Communication canvas

Updated on: Wednesday, August 19, 2009

A dishevelled look and uncompromising attitude were the hallmarks of a struggling artist until a few years ago. Today, you wouldn’t be surprised

to find art students cavorting their way into the corridors of power in the corporate world. This transition can be attributed to a rapidly globalising world, opening doors to countless opportunities for students, who can communicate a message aesthetically. Students of applied art (as commercial art is known in the academic parlance) can find employment opportunities with animation companies, work as illustrators or graphic designers in internet firms, and the electronic and print media. They may also work in the fashion or textile industry, or in furniture designing and interior decoration set-ups. This is all, of course, in addition to the traditional prospects in the advertising field, as visualisers, designers, art directors, illustrators, photographers and editors. They may also choose to teach in schools and colleges or other art institutions.

THE CURRICULUM
"Design is art that makes itself useful" — 1984 poster for Die Neue Sammlung, Design Museum, Munich True to this statement, applied art is all about translating your artistic talent into a marketable discipline. What differentiates commercial art from fine art is that in case of the former, your art is aimed at satisfying a purpose. Bhupal Ramnathkar, managing director, Umbrella, and one of the leading names in the Indian communication industry, insists, "For any youngster, who has an inclination towards a career in commercial arts, it is mandatory to gather information about the course much before you take the final plunge." Browsing through websites of art colleges in India and abroad will answer you queries, and you will find that in most cases, the first two years will build your foundation in art, after which, you will have to choose your specialisation.

"We were taught traditional drawing board techniques of graphic representation in the first year. After that, we had to choose one of five electives, which included typography, illustration, photography, computer graphics, and display," informs D Dhakras, who holds a BFA degree from Sir J J School of Art, Mumbai, and is currently employed as an illustrator in a leading publication company.

THE FIRST STEPS
The earlier the better. As Ramnathkar says, "Once you know that the bug has bitten you, focus on sharpening your skills, so that by the time you appear for the art college entrance exams after class XII, you have an edge over others." Substantiating his view, Shamika Kocharekar, an intern with a leading publication house and alumnus of the Sir J J School of Art, recollects, "When I was in class VIII, I had made up my mind to become a commercial artist. I visited art college campuses that year, and collected information on what I need to arm myself with, before I set sail on this ship. On the advice of my professors, and taking a few cues from some seniors I spoke to, I enrolled myself in an art foundation course. This helped me a great deal when it came to cracking the Maharashtra ART CET."

DO YOU FIT THE BILL?
Aspiring students not only need to be good artists, but also be adept in the art of communication, marketing and publicity. "You will be expected to be creative, but will also need to follow an established style or direction, and keep abreast with the latest technologies. In some roles, you will need to have customer service and business skills as well," opines Chitrita Banerjee, a freelance commercial artist from Kolkata.

Times of india

Communication canvas

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