Ishanya 2021
Creative Head
I headed the Creatives Team for Ishanya 2021, the annual design fest organized by the Department of Design at IIT Guwahati. I co-led a team of 18 exceptionally talented creatives, collaborating virtually during the pandemic lockdown. The event was a success, featuring renowned speakers from both India and abroad, and creating a supportive community for new designers and design enthusiasts.
Date : 2020 - 2021
Location : Guwahati
Links : Instagram
.png)
Ishanya
ईशान्या | North East
What is Ishanya?
Ishanya is the annual design fest organized by the Department of Design at IIT Guwahati, led by students. It serves as more than just a design conference; it’s a community for design enthusiasts and newcomers. The event features thesis exhibitions, conferences, panel discussions, competitions, and workshops. The 2021 edition was held virtually, making it accessible to both a pan-Indian and international audience.
As a student-led initiative, the teams are divided into marketing, events, creatives, and social media. I had the opportunity to co-head the creative team, where I developed and implemented the visual identity and branding for the fest.
Role : Co-Head
(Project Management, Creative Direction, Team Management, Illustration, Video Editing)
Goals: To create Visual Identity, Website, Social Media Content, Merhcandise, 3D and 2D Graphics, Promo Videos for Ishanya 2021.
Timeline : 3 Months
.jpg)
The Process
Kanban boards for each theme
Timeline
The Visual Identity
The Logo
The logo evolves from the existing Ishanya arrow design by adding a circle, transforming the arrow into a question mark. This modification plays on the theme of speculative design, emphasizing inquiry and exploration of the future. The lines from the icon mark are extended into the logo wordmark, seamlessly integrating with different languages, including Hindi and Assamese.
The Colors
The color palette explores unconventional combinations, blending sober, serious tones with brighter, more hopeful shades to create a new, unexpected harmony.
The Graphics
The visual identity captures the uncertain and emerging nature of the future. This is conveyed through halftone patterns, symbolizing the hazy, in-progress nature of what lies ahead. Patterns were created using the wordmark logo. The team leveraged their strengths to interpret the theme through various mediums, including illustrations, 3D artworks, animated videos, and websites, creating a myriad of visuals.
The Website
The Socials
The Merchandise
The Exhibition
The event
The conferences and talks were hosted on Airmeet, a virtual platform that facilitated live interactions, comments, and post-session collaborations. Mini events were also held on campus for students who were residing there.
5 - 9 May, 2021
Behind the scenes
Instagram is the primary social media platform used by the client. Mockups were created to visualize how the branding elements would integrate into the brand's Instagram page. The goal was to keep it visually focused, highlighting the product, people, and experience. Menus and invite cards were designed with a structured layout, ensuring all important information is clearly displayed.
Brief : To create a visual Identity for Sakaré, primarily for a digital platform.
Role : Lead Designer
Deliverables : Logo, Product Photography, Brand Graphics
Timeline : 3 Weeks
.png)
The Team
Instagram is the primary social media platform used by the client. Mockups were created to visualize how the branding elements would integrate into the brand's Instagram page. The goal was to keep it visually focused, highlighting the product, people, and experience. Menus and invite cards were designed with a structured layout, ensuring all important information is clearly displayed.
Brief : To create a visual Identity for Sakaré, primarily for a digital platform.
Role : Lead Designer
Deliverables : Logo, Product Photography, Brand Graphics
Timeline : 3 Weeks
Takeaway
With the pandemic disrupting traditional communication methods, we had to establish a system for virtual collaboration across India. In my role, mentoring juniors became crucial, providing them with support and motivation to help them stay focused on the larger goal. This involved offering constant affirmations and validation for their work. I also learned how to make significant decisions and resolve conflicts with my co-head when our ideas clashed. Time management became essential, as planning ahead and allowing for buffer time proved to be critical. Despite it being my first experience in project management, I enjoyed the process of overseeing projects and keeping everything on track.
Say yes to new things.
Acknowledgements
The entire experience was delightful, filled with its share of ups and downs, but we came together as a team and made the fest a success.
Special thanks to Abhishek for his unwavering support and for believing in us, no matter how small the detail. A big thank you to Siddharth for always having my back and for his exceptional skills. Watching him create magical type art in seconds was truly inspiring. I am deeply grateful to every member of the creatives team. Their unique interpretations of the theme and your contributions were invaluable. I loved seeing how each of one of them showcased their creativity, and I’m proud of the growth and achievements we made together for Ishanya. Finally, thanks to my fellow heads for coordinating and ensuring smooth communication throughout the process. Their collaboration was key to the event’s success. I would also like to mention Dr. D. Udaya Kumar Sir for helping us out with the event, and inspiring us.
Creatives Co-Head : Siddarth Kumar
Convenor : Abhishek Dhar
Creatives Team :
Aastha Bhat
Ace Nallawar
Arjun Bharadwaj
Daniel Dias
Elishan Jami
Gangadhar Koppula
Gyan Anchan
Madhurya Naren
Meghna Manivannan
Muskan Kushwaha
Nandita Dhindsa
Pranay Singh
Priyanshi Chaudhari
Purajit Niko Sonowal
Spandan Das
Tejas Bhaladare
Thorigso Luikham
Viral Gupta
Team Ishanya:
Anjali Venugopal
Aman Chandra
Leela Gandhavir
Manesa Krichna Mao
Mavika Boyini
Mrigank Mohan
Prakash Chandra
Sagar Purushottam
Shraddha Shaju
Siddarth Kumar
Vishnu Suresh
The Theme
The theme, "When Tomorrow Comes Today," was inspired by the disruption of daily routines caused by the pandemic, giving speculative design a fresh perspective. The pandemic halted the world and set it on an unprecedented course, urging us to envision a future beyond the predictable. The tagline, "What do you choose to question when tomorrow comes today?" invites us to challenge and rethink the boundaries of fiction and reality.
Video starts at 4:55 Mark
Extras
Documentation
Take a look at the team's documentation for the event!
.png)
.png)
.png)
