ART, ARCHITECTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY, DESIGN, FASHION etc.

 

 

ANIMATION

FINE ART

EXHIBITION DESIGNER

ARCHITECTURE

FASHION DESIGNER

FOOTWEAR DESIGNER/TECHNOLOGIST

INTERIOR DESIGNER

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

JEWELLERY DESIGNER

PHOTOGRAPHY

SCULPTOR

COSMETOLOGIST

MEHENDI ARTIST

MAKEUP ARTIST

FLOWER MAKING

 

 

Animation

Animation is basically giving motion to an object. To animate means to give appearance of movement using varying drawings. Drawing each and every frame individually with gradual variation does it. The procedure is hard, and requires patience. The drawings are then played at the desired speed, which makes its look smooth.

Animators create sequences of motion picture art that tell a story or communicate a message. Traditional animators used to draw each picture individually on paper, which were then transferred onto film, and when played back rapidly (about 25 frames per second), gave the effect of motion.

Animators work as a team. Basically, the work consists of making drawings and working under a supervising animator, who usually gives out the scenes that are shorter, and works on the longer ones himself. Animators do the acting, gestures, mouth shapes, but are not responsible for every single drawing in the scene. One second of 35-mm film can consist of 24 frames, but lots of people work on it.

Most animators say it's a rewarding experience. The work is not as technical as it sounds. It requires more of creativity. It gets technical though in certain scenes, when you have to keep track of the character walking in front of a moving background, especially if the character is also moving towards and away from the camera. To excel in this field you have to know the character you are animating - how they'd respond or react to something.

Animation scenes are denoted by number of feet, so you're responsible for certain amount of footage. Four to eight feet will take you about a week.
There are various forms of animation, such as Clay Animation, Puppet Animation and two and three Dimensional Animation (responsible for Classics like The Lion King, or the path breaking Stuart little).

Requirements

To make a mark in this line a course in animation is necessary. In fact a graduate course in Animation Design from an institution like National Institute of Design will help you to make a good beginning. When you join as a trainee, you get to learn more. It's all based on the strength of your drawing and imagination. What you essentially need is talent and a good knowledge of computer based animation packages.
However, these days, with the advent of powerful computers and software such as 3D Studio Max, Alias, etc, nearly all animation work is being done on the computer. What's more, animation is even taught to kids, as they grasp much faster and are more interested in animation as compared to adults.

If you are looking for a professional course in animation, beware of the numerous multimedia academies that offer to teach you animation. Most of them only teach you the bare technical basics and lack qualified, talented faculty. It is wise to ascertain the competence and experience of the faculty in teaching the software packages before signing up at any of those institutes.

You will do well if you have a graduate diploma in Visual Communication Design from National Institute of Design with specialisation in Animation Design/ Bachelor of Design from IIT-Guwahati/ Master of Design from IIT-Mumbai.

Job Opportunities

A major chunk of the work happens to be in the advertising agencies. You'll be involved in making short animation films for ads. Even independent television and film production houses employ animators to produce cartoon film and the likes.

There are also some animation studios and multimedia design agencies specialising in animation. Once you are known in the industry, you can also get into freelancing.

Money & Other Benefits

As a fresher, you'll be expected to put in long hours of work for meager Rs 4000-6000 per month depending on your talent. However, once you have acquired the skill in using high-end animation software, the salary increases rapidly. It could be anything between Rs 20,000-30,000 a month.

There is good scope for freelancing. Here you could be drawing more than an experienced animator. Working as a professional in a studio or a firm as a freelancers, you can charge anything around Rs 50,000-60,000 or more for a 30 second film (depending on the animation required).

Career Prospects

In India, the scope for professional animators is mostly restricted to the field of advertising. But then, the film and television segments are growing.

The animation industry the world over is also growing. With the development of requisite skills, Indian companies are bagging orders for animation production from advanced countries due to cheaper costs. As a result, there is a growing demand for talented animators with the right software skills. This trend is expected to continue in the future.

 

 

Fine Art

Fine art includes drawing, painting and sculpting. Trying to express a specific and unique vision through painting, sculpture, drawing, or mixed media characterises an artist's life.

Commercial art is the application of various art media for commercial purposes like creating attractive illustrations for advertisements, displays, books, magazines, posters, packaging, etc. The extension of these arts to the industrial field translates to exhibitions, window displays, hoardings, technical catalogues, cinema slides, etc.

