Saurabh Sharma is a self-taught designer focused on Branding and Digital Illustration, obsessed with colours, and interested in cognitive psychology. Beyond this, he’s a founder of Blanky Creative Agency working helping clients building their brand and also the Creative Director at CapStreet Media.

Why are you a Graphic Designer?
Being a graphics designer is not only creating something for a brand. It’s all about how you provide the values to the society. So, I became designer to help the world make smarter decisions.

Did you attend school for fine art or design?
No, I didn’t go to any design schools. I believe every person is an artist. It all starts within the childhood when you’re doodling all over your walls in your house. All it need just a passion to continue your childhood things.

You have a distinct style of Design. How long did it take you to develop your style?
Being a self-taught designer every day is a learning process for me. So for developing any style, it’s a practice and discipline.
My unconventional background and always eager to learn new has made me stronger and my unique mixture of design, illustration and social content-creation is what makes me stand out in an increasingly online world.

How did you focus so much on infographic? When did you realise you loved doing it and wanted more of it?
If you’ll see the facts and some case studies, Infographic increases the engagements up to 12%. From the clients perspective, this is all that they need. So to keep up with the market, infographics is must on digital platforms.

Were there any particular role models for you when you grew up?
Frankly speaking, I’ve grown up in an atmosphere where no one knew about Graphic Design Profession, so if you’re considering a role model from Design Industry, then I must say NO ONE!!
But in my childhood, I was really obsessed with the work of my Arts Teacher. The way she paints and illustrates makes me crazy.

Who was the most influential personality in your career in graphic design?
I believe the time is the most influential person in my career. Time teaches you everything. As I said earlier also being a self-taught designer every day is a learning day. So when you learn every day you’ll go through many designers work and every designer has its unique style. Every designer teaches me something.

When did you start freelancing?
I did my first freelancing back at the age of 11 when I made a painting for one of my friend. But it was just a NO PAYING job!! Haha!

Was there any time when you wanted to quit graphic design?
Never!! Art is what teaching me about the culture, life and people. Quitting art can never be an option for me.
There’s this one famous saying by Robert L. Peters that we often use in our studio, “Design creates culture, Culture shapes value and Value determines the future”.

Are many advertising agencies hiring graphic designers? Do you work more with agencies or publishers or direct clients?
Most of the advertising agencies have their own designers team, still for some work they outsource their creative works.
I’ve got a mixed set of clients, someday I’m working with agencies then someday I’m working directly with the client.

Do you have clients who give you steady work or do you advertise for new clients often?
Agency provides me Outdoor creative work whereas I’ve some regular clients with whom I’m working from 3-4 years.

How do you market yourself?
This is the most difficult part of the designer. We help clients in marketing themselves but we are very poor at creating a marketing plan for ourselves because you’ve to go through a hell lot of process in creating a strategy.
But generally with references, social media, clients-to-clients we are running our business. And yes I have got a very good retention rate with old clients.

Any other Indian graphic designers who you admire?
Yeah, there are some Indian designers. Binoy Sarkar, RK Joshi, Akshar Pathak, Tashi Choden, Shivalini Kumar to name a few.

What advice do you have for aspiring creative professionals? Would you advise them to take on graphic design as a career option?
We have a saying in our studio, “Design is the Future” and we relate it to every aspect.
I see a design trend where tools are becoming more accessible to everyone. Eventually, it’ll be all about skills and creativity; years of experience learning complex software won’t count for much in a designer’s CV anymore. And that’s great because there will be more talent than ever.
Design innovation will speed up, and there will be new trends coming and going within weeks.

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?
Every industry work on the rule of Demand and Supply. So when clients have realized the value of Design for their product they have to focus on it. They just have to supply a demand for good social adverts, great brand messaging, subtle packaging and various other factors that are involved in making a brand.

Mac or PC?
For basic work, I prefer working on a PC. But when it comes about detailing, I would say MAC anytime.

Who would you like to take out for dinner?
Katy Perry.

What’s on your iPod?
Bryan Adams, Coldplay, Boyzone, Linkin Park, Lucky Ali.

What’s your Instagram Handle?
@__blanky__