When Ideas are Kindled by a Flame of Self-Expression!

What happens when designs rise from a curious, innovative mind and meets the kind of expression that is liberating? What happens when designs are an amalgamation of ideas and inspirations accumulated across the life of a designer? Graphic Designer Neha Hattangdi explores these possibilities by exuding her inner self in every design to instinctively create a visual solution. She reflects on her thoughts and process.

Put Yourself Before The Process.

The process of creation begins with visuals conjuring up in the mind after the brief has been carefully read and the brand understood. In the visuals lies a cue to conquer the challenge that awaits at the end of the tunnel. Freeing the mind from opinions and limitations, playing along as the idea expands through the execution, design that dittoes the designer's thoughts come into being. This spontaneous process is the most flexible and productive way to go ahead.

Design To Unveil And Educate.

A design school is nothing like working with clients. Working with assignments fare through easily. Whereas a design presented to the client has to stand a series of tests. Fitting well with brand guidelines, personality and objective and of course, personal liking. Some clients believe in playing safe, some may not know anything about design. The need of the hour varies with clients. So educating them becomes a part of a design presentation and convincing them, the objective. A good design is worth all that.

Meet People, Meet Ideas.

Interacting with people is surprisingly very inspiring. That's what gives way to know their experiences, their inspirations and their work. Blogs, photographs, art, music etc can definitely be the source of inspiration but nothing beats a face to face conversation. It actually lifts the veil from some of the best work and the thought behind them. Moreover, in every conversation lie cues and insights that can strengthen a design and give ideas a long life.

Keep Yourself Detached From Your Idea.

There are all kinds of ideas. Some ideas are born brilliant, they just seem to make things work. While others could be troublesome and require a lot of time and energy to get chiselled before they look good and some just don't work. The best way out is to never have an attachment with a particular idea or thought. If it has merit, it will survive. If not, you won't like it anyway. Since being one's own critic can be tough, feedback and opinions from others always come to rescue.

When Planning Ends, A Great Design Emerges.

A great design must be well-planted, not necessarily well-planned. After the subject, the elements need to fall in place.

However, the layout is best when it is spontaneous. It introduces a special thrill to the whole creation, apart from making it more engaging and challenging. The beauty of searching the mind while exploring new elements, whether they grace the layout or go, makes a design unpredictable, more innovative and intriguing.

Freedom Is Being New, Every Time.

Though signature works for some, not giving in to following a particular style is liberating in its own way. A designer's true strength lies in following intuitions and treading territories that don't exist for others. Going away from signature makes happen distinction, all the time.