Interviews
‘Every decision in design needs to have a reason behind it’
Apeejay Institute of Design student explains what really attracted him to pursue graphic design
For Umar Bin Zubair, graphic design is more than creating visually appealing work—it is about communicating ideas, building identities, and telling meaningful stories. A Graphic Design student at Apeejay Institute of Design (AID), Umar has developed a keen interest in branding and visual identity while exploring packaging, illustration, and other forms of visual communication. Alongside his academic journey, he has gained valuable industry exposure by working on live client projects across India, the UK, and Dubai. In this interview, Umar shares how Apeejay Institute of Design has shaped his creative thinking, strengthened his design approach, and prepared him for the evolving world of design.
What drew you to graphic design, and how has AID shaped your approach?
What really attracted me to graphic design was the idea that you can take something that exists only in your head and turn it into something people can actually see and connect with. Before studying design, I used to look at things very simply — either something looked good to me or it didn’t. Apeejay changed that quite a bit. Now I find myself asking why something works. Why this typography? Why this colour? Who is the audience? What is the idea behind it? Especially, with branding and packaging, I’ve realised that design is not just about making things look good. Every decision needs to have a reason behind it.
How important is visual storytelling in design?
I think it’s extremely important because people connect with stories and emotions much faster than they connect with information. Even without saying much, a brand can communicate a lot through its typography, colours, imagery and overall visual language. So whenever I’m designing, I try to understand what I want the audience to feel first. Once that is clear, it becomes much easier to decide what the design should actually look like.
How is Apeejay Institute of Design fostering your growth?
Apeejay has basically given me the environment to experiment. You’re constantly getting new briefs, exploring different mediums and receiving feedback from faculty. Sometimes you start a project thinking you have a great idea and then, after a critique, you realise there’s a completely different way of looking at it. That process has helped me develop my thinking. I would say Apeejay has given me the foundation, and the client work I do outside college gives me the opportunity to test that foundation in the real world.
