engineering companies within the group. He was a Consulting Professor at Stanford University in the Program in Science, Technology and Society from 1987 to 2004. On the board of several public and private companies and an active member of the Confederation of Indian Industry, he has co-authored with David Wield the book ‘From Followers to Leaders: Managing Technology and Innovation in Newly Industrialising Countries’.) www.poolmagazine.in 9
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32 Aditi Gupta pg
by Tuhin | Photographed
Paul
er Peetz 16 e 12 Christoph aysh Deshpand an 50 Jain 04 Hrrid an Purie Treh Lakhi Chand Kalsi 44 Shon skar 26 Swati Veto ajit Saty aya 63 h 58 Cagri Cank Satyarth Sing
e Limited Insurance ion of Bajaj Financ nger Bajaj Allianz Life given against e at the sole discret urt La ed scrips I Financ ions apply I *Loans by K v Lending approv Terms and condit hed against Bajaj Finser **Loans given grap
hoto 0|P
ley 10
58 ar 14 tnis y Kum kar Chi Tana Om al 52
3 ho ang ihir B ht pg ati G 09 M 44 Rev Wrig kaya agi ri Can deep N Collin Cag
30 | Sethi pg Suresh
Photogr
pg28
a Kh 02 Tany rk 2013 f& sign Ma ish, Yusu India De al 24 Hid a 63 li Kasliw Cankay Geetanja 58 Cagri an riy Priya Ku
Man 02 pund jan 24 h Kal ya Niran Ashis & Nav Divya
etion e discr ranc e Insu e sole nz Lif ce at th Allia an Bajaj rips I Fin ainst sc en ag proved ns giv g ap I *Loa Lendin ply rv se s ap ition Bajaj Fin cond st s and en again Term ns giv **Loa
ance
jaj Fin
of Ba
d
Limite
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ISSUE 36 june 2013
ISSU E 35
MAY 2013
ISSU E 35 MAY 2013
t Singh by Sumi raphed
ine .in
Achyut Palav
Photographed by
pg24
Pooja Salunkhe
Girid
Mihir 04/ Jay
Phot
esh 08/ son
ia 12/ abh
saMeer 46/ iJit 20/ ruchika nida 51/ tan Sethi 18 38/ vi & Pratiti 58/ Meera osla 12 cagri 63 Ishan Kh Misra 52 Sindhu hanna 08 Anavila 44 ep & Kulde
ogra
pg34
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uber
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Chr isto ph 0 & da 4/ a niel bhij a 28 it 08 / ut / be tam rnd 44/ 12/ r smr ath iti 5 n 0/ v aibh a 18/ st eph avi 5 an 2 6/ r 4 oha n & s / marku s upr iya 6 1
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opinion
FROM A
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE Tracing her own journey in the field, Malti Gaekwad salutes women designers who have learnt the fine art of balancing their personal and professional lives
Designers are a class by themselves and the gender is not really relevant. Having said that, I wonder if women in this field face more hurdles than their male counterparts. How do their families react when they announce they want to be designers? How do they manage to balance their professional and family lives? Do they ever feel frustrated by circumstances because they are women? Forty years ago when I wanted to join the College of Fine Arts, Baroda, art or design was not a recognized and “desirable” profession or career for girls from “respectable” families! Most people had no idea about what it was all about and many thought of it, at the most, as a good hobby. And yet, a University like Baroda was offering a five year degree course! Fortunately, my parents were open to options and did not reject the idea outright when my art teacher from school subtly suggested they allow me to pursue a formal course in art instead of a regular BA. They set about finding possible options for their little daughter who was good at drawing. Sir J.J. School of Art was well known and so was Shantiniketan. Few had heard of Baroda, although it was already into its 25th year. Set up by a visionary Maharaja and incorporated into a University from its earliest days, big names like Shanko Chaudhary and N.S. Bendre were already attached to this college. Baroda College was chosen for me because it was not located in a ‘big bad city’ and the University ran a degree course approved by UGC, which added a lot of credibility. Despite huge opposition from all senior members of the family, my parents sent me to study in an art school, and so began my journey of creative pursuit in July 1973. 10 POOL #40
opinion Design as a separate entity had not come of age. It was still under the umbrella of art and advertising, since the basic requirement was still the ability to draw, not visualize! “What is that?” people would ask, when I said I was studying Graphic Design. All these years later I am still trying to explain what Graphic Design is! In the present scenario, many girls from ‘respectable’ families are entering the arena.
Landing at the art college, I realized there were quite a few girls but majority of them had opted for painting. We were just three in Applied Art in my class and probably all of 15 or 20 combined from all the five classes in this discipline. At the end of the five years most got married and became home makers. I went on to do my master’s degree, specializing in Visualization. I am probably the only one of my contemporaries still active in the field and may have been the first girl to have gotten a master’s degree in the subject. I have no authentic data to support this statement. From a young age I had been doing odd artworks for my father, who was a multimedia journalist and acclaimed photographer. He worked for the Times of India and I got the opportunity to see and enjoy the works of Mario Miranda and R.K. Laxman through The Illustrated Weekly magazine, and other greats like Shankar. Having lived in Kashmir, I also got to visit artists’ camps during the summer months. Advertising as a profession was known but there were only few women, like Tara Sinha, in the business. Graphic
In fact it is considered a matter of status if one’s daughter is studying in an art or design school. Every year the popularity and demand is increasing. To every boy admitted into our college this year, we have seven girls! I am sincerely happy to see the change and welcome it. Over the years, girls have proved themselves in every field. The government is providing avenues and opportunities through its policies but the work environment is also changing. The work atmosphere is not as hostile as it used to be. Policies can’t change mindsets; people have to be willing to let their daughters, wives and daughters-in-law work in a place where most of her colleagues happen to be men. This is as far as the interest and awareness about design and design education goes. The approach is more focussed now, and what was once loosely called ‘Commercial Art’ is also changing – rather, the meaning is changing. Nobody these days wants to be known as a commercial artist! The name changed to ‘Applied Art’ and then to ‘Visual Communication’ .These days there are so many areas of specialization, all sprouting from the same base. When NID was established with a focus on design education, most of the teachers there had studied at MSU Baroda and were drawn from Applied Arts, Painting and Sculpture! Over the years I have professionally designed everything - logos, stationary, print www.poolmagazine.in 11
opinion
advertising campaigns, collaterals, package design, visual aids, book designs, cover jackets, menu cards and cards for all kinds of occasions, brochures, diaries, calendars, window displays, restaurant interiors, stalls, exhibitions, events and their publicity. In my early days there were no computers. We burned the midnight oil doing art works by hand. First we made the thumbnails, then layouts on tracing paper, carefully tracing each suitable alphabet from Typolog or Lertteraset to try out different font styles, alignment and sizes. We made 30-50 options only for one layout – now even though things are so much easier, just asking students to do 10 makes us sound like hard task masters. After the basic layout was approved, we went through the even more tedious job of making the actual artwork. In the mid 1970s there was no phototype setting, so a film negative was made of the full case by scanning from the Letteraset on the flatbed scanner (a huge apparatus.) Then numerous bromides in the required sizes were made in the dark room. After that every alphabet had to be cut with a scissor or cutter blade, collected carefully, and then stuck on to the actual artwork sheet with rubber solution, aligned properly with the help of set squares. 12 POOL #40
Letter, word and line spacing had to be calculated and mastered. Drawings were done by hand. The pasted artwork was once again scanned to take another bromide print (a lot of work was done in the darkroom and was known as ‘pre-print processing’.) It is still called ‘pre-print’, but the process has changed. If any product photograph was to be used, it had to be touched and retouched and there were special people for the job. Most of this was done by skillful ‘touchup artists’ who also used spray guns with huge compressors before the job went for block making. In case of photographs which had to be shown in color, a B/W photoprint was hand painted with photocolors which were available at that time, and which gave the transparency required to show the tones. I often wonder whether the computer – dependant generation can ever imagine or even understand how much things have changed and how easy and convenient all this has become. All work is now done through computer aided technology. The advantages are many. Time and effort are saved, services can be provided from the remotest corner to anywhere in the world, Artwork for Welcomegroup – completely hand done including lettering, since there were no typesetting options back then
