“I will always enjoy the privilege of having learned from the company of my faculty. They would solve any issue right away. The whole University was very friendly. In just one year, I started feeling like a part of a tremendously creative family. I feel very proud to be an alumnus of University of Brighton and of MA Sequential Design/ Illustration.”
Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences.
I write and illustrate stories of how nature has inspired and continues to inspire the advances in human-made technology. Like most of us, I am deeply drawn to the beauty and the technology of the trees. I follow the latest trends in biomimicry, and I love visualizing complex systems. Conceptually, my work is inspired by the published works of Barukh Spinoza, Benoit Mandelbrot, and Sir Richard Buckminster Fuller. My storytelling process follows the tracks of J. R. R. Tolkien. And I find myself always exploring new artists who work in the traditional pen-and-ink drawing. Incidentally, one of my biggest inspirations in the world of illustration is John Lockwood Kipling, the first principal of Mayo School of Arts, Lahore- from where I graduated in Architecture.
“I am SO happy that I picked this course, because it delivered everything on the website and much more. The interdisciplinary approach was just perfect, and all the aspects of the program worked in complete harmony with each other.”
Can you tell us a bit about what brought you to doing a postgraduate degree and this course in particular?
When I was searching for a good international program in illustration, I did not know about University of Brighton. I remember scrolling down the course description on the webpage, and getting more and more excited about it as I read on. I am SO happy that I picked this course, because it delivered everything on the website and much more. The interdisciplinary approach was just perfect, and all the aspects of the program worked in complete harmony with each other.
Can you tell us about your favourite part of your studies and how it helped the development of you and your practice?
I would list them down:
- A perfect balance of research and its application: The course was designed in a manner that every week we received just the maximum amount of taught/learning component that we could absorb and apply on our projects. The rate at which the new material was shared with us; and the instances at which new workshops, lectures, field trips, and other exercises were introduced, was just excellent. Since there were over 60 students enrolled in the course- and each one was a unique and outstanding talent, I assume it would be like conducting a long but beautiful orchestra. At this point, I must appreciate the course leader, Lizzie Finn and her entire team.
- The teaching faculty, the support staff, and the administration in general: I will always enjoy the privilege of having learned from the company of my entire faculty. They would solve any issue right away. The whole University was very friendly. In just one year, I started feeling like a part of a tremendously creative family. I feel very proud to be an alumnus of University of Brighton and of MA Sequential Design/ Illustration.
- Individual projects with a continuous, and (actually) very effective guidance throughout the process: Every student among us had a unique and a beautiful concept for a project. The faculty encouraged every project with the same rigour but with the unique and specialized guidance that it needed. As a result, we saw that every project evolved successfully and beautifully as the program went on.
Were there any staff who particularly inspired you?
Yes! Lizzie Finn. Our entire faculty was wonderful, but I was most inspired by Lizzie’s teaching methodology because she always emphasized on the importance of an empirical approach to creative processes albeit she never used the word empirical. She recommended the most relevant case studies that helped us all a lot, and she helped me bring enormous clarity to my project. In the hindsight, it feels like that in the beginning I wanted to solve all the problems of the world in just one project. Thankfully, gradually, with regular discussions, compelling research evidence (from both practice and academia), and exciting workshops and tutorials, my project found its lane. And I saw my emphasis shifting from the result (imagined in my head) to the consistency of the process at hand.
“I was most inspired by course leader Lizzie Finn’s teaching methodology because she always emphasized on the importance of an empirical approach to creative processes albeit she never used the word empirical. She recommended the most relevant case studies that helped us all a lot, and she helped me bring enormous clarity to my project.”
Gradually, the shift became so natural that without realizing it, I ended up developing a full children’s book as a small Easter project- besides the main project. Had I been thinking about developing a complete book in such short period, it would have sounded impossible. But by continuously filtering out irrelevant data, and by focusing in on what aligned well with the objective, I was able to produce a beautiful little story and illustrate it too. I was also inspired by how well Lizzie put together and organized this whole course. We were introduced to the industry-leading professionals through online and in-person lectures and tutorials. And above all, perhaps, I found Lizzie to be the most kind-hearted, friendly, and a beautiful human being. In my experience, she wouldn’t say great things about herself. When you talk to her, you listen to her, and you work with her, then very soon, you see it for yourself that she is simply the best. And, for a student, that is very inspiring in its own right!
Also, I am infinitely grateful to Saskia Cameron: such incredible talent! She is a genius truly! Lousie Colbourne: tremendously creative and knowledgeable, with a single swish of her wand she can turn the whole outlook around and make something more exciting and more beautiful! Ottilie Hainsworth: she was an amazing artist and researcher, and she inspired us all a lot! Similarly, Karen helped us tremendously with developing our reports, forever grateful to her as well! and to everyone who inspired us all through amazing tutorials and workshops! I would also include our CR’s for the class here, specially Rory, Eden, and Gyounng Eun, who always volunteered when needed, and were excellent talent in themselves, and will hopefully always remain my good friends.
What does Brighton mean to you now?
Brighton is where my friends are. From my neighbors, to the shopkeepers nearby, to all the beautiful people I have met here, to the seagulls, and the dogs (dogs used to bring a sort of fright in my heart before coming to Brighton, now I feel nothing but love for them), the magnificent beach, the buses, the gardens, oh how much I love it all. I think, I love Lahore and Brighton most dearly because Mashal and I have lived in these two cities together.
What are your plans after graduation?
I will be drawing, and I will be researching. I will also be reading and writing. So, let’s see.
Finally, what would you say to anyone considering post-graduate study?
Speaking for my course, MA Sequential Design/ Illustration, I’d say that sometimes, at least, you must have felt that you know it all- about your field, I mean. And that you would bring a whole new dimension to the course should you join it. Well, of course you would, but I’d suggest that you join with an open mind and an open heart. You would have your own project (you would be required to submit its synopsis before the start of the term), but be prepared to learn and do new things, and if those new processes tend to take you in new directions, then don’t hesitate. You will always have the guidance of very competent staff. Who knows, maybe you will discover a whole new set of possibilities in you that you never knew existed before. So, work passionately, and enjoy every moment until you find the absolute best version of yourself; and then why stick to that version forever. Why not be a new best version tomorrow, and then on the day after, and so on.
Find out about studying MA Sequential Design / Illustration at Brighton.
