Simoul Alva is a budding designer. Currently, she is a student but if her work so far is any indication to go by, she looks to be set for a career filled with designs that will gain much appreciation in India and across the world.
Just to introduce yourself, if you aren’t freelancing, where are you working and what’s your current job title?
I am a third year Graphic Design student at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. So I am still learning and a lot of work is from my classroom projects and personal initiatives.
Ooooooo…very enticing to the eye.
Tell us about your journey from discovering your craft to acquiring the skill you have now.
I started drawing when I was three. My family is super supportive and they let me scribble on the walls and put up with the paints I left around the house. They were pivotal when I represented and won from Maharashtra at the AISC National Level competition, Madurai and there was no looking back after that. The skill and craft that I have acquired comes from all the mentors I had from school to even now at design school. Also, I believe my ability to not be satisfied easily is what helps me discover and acquire skill better.
And she’s only going to get better and better.
After dealing with various demands from clients and/or bosses, what’s the one experience that you learned the most from?
It was when I worked with Echostream on the Sikkmis Tea Spa, to develop a range of tea bags inspired by the wildlife of Sikkim. The experience really changed me because I knew nothing about the place or the culture when I started out. My mentor’s advice to me to just start with the basics and really observe and absorb the place is what stayed with me the most.
Admit it, you want to infuse tea with one of these now.
In the whole world, whose work do you aspire yours to be like? And what attracts you to appreciate what they do?
It would be Sebastian Padilla from studio Anagrama. Their sense of building a background or a personality for a brand simply through presentation is masterful. I look upto to their decisions when it comes to the art direction of the entire project.
What do people not realize about your work/area of expertise?
That it is thoughtful, intense work and there is an actual process.
No one could create intense work like this without a process.
Which project of yours are you particularly proud of? Could you tell us a little about it?
It is called ‘Vigil Today’. It is about the seriousness of behavioural addictions that often don’t get noticed due to the blurred lines between habits and addictions. This project really changed how I looked at graphic design beyond its ability to be just representative and to actually help people.
She designs to make a difference.
Can we have a piece of advice that helps you with your own workflow?
Just get to it. Procrastination just means you will have to do it later, under more pressure and with lesser time to explore.
Remember her words. Want to make that mock-up? Just get to it.
So, what are you working on now?
A Latin typeface based on a Japanese piece of calligraphy.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
Learning and doing the work that inspired me to take up Graphic Design in the first place.
At some point every one goes returns to their roots.
How do you unwind and refresh your creative juices?
Films. Or just taking the entire day off from work. It’s like a system reboot.
Have you ever tried out a completely different creative field? If yes, how did that turn out?
I tried making an animated short, which was to run for 2 minutes. It almost killed me in the process, but that’s where all the learning came from. I will, hopefully, finish it before the year ends.
If you had to start afresh in the industry today, would you choose a different path and if so, what would it be?
Not in the creative industry, but otherwise I’d love to have a shot with economics or biology.
If you could claim that any one person’s work in India was yours, who would it be?
Shiva Nallaperumal. His commitment to, and dexterity at type design is incredible.
This is a screenshot of his work.
Now that you’re getting/you have a firm foothold in the creative world, what would you like to say to ‘all the haters’?
Thank you for saying no.
Quick Questions
Favourite font?
Favourite movie?
A book everybody should read?
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.
Your quick tip to everybody who does the same job as you?
All the best.
What’s the best project you’ve seen on IndieFolio?
I don’t remember project wise but Siddhant Jaokar has some insane work.
Could you make something exclusive for us in the next 5 minutes?
She has a fondness for Coldplay
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