opinion
Free hand drawings for all artwork were done before blocks were made for printing
thanks to the internet. Artworks and designs can be approved online in the shortest time and people don’t have to keep waiting to meet the client. Changes and corrections can be made immediately and cost effectively – no back breaking artworks! Taking out a digital print as soon as the design is made gives the artist feedback on color, size and overall looks. Earlier, one had to wait for days till the job was finally printed and we received a copy. Block makers, touchup artists, printers, etc. were all highly skilled and experts in their jobs. Hoardings, signboards, banners, name and number plates were all hand painted and those people were real karigars (masters) of their trade. That class of people does not exist now. I have had vast experience of working with such masters and learnt a great deal from them. Initially I had a tough time getting my work done, because most of them were uncomfortable working with a female. Others didn’t take me seriously and thought I was only wasting their time when I tried to ask questions. But once I was able to establish that I meant business, it became easier. I learnt the terminology, tried to understand
the process, the difficulties they faced and appreciated their efforts in training me, while making an effort to grasp things so as to not repeat mistakes. Over the years they have given me a lot of respect too. There were also times when clients were skeptical about assigning a job to a woman as they were not sure one was competent enough to handle it on site. So I had to keep proving my professionalism and competency. But again, once the barrier was gone, it built long term associations. I think the change that has taken place in this field is more than obvious. Kudos to the change and the growing number of women who are now heading diverse operations and businesses, and have successfully learnt to manage their professional lives! (Malti Gaekwad is Senior Professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University in Vadodara, Gujarat, where she has been teaching since 1986. She is also Visiting Faculty and Mentor at many reputed institutes, and proprietor of ‘The Scorpions’ – a multidisciplinary service agency.) d.scorpions@yahoo.co.in
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s
c 5 La incip ending om `2 ge fr L te pr e ran m ranc minu j Finser v p the Insu a d sw n to sa ts: Baja tion Fund f benefi e op o tual
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32 Aditi Gupta pg
by Tuhin | Photographed
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ISSUE 36 june 2013
ISSU E 35
MAY 2013
ISSU E 35 MAY 2013
t Singh by Sumi raphed
ine .in
Achyut Palav
Photographed by
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picture this
Chennai-based Tara Books is synonymous with handmade picture books for children. Publisher Gita Wolf talks about what goes into creating unique books that leave a lasting impression… What inspired you to start Tara Books? GW: In 1994, while talking to artist friends, the idea of starting a publishing house came to me. I wanted to combine my childhood loves – books and art. When we started publishing in 1995, there were very few picture books for children in India. The fundamental question for me had to do with how we can re-imagine children’s literature. This is still our vision today: What possibilities are there in the publishing world that is increasingly dominated by big businesses, best sellers, and a certain sameness in what we think is suitable for children? We want to convey that books can be a source of ideas, stories, pleasure and beauty. What goes into making a Tara book? GW: It very much depends on the project, but a typical book can take up to three years to develop into its final form. In our early days we needed to do extensive research into tribal and folk art forms, to find potential artists whom we could work with. These days we have an extensive network of contacts, and because our books have become well-known, artists often approach us. A book however rarely develops as it was initially conceived. We’re open to it developing and changing as part of a dialogue between all the creative people involved in the project: from the artist/s to translators, writers, designers and editors. 16 POOL #40
Gobble You Up! Tara’s 2013 Children’s release in which Gita worked with Meena artist Sunita www.poolmagazine.in 17
publication
Mithila artist Dulari Devi at work during a recent exhibition in Delhi. Dulari worked with Tara on the book ‘Following my Paint Brush’. Photo credits - Peter Zirnis
Of course the production stage is also very important in realizing the book as an object. Our production manager has to work closely in the final stages (whether the book is offset printed or handmade) to ensure the final quality of what we produce. In the early days of Tara this was sometimes more difficult since we were sourcing high quality handmade paper for the first time, working out how certain inks behaved with handmade paper and how a handbound book would respond to humidity. As our Book Craft workshop enters its eighteenth year, these issues are things that have been worked out through experience. Although, since we are keen as ever to innovate, there are of course always new challenges! What made you opt for Indian folk art as a form of illustration for children’s books? GW: In India there are rich traditions of art and seeing that we know too little about them, some of it seems perfect for illustrating children’s books. This is one of the best ways for children to 18 POOL #40
get to know this art without heavyhanded pedagogy - they accept this different kind of art as ‘natural’, not something to be looked at in a museum. It becomes part of what they grow up with. I think it is very important to get to know what I would call ‘other ways of seeing and describing’. We live in an age where there seems to be endless choice - at least for the urban middle class child - but in the end everything is homogenized. Exposure to Indian folk art, on a coeval basis, and not as something exotic, is a great way to democratize what we think is worth knowing and passing on. What has been your experience working with traditionally skilled artists? GW: Traditional artists, as the name suggests, work within an inherited tradition, but many of them are eager to explore new ways of taking their work forward. Tradition is something that changes constantly. How to bring these art styles into the form of a contemporary
publication finds its ideal reader. Some books are context specific, so more intelligible to Indian readers; others are more universal in their appeal. How are Tara books different from other children books in India? GW: l think we’re rigorous-both in form and content. We experiment, but also seek to communicate. What sort of workshops do you conduct for children? GW: Apart from the workshops with traditional artists to Tara’s latest project in collaboration with young Mithila artist Amrita Das generate books, we also conduct workshops with children. children’s book, without losing the These workshops are of various kinds: original essence, has been an ongoing to involve children in generating concern with us. Every intervention books, on art and craft education, or on carries a certain responsibility. Added to acquainting children with potential ideas that, not every artist we encounter may and activities leading out of our books. want to innovate – it is an adventurous This process has helped interest the person who wants to experiment. Much child in the book, convinced her of the depends on the tradition too, on what it importance of reading, writing, drawing allows. So our collaboration with these and creating, enabling her to see how all artists takes many forms: sometimes we of this is a single integrated activity. nudge them to illustrate new stories, at other times to tell their own. There is no We’ve held such workshops since the formula – each project needs a different very beginning of Tara, but since our kind of intervention. As a middle class, new cultural space in Chennai – Book primarily English-speaking Indian, this Building – opened last year, we have the has expanded my world enormously. space and flexibility to conduct such Many of the artists are now friends. workshops freely and on our own terms. Are your books specifically for We’re already seeing that Book Building Indian readers? allows us to further our conversations around the book as a cultural object in GW: We don’t really have a reader in many ways. mind when we create books. Each book www.poolmagazine.in 19
publication
Gond artist Bhajju Shyam painting a tree mural in Book Building, just ahead of its opening in February 2012
