Mrs. Janaki Shivalkar
Computer Graphic Designer.
Also teaching Graphic Designs to Chidrens and Arts students.

Tell us something about yourself?
Right from school I was interested in sports as well as drawing. I have participated in several drawing competitions and won several trophies for my school in sports at chembur. In 1975, I passed from the famous Art Institute the J.J School of Applied Art in commercial Art, and joined an advertising agency. I have worked as a graphic designer for more than 15 years. I have visualized and executed several graphic assignments.

Since when are you associated in this field of computer designing?
Eight years back we had purchased our own computer a Macintosh system. I have started from the basic and now practice on the latest software. Since I have an Art background and 15 years of experience, I could do very well on designer software. We started our own graphic design studio at home and now I am doing everything on computer. To do the illustrations we have to learn different software, to make a layout we have to learn the page-laying program and for photo editing we require a program called Photoshop.etc

Is there any special degree required for making a career in this field?
Minimum 10th or 12th and Diploma in commercial Art are required to make a career in this field or B.F.A. (Bachelor of Fine Arts) is the minimum requirement. In this five years course at the beginning we learn the basic and the principles of designing. We learn about typography, calligraphy, illustrations, photography, printing, colours etc. Earlier in the college days we had to do every thing by hand. Those days very few students knew regarding computer designing. Now, in this computer age, everything is done by machines (computers)

You have also been teaching Graphic Designs to Children and Art student; tell us something about the same?
Some of our working friends as a Sr. faculty in arts school for teaching Designing. One day a student approached me through these teachers and wanted to work on a computer. At that time she was in 4th year doing her B.F.A. The student did not even knew how to handle a mouse. We have started from very basic about the computer and how it works, controlling of mouse, then we started giving her lessons on how to draw by mouse, it's precisions. she picked up the basic very well. Finally she visualized and executed her final year project with us with excellent result and now she is working as an animator successfully.

Now about the small children, one child who was studying in the 7th standard he approached me and I gave him basic training on the computer along with regular drawings of different objects and fill with tones, tints, texture.Last year he held a solo exhibition in his school and now he owns his full computer system and is learning the advance techniques, I can teach student very systematically with my past experience.

Would you like to remark on any specific batch or student?
I will tell you an interesting story about our student Ashish (who is a mentally challenged boy of age 19 years). Two years back his mother approached us and asked us to help Ashish. So we started thinking very seriously. We have developed our own syllabus or you can call it a systematic method, to teach these students on the computer.

I used to teach Ashish every day for about two to three hours, about how to handle a mouse and keyboard. Slowly we taught him how to handle the toolbox and make use of every tool. Now he knows the keyboard combination. First we asked him to draw and then correct his drawing and color scheme. After two long years with tremendous hardship he can now trace the contours or repeat the lines. Once you locked the picture. He himself cannot visualize but he can redraw, scale, rotate, reflects, enlarge, the basic principles of designing. Last december he held his solo exhibition at J.J. School of Fine Arts very successfully and as proved that computer is not only for intellectuals, it's for common man. He did some abstract paintings, greeting cards, table calendar, table mats, table coasters, paper carry bags, T-shirts (with his drawing). We even started marketing some of these items. This had gave him the full confidence and he is now enjoying and studying more advance courses.

How has your family supported you in your profession?
Our family is always being supportive. My husband is very encouraging in this field.

Any message for Thaneites?
Ultimately if you really have good sense of Designing and knowledge of printing then only you can successfully be a computer Graphic Designer.
But I still feel that computer is a tool to help you execute your ideas, so try to use your brain more than computer.

As told to Thaneweb.com