The Interview Series: Pratik Shah owner of his own company Corel Insight, in India
I interview people I have come to know through Corel forums, and who are fellow beta testers of and fellow CorelDRAW users. And some of us have met in real life.
Your Name:
Pratik Shah
Website:
www.corelinsight.com
Style & type of work you produce?
Designs for web & print
You like myself is a user of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite. What was it that made you discover, and drew you to CorelDRAW Graphics Suite?
CorelDRAW is such a simple user friendly application yet so powerful that only an introduction to the software was enough to get going! I took training in computer graphics in a local training institute where I took classes for CorelDRAW. It was a wonderful learning experience. Sadly, my friend, Sandeep Saboo, who introduced me to this software during our college days passed away few years back due to brain haemorrhage.
What year was it?
1992
Which Programs do you use, Corel and none-Corel programs?
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite & Adobe Photoshop for commercial use & FL Studio, Audition for hobby (music).
Do you use any analog tools in conjuntion with your work?
Mouse!
Which year was it you started your business, your work?
1998
Would you recomend CorelDRAW Graphics Suite?
Without a doubt. Its a one stop solution for any designer.
What, more importantly, made you begin working with the work you do today? After all you could have made a career as a hairdresser or something in that line instead, like any other human being.
I was always good at drawing (not illustration) & very fond of different color combinations and obviously a bit of creative mind :). Surely with all these you are destined to meet up with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite some day, isn’t it?
Detail photo fom Pratik Shah´s office, Photo by Pratik
What is that you like with your work?
Simplicity, elagance and all!
In an interview in the Digital Artist Magazine, who interviewed me a few years back, I was asked what I would like to see in future versions of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite. Is there anything you would like to see?
Well, this is tough one; Honestly, I am happy with how CorelDRAW have evolved with every version ever since I started using it. It has happened numerous times with me that while working on a version, and I feel like wish there was this feature and in the next release it was there already!
Do you drink coffee or tea in the morning?
Tea!
What do you think is important to think about running your own business or in your line of work, to think about. Is it discipline or and something else?
Creativity, sense of color combinations & simplicity in design. And yes, all this is possible only when there is discipline :).
For someone just starting out, what do you think they should think about?
Well, every human being thinks different. Every creative mind thinks different. There is no rule. Just do what you think is the best and when the job is done think that the best is yet to come!!
Is there any big change in how and what you worked with when you first started out. Have the business changed in any way?
It has changed definitely. When I (and many like me) started a career as a designer in early 90s, people used to say then, that we graphic designers have taken over the jobs of real artists. And it was true indeed. Those who changed their workflow along with the change in technology, survived. Today, like they say history repeats itself, as a graphic designer, I feel threatened about my career if I don’t stay ahead of time. Yes, print media is diminishing and being taken over slowly by digital publishing. And if I don’t update myself with new technology, its all over.
Thank you! CorelDRAW Rocks!!
– Pratik Shah, Mumbai.
And Thank you Pratik! Yes, CorelDRAW and Photo-Paint Rocks!
It was a pure pleasure as always to talk with you!
January 2012
