About Me
My Work
My work consists of a fusion of various mediums and styles. I can never stick to one thing; I like to alternate between illustration, branding, marketing, painting and photography. This versatility has broadened my palette and it has given me the ability to combine certain skills in order to fulfill all my clients’ needs. My biggest inspiration are women, behaviours, physical beauties and cultures. I thoroughly enjoy taking the time to understand the meaning behind my creations. I try to relate to everything I create, and I explore different approaches before executing. A lot of the work I do either reflects my own or my client's experiences. As a designer I have learned to appreciate the importance of process work and its effect on the final product - there is always something that can be improved so it's essential to take the time to explore and play around with ideas before making decisions. In my work I have come to the understanding of simplicity and spatial sensibility; even in complexity, there is simplicity. It is a designer's job to successfully communicate to their audience, and the most effective way to do so is to make work simple.
Biography
My name is Umber Bhatti and I am a Canadian Pakistani born and raised in Toronto. I began drawing at a very young age and it’s how I spent most of my leisure time. I knew I wanted to become an artist when I grew up, so I set my mind to practicing everyday in the hopes that one day I would. My fifth grade teacher told me when it came time to attend highschool I should apply to Cawthra Park Secondary School to be in the Regional Arts Program for Visual Arts. As soon as it came time for applications, I prepared a portfolio with all my work. Shortly after I received my acceptance letter and knew I was meant to do this. Cawthra Park taught me discipline and created an environment where I could focus on my craft. My skills continued to improve and I grew a true love for the arts. In grade 12 we were all encouraged to start applying to university. This is when I began researching different avenues I wanted to pursue. I realized art was becoming digitized and there was so much more opportunity to grow as a Graphic Designer. Many of my peers and teachers would mention how prestigious OCADU was and I knew if I wanted to become a successful graphic designer I would need to graduate from there. Prior to applying I had little graphic design experience, but my portfolio was very strong as it included work from many disciplines that showcased my abilities. The past five years at OCADU have developed my skillset as a designer, it has opened my mind to different perspectives and it has improved my communication skills. Throughout my undergrad I have been blessed with many opportunities to work as an instructor at various academies, an intern at a marketing agency and multiple freelance projects. I have successfully created my sole proprietorship Umber Designs which has assembled loyal clientele and a great network of fellow creatives in the industry. I am looking forward to growing as a designer and completing many more projects in the few years.
