Meet graphic designer and visual artist from Mumbai & Bangalore, Anushka Tendolkar

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hello! I’m a graphic designer and visual artist born and brought up in Mumbai, India. Currently working in the UI/UX field, I also freelance as a brand designer and illustrator. I’m constantly trying to explore different mediums and styles for my work which finds its inspiration from scenarios in my everyday life, food and pop culture. Doing personal work is very important to me as a creative and I make sure to keep evolving as a person through it. I’m a fitness enthusiast who enjoys cooking and loves to spend time around dogs and plants!

Describe the city you’re living in and what it’s like to live there.

I’ve lived in Mumbai all my life till I had to shift to Bangalore, India for work last year and so far, it’s been the best experience of my life! India is a melting pot of many cultures and even two metropolitan cities can have very different experiences. Bangalore is like the Silicon Valley of India where there’s a lot of tech-driven startups and the people you come across are always so full of amazing ideas that it keeps you on your feet and motivated to keep creating and tap into your best creative potential. 

India is a melting pot of many cultures and even two metropolitan cities can have very different experiences.

What is the best and worst thing about living in your city?

The best thing is definitely the weather! It’s beautiful all year round and can make it easier to get through any bad day except the worst part which is definitely the travel. It has the worst traffic in the world which, believe it or not, also made me miss my flight once.

Give us 3 words that describe what it’s like to be a creative in your city.

Stimulating, Exciting, Purposeful

How did you start your career in art?

My mother always encouraged me in terms of doing anything artsy since I was a kid, and even when the time came to choose a career path, she was the one who pushed me to do something in the creative field. I did not know what communication design was till I started my course in my graduating college -Pearl Academy and everything after that has been an amazing journey of finding what I truly love doing, taking up freelance projects right from my second year in college, and learning beyond college assignments through the industry projects I would keep doing. People don’t seem to understand the importance of having a career in art and design- it’s a superpower and a blessing. You get to do everything under the sun, even beyond your formal education and find your way around to changing the world.

People don’t seem to understand the importance of having a career in art and design- it’s a superpower and a blessing. You get to do everything under the sun, even beyond your formal education and find your way around to changing the world.

Were the people around you supportive of your decision on working as a creative?

In India, the arts field is seen as something you do if you’re not ‘smart enough’ to take up the sciences or business and everyone around you is constantly choosing between becoming an engineer/doctor/lawyer because of the pressure from families and society in general. I feel so happy to have had a very supportive family and friends who actually encouraged me to take up Design because they knew I wouldn’t have enjoyed anything else as a career choice.

I absolutely love what I do and if I struggle with anything, I just happily take it up as a challenge to overcome and become better at solving problems and bringing joy!

What are some goals and ambitions you have for your future work?

I’ve always seen design as something that can actually make a difference in the world through compassion. Living in 2020, there’s a new set of problems every single day and I constantly find myself thinking about how to change any of those problems. I feel very deeply about being a responsible designer and I make sure to bring in that aspect for all the work that I do. My future work definitely needs to be a reflection of all the things I care about and have a voice for, while also challenging myself to keep updating my skills in different areas of design with different mediums to bring about change in the smallest way possible.

I’ve always seen design as something that can actually make a difference in the world through compassion.

If you could collaborate with any person in the world who would it be?

Greta Thunberg and Jessica Walsh. Greta is the superhero of our times and it would be amazing to help her help all of us! Jessica Walsh has been such an inspiration for all the cool and quirky work she does, I’d love to collaborate with both of them together on something.

How would you describe the women around you?

I am blessed to have an army of amazing women who have practically raised me to become the independent woman that I am today. My mom, sisters, best friends, all of them are so strong and aspirational towards their own goals in life that it’s inspiring to see Beyonce’s song ‘Who run the world’ actually present itself in real life.

I am blessed to have an army of amazing women who have practically raised me to become the independent woman that I am today.

Were there any local female creatives that you looked up to when you were growing up?

Growing up, creativity meant fashion, Bollywood, TV ads, and sitcoms that we watched over and over again but I don’t think I ever really noticed the actual creative work which goes behind anything in the entertainment business and otherwise. I started to discover these things only once I joined design school and my appreciation for people and their crafts immediately shot up. Ever since then I’ve been following the works of so many Indian creators not just in my field but throughout the spectrum- graphics, fashion, wedding planning, interior decoration, film, illustration, books, blogs, the list goes on and the women behind all of these now just keep getting better. It’s so empowering!

Are there any challenging aspects of being a female in your industry?

I’ve been lucky enough to not face any challenges in getting projects because of my gender, but I have faced issues in the process of working regardless. There have been times when people have wanted to work with me just because of the way I look, wanting to become friends with me just through the way of work which can sometimes be inappropriate and that makes you wonder if the appreciation for your work is genuine or not. That’s when you guys come to the rescue! Women supporting women is the best kind of validation you can get, so thank you for what you do.

I’d give the same advice that I would probably give my younger self- Take your time and find what you love doing.

Do you have any advice to young women who are aspiring to work in your field?

I’d give the same advice that I would probably give my younger self- Take your time and find what you love doing. You might like 10 different things and that’s fine, but try to find the one thing that really burns your night lamp and keep working on getting better at it. Young creatives often feel like they’re not good enough in the sea of already fabulous creatives out there so they shy away from sharing their work. The best thing I’ve learned over the years is that- there’s no one like you and there’s never going to be a saturation of creators. Keep creating, keep sharing your work, and most importantly- have a lot of fun!

What type of music do you like to listen to?

Anything except House, EDM, or any electronic music. I can’t stand it. But I Personally love Jazz, and soft rock the most!

What’s your favorite local food spot?

Pizza Express. I’m so obsessed with the place I think I can eat all my meals, everyday from there.

What question would you like us to ask the next artist?

‘Have you ever had the imposter syndrome? How did you overcome it’

Photos courtesy of Anushka Tendolkar