Yuvabe team member Sagar writes about his journey of growing into the role of a designer.
Hola! My name is Sagar and I am 24 years old. I grew up in and around Auroville. I love to travel, explore new cultures, and make new friends. Spending time with my family and friends is what I enjoy the most.
Often, being the younger of two siblings also gives you certain advantages, like having the liberty to choose your passions and career path! It definitely was so in my case and I didn’t have any family pressure to pursue a predetermined path.
After school, when I was still figuring out which career would suit me, a friend of mine studying Visual Communication asked me if I could support him with some of his projects. It was vacation time for me so naturally I said yes. Luckily I found his projects to be quite fun and the experience inspired me to study Visual Communication too.
To be or not to be a filmmaker…?
Many of us who study Visual Communication, often dream of becoming part of the film industry. I was very much the same. Every movie I saw inspired me in some way or the other; the story, the screenplay, the editing, the cinematography... It is just… pure creation! I was quite convinced that that is what I would ultimately do.
During college, I created many short films with my classmates. My very first film, made on a topical issue for a competition, ended up getting many good reviews by the audience but unfortunately got rejected by the jury without any feedback. We continued making many more films through my course but overtime I became aware that I wasn’t learning anything. I was not getting the constructive feedback I needed and started to feel a sense of stagnation. Eventually I dropped the idea of becoming a filmmaker.
While my other colleagues were still very serious about the matter, I didn't feel the same thrill and it didn’t feel like the right path for me anymore.
Discovering the joy of Graphic Design!
In the middle of my second year, we had a project in Computer Graphics where every student was supposed to work on 10 new company logos, and other communication creatives. In the beginning, I was frustrated with the assignment but when I started working on it I found myself completely immersed in the work. I remember creating nearly 50 logos (instead of the required 10). I didn’t quit because I learned new things each time I made a new design.
I started to understand and appreciate the process of graphic design; the design principles, elements of design, design trends, colour theory, typography and so much more!
In the last couple of years, I have come to realise that even if you are well established in your graphic design career, pushing your design skills and exploring new trends is always valuable. Every day, I enjoy learning new things in the field of design and exploring different tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.
The never ending journey of a designer
The post-graduation time is often a shock/surprise to every student who wants to find a job in their field of interest. Fortunately, I was very quickly able to start working as a freelance designer. Just as quickly though, I sensed that only graphic design knowledge isn’t sufficient for me, and started exploring UI as well as UX design.
Since joining Yuvabe, I have continued my learning in UI/UX design. I have also moved on to website development and have been learning WordPress with some of my colleagues here. It was different, and definitely difficult in the beginning, but I enjoy getting to explore new tools and gain more knowledge!
A day as a college professor!
After a year at Yuvabe, during which I had worked on a few website projects, I got a great opportunity to share my knowledge with the students of my Alma mater, Achariya Arts and Science College. It was my first time facilitating a college class, and I felt grateful to be able to share my knowledge. It was definitely something I enjoyed a lot! While reviewing a few of the student’s projects from my class, I learned a few things myself.
Throughout this journey, I've gained knowledge in various fields. From having zero knowledge of design, I went on to learn graphic design, UI design, UX design as well as web development. With the help of my colleagues at Yuvabe (and a lot of self study!) I am happy to have reached this stage in my design career. It's always about taking that first step!
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