Portfolio

design portfolio
about me
Manasi Kothari
about me graphic design space design user experience design concepts photography some thoughts
Qualification:
2007 - 2010 Post Graduate Diploma in Graphic Design,
MIT Institute of Design, Pune, India
2002 - 2005 Graduate Diploma in Computer Aided Interior
Design, Dr. B.N. College of Architecture, Pune, India
2001 - 2002 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Science, Modern
College, Pune, India
Work Experience:
2009 - Project Trainee, Inzane Labs Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India
2009 - Design Intern, Fisheye Design Pvt. Ltd. , New Delhi, India
2005 - 2007 Design Manager, HCP Interior Architecture Pvt. Ltd.
Name: Manasi Kothari
Ahmedabad, India
Date of Birth: August 14, 1984
Achievements:
Permanent Address:
2009 - Runner Up, “Design to Communicate” poster Design
c/o Dr. Rajan Kothari
Competiton, India Design Festival
13/14 Ekbote Colony,
2008 - Winner, “What is Graphic Design?” poster design
Anjali Apartments,
Competition, MIT Institute of Design
Shankersheth Road,
2007 - Best Commercial Interior, Ambuja House Interiors, Indian
Pune: 411 042
Institute of Interior Designers
Maharashtra, India
2005 - Scholarship, Best Final Year Design Project, Dr. B.N College
of Architecture
Contact No.:
2004 - Winner, Interior Design Competition, Elevation 2004,
098810-57722
JRVITI, Pune
Email:
kothari.manasi@gmail.com
Curriculum Vitae References and Testimonials
intentional and not accidental...
These compositions are basic design exercises
to understand the form and space or figure
and ground relationship.
Gestalt’s Principle of figure/Ground shows
perceptual tendency to separate whole figures
from their backgrounds. Everything that is
not figure is ground. As our attention shifts,
the ground also shifts so that an object can go
from figure to ground and then back.
Black lines of the same thickness or lines that are
quite different can form a variety of patterns that
create textures, suggest movement, or lead the
eye - the same as single lines. With about 100 such
exploration of compositions using only black thick
and thin lines this is an attempt to understand the
fundamentals of composition and the power of a
line. This exercise also emphasized on detail and
precision as these are all hand painted
compositions.
Emoticon are often illustrated by depicting facial
expressions. Here taking a different route they are
illustrated using characteristic human actions.
The forms are deliberately kept simple using the
basic elements of design like lines and circles.
The Idea was to destroy the ‘Cubeness’ of a Cube.
Simple paper cubes were used to experiment with
and understanding the basic form and attributes of
a cube various forms were generated which were
definitely derived from a cube but did not resemble
one. The result were interesting and dynamic new
forms.
A small week long workshop with Prof. Mahen-
dra Patel, one of the finest teachers of Design and
Typography resulted in better understanding of the
structure of the basic letter forms and the
importance of precision in type design.
After a thorough study of each individual letter form
10 fonts of varied weights and width were concep-
tualized. This exercise helped develop a keen eye for
precision and the difference between mechanical
and visual/optical correction.
Award winning entry for “Be Responsible to your
Environtment” poster design competition for India
Design Festival, 2009
Award winning entry for “What is Graphic Design?”
poster design competition for MIT Institute of
Design, 2008
Poster Design for a social cause against child
prostitution for the Department of Women and
Child Development and Social Welfare, India.
Hand drawn illustration in photo inks and dry
pastels.
Entry for Poster Design and Tag Line competition for
International Mother Language Day, 2009,
by Design 21.
Book cover design for an autobiography of
Aparajita Ninan a Graphic Artist. Aparajita is
a outspoken, bold, lively individual, though
a soft and sensitive side to her which is a
world unknown to people around her. In
This book Aprajita shares her deepest and
some of her darkest secrets with the
readers.
Having had no formal training in fine art
I have tried to develop my own unique
style and love experimenting with many
different mediums. These illustrations
are in pen and ink for a children’s book
“The Pig Brother”.
The campaign is an integrated brand communication initiative for CocaCola’s clear lime soft
drink brand ‘Sprite’ continuing with the tag line “Seedhi baat no Bakwaas” developed by
Ogilvy & Mather. The strategic communication will focus on building a stronger connect with
not only the youth but also the Indian in general, who is tired of the publicity hungry film
stars, the dishonest corrupt politicians and the inefficient police force. In such a world Sprite
emerges with its refreshingly honest attitude and its unmatched thirst-quenching ability.
Publicity material was designed for a
Marathi short film “Odh” which means
“longing” in English directed by Dr. Swa-
roop Sawanoor. The movie features Dr.
Mohan Agashe in the lead role of a 75 year
old retired IIT professor who lives alone in
Pune. The movie is a very sensitive illus-
tration of the loneliness and emptiness in
the lives of elderly. This man gets so lonely
and depressed that at one point he almost
considers ending his life. In the design I
tried to depict this emptiness syndrome in
his life.
The font used is calligraphed.
The front and back of the three fold
brochure design for the movie when
sent to Film Festivals across the world.
“Gauri” is a film in production. Gauri is a
simple and innocent girl living in a small
village on the Rajasthan on the Pakistan
border. The story revolves around her
life and how it completely changes after
an incident in her life.
The poster is only a conceptual sketch
representation of the publicity material
design material which would include the
poster, brochure, and DVD cover.
AutoPilot is not only a (fictitious) music album but a concept.
Human beings often act as drones, living routine lives, pass-
ing each other without so much as a glance. The music in the
album is aimed at having more human moments by letting go
of the controls of life and letting gravity (life) take over. Live in
the AutoPilot mode.
Trick photography was used to get the images used in the final
artwork.
The year of 2008 and 2009 was one of financial meltdowns,
chaotic weather, a global food crisis, and of course, stock
market crash. This caused a general low in morale amongst
people. The table calendar designed was an attempt to
show the lighter side of this whole mayhem. I combined 12
candid very Indian photographs with appropriate quotes from
famous economists and scholars. The combination has a
flavour of sarcasm and humour.
ARUNIM (Association for Rehabilita-
tion under National Trust Initiative in
Marketing) is a path-breaking initiative
of the National Trust, a statutory body
under the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment. The aim of this initiative
is to sell and market products made by
the specially abled individuals working
with about 600 NGOs across India. They
wish to establish ARUNIM as a premium
quality brand selling quality and well
designed products.
Arunim in sanskrit means sun rays. Like
Arunim the form also is a union of indi-
vidual parts that combine in harmony
to emerge more powerful and grow
together.
The original logo
Pagalguy.com is India’s biggest and most

