48hourslogo Featured Designer – avatar

So how does an architect become a logo designer? We’ll find out in this new interview with avatar!

She goes by avatar, but her real name is Ishwarya Kamban. Those who know her call her Kathy. At twenty-five years old, she’s married to Richard, who is a HR in the automotive industry. Together they have been blessed with a brand-new, beautiful baby girl just last August. Kathy is fluent in English, French, and Tamil, who lives in Chennai, India.

You will notice in her portfolio many impressive logo illustrations, great use of attention-grabbing colors, and a wide variety in styles of logo designs. Kathy has over 150 contest wins to date, with many satisfied customers giving raving reviews. In this interview we find out what food makes her drool, the specific contests she tries out for, and how her particular background give her an edge.

ABOUT AVATAR

Kathy! Thanks you for taking some time for us today.
So you’re from Chennai, how does that influence you as a designer?
I am an ARCHITECT basically, so everything around me from a lying down trashcan to buildings inspire me.

What kind of hobbies do you have when you’re not designing?
Yup! Making movies, sketching, photography, and I love cooking. Had them before, and now everything is just with my little angel.

Can you name one of your favorite things?
Dressing up my younger brother and making a movie out of it.

What’s one of your least favorite thing?
Taking my dog for a walk, most of the time I get dragged by him!

Let’s say you’ve been offered one superpower that you get to pick, what would you choose?
The power of communicating with God. I have loads of questions to ask him face to face…

Where do you see yourself one year from now?
A good mother with an established architecture + design firm.

Anything in your refrigerator that you’re excited about?
Shawarma – God! I just drool thinking about it.

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title would be?
I don’t know what would inspire someone to write that, let him or her name it.
Writing a biography about me in itself is big.

ABOUT DESIGN

So Kathy, can you share a bit about your experience starting as a graphic designer?
Yes! I am self-taught. I learned Photoshop for doing architecture presentations, then designed pamphlets for small talk shows and cultural in college, and came along as a logo designer. I’ve been doing this since 2010.

Do you have any artistic influences?
It’s basically in my blood.

Are there any certain types of contests that you are drawn to?
Yes! I love mascot designing contests.

Let’s talk about favorites – are any designs you’ve submitted special to you?
Fire ’N’ Ice, but unfortunately I didn’t win.

Can you give any advice to any rookie designers out there?
Keep designing, put forth your best… God will do the rest.

What thought goes through your mind when you start working on a logo?
Will I be able to successfully transfer my mental image into a logo?

Do you have any advice for business owners about to start a contest?
A lot more information on what they do and what they deal with will seriously help us for better understanding.

How would you explain logo design using three sentences or less?
Our design is one’s identity.

ABOUT 48HOURSLOGO

Tell us what type of work you were in before joining up here.
I was working as an architect and then I quit my job for it was too limiting, no freedom of expression. Had to go only by traditional concepts that have been followed by for ages.

How did you come across 48hourslogo.com?
I was looking for architecture design competitions and found none, then I browsed for design competitions in general and found 48hourslogo. I tried and I won the first competition itself! From there on my journey as a graphic designer began. That was in 2010.

Is there anything you like in particular about our site?
It’s very friendly and highly trustworthy. Plus it’s where I got my first win.
I love the blind contests and claiming finalist prizes.

Has your life changed at all since joining up?
I will definitely say that my life has been awesome after joining 48hourslogo. One of my dreams was to get an Apple laptop for my father and it happened only because of this site, its not a big dream to others but it is for me.

What is one improvement you would like to see the site make?
It would be to display the contests with ending time only.

WHAT BUSINESSES ARE SAYING ABOUT AVATAR

“Designs were great, and revisions were made promptly and always exactly how we asked for them. Thank you.”

“Thank you for doing an excellent job. This was our first time using this site so it took some getting used to. But we are extremely pleased with the outcome.”

“Love my logo! Better than I could have ever dreamed of! Avatar was always patient withe the revision process. Thanks!”

“Kathy was very responsive and and open to requests or suggestions. Not only did she respond to requests and suggestions very well, but her natural creative flair for design actually changed what I had in mind and very much for the better! I am extremely pleased and would recommend her without hesitation. Thanks a lot Kathy – Great work !!”

“Great work, fast responses, quick final package turn-around! You rock!!!”

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Thank you so much to Kathy for taking time to share a bit of her world with us! Congratulations on the new baby girl. If I were writing your biography I would call it Building with Beauty, ya know, something to tie your architecture background with your beautiful artwork. Just an idea.

How do you like avatar’s logo designs? Want to see more – check out her portfolio page!

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