An interview with Mitali Sampat
Illustrator, artist, and multimedia designer
An illustrator, artist, and multimedia designer, Mitali Sampat grew up in Dubai in the UAE. After high school, she went on to study Fine Arts at Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art in Mumbai, India. Since graduating from university, she’s been working as a multimedia designer and illustrator in Dubai, where she’s been for the past 7 years.
How did you end up in your current line of work?
I had been drawing and painting since I was a kid. I always knew I wanted to do something creative. I wanted to be an artist or an author in school. When my older sister started studying graphic design, I thought that could be a cool career. I’d get to listen to music while working! And so I went with that.
You've worked with brands such as Sharjah Art Foundation, Tashkeel, KAVE, The Greats, zomato, and Virgin Megastore How have these programs helped you in your career as an artist and illustrator so far?
It’s helped my career because I have got to dabble in a variety of projects with these brands; like designing brand identites, drawing comics, creating custom illustrations for marketing campaigns and conducting art workshops. It’s been a lot of fun; and I’m thankful everyday that I get to do what I love, which is create.
Where do you find inspiration for your work? What is your muse?
I find inspiration everywhere, in the little things around me. I love good food, it always inspires me. Nature is a big source of inspiration; the constellations of stars at night and the vibrant gradients of sunsets. I read a lot; so graphic novels, manga and animated films give me ideas. And Pinterest, of course; I love it.
As someone who has spent many years living as an expat, what fosters your sense of identity?
As an Indian kid growing up in a cosmopolitan city like Dubai, I was exposed to a variety cultures and traditions from a very young age. I love old school Bollywood music, along with contemporary Arab pop, Afro pop, and Alternative/Indie; I love eating desi chaat, plus fresh hot falafel or pancit from my colleagues’ lunchboxes. So I’d say my sense of identity is a mixed bag of diverse experiences.
What defines home to you?
Home is with the people I love, which is my family. But the older I get, the more I think of home as an old date palm tree.
What has been the most challenging part of your career so far?
The most challenging part would be dealing with clients. It’s about mastering the art of understanding the brief while defending the creative liberties you have taken to elevate the final piece. That’s why my sketchbook is my unfiltered space, where I get to express my art fully the way I want.
What about the most rewarding?
The most rewarding is the creative process and making impact. I enjoy brainstorming and being at that stage in a project where anything is possible. And then the satisfaction you feel with the final artwork.
How would you describe your style of art/illustration?
My art practice involves different facets like illustration, graphic design, animation and traditional painting. My overall visual style tends to have a ligne claire (clear line) vibe, which is inspired by Hergé’s Tintin drawings. The miniature paintings of India also use a similar style of line art.
You've hosted a series of workshops on collage art as well as illustration. What inspired you to get involved with these?
I think everyone can be creative. It’s a skill which needs to be honed; and there’s a kind of magic in art which most adults forget to experience once they grow up. So many people I meet tell me they used to love drawing as a kid and then they stopped. There is no reason to stop honestly.
What do you enjoy most about these workshops?
I enjoy meeting the people who attend these workshops, seeing them discover a new way of creating or ideating.
What are the financial realities of being a professional artist in this day and age? Do you think it is possible for someone to make a living as a full-time illustrator or traditional artist, or realistically, do you think the majority of people in this line of work need to sustain themselves with a day job to pay the bills?
A day job is definitely needed to pay the bills. Since I’m a graphic designer by day, the good part is sometimes I get an illustration-based project in my 9-6 job. It’s harder and more uncertain, money-wise, to be a full-time illustrator or traditional artist.
If you could write a letter to your younger self, what are the 3 main things you'd like to tell her?
Your art is important and holds value. Be patient. Don’t doubt yourself so much.
What advice would you give to young artists seeking to build their careers in the way you have?
Maintain a sketchbook or visual journal, talk to people from different walks of life, and keep creating consistently.
What are your top three tips for fostering one's creativity?
Meditate daily, keep an ideas book (write the most bizarre ideas down), and play some board games.
You've released a comedic slice-of-life digital comic book called Maya's Magic. Can you tell us a bit about it?
Its a Webtoon comic about a witch called Maya, who has a lot of cool ideas but gets into all sorts of trouble because she’s one of those ‘meddling kids’ (haha).
While some people are afraid of developments like artificial intelligence, for instance, others embrace new technology (from iPad's Procreate to digital realms in which to publish their work to wider audiences), simply seeing it as another tool for creating art. What are your thoughts on the intersection of technology and art?
I’m a graphic designer by day and use Figma or Adobe software for my work. Elements of artificial intelligence are already being used within the latest versions of Photoshop to clean up backgrounds in images. However, there is an overuse of artificial intelligence; which is making people crave hand-based artwork more, since it feels more authentic. So I think both can co-exist together, only the nature of mainstream graphic design and drawing tools might change in the next 5 years.
If you could travel to any fictional world, what would it be and why?
It would have to be Hogwarts. As a kid, the Harry Potter series helped me escape, and as an adult, I’d still like to escape (please let me go, adulting is tiring).
What type of stories do you enjoy most? Any particular favorites?
Anything imaginative and intriguing; I love mysteries and coming-of-age books and movies. For reading, it would be the Harry Potter series, Roald Dahl books, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Catcher in the Rye and many more. I am partial towards animated movies; especially stop motion and anime like Kubo and the Two Strings, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl’s Moving Castle.
If you could pick any superpower, what would it be and why?
To be able to turn into a sperm whale, because I want to explore the depths of the ocean.
What might surprise people about you? Do you have any hidden talents?
I’m not sure if it’s a hidden talent but I love hiking and bouldering.
If I were to peek into your fridge on any given day, what would I usually find?
I usually have milk and laban in my fridge. Frozen peas, olives, lettuce, spinach, leftover dal and rice is a usual suspect, and lots of home-made pickles. You'll find berries, Indian sweets and dark chocolate. I also tend to have a few types of cheeses; favorites being Parmesan, Smoked Gouda and that good old processed Kraft cheese.
If the story of your life was to be turned into a book or a film, what would it be called and why?
The Secretly Random World of a Confused Artist. It would be a slice of life sort of book or film, I’d imagine.
If you could curate a dream dinner party guest list - with anyone you wish, living or dead - who would snag one of 10 seats around the table (and why)?
J.K. Rowling—I know there is a lot of controversy around her Twitter opinions recently, but I do admire her and would genuinely like to understand how she navigated writing Harry Potter.
To learn more about Mitali and her work, you can visit her website here. You can find her on Instagram at @mitali.sa