Last summer we had a wonderful exhibition at Book Building entitled ‘The Jungle in the Book’, which explored different animals within our books – in art, text and ideas. We had a whole month of activities and events for children around the exhibition. Tell us about your team at Tara. GW: In our office in Chennai there are eleven people, but we also have team members working remotely out of the US and UK, as well as designers based around the world. V. Geetha, my editorial and publishing partner, is a historian, activist and intellectual, who is bilingual in a way that is very rare. She is equally at home in Tamil and English. C. Arumugam, who looks after production and printing, is a very hands-on and practical person, able to effortlessly manage a team of 17 printers to deliver the best possible quality in an atmosphere of camaraderie. Rathna Ramanathan, our principal designer, also works as head of graphic design at Central St. Martins, London. We also have a very able team
of younger people like Maegan Dobson Sippy and Jennifer Able Kovitz – great communicators; Tanuja Ramani working on in-house design; Senthil Kumar is our Office Manager; C. Manivannan is our Sales Manager who oversees our Indian distribution; Shamim Hameed looks after finance with his assistant Ramya, and Nancy Prabha is our office and sales assistant. Ranjith does our packing. What’s next for Tara? GW: Tara is now a worker owned company, run by a group of writers and designers. Our collaborations have become rich and varied, spread not only across India but also across the world. We have grown in depth and complexity. I think we will go where our vision takes us, because we’re not afraid of taking risks or of the new. Our new space – Book Building, with a bookstore, gallery and offices, with a space for residencies – now takes up a lot of our time. We’d like to see this place grow as a center for the book and arts. mail@tarabooks.com www.poolmagazine.in 21
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Funds and Shares, Mutual fits: Our Loan Against a bundle of bene swap them and come with the option to to `10 Crores you pledge with the securities se choo to Facility ** ired s when requ a real time basi eria) folio online on omer Portal (Exp Access your port through our Cust loan account Transact on your Return filing Tax me Inco Enjoy free more erv.in to know frames@bajajfins Write to us at
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32 Aditi Gupta pg
by Tuhin | Photographed
Paul
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a Kh 02 Tany rk 2013 f& sign Ma ish, Yusu India De al 24 Hid a 63 li Kasliw Cankay Geetanja 58 Cagri an riy Priya Ku
Man 02 pund jan 24 h Kal ya Niran Ashis & Nav Divya
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POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I
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oolmagaz
ISSUE 36 june 2013
ISSU E 35
MAY 2013
ISSU E 35 MAY 2013
t Singh by Sumi raphed
ine .in
Achyut Palav
Photographed by
pg24
Pooja Salunkhe
Girid
Mihir 04/ Jay
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textile
JOURNEYS IN COTTON
Sarah Fotheringham, artist, illustrator and designer from the UK, tied up with Maninder Singh to start a textile design studio called Safomasi in New Delhi. She tells POOL how travel is the inspiration for their colourful range of hand printed cushions and quilts.
22  POOL #40
textile
Net Block quilt
How did you team up with Maninder to start Safomasi? SF: We’d been talking about it for a long time, but officially registered our company in August 2012. I have a BA (Hons.) Illustration from University of Brighton, UK and had always wanted to apply my illustrations to create different products. Maninder was working in fashion and thus had contacts that could help us get our initial batch of samples together. We both also wanted to do something that combined
travel and work together. Safomasi is a combination of both of our names – ‘Sa Fo’ from Sarah Fotheringham, and ‘Ma Si’ from Maninder Singh. We just liked the way it sounded and that it represented both of us! We both have different skills, so it’s been easy to find distinct roles; Maninder handles the business side – all the production and distribution, whilst I look after the communication and design. At the moment, we have a range of cushions and quilts. www.poolmagazine.in 23
textile
Camel quilt
Mithai quilt 24 POOL #40
textile
Camel & Jali Cushions
Has the cultural mix influenced your work? SF: It has definitely influenced our work as we see things in different ways and that helps us create our unique esthetic. Our current collection is inspired by India, but you can see the mix of cultures. In our Mithai collection, for example, the print of Indian sweets is paired with a traditional candy stripe, so it’s got that blend of Indian and Western influences. What is the inspiration behind your collections? SF: Our collections are inspired by our travels. We like to observe different cultures and look out for colors, patterns and motifs that we find appealing, or feel can be translated into interesting prints. We do a lot of research – taking photographs, and making sketches – before the final designs are made. How do you decide on the color palette and fabrics to be used? SF: The color palette is partly dictated by the idea behind the print – for example, our ‘camel traders’ print is all about the bright turbans and white kurtas of the camel traders standing out amongst the herd of camels at the Pushkar Camel Fair. So you’ll see pops of hot pink contrasting against a mass of grey camels. For our first collection of cushions and quilts, we used 100% cotton fabric. It has a nice smooth texture for printing on, so the designs look sharp, and the fabric is comfortable and soft to touch. Tell us about your Mithai and Pushkar Collections. SF: They both began with a journey – in the case of the Mithai print it was a 4-month trip around India, observing the hundreds of varieties of colors and shapes of sweets seen in all parts of the country. Felt-tip sketches in a travel journal were then analyzed and traced to make the color separations for www.poolmagazine.in 25
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june 2013
textile
Camel Traders collection
screen printing. The final design is a 13-color screen print, which was quite a challenge on this scale! We did a lot of tests to get the colors just right, but we’re really happy with the results – the last layer of shiny silver ink gives it a very special touch! The Pushkar collection was inspired by a trip to the Puskhar Camel Fair. One of the things that interested us there was how from afar all the camels looked the same, but when you get close they all have very different styles and
accessories. This observation was the basis for the ‘Different Different Camels’ design from this collection. Lots of photographs were taken for reference, and from there we experimented with different combinations of drawings, patterns and colors to get to the final designs. What’s the next big thing for Safomasi? SF: Expanding our range! We’re working on creating new collections and products in different categories. hello@safomasi.com www.poolmagazine.in 27
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e very first Experience th ainst Shares, Ag an online Lo d Insurance* an s Mutual Fund
POOL 38
proval te principle ap With a 5-minu g Finser v Lendin only from Bajaj e from `25 Lacs Insurance rang
t y fir s e ver Shares, h t e c nst ce* Agai Insuran oan d n val a o r s p le ap Fund
n
37 POOL
Funds and Shares, Mutual fits: Our Loan Against a bundle of bene swap them and come with the option to to `10 Crores you pledge with the securities se choo to Facility ** ired s when requ a real time basi eria) folio online on omer Portal (Exp Access your port through our Cust loan account Transact on your Return filing Tax me Inco Enjoy free more erv.in to know frames@bajajfins Write to us at
s
c 5 La incip ending om `2 ge fr L te pr e ran m ranc minu j Finser v p the Insu a d sw n to sa ts: Baja tion Fund f benefi e op o tual
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32 Aditi Gupta pg
by Tuhin | Photographed
Paul
er Peetz 16 e 12 Christoph aysh Deshpand an 50 Jain 04 Hrrid an Purie Treh Lakhi Chand Kalsi 44 Shon skar 26 Swati Veto ajit Saty aya 63 h 58 Cagri Cank Satyarth Sing
e Limited Insurance ion of Bajaj Financ nger Bajaj Allianz Life given against e at the sole discret urt La ed scrips I Financ ions apply I *Loans by K v Lending approv Terms and condit hed against Bajaj Finser **Loans given grap
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Photogr
pg28
a Kh 02 Tany rk 2013 f& sign Ma ish, Yusu India De al 24 Hid a 63 li Kasliw Cankay Geetanja 58 Cagri an riy Priya Ku
Man 02 pund jan 24 h Kal ya Niran Ashis & Nav Divya
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d
Limite
POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I
To avail subscriptions & offers w
You can also buy subscriptions at www.tadpolestore.com | ww
rint copy of azine today! ww w.p
oolmagaz
ISSUE 36 june 2013
ISSU E 35
MAY 2013
ISSU E 35 MAY 2013
t Singh by Sumi raphed
ine .in
Achyut Palav
Photographed by
pg24
Pooja Salunkhe
Girid
Mihir 04/ Jay
Phot
esh 08/ son
ia 12/ abh
saMeer 46/ iJit 20/ ruchika nida 51/ tan Sethi 18 38/ vi & Pratiti 58/ Meera osla 12 cagri 63 Ishan Kh Misra 52 Sindhu hanna 08 Anavila 44 ep & Kulde
ogra
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advertising
DRAWING
attention Illustrator Nasheet Shadani finds the perfect outlet for his ‘crazy ideas’ in advertising!
