Today we’d like to introduce you to Khushboo Uday Nayak.
Hi Khushboo Uday, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Hello everyone, thank you, VoyageATL Magazine, for giving me this opportunity to speak about my creative career and passion and share my story with you all.
An inquisitive mind and a keen eye for details are what define me as an artist. Ever since I started appreciating colors, I have been passionate about drawing and painting. It pretty much shaped my childhood with colorful memories, and it was probably since then that I desired to be an artist for the rest of my life. Apart from my family and friends who appreciated my art from a very tender age, the real recognition came in my 8th grade, when I stood 7th at a State level drawing competition among some thousand other students. The encouragement and the admiration that I received then still pushes me to better myself with each and every other endeavor I pursue. I always had a special eye for designs, then it be any form of an object, abstract, or just varying forms of alphabets or numbers, it always intrigued me. Right then, I decided to further develop my liking, hobby, and talent into a life-long career. And what better than to pursue your hobby that makes you happy every day. Art, or creative art, empowers me and gives me a platform to present my thoughts and emotions and showcase my personality to others.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
As an artist, it is never easy. You have to keep re-inventing yourself time and again and keep yourself updated with what’s relevant in the field. You are as good as your last project is also true for a graphic designer like me. It is extremely hard for an artist to create something that is liked by everyone because it is very subjective. So, you are constantly on your toes and are never satisfied. Also, being an international student, you have to deal with struggles which has nothing to do with your art or talent but there is simply no running away from that and as a young individual, you just have to hope for the best with each passing day. But having said that, I would like to be remembered as a passionate young designer from India who is leaving no stone unturned to make a mark for herself and create a niche for herself as a global graphic designer. Through my story, I would like to encourage other upcoming artists. I would want them to remain curious, put in that hard work, and not shy away from trying something new because you never know when an opportunity will come knocking at your door.
Getting the best mentor and supporting people in life makes your struggle path beautiful. For example, I got lucky to have the best Design Mentor Susan Rushford after my Internship with The Council of Insurance, Agents, and Brokers. She is a fantastic mentor, a great human being, and a great person who makes communication and interaction easy and full of guidance. In addition, my great professors from SCAD and my family stood by my side in difficult times. So if you have such lovely people in your life, your path becomes beautiful.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I feel what sets me apart from others is what I bring to the table as an artist or as a designer. I feel I am the perfect mix of “East meets West”. With a very strong Indian traditional and cultural heritage that has shaped my design aesthetics and understanding of colors to my knowledge of Westernized art forms and design history, I call myself a global artist. While I am rooted in tradition and fascinated by old art forms, I have molded myself as an artist of the 21st century who is new, refreshing, and vibrant. As an artist, my strong pursuit has always been my passion for typography, calligraphy, and hand lettering. Today, I use all these skills and apply them on a digital platform for print media, ad campaigns, product branding, etc. I feel it is for this very reason that in just a little span of 2years, I have won several national and international awards for my projects, and I hope to continue adding many more.
Currently, I am working as a Graphic Designer in an advertising agency named kglobal. I love to explore and challenge my creativity by exploring different styles and skills and make sure to use these skills to push my creativity with my passion for Lettering and Typography. My mentor Crystal Petersen a great Designer, taught me that we often make mistakes but to accept that mistake and learn from it and make sure you won’t repeat that mistake is essential. This acceptance is a sign of a learning person, and this is something I will make sure that I follow in my entire life. Throughout my roller coaster journey, I have learned, “Never give up and be Curious in whatever work you do.” And to live up to this thinking makes me proud of my achievements today and even motivates me more to do new things by using my skills.
During my journey as Bachelor’s in India and Master’s here at SCAD, Atlanta, I was blessed to learn from the experts. I can’t thank enough all my professors, Dean Prof. Santosh Kshirsagar, Prof. Shubhanand Jog, Prof. Peter Wong, Prof. Melissa Kuperminc, Prof. Holly Quarzo, and Prof. Sam Eckersley, for teaching me the nuances of being a good artist, a good graphic designer. I would also like to mention my first creative head, Designer Sandeep Bomble, under whom I learned what a professional graphic designer meant and the art of honoring professional commitments. Every other person I have mentioned here is why Khushboo Uday Nayak is a Graphic designer Khushboo Uday Nayak today. I firmly believe that whatever I have achieved so far in my life, whether small or big, is incomplete without my family and their constant support. More than their support, I feel their confidence in me drives me to be a better artist with each and every passing day. My mom, my dad, and my brother have always been my rock and, in some sense, my very first mentors. You can hone your skills and learn to be an artist, but my family taught me to be a nice human being first.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memories would be the time when I used to draw Heena – an Indian form of a tattoo on my hands. First, I used to draw different kinds of fruits. Then, later on, I developed the forms of designs and started drawing Indian traditional designs. As a true artist, I still enjoy applying Heena tattoos.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.khushbooudaynayak.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creative_adda07/
Image Credits
All designs and design applications done by Khushboo Uday Nayak
