Salil Sakhalkar

Graphic Design is nothing but a perception was the comment of a designer. All right, point taken. But whose perception. Perception of the individual designer? Or of the client? Or the audience you and ultimately your design would be canvassing? I don't blame the person for the comment, but the institutional learning which has imparted these views on the person.

They say Graphic design is ubiquitous. Then where is the perception. Is individual perception the same throughout the human race. If that’s the case why do have so many streams and schools of thought?

In a country like India, where the creative juices flow even in the deepest of the rural villages is flabbergasting. The illustrate the point, when an artisan is giving shape to the clay to make a deity, it’s a process of making an idol. But the moment, the figurine takes its final form and all the necessary touch-ups and drapes are done, it takes the form of that said GOD or the GODDESS, which we worship. We worship the concept of an institution called the almighty and not just the perception of the skilled artisan who has given the form a credible existence.

India has tradition in crafts and designs reached by the need first right from Mohenjodaro 3000 BC till today from a pot to seals and on to human habitation planning. With reference to ‘’From spoon to Town’’ tradition in India has been ‘’From Graphic Communication to Habitation’’, each designed for a need and has grown into a place of significance in life.

Take the earthen pottery for example. The pot is associated with Indian life at every stage. From the pot, smallest one, used for feeding the first drop of water to the new-born infant to the one full with water and green leaves as a medium in the worship as a ritual in the marriage, signifying the fullness f life the youth and to the one with water dripping out, through back over the shoulder, signifying that the life is gone.

In fashion, red spot on the forehead of a young woman is not a simple decoration but signifies the aspirations to motherhood and the respected togetherness as an essentiality of man and woman relationships.

In wedding embroidery, the groom’s mother has series of a particular stitch on her Choli (blouse) than the ones on the bride’s mother, both distinctly different. In colour, the green bangles of a bride signify the youth of age. The sourashtra village man wears the sky blue predominantly as he believes that he comes down the ages from Lord Krishna with his blue complexion interpreted in folklore's.

Are these mere perceptions or pillars of cultural identity or principles being followed for centuries of our evolution as a race?

The reason for all this gyan is just to understand (as a commercial designer and not as a fine artist), is that the canvas for any designer, is the mass to which his/hers design reaches. As they say - advertising is a medium which bridges the gap between the concept and its consumer. It’s not like painting or graphic print which adorns the wall of a home or corporate to glorify and many a times satisfy the ego of the collector. Its very personal. Its very intimate.

Design on the other hands needs to reach and touch all forms of perception of the designated target audience. It needs to motivate the stakeholder, across the spectrum of reach to react in a positive way and not get put off by mere jargon's (I can say that, as a very dear friend of mine who heads a large IT company had shot me down literally when I had sent him a rough cut of my organizations introduction letter for his feedback). You need to have a very clear understanding of the kind of imagery, typography, the contents - in short all the ingredients which needs to go in to make a perfect gourmet – again not for your taste buds but for those of your guests’.

So my dear, think and ideate with great perception-but not for you as a egocentric creator but for the millions who are going to be the witness to your work. Else as a client, why should I spend?

posted by Salil Sakhalkar @ 10:45 PM