PROFILE OF THE WEEK
Creating a world of design that juxtaposes the realities of everyday life with the dynamic world of digital design and animation, Adhiraj Singh is a graphic designer based of out New Delhi. He combines elements of abstract notions, static designs, motion and music in his works to create designs that are modern and unique. After spending two years studying Chartered Accountancy against his will, he got in to advertising that introduced him to graphic design which further took him to Central Saint Martins in London.
As a curious child, Adhiraj has memories of throwing his parent’s adapter across the room to see what was inside. For him, these were all the stepping stones to his continuing interest in learning and innovating. For him, commercial works are design solutions that he creates for clients and are showcased on his website. He went on to say, 'I see a lot of artists have that one style that is identifiable to them and I see the value in doing that. But for me, there are so many variations, software, typefaces, colours, mediums and combinations to choose from that I can’t seem to restrict myself to just one style at this point in my career. I think this way of thinking benefits my clients as I can offer them variations that continually evolve with the times and not monotony.'
He combines static designs, motion an music such that all are related to each other and work off one another, Adhiraj is someone who dabbles a lot with music and lighting to visualize sounds and has seen the potential for music and graphic design to relate in live space. His graphic move 5comb attests to this way of thinking. The first thought he had while creating that process was to imagine it on a huge screen in PVR during intermission and having everyone in the theatre caught off guard and he went on to say, 'As an artist or designer you create things that are increasingly being seen on a phone as big as your hand. In truth that really does a disservice to the final piece that we spend hours trying to perfect but all that detail and impact is lost on such small sizes.'
Fuelled by a large amount of coffee and music through the day, Adhiraj claims that he is somebody whose style of working can be called 'obsessive'. As a designer he subscribes to the philosophy of form and function way of thinking. But according to him, the biggest part is having a client who understands what he is trying to do and by selecting clients mindfully who understand the work and trust him, it becomes easier to create content that serves their purpose as well as stays true to his sensibilities.
A fusion of photography and 3D that documents India in a surreal tone is the current project that Adhiraj is working on. As someone who is constantly experimenting and learning, he is also working on creating a virtual person. A game which is a mix of street fighter and Delhi’s traffic is also anothe project that are in the works. With a keen eye for observation and a vat of curiosity, he says that what he is constantly looking at, is the collision of the digital and physical world.
You can follow him here.
Text Fathima Abdul Kader