Fine Arts could be broadly classified into Painting and Sculpting.

Painting: It involves painting or sketching portraits, landscapes, scenery, still life, abstract design, murals, etc. The medium could be watercolours, oil paints or even pastel colours charcoal and even computer paint programmes. Your choice of surfaces could vary from the traditional canvas to creating graffiti walls a La New York.

Sculpting: You will use your hands to give shape to your thoughts. Material like stone, wood, clay, plaster of Paris or metals such as bronze will be your resources. Computers, lasers, sound, plastics, fibre and textiles are some other materials you could dabble with. Successful sculptors continually study and learn new techniques, experiment with different materials, keep abreast with world trends and attend art exhibitions.

Pottery: You could also take up pottery and create designer pots. You'll keep yourself busy with throwing, glazing and firing pots. Many potters consider pottery as more of a lifestyle than a career even though they may have their wares located across the nation in speciality shops or art studios.

In fine arts unless you are a M.F Hussein or an Anjali Ela Menon, you don't really have much opportunity to make mega bucks. So you better find yourself a proper job to fall back on. But if art is what you live for you could earn a decent living as an artist too.

You can offer your skills and vision to commercial clients like corporations, retail stores, advertising agencies, design houses or publishing firms. If you don't want to be tied up in a full-time job you could work be a freelancer, or work for an advertising agency, graphic-design firm or other organisation that has an advertising department on a part time basis.

Commercial art involves using different art forms for creating advertisements, billboards, book jackets, window displays, cinema slides, technical catalogues, packaging and so on. You will use your creativity skills to give form to someone else's ideas.
To join this field, apart from being a good artist, you also need to understand the art of marketing and publicity. Selling your skills at times affects your ability to produce your own work. But this is where the moolah is. Apart from this you can also work on other forms of art like cartooning, computer animation, clay modelling and so on.

Requirements

The most essential traits in this field are:

History is rife with examples of self-schooled artists with no formal educational training who are both brilliant and innovative; unfortunately, history is also rife with examples of starving artists, dying in obscurity. Formal training in this field is becoming the norm.

You can go for a Bachelor in Fine Arts (BFA). It is a four-year degree programme segmented into two courses, namely Foundation course (1 year) and specialisation course (3 years). Further professional study can be pursued through a Masters in Fine Arts (MFA) usually spanning over two years. Eligibility for BFA is HSC. You can also have a degree or diploma in Visual Arts. Diploma in Fine Arts is another option.

You can specialise in Commercial Art and better your chances of getting a job. To better your prospects you should also learn computer technologies used in commercial designs these days.

Job Opportunities

As a sculptor, you could design themes for worldwide events, seasons, specific promotions or a particular message. Sculpting is not a career, which can be taken up off-hand. It is an art that has more to do with in-born talent.

Specialists in Fine Arts can work as freelancers or can be employed by TV and film studios. They can teach art at the school level.

Specialists in commercial art have various job openings:

You can also earn money by being a freelancer. Art and culture is getting increasing attention in the media these days. You could even write features and articles for newspapers and magazines.

Money & Other Benefits

Only a small number of artists can make a living by painting and sculpting alone. Though this profession doesn't pay too well the reason why people choose to join the unremunerative and very selective fine arts is because they love what they do.
Initially you'll have to start your career by presenting your works to people for free! You could exhibit your work in a gallery and earn anything between Rs 1,500 - 5,000 on an individual piece of work. Gradually, this could move on to the Rs 10,000-30,000 bracket. Once your work is recognised then an individual piece could cost up to Rs 2 lakh or more!!!

Career Prospects

The methods and mediums of art may change, but the intention has remained the same: to reinvent, to communicate in a new and fascinating way. In the future, the role that art plays will not change drastically, but painting, photography, sketching, sculpting, metalworking, and many other mediums will be joined by computer art.

This is an industry where your reputation counts a lot. You need to produce work that creates hype and buzz in the artistic community. Your contacts in the advertising business and art dealers should get you steady amount of work. Be prepared for a lot of frustration though. You may not always get what you want. Corporate support and encouragement to artists is also on the rise.