trusted MBA preparatory resources
website, used by over 500,000 MBA
applicants. Pagalguy.com since 2002
has been sporting a logo with a green
and red smiling CAT, fondly known as
Monsier Green or MG. MG for the past
7 years has developed a personality
and a character. On Pagalguy’s seventh
brithday 7 logo Avatars were created
and hosted on the pagalguy.com portal.
These logos sported the attitude and
personaltiy of the Pagalguy brand.
transforming spaces into places...
The Ambuja House , corporate quarters of
Gujarat Ambuja Cement in Ahmedabad, is a
project that closely followed the ‘shilly-shally’
idiom. The only consistent design brief was to
‘fit in’ maximum number of people - “all facing
in the ‘right’ direction, and all this within a
close-to-impossible budget”. The final result
was well lit, comfortable yet effective work
environment that fosters geniality whilst it
retains the power-packed ambience tailored to
a high-profile company like Ambuja Cement.
The project won various awards.
Tiara’s flagship showroom in Ahmeda-
bad showcases a range of Tiara Kitchens
also designed and developed by HCPIA.
A typical rectangular space in a com-
mercial complex was converted into an
interesting experience for the visitor.
With 7 individual modular kitchens on
display the striking custom designed and
perfectly detailed light fixture holds the
space together.
The clients asked us at HCPIA (HCP Inte-
rior Architecture Pvt. Ltd.) Ahmedabad
based firm for a contemporary cottage,
modest and simple in its expression and
investment yet luxurious and stylish
in its usage. The budget dictated the
project be conceptualized not as a large
palace but as a noble abode amongst
the dense cover of nature, something
which is born out of the surrounding,
something which belongs there and
nowhere else.
A perfect example of smart material and
good design that travels! This is a chair
designed in only 2’x5’ of 7 ply corru-
gated sheet folds and transforms into a
comfortable chair with a back rest.
Unfolding the chair converts the chair
back to a flat sheet of cardboard and
essentially making this a design that can
travel.
A custom designed sculpturous light fix-
ture designed in frosted glass and metal
renders the right light and mood in the
private space of a residence.
not just what it looks like and feels like
it’s how it works...
The objective was to conceptualize and
design the User Interface for a digital
widget for the MIT Institute of Design
library. This widget would enable the
student and the faculty to search books,
locate the books in the library, down-
load e-books, rate books/write reviews
and view their issuing card status. This
widget will send reminders to default-
ers. The widget also has a section which
allows faculties to recommend books.
The widget will also allow student to
view digital formats of exceptional
works of fellow students which would
be uploaded in the wall of fame section
by the concerned faculty.
The methodology includes defining a persona of the prospective user. The
primary user in this case would the design student, whilst the secondary user
would be the faculty of the institute and the librarian. The process continues
with further developing a scenario where the widget and its features would
help the user. Paper prototypes were made and also some conceptual ideas
developed for the visuals of the widget.
Revised Summary
This project I am currently working on from PaGaLGuY.com as a Project