What made you take up advertising as a career? NS: I did a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Applied Arts course from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. I always had so many crazy ideas in my head, but no one took any interest, not even my graphic design professors in my graduation. So I started looking out for people who would at least understand these ideas, and when I came to know that people in advertising not only get appreciated for these crazy ideas but are also paid for them, I became restless and joined McCann Erickson, New Delhi. I love advertising because it allows me to take my hobbies to my workstation. Tell us a little about your work at Ogilvy & Mather. NS: I’m a Senior Art Director at Ogilvy & Mather, New Delhi. I joined the agency three years ago to handle the creative responsibilities for Vodafone. And till date, the time spent on Vodafone is the best time of my life in advertising. My first project was to invent a look for a national campaign that would involve more than 30 posters and the look had to be followed in all communication pieces across India. I decided to use everyday Indian characters to communicate the benefit of all the products that Vodafone had to offer, and for that I chose the distinct visual language of paper-art. After Vodafone I worked on a very special project for Ogilvy’s self-promotion campaign in Urdu and Persian speaking countries. The campaign won Silver at Cannes Lions Festival and various other international awards. 28 POOL #40
CLIENT: Vodafone Essar Limited Concept: Using everyday characters to communicate the benefit of all the products that Vodafone had to offer. To bring out these stories, a distinct visual language of paper-art was used. Not only is it simple, childlike and fun, it also appeals to the craft-loving Indian psyche. The rich colours celebrate the vibrancy of Indian way of life. Awards: 15 of them were nominated at Abbys 2011
CLIENT: Vodafone Essar Limited Concept: The campaign invited people on behalf of Vodafone in a way that refelected what Surajkund Mela is all about. Surajkund Mela is India’s foremost art & craft fair where artists, painters, weavers, sculptors and craftsmen across India exhibit their creations. The theme ‘Kala Ka Sangam’ translated ‘Where Art meets Art’. A stage displayed artists and performers from various states and villages coming together. Like, a Kuchipudi dancer from Andhra Pradesh meets a potter from Madhya Pradesh etc. The design inspiration came from a traditional art form of India – Paper Puppets, and the colors were rich and truly Indian. www.poolmagazine.in 29
My other project was the ‘Save Calligraphy’ project, which won Bronze at Cannes. It was for a non-profitable organization. I have also worked on numerous projects for brands like Philips, Coca Cola, Kinley, Greenply, etc. Which project have you been really proud of? NS: I really felt proud when I designed Ogilvy’s logo for Urdu and Persian speaking countries. I re-designed it in such a way that it combines two totally different scripts - Roman and Persian and could be read from left to right and vice-versa. I really love it, not because it gave me my first metal at Cannes but because it is a logo that attempts to artistically amalgamate two great cultures of the west and the east. What are your inspirations? NS: Everything in the world inspires me but my core source of inspiration are my childhood memories of Old Delhi; while walking back from my school I could observe the rich culture closely. 30 POOL #40
What do you do to keep your creative adrenaline rushing? NS: Whenever I look at the works of any genius, be it Mirza Ghalib, Pablo Picasso or even Charlie Chaplin, I ask myself a question: ‘What on earth are you doing, dear’? I instantly get charged up, forgetting what I have created; I jump out of my comfort zone and start looking out for an undiscovered yet fertile ground to play. I am a very restless person. I never sit idle; I just keep on doing something. To be a good creative person, you must understand the world around you. I think a good artist is a poet who can draw. That’s why I study poetry and literature in Urdu and English. It opens up my mind and adds enormously to my imagination. How does the creative process work for you? NS: My motto is simple – Give me a good brief and I will give you a great idea. Advertising people are like doctors, where patients have to be smart enough
advertising SAVE CALLIGRAPHY PROJECT Client: Qalamkari Creative Calligraphy Trust Project description: The creative rendition draws an analogy between endangered animals and calligraphy. We used popular couplets in three different languages: Malayalam, Urdu and Oriya. The couplets were in praise of the respective scripts Awards: Bronze at Cannes Lions 2013, 2 nominations at Kyoorius Design Awards 2013 (result awaited)
restrictions. This is the most important part of the process as all the raw material and fresh ideas can knock at your door. I just note them down or doodle them.
to communicate their problems clearly. Keeping in mind all the details, the creative strategy is built and a route is defined, followed by many creative renditions. Retrofitting ideas usually don’t work for me as every brief comes up with a new problem. The actual process starts like a blind man trying to discover a treasure in the dark night of a desert – sometimes it starts raining and sometimes he discovers his eyes! After getting the right brief, I try to doodle all the possible things relating to the product, directly or indirectly. The initial stage is free of all rules and
The second stage is to filter the ideas keeping the brief in mind. As much as 95% of the stuff will not pass through, but 5% is the real treasure. Now comes the process of detailing them out and when I am sure of these ideas I bounce them off my partner or supervisor. Then comes the execution part, which again involves a lot of research in terms of look and style. What is your favorite style of illustration? NS: Pablo Picasso put it well: ‘God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant and the cat. He has no real style; He just goes on trying other things.’ Inventing a style and repeating it in every work is not my style. My favorite styles keep on changing from paper crafts to minimalistic art to calligraphy to whatever. To me, a style is an experiment. Once the experiment www.poolmagazine.in 31
(Clockwise) 1. CHLORMINT NECK, CLIENT: Perfetti Van Melle Description: Print campaign to show the ill effects of bad breadth in a funny way. Awards: Feautured in Luerzers Archive 2010, Campaign Brief Asia 2010, 6 nominatios at Abbys 2011, showcased in global portfolio of McCann Worldgroup. 2. OGILVY PERSIAN & URDU, Client: Ogilvy & Mather Description: Logotype designed in Urdu for Pakistan. Retains the character of the original English signature logo. This resulted in a unique identity that helped the agency connect better with its clients and the people of Pakistan. Also, the logo attempts to artistically bring together the two cultures of the west and the east. The logotype can also be read in Persian and this identity is getting implemented in many Middle Eastern countries. Awards: Silver at Cannes Lions 2013, One Show Merit 2013, nominated at Kyoorius Design Awards 2013 3. WEOPENS, CLIENT: Karate Federation of India Description: Showcases the power of Karate. Once its mastered, the body becomes a lethal weapon like Gun and Sickle. Awards: Featured in Luerzers International Archive 2011, 4 nominations at Abbys 2011 32  POOL #40
is successful, I move on to a new problem. To stay with a style for long is like wearing same clothes everyday. Like my styles, my tools also keep changing. Right now I have around 50 kinds of calligraphy pens in my studio. Last year I had hundreds of kinds of papers and before that I had thousands of brushes. A computer comes last on my list but how can I not exploit it fully? I use a Wacom pen tablet and always stay updated with the latest inventions and software. What are you currently working on? NS: Apart from routine advertising work, I am in the middle of making a short film that involves experimenting with a new kind of paper craft. The story revolves around Delhi, especially Old Delhi. Again, my love for our Indian culture will be reflected in this film. What are your aspirations and plans? NS: The thought of sitting idle at my iMac, doing mediocre advertising just because I have the experience to do it, stifles me.
advertising
What is your advice to budding designers? NS: Have patience. Like musicians, we need to practice on a daily basis. Your restlessness and tension should be reflected in your work but not in your personality.