 

 

Exhibition Designer

This is a communication medium for designers trained specifically to deal with communication in spatial, three dimensional terms, be it for business specific international trade fairs, thematic exhibitions to showcase cultural heritage, or for museums. Exhibition Design brings together a variety of design disciplines - primarily that of communication design, industrial design and interior architecture - into a multi-disciplinary whole.

Exhibition designers deal with a range of three dimensional designs like designs of stalls, pavilion, and overall interiors of trade fairs and exhibitions; sets for theme events like beauty pageants, musical concerts, award ceremonies; interiors and ambience for art exhibitions; product merchandising; and even design of movie sets and theatre sets.

Requirements

* You have to be creative and imaginative
* You have to be innovative
* You have to have very good spatial reasoning skill, meaning that you have the ability to visualize objects in space and the ability to comprehend relations between two objects or systems or among multiple objects and
systems
* You should have an excellent ability to visualize concepts
* You should have the ability and a strong urge to express your ideas in an art form
* You should have an aptitude for sketching and drawing. You may not be expert at these (because computer can do your designs), but you should have the basic ideas of lines, curves, patterns, and colors
* Y ou should have an artistic personality - thoughtful, individualistic, sometimes aggressive, sometimes inward looking, independent with a keen sense of aesthetics
* You should also have the ability to communicate as you will often be required to make presentation on your ideas and design
* You should have a good idea on different materials, along with good sense
for colors and patterns
* You should have a sense of balance and harmony of space
* You should have a good commercial sense - you understand costs and are good at convincing people

A degree in Exhibition design from National Institute of Design or equivalent would be the best starting point. Alternatively, you can make a beginning if you have a Master's degree in Interior Design coupled with a Bachelor's degree in Architecture, or a Bachelor's degree in Architecture, or a Diploma in Interior Design.

Job Opportunities

You will have to begin with assisting established exhibition designers or set designers. Large event management companies and interior design companies also hire a few designers. After a few years of experience, it will be better if you start your own company.

Money & Other Benefits

Initially the pay is not that great. As an assistant to an established set designer you will make between Rs 5000-8000 a month. With experience and sucessful projects under your belt, you could make up to Rs 5000-8000 per assignment. top notch designers could make anything from Rs two lakh to as high as Rs 50 Lakh for a film.

Career Prospects

Communication industry as a whole is coming of age very fast in India. Visual communication and three-dimensional communication are an integral part of product merchandising and brand communication. There are a large number of events being held all over India every year. You have various award ceremonies, beauty pageants, events for launching products, music concerts, dance shows, and so on. Film is also one area, which needs extensive set designs. India is the leading film producing country. So, opportunities for exhibition designers are many.

 

Architecture

As an architect you'll be in the business of dreaming up new structures. You will shape human aspirations and design their houses, theatre halls, railways stations, multiplexes and commercial complexes. But design is only part of architecture. Once a design has been selected, you'll draft the final construction documents and oversee the actual construction.

Architects must understand the science behind the design, down to the strengths of various materials and the benefits and limitations of competing design. It will be your duty to make the buildings and constructions functionally useful and aesthetically wonderful.

This is not a cushy 9-5 job. Here you'll have to keep in touch with your clients on a day-to-day daily on a strict deadline. That's not all. You'll also have to handle the legal formalities. Simply put, architecture is both the art and science of constructing buildings. To deliver projects on time and under budget, architects must grasp the big picture and sweat the details.

Within architecture you can branch out into:

Landscape Architecture: This is basically creating a green spot amidst a concrete jungle. You'll study topics like fundamentals of environmental awareness, small-scale site planning and principles of ecology, mainly abstract design and elementary graphic techniques.

Structural Architecture: You could be building bridges and the likes. It mainly involves the development of local infrastructures, residential and commercial sites, utility designs, transportation engineering, geographic information system and mapping.

Feng Shui: It's the current passion among the rich and the famous. An environmental science that describes the observations and formulas developed by Chinese scholars over 4,000 years ago, Feng Shui is about the design of an environment and the placement of objects within that environment.

Requirements

Don't bother to read any further if you don't have a good hand at sketching. As an architect you'll make realms and realms of drawings for approval. You also have to have a very good imagination (and we aren't talking of your ability to day dream). You should be able to think in 3 dimensional figures.

