Kritika Trehan is a student in her final year at Srishti, Bangalore. Her main interests lie in illustration and graphic designing. She often finds inspiration in Indian streets and the rich visual culture present in the country. Apart from design, she likes to travel and read.

Why are you a Graphic Designer?
I feel like Graphic Design is not just about creating pretty pictures, its more to do with how people perceive things around us and using that to create something out of the ordinary.

Did you attend school for fine art or design?
Design.

You have a distinct style of Design. How long did it take you to develop your style?
More than a “style” I like to see my work as having a thematic unity. I have always wanted my work to be reflective of the Indian culture while being accessible to a global audience.

Were there any particular role models for you when you grew up?
I have had phases in which I become obsessed with someone’s work and then just go crazy researching them. So yeah. To name a few, Mira Malhotra, Sameer Kulavoor, Janine Shroff, Lokesh Karekar, Jean Jullien and Alessandro Gottardo are some of my biggest influences.

Who was the most influential personality on your career in graphic design?
Rae Zachariah, who is my friend and fellow visual artist. She has influenced me in a lot of was without directly ever changing my style and is also the one who keeps me calm when I get flustered about taking up too much work. Apart from her, Mira Malhotra (Studio kohl) under whom I interned has been a huge factor in making my work recently.

When did you start freelancing?
About two years back.

Was there any time when you wanted to quit graphic design?
I just started. But no, I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Are many advertising agencies hiring graphic designers? Do you work more with agencies or publishers?
Even though I haven’t worked with advertising agencies, I would love to. But yes, I think ad agencies are hiring graphic designers.

Do you have clients who give you steady work or do you advertise for new clients often?
I work with both old as well as new clients since I feel that is the best part about graphic design, to be able to work for a huge variety of people/products.

Any other Indian graphic designers who you admire?
Recently I attended Kyoorius Design Yatra and was completely bowled over by TNOP Design.

What advice do you have for aspiring creative professionals? Would you advise them to take on graphic design as a career option?
I myself am an aspiring creative professional so I don’t know how much of my advice will be useful. But I think working hard is the most important thing and graphic design, like any other field requires one to do the same.

Do you think Clients are opening up to keeping aside a decent respectable budget for design work? Do you think clients are understanding that they need to invest in Design as a communication tool and also to cut the clutter, and that good design comes at a price?
I wouldn’t say its still the most ideal situation, but it definitely is changing in a massive way and people are starting to give design its due by not just looking at it as something that just makes things look “pretty”.

Mac or PC?
Mac.Forever.

Who would you like to take out for dinner?
Jean Jullien, my all time favorite Illustrator.

What’s on your iPod?
As of now, Nucleya’s Bass Rani on repeat.

Whats your Twitter Handle?
I don’t tweet.