I want to explore, not the world, but myself. I want to get out of my comfort zone, I want to unlearn everything and start afresh. When I created my first Stop Motion Animation film, ‘Love at first strike’, for 7up, I was mesmerized to see my still images moving and breathing. I then started taking an interest in film making, but a very special kind of film making – a kind that will take my art even further. So, let’s see where this journey takes me, as I am always in the mood to fly!
Explore India. We Indians are blessed with the greatest culture. In our villages, local craftsmen are capable of creating the finest designs in the world. Go and meet them, take their blessings. Master the grammar of design. No matter what you create, in the end there are few basic design principals that will define your work. Study the history of art and design, be less ‘tech-y’, sketch everything, see like a color blind person, read stories and be a storyteller. nasheeet@gmail.com www.poolmagazine.in 33
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32 Aditi Gupta pg
by Tuhin | Photographed
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Indrajit Nattoji – Director and Producer of Mumbai-based Blink Pictures – believes in taking a fresh look at things. Style, unpredictability and innovation are what make this talented filmmaker and his team ‘blink’!
34 POOL #40
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How did you start your career in filmmaking? IN: My career in design and filmmaking was by accident. I wanted to become an artist and travel the world. I was a clueless teen in Mumbai struggling with a broken family, growing pains and survival, when a friend handed me a minuscule newspaper ad calling for admissions to the National Institute of Design. A few frowns from relatives who felt there was no future in ‘drawing shawing’ and cut! I am giving the entrance exam. Dissolve! I am at NID for the workshop and interview. Jump cut, I am in!
Zee Q Channel Ident - A seated human form playing Sitar (one of the frames)
At NID for some time I got interested in Graphic Design after my logo design for Kathak Kendra, Delhi – done during a graphic design www.poolmagazine.in 35
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Channel [V] - Anti-smoking advertisement
workshop – was selected. Eventually I opted for ‘Video and Film’ as this is one medium where all the ‘arts’ merge. I took six years to finish NID as I took a little longer to finish a video project called ‘The Phalke Chronicles’, based on a research project on Dadasaheb Phalke, by acclaimed filmmaker Kamal Swaroop. My final diploma project was a documentary film on initiatives of women slum and pavement dwellers of Mumbai. Soon I realized I had to earn money and address family responsibilities. I joined a news channel in Delhi as promo director, and formed an ad film production 36 POOL #40
company with some friends (which did pretty well). Then Delhi got to me, and that’s when Arnab Chaudhary – Creative Head at Channel [v] and my best friend – gave me an offer to join Channel [v] as Senior Promo Producer. I jumped at it, and moved to Mumbai. About three years and several awards later, I decided to strike out on my own after moonlighting for a few ad films. So it was pretty much a basic survival story. What was it like working at Channel [v]? IN: Channel [v] was the ‘la la land’ for creative freedom. The brief was wide open. Come with as many ideas for
(Top) ACC Cement Advertisement; (Bottom) Behind the scenes
Channel promo spots, write them down, get a budget out, shoot, animate, edit and it’s on air! No clients, changes or creative red tape. Champagne spots on a beer budget! Some memorable works include [v] Fundamentals – A four city documentation of popular street culture of India; many award winning channel identity spots including ‘zoom in’ – a spot done in half an hour at the cost of a beta tape, which went on to win Gold at the Promax BDA awards; packaging for Channel [v]’s Music Awards which presented all the VJs as super heroes; a short 5-minute film Guide for Channel [v]’s Bheja Fry, and innumerable show packaging and program promos. At Channel [v] I must have written, directed, shot and edited at least 40-50 www.poolmagazine.in 37
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Zee Q - Logo render
promos for the channel and its various shows and won several awards including the Razorfish Rocket award for Rising Talent, Promax BDA. How did Blink Pictures happen? IN: After almost three years at Channel [v] I got a bit bored. Luckily a few ad film projects came my way and I decided to strike out on my own. Blink Pictures started in March 2001 from my home, with an assembled PC and a few freelance line producers. The company became a full-fledged production house with four employees, a Mac Pro and an office circa 2004. It has grown in the scale and volume of work since. The essential workforce remains the same, and we hire the best technicians from around the world for our projects. Low overheads ease up the pressure of having to work all the time. That way I have time to indulge in painting and travel. Today I produce and direct my ad film projects myself. It’s tough, at the same time liberating, to be both producer and director. 38 POOL #40
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Zee Q Channel Ident From the scattered pieces a form rises. It forms the head of a KATHAKALI dancer created with different colour cubes. (Bottom-left) Zee Q Channel Ident Coloured cubes take the form of a Bharatnatyam Dancer. Different colours highlighting the jewelry, face and costume.
Tell us about your recent projects Zee Alwan and Zee Q. IN: It was exciting to work on a design project for television after a long time. I got a call from Amit Roy, then OAP head, Zee Learn, for a project involving channel design and packaging for Zee Q, a new ‘edutainment’ channel for kids. Upasana Nattoji Roy was roped in as an animation and design consultant for Blink Pictures on the project. The team already had the channel logo in place. The task was then to formulate a detailed brief for the channel packaging which happened over exhaustive sessions of discussion with the channel head Subhadarshi Tripathy, programming head Aparna Bhosle, and the Zee Learn Team. I also met up with Mr. Subhash Chandra, Chairman Zee Group, for further clarity on the channel’s ethos. www.poolmagazine.in 39
Zee Q Channel Ident, Episode - Invention (series of frames) - A cluster of cubes takes the form of a moving truck and gradually turns into a train.
My approach to Zee Q was like a storytelling exercise. I looked at the Zee Q logo as the protagonist in the story, and the channel identity as the story leading to the logo. The Q in the logo represented a magnifying glass which was used as a catalyst for transformation. The story was that of a cube representing the basic building block of imagination and creativity multiplying and exploding into a celebration of form and color, as it jumps and dives through the ‘Q’ – the Q being the catalyst of change in perception and knowledge. The next step was to identify the treatment and detail out the story of the channel identity. It was decided that the entire look of the channel will be adapted and derived from the episodic channel identity so that there is a cohesive look and a strong branding for the channel. The biggest challenge in the execution was animating and ‘controlling’ the thousands of cubes into which the single cube has exploded; to form complex cohesive forms, identifiable with the right color and texture. Traditional 3D animation was limiting and we decided to use 4D animation software. What followed was a fantastic journey of executing and realizing a challenging animation story. The Zee Alwan Project happened during the course of the Zee Q project. I guess the excitement of the Zee Q project reached the Zee offices in Dubai! Zee Alwan is an Arabic general entertainment channel offering differential drama and entertainment for the Arabic speaking audience. Alwan means color. The creative brief was to script and execute a brand film that captures the ‘Colors of Life’ in the Arab world; slice of life portraits of Arabic women celebrating everyday life in all its colorful moods. The channel packaging was derived from the brand film shot on location in Marrakesh, Morocco. Holi color was introduced in the background and foreground while capturing the action, colors and textures of everyday Arabic life in extreme slow motion. This gave a beautiful celebratory effect to the framed visuals. The production team was truly eclectic, comprising a British DOP, Moroccan crew and talent, Syrian and Arabic client, and of course an Indian director. We had to get the Holi color from Mumbai, and actually take the custom officials through the entire storyboard and also play Holi with each other as a demonstration! The ‘Channel Collaterals’ or the graphic packaging, which includes information bands, 40 POOL #40
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Zee Alwan Channel Logo
graphic backgrounds, animated astons for program promos and sponsor announcements, were adapted and derived from the main brand film and channel identity films. This was achieved at post production for both Zee Q and Zee Alwan. What is the most exciting part of filmmaking? IN: Storytelling! I love telling stories, some tall, some short, some funny and some poignant. I love the way all the arts
of visualizing, drawing, writing, painting, lighting, and managing people converge into one purpose of telling a story. Someone said, ‘It’s like trying to draw a line with a hundred people holding the brush with you.’ As a director, I love that rush... What difference has technology made to films? IN: Technology has helped us push the boundaries of storytelling. From www.poolmagazine.in 41
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Zee Alwan Channel Packaging - Brand Film: “Alwan” means colors. The Channel Ident celebrates everyday arabic life with all its colorful and eclectic moods and vibrancy.