You should have a keen sense for aesthetics and a lots of creativity in your grey matter. Good mathematical and analytical abilities will also help. You need to be detail oriented. You need to be excellent at project management, too, because in the process of designing and constructing a building, you'll need to work with a wide variety of consultants.

You could pursue a degree in Architecture directly after clearing your H.S.C with science. Or you could also consider a diploma. You'll be trained in environmental awareness, human behaviour, problem solving and visual language skills, mainly drawing, painting, photography and the ability to explore and communicate ideas graphically.

Last but not the least, you got to have a good tongue. You'll be breaking your head with clients, contractors and other architects. And no matter how hard you believe in your drawing unless and until you argue your point out to your client it's of no use. Your designs might just end up in the circular file (dustbin, if you didn't know that already).
Well established architects confirm that though a degree is an added advantage there is no escaping the practical knowledge gained from working with at an architect firm. Renowned architect Hafeez Contractor started as an apprentice at the young age of 14 with Khareghat Associates. His first design was for Cawasji High School in Khandala.
Colleges merely teach you the theory part, which can be learnt while on the job feels Hafeez. What they don't teach are the nitty gritties which are more important.

One can also have a diploma in Architecture to begin with. But a Diploma will not get you lucrative jobs. You can only work as assistants to Architects and architectural firms.

Job Opportunities

You'll pass from a design school with towering dreams but wait till you touch base. The ground realities are something else. You will have to start your career by assisting a renowned architect or work in an architectural firm as an Assistant Architect. Don't be shy of approaching architect firms for an apprenticeship. That's exactly the way to go about it. A portfolio of your designs with a good resume will help.

You can also find opportunities in construction companies, Real estate firms, Municipal and urban development corporations, and even some large-scale companies involved in real estate development. With a few years of experience in your kitty you can branch out on your own.

Money & Other Benefits

The moolah actually depends on how complicated the design and project is and also how long it would take for the project to be completed. But as a fresher you could start off with Rs 4,000-8,000 a month. With a little experience, you would be comfortably earning between Rs 10,000-15,000 or more per month depending on the firm.
Once you have established yourself, you can look forward to earning in lakhs. But if you can manifest you talent, you should expect a meteoric rise in your career, both in terms of position and remuneration. An established architect may earn more than Rs 25,000 a month. Once you have earned a name for yourself you can even earn several lakhs in a year.

Career Prospects

Though the construction industry is in a slump right now, the point is that people will always need a roof over their heads. And you will provide them with that. Moreover new cities are springing up and there is a demand for construction to keep up with the increase in population in these areas. New areas in architecture like Landscape architecture, urban design are coming up.

And what about human aspirations for aesthetics? It's always there. So, there will never be a dearth of opportunities.

 

Fashion Designer

There's not one moment of respite in this industry. Fashion designers have to constantly keep a track of public opinion and tastes! The life of a fashion designer is intimately linked to tastes and sensibilities, which could change at a moment's notice. As a fashion designer you must be able to capitalise on those trends and even better, influence those opinions. You'll be involved in every phase of designing, exhibiting and producing all types of clothing, from bathing suits to evening gowns. But there's a lot of teamwork involved here. You'll work on a piece of garment for days and even months without having your name on it. In most fashion houses, there's a cadre of young, less experienced designers behind the scenes. If you think after a few years down the line you'll be as famous as a Hemant Trevedi or a Tarun Tahilliani and people will fall over each other to buy your labels, think again. These are just the big names in the industry. Most designers stay pretty anonymous for a better part of their professional existence. As an assistant designer, you'll be sweating it out at the Mangaldas market in Mumbai or any other textile hotspot in your city. You'll also end up breaking your head with the darzi, embroiders and master cutters. Other tasks could include ensuring the right colour of the yarn, cutting and sewing samples, handling trims and buttons, conducting market research and sketching design ideas. You need great business acumen as much as design talent to succeed. And balancing the two can be like walking a tightrope. But , if you survive all this, you get to work with none other than geniuses like Tarun Tahiliani and Hemant Trivedi. What's more, you even get to travel with them for their fashion shows and shoots abroad. As a designer you'll be working in any of these segment:

Haute couture
You are on your own designing for a select group of people known to you. You'll keep in mind their lifestyle, likes and dislikes. Pots of money in store here. If you click that is. Some famous names in this field are Hemant Trivedi, Wendel Roudriques, Tarun Tahiliani, Shaina NC, Rohit Bal, etc.

