Cover design
My journey with book cover design started way back in my student days. Imagine, using metallic or plastic blocks for printing each color- primary, secondary, or tertiary- separately prepared. Often, we used to create a third color carefully printing two colors one over another! Over time, I went from hand-drawn illustrations and traditional paints like gouache and watercolor pencils to embracing the digital world. Today, I use Photoshop, PowerPoint, and often Illustrator along with photography, and even screen prints on handmade papers, for a unique touch.
But just looking good doesn’t suffice. I'm driven to create designs by meaningful use of colors and calligraphy to capture the themes and mood of each book. Sometimes, I add digitally created textures to make the cover more inviting.
Illustration
My book illustrations have been for children, collaborating for Bangla Academy, the national academy for publishing and researching on Bangla language and literature, and for other publishing houses. I’ve drawn monochrome illustrations trying to reflect the narratives and convey the emotions effectively. In four-color illustrations, I intend to make use of the interplay of colors as well for making them more engaging for children’s minds.
A core attribute of my book illustrations is cultural sensitivity. I strive to capture the essence of the story while incorporating fresh and unique expressions within each book and literary piece in periodicals. This is for ensuring a visually engaging experience that complements the written words.
Philatelic items
My journey into stamp design began unexpectedly with a 3rd-place win in a national competition for the International Communications Year hosted by Bangladesh Post Office. Thus, my design was featured on one of the commemorative stamps issued for the occasion. This followed another design being awarded in a competition for the occasion of an international summit of Islamic countries held in Bangladesh. From then on, I've had the privilege of collaborating with Bangladesh Post Office on numerous philatelic design projects. I’ve designed all the philatelic items for the ICC World Cup Cricket Tournament held in Bangladesh, and those for the occasions of one Olympic Games, two World Cup Football Tournaments, and two International Years. There are other commemorative and non-commemorative items, including first day covers and revenue stamps, designed by me.
In designing philatelic items, I’ve tried to push boundaries by experimenting with sizes and design styles unconventional Bangladesh- from realistic to schematic- to deliver symbolic and meaningful representation of the topics.
Logo design
Logo design is an ongoing challenge that I relish. I approach each project as a unique opportunity, striving to create logos that are not only simple, memorable, and esthetically pleasing, but also rich with meaning and innovative in their execution. I try and enjoy pushing boundaries and exploring unconventional applications of shape, color, and typography to craft logos that would truly stand out.
Poster design
Poster design holds a special place in my heart. It seems to me a very creative area where both images and calligraphy take key roles in not only grabbing attention but also in impactful communication. I have been involved in designing posters on occasions like all the Annual Conferences of the Anatomical Society of Bangladesh since it's Inception. Earlier, I received the 1st prize for poster design on the theme of "Education: A Right, Not a Privilege" in the worldwide competition for the occasion of one international conference of the International Union of Students in the early eighties. In the late eighties, I had a poster exhibition on contemporary issues with two of my friends.
Photographs
My photographic endeavor delves into the beauty of the overlooked. Rarely capturing human moments or venturing into conventional ‘natural beauty’, I mostly explore the captivating textures and patterns that adorn our surroundings. I am drawn to the natural and man-made textures of weathered bark of trees, impressions on soils or ragged surfaces of human habitations. The raw beauty of a cracked wall, intricate scratches on urban surfaces- these imperfections become my muses. I find inspiration in the lines, shapes, and planes formed by discarded materials, creases on fabric, and the way ropes and wires bind objects together. I capture the dance of electrical wires against the sky, the geometric play of shadows cast by architectural shapes, and the mesmerizing patterns formed by dripping rainwater and algae on walls. The vibrant chaos of Bangladeshi city walls is a constant source of fascination. Layers of ripped posters, sometimes rain-soaked and see-thru’, add exciting dimensions. Combined with splashes of graffiti, they create unexpected juxtapositions. transforming these walls into canvases of humorous or thought-provoking contrasts and harmony. The city buses, with their daily competition etched in scratches on their colorful walls, become subjects brimming with unexpected abstract forms. By experimenting with perspectives, I sometimes try to create painting-like ‘two-dimensional’ images out of three-dimensional juxtapositions of surfaces.