George Méliès’s ‘Trip to the Moon’ to Cameron’s ‘Avatar’, technology keeps breaking the proverbial glass ceilings of imagination. Over the years I have been fortunate to have worked with the entire ever-changing spectrum of technology and formats from Betamax and VHS to film to HD to 4K digital. Technology is exciting as long as we remember it is a means to an end and not the end!
(Clockwise)
How has your perception of filmmaking changed since you first began making films? IN: When I first started off, filmmaking for me was daunting, especially the production aspect of it. I wanted to do everything myself - art direction, editing, shooting, writing, singing, music. Of course I realized quickly that I cannot do everything, so I hire terrific people and I stick to directing them. As Woody Allen famously said, ‘Eighty percent of your success is just showing up.’
1. Location: Souk. A middle age woman dyeing fabric in different colors. 2. Location: Souk. The final logo formed by children splashing color onto the camera. 3. Behind the Scenes The morning in an Arabic souk, at a colorful spice shop. Shot: a man pouring colorful spices onto a scale. Colors in intricate forms emerge from spices. 42 POOL #40
What is your favorite film? IN: I have a few favorites but two come to my mind immediately: Walter Salles’s ‘Central Station’ for its brilliant and human storytelling, and the director’s signature documentary style; and Christopher Nolan’s ‘Memento’ for breaking rules of storytelling and making some new ones!
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www.poolmagazine.in  43
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“Just go out there and tell your story with heart! The rest will fall in place.” Indrajit in Morocco
Do you think advertising is socially relevant now? IN: Today advertising plays a key role in making the irrelevant relevant in our daily lives. We would rather have a Coke than a glass of water, or send a ‘like’ on facebook instead of actually expressing our true feelings. Our society is based on expectation. No one has the time for a personal effort to connect. We ‘advertise’ and get each other’s attention. It is the way we exist today. The age of innocence and invention is long over. Our society can no longer be awed, shocked, shaken or stirred easily. Advertising provides that shot in the arm. It is an indispensable form of communication today. What are your plans for the future? IN: Directing and producing television commercials, writing and directing feature films, and exhibiting my paintings. What advice would you like to give to budding filmmakers? IN: I would quote James Cameron – “Pick up a camera. Shoot something. No matter how small, no matter how cheesy, no matter whether your friends and your sister star in it. Put your name on it as director. Now you’re a director. Everything after that you’re just negotiating your budget and your fee”. Just go out there and tell your story with heart! The rest will fall in place. inattoji@gmail.com www.poolmagazine.in 45
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Funds and Shares, Mutual fits: Our Loan Against a bundle of bene swap them and come with the option to to `10 Crores you pledge with the securities se choo to Facility ** ired s when requ a real time basi eria) folio online on omer Portal (Exp Access your port through our Cust loan account Transact on your Return filing Tax me Inco Enjoy free more erv.in to know frames@bajajfins Write to us at
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ith th s, Mu a bundle ge w hare pled nst S me with a) s you co xperi uritie and al (E basis Port e sec e th m ti mer se l usto choo C a rea r n u o ** ho nline roug uired lio o nt th ortfo ccou our p an a filing ore ur lo turn ow m on yo x Re Ta to kn e in r v. com ee In jfinse baja s@ e am at fr o us
32 Aditi Gupta pg
by Tuhin | Photographed
Paul
er Peetz 16 e 12 Christoph aysh Deshpand an 50 Jain 04 Hrrid an Purie Treh Lakhi Chand Kalsi 44 Shon skar 26 Swati Veto ajit Saty aya 63 h 58 Cagri Cank Satyarth Sing
e Limited Insurance ion of Bajaj Financ nger Bajaj Allianz Life given against e at the sole discret urt La ed scrips I Financ ions apply I *Loans by K v Lending approv Terms and condit hed against Bajaj Finser **Loans given grap
hoto 0|P
ley 10
58 ar 14 tnis y Kum kar Chi Tana Om al 52
3 ho ang ihir B ht pg ati G 09 M 44 Rev Wrig kaya agi ri Can deep N Collin Cag
30 | Sethi pg Suresh
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a Kh 02 Tany rk 2013 f& sign Ma ish, Yusu India De al 24 Hid a 63 li Kasliw Cankay Geetanja 58 Cagri an riy Priya Ku
Man 02 pund jan 24 h Kal ya Niran Ashis & Nav Divya
etion e discr ranc e Insu e sole nz Lif ce at th Allia an Bajaj rips I Fin ainst sc en ag proved ns giv g ap I *Loa Lendin ply rv se s ap ition Bajaj Fin cond st s and en again Term ns giv **Loa
ance
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POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I
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ISSUE 36 june 2013
ISSU E 35
MAY 2013
ISSU E 35 MAY 2013
t Singh by Sumi raphed
ine .in
Achyut Palav
Photographed by
pg24
Pooja Salunkhe
Girid
Mihir 04/ Jay
Phot
esh 08/ son
ia 12/ abh
saMeer 46/ iJit 20/ ruchika nida 51/ tan Sethi 18 38/ vi & Pratiti 58/ Meera osla 12 cagri 63 Ishan Kh Misra 52 Sindhu hanna 08 Anavila 44 ep & Kulde
ogra
pg34
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Chr isto ph 0 & da 4/ a niel bhij a 28 it 08 / ut / be tam rnd 44/ 12/ r smr ath iti 5 n 0/ v aibh a 18/ st eph avi 5 an 2 6/ r 4 oha n & s / marku s upr iya 6 1
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46 POOL #40
fashion
ODE
to the
Sari Self-taught textile and fashion designer Gaurang Shah strongly supports the revival of hand woven saris in traditional jamdani weaves
How did you get drawn to textile design? GS: My interest in textiles and design started at the age of eight, when I used to visit my father’s sari store in Hyderabad. I conceptualized my fashion design journey there. As I grew, I felt women would be ready to move beyond georgette and chiffon saris, if presented with alternative fabric, textures and patterns. My vision was to create saris made in traditional jamdani weaves on hand-woven fabrics, and to use eco-friendly techniques such as natural dyes to give a modern twist to traditional fabrics. After acquiring a commerce degree, I traveled the length and breadth of the country and convinced jamdani weaver families that there was potential for their craft if they were willing to change. I gave them confidence that my designs would change the course of their lives. www.poolmagazine.in  47
fashion Way back in 2001,when traditional handlooms were fading into oblivion due to declining patronage, weaver communities were mired in debt traps, uncertainty and hunger deaths; I took up the challenge of reviving traditional handlooms and bringing them back in vogue. Today, a decade later, I have a team of 500 of India’s finest weavers. Can you give us a little insight into your creative process? GS: I draw inspiration from women and nature - they are both beautiful creations of God. As a designer I believe in offering traditional Indian weaves and hand embroideries like Parsi, Kashmiri, Chikankari, Kutch, and Kasauti on handloom saris with a subtle and sensible contemporary flair. Tell us something about your label ‘Gaurang’. GS: Gaurang personifies elegance and the captivating beauty of traditional handlooms and weaves, created using the jamdani technique with pure zari on khadi, cottons and silks. Immense care is taken to preserve and accentuate the esthetic appeal of the beautiful textures. 48 POOL #40
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It takes many months of hard work by weavers to translate a design into reality. Traditional motifs inspired by the sculptures of South Indian temples, and floral and geometrics drawn from nature are the hallmark of the creations, which are targeted for every Indian woman, young or old. I love to give a unique twist to my creations each time I sit at my drawing board. For instance, in the collection ‘Ardhangini’, which I presented at LFW Winter Fest 2012, I presented a mix of beautiful bridal saris, anarkalis and ghagras in prominent colors like saffron, yellow, orange, red and pink. My idea was to make fashion enthusiasts revisit the classic beauty of the 1950s and 1960s