Trainee. The scope of the project includes defining the User Experience for
PaGaLGuY’s Online Shop. The process included defining the site architecture
and branding of the PG shop. The process funnel was studies and
special emphasis was laid on smooth transaction processes to ensure that
user completes the task of buying the product without giving up at any stage.
Re-designing the Bharat Sanchar Nigam
Limited (BSNL) website was one chal-
lenging assignment. Reorganizing the
data based on user priorities and a
simple interface only re-assured the
belief that good design is not only
functional but also about the visceral or
visual appeal.
work under progress...
Daily
routine activities Sleep
4 hours 7 Hours
Menial Chores
5 hours
Free Time
8 Hours
Having spent a considerable amount of time on construction

sites as an practising interior designer and as a student at
MIT Institute of Design campus which has a lot of construc-
tion activities, I have realized that the children living on
these construction sites live a different life. They grow up
much faster and are mature. They have to travel with their
parents to various construction sites located in various parts
of the country. They often spend time on construction sites
which are not the safest place for children. On an average
these kids spend almost 7/8 hours on these sites and spend
time playing with hazardous material on site. While the
activities in the other time slots are almost non-negotiable,
It is this eight hours of free time where a scope for improve-
ment can be reasoned.
Concept 1: Cement bags are
lying on the site in plenty.
These bags have logos of the
company only on one side of
them. Print graphics on the
other side of Cement bags for
children to read and learn
from the educated workers on
site.
There are many welfare organizations working for

these children but have not been very effective
in their reach. As these system tend to interfere
Concept 2: Many Cartons and
boxes are also available on with the routine and comfort zone of the workers
site. They are not used after and their children they fail to build the trust factor
the material is removed from amongst the workers. The possible approach to the
them. These boxes can have
problem would be to have a self-sustaining system
black board paint on the inside
and be used as slates for chil- and designs that can ‘travel’. It would make most
dren on site. sense if we mad use of existing recourses on the
construction sites. I realized from the interaction
that the solutions should aim at improving their
lifestyles and compel to change it.
Its not an uncommon sight in India to see young
street children perform antics on streets to earn a
living. They often display a remarkable of courage
and talent. Chuppa Rustom is a small social program
conceptualized by a friend of mine and me to find
exceptional talent from the streets via talent hunts
and fund their training in the specified field and
education.
short stories...
As Designers we talk to the
world...
Through our Designs...
through our products
sometimes it is a conversations
at times a monologue...
often just dreaming to feel or Fill
the viod...
to change a lifestyle or a worklife...
then identity is not always a shape
or a form...but an intangible
quality...
Mkothari

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Portfolio

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design portfolio

Pagalguy.com is India’s biggest and most

This project I am currently working on from PaGaLGuY.com as a Project

Having spent a considerable amount of time on construction

There are many welfare organizations working for

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