Vighnesh Shailesh Dudani

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Vighnesh Shailesh Dudani ("VSD") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

VSD : Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer? For most of my life, I had always been around binary zero and ones. Infact I was never even remotely connected to art or design. A IT geek since my school days, I had always studied and aced computer science. Infact I also hold a Bachelors in the same. Computers is something I have been good at since day one. Something I enjoyed and I absolutely aced at. I was so quick at it that I actually had a lot of free time for other stuff. It was only in my free time that I used to play around with photoshop since I always wanted to learn it and was and still am fascinated by its capabilities. To learn that I would go over youtube and see Behance for inspiration. Eventually I did teach myself to master the tool only to realise I still am a poor designer. Initially I did try to teach myself to design by reading some books and trying to understand why my work is not looking like theirs but for some reason I still wasn't satisfied. I know there are many self taught designers but I guess since birth I have developed such a sharp left brain that right was kinda dead. So I decided to do what we all do to learn. Go back into school and formally educate myself in the field of design. Cause I did realise that Photoshop is an impressive tool but at the end I still can't do anything great if I am not aware of the complete suite and also how to make proper design led decisions. That is how I got into design. Started from a passion for Photoshop and turned into a passion strong enough to leave my stable well paved path of IT behind.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

VSD : I love to brand and package. I just find it very diverse and open to exploration. There are way lesser restrictions when it comes to these 2 solutions than many other fields. For example there are many guidelines to be followed when it comes to designing a website. To keep it user friendly it should often have certain elements placed strategically. If not it does effect the flow and the business eventually. On the other hand, branding and packaging is a completely unique solution each time for every product and every brand. In that I don't need a CTA strategically placed on the very top and have that stop me from exploring a route where I don't want a loud button at all. And don't take me wrong, I like making websites too and not each one is restrictive or having set elements to be used. I enjoy designing anything but yes, I do incline towards the former two. And most importantly, there is a sense of power that one feels when you define the face of a brand. When a client is investing all of his/her savings on a startup and has faith in your skills to make it a success. When they rely on you, it just makes you work hard to do your absolute best and deliver above their expectations. It is just what makes me a better designer I believe, that faith in me.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

VSD : Just keep going at it. It is for anything in life, not just design. I was acing it in my career in Computer Science. But when I joined design school I had the worse grades ever. My first freelance jobs were not good either. I just kept trying and trying, nothing else.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

VSD : Willingness to learn to adapt. You have to change your vision and see from the clients eyes, from the consumers eyes. You have to learn the new tools. You need to see what is getting old fashioned. You need to study the target market and change your execution accordingly.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

VSD : When the consumer is happy, they appreciate it, and the business is running as per expectations if not above.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

VSD : Design is a cherry to me. It is the cherry on top of functionality. Everything that is designed has a purpose to it. Something that it wishes to accomplish. That purpose more often than not can be fulfilled in a very simply bland manner too. But it is design that makes us look evolved. It is what helps us stand out and helps us be worth remembering. For example, packaging is primarily to protect the product. I can put the product a brown box and that will still be done. Stick a label typed out on Microsoft word and they know what's inside. Now the cherry or the extraordinary would be to do something nice with that label. The cherry would be to make sure the box opens easily but also doesn't open by itself. I find that is design.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

VSD : Anything that a Non Profit NGO needs. Help them with whatever they need and I can help with. Probably also teach them some basic designing and help them become independent.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

VSD : Teach! I wish to teach and give back.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

VSD : Rule of iterations. At times I have 400 art boards for one design. I try every little permutation and combination to make sure I product the best possible result. You won't know what is the best route unless to try to explore each possible one. At least, what you can think of.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

VSD : Paula Scher

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

VSD : Paula Scher again. Amazing use of typography & the justifications/reasoning is so well elaborated.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

VSD : Quite a few, else I am too drunk in love with my work to choose one. Aspect of design would be typography for sure.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

VSD : Just keep going at it. It is for anything in life, not just design. I was acing it in my career in Computer Science. But when I joined design school I had the worse grades ever. My first freelance jobs were not good either. I just kept trying and trying, nothing else.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

VSD : Continued as a Computer engineer.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

VSD : Design is a cherry to me. It is the cherry on top of functionality. Everything that is designed has a purpose to it. Something that it wishes to accomplish. That purpose more often than not can be fulfilled in a very simply bland manner too. But it is design that makes us look evolved. It is what helps us stand out and helps us be worth remembering. For example, packaging is primarily to protect the product. I can put the product a brown box and that will still be done. Stick a label typed out on Microsoft word and they know what's inside. Now the cherry or the extraordinary would be to do something nice with that label. The cherry would be to make sure the box opens easily but also doesn't open by itself. I find that is design.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

VSD : My family. They supported me when I chose to leave my stable well paid career behind and do something I have no clue about. And support me to this day.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

VSD : Again, simply keep trying till I couldn't. And a good understanding of the design principles.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

VSD : I couldn't figure out why my designs are not coming out to look as good as the ones I see on Behance or forums such as A Design.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

VSD : Design the deck the presentation. Do it well. Have a reason to back every decision.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

VSD : Many in the pipeline. I am not aware of the future myself but hopefully something great!

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

VSD : Open something big in academics for less privileged children in Asia to learn design. Since most design schools are often expensive and need the students to have possessions which they might not afford.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

VSD : Most clients expect me to nail the design in the first go after seeing my past work. But they forget that is the result of a design process not a Design step.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

VSD : It educates, it makes life easy, it makes the world pretty! There is so much that it does that it is hard to sum it up.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

VSD : A chocolate branding and packaging project. One, it is chocolate! Two, they are helping the local community in the process of the business so that is very inspiring.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

VSD : The dominance of independent designers.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

VSD : Anywhere from 1 day to 2 months.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

VSD : The brief

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

VSD : Keep trying, no matter how much or how many times you fail.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

VSD : Definitely!

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

VSD : Adobe Suite, pen and paper, Blender.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

VSD : As good and crucial as a Design principle itself.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

VSD : Ask me how many revisions I had to make for that one design.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

VSD : Why didn't I think of that?!

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

VSD : Anyone who is willing to debate things with me. Have an open mind.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

VSD : All my clients! Each one of them have helped me reach where I am.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

VSD : I observed magazines more than reading books. I don't know if that is something that may inspire people but I feel there is so much to learn from seeing the layouts and then the images, the packing of the product shots inside. It is full of inspiration!

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

VSD : Just kept trying till I got it. Nothing else.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

VSD : Maybe head back to school and tell my lecturer that I at last figured out how to make a good packaging design.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

VSD : Not that famous! Feels nice to have the awards though.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

VSD : Black, Cambodia, Burrito, Winter, MacBook, Lush Cosmetics.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

VSD : I just love designing so don't need anything much to drive me but just a project on hand. And a lot of coffee!

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

VSD : Not at all. Far from it

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

VSD : Clueless about that. Focusing on the present and maybe 2 years down the line. At least that is what covid taught me

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

VSD : You can reach me anytime for a talk or for work. Anything works! Reach me at vighnesh030@icloud.com / +91 7977658696