- Kanjeevarams, Kalamkari and Zardosi. Another collection called ‘Gulbadan’ was an amalgamation of kotajamdani weaves and chikankari embroidery, and each outfit was created with 12-15 meters of fabric, and inspired from the architecture of the Akbar era. Share with us your experience of working with traditionally skilled artisans. GS: Initially, it was a big challenge to get the weavers to shift their mind from what they had been doing. There was a lot of resistance but I persisted and gave them new ideas to connect with the modern world. It gives me immense pride when I see the artisans smile and look up to me for a new challenge every time I give them new designs. www.poolmagazine.in 49
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I also feel good when I find economic transformation in their lives each time I visit them and their homes. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a designer? GS: I am a textile designer first, and then a fashion designer. The biggest challenge for me is to stay connected with modernity and challenge my weavers each time with new designs. I find immense satisfaction that the sari - my favorite attire for woman - is back in vogue. What do you think is the future of textile design in India? GS: There has been a big shift over the last five years. Fashionistas are showing 50  POOL #40
increasing appreciation for Indian weaves and textiles. I expect this to grow in the years to come, not only in India but also in global markets. I also find many young designers are choosing to base their creation on traditional handloom craft. I expect khadi, cotton and silks will continue to rule the fashion world in the years to come as their longevity is superb and unmatched. What advice do you have for young textile designers? GS: Innovate and understand textiles before embarking on fashion design. A design must challenge the weaver. Unless designers challenge weavers with
fashion
(L-R) 1. Ardhangini Collections - Actress Kirron Kher, Showstopper LFW Winterfest 2. Showstopper Actress Chitrangada Singh’s Sari created by Gaurang at Lakme Fashion Week 2013. Black silk sari with floral print over it and embellished with plain gold & orange zari border.
new designs and convince them of the global economic potential of their work, I foresee the art of hand-woven fabric fading away. Young designers have the challenging task of sustaining love for Indian textiles and designs among customers. What are your plans for the future? GS: I want to bring new innovation to the jamdani technique of weaving, and
expand my label in India and global markets! I firmly believe if the weavers are motivated and if I am able to raise their creative bar with intriguing designs, textures and patterns, our traditional Indian hand craft will never fade and we can keep pace with modern times without losing the essence of our culture and tradition which is unparalleled world over.  indianemporiumhyd@gmail.com www.poolmagazine.in  51
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Kunal Khadse
Sheetal Sudhir
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Chandrashekhar Bheda Photographed by Shobhana Bheda
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inDiafrica poster 04/ archohm 08/ atul 12/ utpal 20/ prashant 26/ alok 44/anusha 52/ noorani 58/ caGri 63
Christoph 04/ abhijit 08/ bernd 12/ rathna 18/ stephan 24/ markus & daniela 28/ uttam 44/ smriti 50/ vaibhavi 56/ rohan & supriya 61
Suresh Sethi pg 30 | Photographed by Sumit Singh pg28
India Design Mark 2013 02 Tanya Khanna 08 Ishan Khosla 12 Meera Sethi 18 Geetanjali Kasliwal 24 Bent by design 44 Anavila Misra 50 Priya Kuriyan 56 Cagri Cankaya 63
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32 Aditi Gupta pg
by Tuhin | Photographed
Paul
er Peetz 16 e 12 Christoph aysh Deshpand an 50 Jain 04 Hrrid an Purie Treh Lakhi Chand Kalsi 44 Shon skar 26 Swati Veto ajit Saty aya 63 h 58 Cagri Cank Satyarth Sing
e Limited Insurance ion of Bajaj Financ nger Bajaj Allianz Life given against e at the sole discret urt La ed scrips I Financ ions apply I *Loans by K v Lending approv Terms and condit hed against Bajaj Finser **Loans given grap
hoto 0|P
ley 10
58 ar 14 tnis y Kum kar Chi Tana Om al 52
3 ho ang ihir B ht pg ati G 09 M 44 Rev Wrig kaya agi ri Can deep N Collin Cag
30 | Sethi pg Suresh
Photogr
pg28
a Kh 02 Tany rk 2013 f& sign Ma ish, Yusu India De al 24 Hid a 63 li Kasliw Cankay Geetanja 58 Cagri an riy Priya Ku
Man 02 pund jan 24 h Kal ya Niran Ashis & Nav Divya
etion e discr ranc e Insu e sole nz Lif ce at th Allia an Bajaj rips I Fin ainst sc en ag proved ns giv g ap I *Loa Lendin ply rv se s ap ition Bajaj Fin cond st s and en again Term ns giv **Loa
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d
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ISSUE 36 june 2013
ISSU E 35
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ISSU E 35 MAY 2013
t Singh by Sumi raphed
ine .in
Achyut Palav
Photographed by
pg24
Pooja Salunkhe
Girid
Mihir 04/ Jay
Phot
esh 08/ son
ia 12/ abh
saMeer 46/ iJit 20/ ruchika nida 51/ tan Sethi 18 38/ vi & Pratiti 58/ Meera osla 12 cagri 63 Ishan Kh Misra 52 Sindhu hanna 08 Anavila 44 ep & Kulde
ogra
pg34
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Chr isto ph 0 & da 4/ a niel bhij a 28 it 08 / ut / be tam rnd 44/ 12/ r smr ath iti 5 n 0/ v aibh a 18/ st eph avi 5 an 2 6/ r 4 oha n & s / marku s upr iya 6 1
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photography
Young Chennai-based photographer Karthi KN Raveendiran prefers to focus on people
54 POOL #40
photography
What drew you to photography? KR: I am basically drawn to all forms of art; I used to do painting, which involves so much time and effort. I personally feel photography is a unique form of painting that can be captured only at that particular moment. I have a B.Tech. degree, but when I started delving into the basics of photography, I became a fervent photographer! How have you progressed as a photographer over the years? KR: I have realized that beyond technical qualities and experimentation, some specific qualities are required to make a picture really stand out. I keep my passion going by checking the work of others, staying in touch with persons who inspire me a lot, and constantly experimenting. As a self taught photographer, I have to work a lot harder to be able to say ‘I am a photographer’. Photography has taught me some important qualities. I am now able to communicate better with people. I love all my subjects and I know something about them
www.poolmagazine.in 55
photography
because I have interacted with them. Photography has also helped me learn discipline and ethics. How would you describe your photography style? KR: I generally give importance to processing, as I want to add my own personal touch to each photograph I create. Other than that I don’t have any specific style of photography! I’m yet exploring it. Have you been inspired by any other photographer? KR: In any art form, you take your first step through passion and interest, but later you tend to follow someone inspiring to find your real path. For me 56 POOL #40
that is Ashok Saravanan; he’s a man with magic hands. I feel inspiration is everywhere! Every day I spend at least an hour viewing the work of my friends and contacts - that motivates me and helps to refine myself. What is your personal choice of subject? KR: Capturing the beauty of the soul! The beauty of expressions can be truly seen in people photography. Do you take up commercial projects as well? KR: Beyond shooting a few weddings, I’m not into commercial photography as it needs a lot of money and patience. I do weddings to earn money to buy some gear.
