The lowdown
Applied art is used to convey a message. It could mean pushing the miracles of an anti-ageing cream, simplifying and explaining a complex process for readers/viewers, creating for poster, just to give a few examples. As an illustrator, you might make an illustration manually and scan it for use or use one of the different software to do the task
Clock Work
An average day in the life of graphic designer Ajanta Guhathakurta
6.30 am: Go for a walk in the park where I get to see birds, animals and people
7.15-7.30 am: Return home and prepare breakfast and lunch
9 am: Leave for office
9.30 am: Make a to-do list, do creative work as well as managerial duties
1-2 pm: Have a working lunch
2-5.30 pm: Finish work
6.30 pm: Head back home
8.30 pm: Freshen up, play music, cook dinner, sit with a book or watch TV
The payoff
Rs10,000 a month to Rs2.5 crore for a logo.
“A good designer designs his or her own growth by evolving with changing times and trends,” says Rupam Borah, founder and creative director, VIRUS.
Skills/Traits
. Lots of creativity and imagination
. Tech savvy
. General awareness
. Artistics eye
How do i get there?
After 10+2, you could go for a BFA programme in applied art, painting, animation or visual communication or even sculpture, depending upon your interests and abilities. The programmes are available at College of Arts in many cities. The well-known National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, also provides training in this field. The entry process usually involves an aptitude test. Many private institutes and academies, too, run relevant courses. A humanities background is good and science all the better, says illustrator Atanu Roy
How do i get there?
After 10+2, you could go for a BFA programme in applied art, painting, animation or visual communication or even sculpture, depending upon your interests and abilities. The programmes are available at College of Arts in many cities. The well-known National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, also provides training in this field. The entry process usually involves an aptitude test. Many private institutes and academies, too, run relevant courses. A humanities background is good and science all the better, says illustrator Atanu Roy
Institutes & urls
. A College of Art, Delhi University
www.du.ac.in
. Sir JJ School of Art and Sir JJ School of Applied Art, Mumbai
http://www.mu.ac.in/colleges/finearts/mumbai.html
. Banaras Hindu University
www.bhu.ac.in
. Government College of Art, Kolkata
. Madras College of Art
. CAVA, Mysore
Pros and Cons
. Mentally stimulating
. Working with creative people
. Hardly any monotony
. Fresh projects to work on
. Can be highly stressful
. Must renew creative spark regularly
. Plenty of career avenues
. You may have to work “eight” days a work, says illustrator Atanu Roy.
“Work is slow if you are into it,” he adds.
. If self-employed or freelancing, may have to run after payments