Kulsum Mohammed - Creativity Is a Prerequisite Skill For Branding & Web Design (Founder Creative Vision Studios From India)

 

Brand & Web design is a field where a designer creates a custom visual identity for a business based on strategy and research. The visual identity can include different types of logos, patterns, Pintable’s, Business Collaterals, and assets (like business cards, thank you cards, etc), Social media aesthetics and design, Custom Website design, etc. 

1. Tell us about yourself and your journey.

So, I am a self-taught graphic designer. I have always been very creative and into art and craft since childhood. I used to create illustrations and sketches long back, but I stumbled upon graphic design during the lockdown. I was working in the IT sector at that time and started to design posters and business cards for local businesses just as a hobby. 

I found that I enjoyed this very much and decided to gather more information about this. I started to learn more about branding, graphic design, and brand strategy, and the more I learned about this the more interested I became in this field. I kept designing for local businesses, friends, and family and kept improving my skills. Fast forward to July 2021, Creative vision studios was born!

2. What made you go into the field of brand design and web design and how did you become so good in this field?

The field of brand and web design has its many appeals, but the aspect that I get to create beautiful designs that are not only visually appealing but also strategically right for a brand and will help the brand grow and attract their target audience is what makes me fall in love with my work every day.

See there is no shortcut to becoming good in any field, it just takes a lot of hard work, consistency, and the drive to keep going no matter what. It was the same for me, once I decided that this is the direction for me, I started by learning the basics and fundamentals of design, and then I went on to learn and master the software. 

I started looking for the designers who have excelled and began following their journey & learning from them. I still keep gathering knowledge from anywhere I can. And I think that’s the key, no matter which stage you are in your field just keep learning as much as you can, from whichever source you can.

3.  Is creativity a prerequisite skill to enter this field or are there some other skills as well that one needs to be well versed in?

Yes, I think creativity is a prerequisite skill for branding & web design. But along with creativity, you need to be a strategic thinker with excellent communication and leadership skills. Essentially in this field, you are a problem solver, so you need to have strong people skills, with the ability to visualize the problem and the solution. 

You need to be able to present the solution to the client in such a way that they find it beautiful and understand the strategy behind it. You need to have excellent command over the design software and adept knowledge of brand strategy and design concepts.

4. What brands did you help and how did you help them?

I have worked with many brands from the UK, USA, UAE, and India. Most of the businesses that come to me are looking for a Vibrant, Colourful, and Bold branding for their business. Crafting a brand identity along with a brand strategy that is not only bold and bright but also tactical and strategic for them is my main goal. The branding that I have created for them helps them to attract their target audience and market their business in the best way possible.

5. What are brand designing and web designing and what exactly does one need to do in this field?

Brand & Web design is a field where a designer creates a custom visual identity for a business based on strategy and research. The visual identity can include different types of logos, patterns, Pintable’s, Business Collaterals, and assets (like business cards, thank you cards, etc), Social media aesthetics and design, Custom Website design, etc. 

These are created after doing proper research for the brand and creating a brand strategy and Creative direction. These are then handed over to the client along with the brand documents, and they can use the identity to launch their business or upgrade an existing business and give it a strategic, cohesive look & feel, that helps them to grow.

6. What's the right approach to finding clients?

Finding Clients is the main problem that all designers face at one point in their business. But see there is no secret to finding clients, you just need to keep putting your work on different social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, Behance, etc. Designers need to know their target audience and need to keep creating content that will attract them. You also need to show yourself and your process so that people can connect with you if your audience connects with you and will automatically start finding work.

7. What course or resources did you use and what do you do to upskill yourself in this field?

As I said before I am a self-taught designer, so I had to learn a lot about the intricacies of the field and business. I have used YouTube, Udemy, Skillshare, and Instagram as my resources a lot. To improve my knowledge & skills, I just keep practicing and learning every day, as I think that is the only key for excelling in any field.

8. What are your tips for first-time and aspiring brand designers and web designers?

My first tip would be to learn about the field, the industry in as much detail as you can, learn about the software. Then Invest in courses and improve your skills. Work on your communication skills, create an amazing design portfolio with your best work & a design process that is hassle-free and easy for your clients, learn to market and sell your work, and show your aspiring clients that you are a professional in the field, be consistent and Show up. If you are not ready to work on and for your business seriously and consistently then how can you expect the clients to believe in you and your work?

9. What's the future of Brand design and web design since not many are aware of this field?

As I see in India, this is a fairly new concept and people are not much aware about it, but if you observe Europe, the USA, Australia, and other foreign countries, you can see those brands and businesses over their believe in getting a professional brand designer for their business. That’s why most of my clients are from foreign countries.

In India people don’t believe in spending a significant amount of money for branding as they don’t understand the concept and the need for it, they think the work of a brand design is to create a logo, but it's far more than that. Here people don’t understand that getting a professional brand identity that is created based on in-depth analysis and strategy can do wonders for your business. 

I see on Instagram, there are so many small businesses operating without a strategy and cohesive branding, and it takes them years and years to finally attract proper clients and customers! If these businesses have a proper brand strategy done for them, they will know their target audience and know what type of content to create to attract them. So yes, I don’t see brand design becoming very popular in India in the near future, but I hope it does!

10. Are there any books related to brand design and web design that one could learn from?

There are lots and lots of books to learn from, like -

1. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
2. Designing Brand Identity - by Alina Wheeler
3. Positioning: The battle for your mind - by Al Ries & Jack Trout
4. The 22 immutable laws of branding - by Al Ries & Laura Ries
5. The business of brands - by Jon Miller & David Muir
6. What is Branding? - by Matthew Healey
7. Branding: In Five and a Half Steps - by Michael Johnson
8. Identity Designed: The Definitive Guide to Visual Branding
9. Book of Branding: A guide to creating brand identity for startups and beyond - by Radim Malinic
10. Creating a Brand Identity: A guide for designers - by Catharine Slade-Brooking

Bio - I'm Kulsum, a brand and web designer based in India. I have a deep love for bold & playful colour palettes, vibrant textures, and fun typography. I am obsessed with all things art & design. My personal design style is Bright, Stylish & Colourful, and I love to explore a variety of different styles in my work.

I am the founder and creative director at Creative Vision Studios, and I started this studio to help more creative people & small businesses thrive & achieve abundant success with strategic branding & web design. I truly believe conscious & intentional design is essential in reaching this goal. Creative Vision studios are passionate about visualizing your brand goals through meaningful, Empowering, Bold & Stylish branding & website design. We at CV Studios, work with lifestyle brands & creative entrepreneurs and help in creating a visual identity that is best for an ever-evolving business industry.

Interviewed By - Shashank Sehgal