photography
www.poolmagazine.in  57
photography
58 POOL #40
photography
What are your favorite lenses? Definitely 50mm prime - it’s a fine lens and gives excellent quality at a very low price. It also gives me a lot of flexibility to shoot in all circumstances. The 24-70 f2.8 is another favorite - it is a single lens that I use for all my wedding shoots. What do you find most challenging about being a photographer? Being invisible on the street is a real challenge. The moment you take a camera out of the bag you have to answer at least a hundred questions! You need a lot of patience. What does the future hold for you? I want to be an independent photojournalist and travel across the world.   ru.karthikeyan@gmail.com www.poolmagazine.in  59
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e very first Experience th ainst Shares, Ag an online Lo d Insurance* an s Mutual Fund
POOL 38
proval te principle ap With a 5-minu g Finser v Lendin only from Bajaj e from `25 Lacs Insurance rang
t y fir s e ver Shares, h t e c nst ce* Agai Insuran oan d n val a o r s p le ap Fund
n
37 POOL
Funds and Shares, Mutual fits: Our Loan Against a bundle of bene swap them and come with the option to to `10 Crores you pledge with the securities se choo to Facility ** ired s when requ a real time basi eria) folio online on omer Portal (Exp Access your port through our Cust loan account Transact on your Return filing Tax me Inco Enjoy free more erv.in to know frames@bajajfins Write to us at
s
c 5 La incip ending om `2 ge fr L te pr e ran m ranc minu j Finser v p the Insu a d sw n to sa ts: Baja tion Fund f benefi e op o tual
ith th s, Mu a bundle ge w hare pled nst S me with a) s you co xperi uritie and al (E basis Port e sec e th m ti mer se l usto choo C a rea r n u o ** ho nline roug uired lio o nt th ortfo ccou our p an a filing ore ur lo turn ow m on yo x Re Ta to kn e in r v. com ee In jfinse baja s@ e am at fr o us
32 Aditi Gupta pg
by Tuhin | Photographed
Paul
er Peetz 16 e 12 Christoph aysh Deshpand an 50 Jain 04 Hrrid an Purie Treh Lakhi Chand Kalsi 44 Shon skar 26 Swati Veto ajit Saty aya 63 h 58 Cagri Cank Satyarth Sing
e Limited Insurance ion of Bajaj Financ nger Bajaj Allianz Life given against e at the sole discret urt La ed scrips I Financ ions apply I *Loans by K v Lending approv Terms and condit hed against Bajaj Finser **Loans given grap
hoto 0|P
ley 10
58 ar 14 tnis y Kum kar Chi Tana Om al 52
3 ho ang ihir B ht pg ati G 09 M 44 Rev Wrig kaya agi ri Can deep N Collin Cag
30 | Sethi pg Suresh
Photogr
pg28
a Kh 02 Tany rk 2013 f& sign Ma ish, Yusu India De al 24 Hid a 63 li Kasliw Cankay Geetanja 58 Cagri an riy Priya Ku
Man 02 pund jan 24 h Kal ya Niran Ashis & Nav Divya
etion e discr ranc e Insu e sole nz Lif ce at th Allia an Bajaj rips I Fin ainst sc en ag proved ns giv g ap I *Loa Lendin ply rv se s ap ition Bajaj Fin cond st s and en again Term ns giv **Loa
ance
jaj Fin
of Ba
d
Limite
POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I
To avail subscriptions & offers w
You can also buy subscriptions at www.tadpolestore.com | ww
rint copy of azine today! ww w.p
oolmagaz
ISSUE 36 june 2013
ISSU E 35
MAY 2013
ISSU E 35 MAY 2013
t Singh by Sumi raphed
ine .in
Achyut Palav
Photographed by
pg24
Pooja Salunkhe
Girid
Mihir 04/ Jay
Phot
esh 08/ son
ia 12/ abh
saMeer 46/ iJit 20/ ruchika nida 51/ tan Sethi 18 38/ vi & Pratiti 58/ Meera osla 12 cagri 63 Ishan Kh Misra 52 Sindhu hanna 08 Anavila 44 ep & Kulde
ogra
pg34
her
phed
Katt
by H
uber
a
t Tass
in
Chr isto ph 0 & da 4/ a niel bhij a 28 it 08 / ut / be tam rnd 44/ 12/ r smr ath iti 5 n 0/ v aibh a 18/ st eph avi 5 an 2 6/ r 4 oha n & s / marku s upr iya 6 1
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craft
A Cut Above The Rest Pooja Ajmera took it upon herself to learn the delicate art of paper cutting in which she now excels!
What is Sanjhi Art? PA: Sanjhi – the art of hand cutting (or stencil cutting) designs on paper – is the typical art of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh-home of Lord Krishna. Traditionally, Sanjhi themes are taken from Krishna’s stories and are created in stencil. These are then used to decorate spaces during the festive season, or are used for filling in with colors on the floors of temples. I am trying to give it a contemporary look by making designs which are not just about divine figures, but something more modern. How did you get into the art of paper cutting? PA: I come from a middle class background where academics are given more importance and hence I was always busy with studies. I obtained an MBA degree, majoring in Human Resource Management. I chanced upon the art of paper cutting very late in life. I used to always read art and craft blogs and websites, so I knew about this art form but I had never really practiced it. In March 2012, I thought of making something nice for my sister-in-law’s birthday, and made a paper cut. It took me three days to finish, but the results were great! That is when I realized this is something I want to do for rest of my life. It is not a very easy art since it is very tricky to identify the portions to cut out and the portions to retain! 60 POOL #40
craft
Victorian Key
www.poolmagazine.in  61
craft
62 POOL #40
craft Can you describe your creative process? PA: Anything and everything can inspire me – it all depends on my mood. Paper cutting is a very slow art. It requires immense patience and ample concentration. It usually takes me eight hours to make a paper cut on A4 size paper. I use basic tools - a knife, paper and cutting mat. The main tool of my art is a sharp knife, and hence the name for my venture - Teekhii Chhurii! I single handedly manage everything from cutting to designing to marketing to communication to sales to dealing with vendors. How do you commercialize your work? PA: Apart from regular designs, I also make commissioned (personalized) paper cuts, such as unusual house warming, wedding, or anniversary gifts, or something for ‘people who have everything’! At the moment, I actively try networking with people across geographies; social media has been of great help to me in commercializing my work. What can we expect from you in the future? PA: A lot is in store in terms of exhibitions and displays - better designs filled with creativity. pooja@teekhiichhurii.com
www.poolmagazine.in 63
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