Designer ready-to-wear
These are sold in specialist outlets like Melange, Timble, Ensemble, etc. Relatively small numbers of each garment are produced, and they are bought for exclusiveness. The designer works for a company (the shop), but still retains a fair amount of freedom and can retain personal style in their designs.

High street fashion
Lot's of openings for graduates. Clothes are made in large quantities for a mass market, and sold across the country or even internationally. The design is less creative, and each designer tends to work on one garment type only. A typical example would be Cotton World in Mumbai.

A typical fashion designing house or fashion design department comprises of following people:

Designer - You'll design and experiment with ideas in line with the trend. Draw the initial sketches and chart out the details of fabric to be used, colours, threads, buttons and other materials. Co-ordinate the activities of other people in the house or department. Big fashion houses usually have assistant designers to assist the head designers.
Junior designer - Puts together the samples. The work involves surveying the market for fabric and other materials and their procurement. Co-ordinates with the cutting assistants and the other production people. Prepares art works and samples for presentation to the prospective buyers and clients.

Cutting assistants - You cut sample pieces, alter patterns, assist in the design room and cut the fabrics for the actual production.

Fashion co-ordinators - Your main job is to understand and predict the trends in the market. Co-ordinate between the clients and the designers and look after the production process.

Fashion Merchandisers - Source the fabrics and materials required for producing the garments. They also help to determine the price of the designed products.

Requirements

Talent, vision, determination and ambition will decide your popularity in this difficult, demanding and highly competitive industry.

* You have to constantly keep yourself updated about the current trends and tastes through fashion magazines, newspapers and other media. As a bonus you also get to attend fashion shows.

* You should be able to communicate your design and vision clearly through sketches, discussion and occasionally samples. A good hand at sketching would be of advantage.

* For street fashion - the kind of clothes available at shops like Cotton World - you don't necessarily need creative sense. But if you are working for a reputed fashion house like Ensemble or Melange, you have to create your own lines and that need loads of creativity.
* Communication skills are a must if you want to convince your client about the design. No matter what your personal style, as a designer you must be able to produce a creative, exciting and profitable line of design. Those who want to make it big in this field should have a good eye for colour, style and shape. A fair knowledge of textiles and a familiarity with the nuances of a variety of fabrics is also a must.

* Knowledge of different fabrics, dress materials, colours, shapes and patterns will be an added advantage

You can do a course in Fashion Designing after 10+2. The duration of most diploma courses varies between one and three years and includes practical training.
A degree from NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology), or a Diploma from NID (National Institute of Design) will give you a good start. Both these institutes are run by the government and are reputed for their excellence in training.

Can I make it without a degree?
Yes you can! This is one profession where you won't have to flaunt your degree. There are reputed designers with no formal training in designing. If you have the talent, design schools will only fine-tune it.

Job Opportunities

This is a very creative field and unless you are confident that your talent will get you places or have a Dad who's ready to open a boutique for you, you need to slog your way up.

You can start off by working as an apprentice for a garment house like Sheetal Design Studio, Ensemble or Timble. If you don't want to do that, you can also be on your own by designing for individual clients and get paid per garment. But it's always wiser to first try your hands at a boutique or by working with a fashion designer. Here you'll get hands-on experience, which you could put to use when you branch out on your own. Apart from good infrastructural backing, you need at least five people on your pay roll. You will have to deal with master cutters, procure material from the wholesale market and then sell your designs to boutiques. Something they never taught you at the design school.

So even if Dad is ready to back you up, it makes sense to start your solo career after getting some experience.

You could work in:

Money & Other Benefits

Stipend for apprentice at a design house: Rs 2,000-2,500. Once you are inducted the pay ranges from Rs 5,000-10,000 or more.

Senior designer (in medium to large scale export houses, designer houses, garment manufacturers or textile manufacturers): Rs 10,000-50,000 or more a month. Fashion co-ordinators and merchandisers also earn as much. If you branch out on your own later on, you could earn anything between Rs 1,000-5,00,000 or more for a single dress. And once you become a name to reckon with, you can call the shots the way you want.

Career Prospects

Going by the increasing amount of fashion awareness among people in India, Fashion designing aspirants have a very bright future. The government is also encouraging expansion in garment export. Even the international fashion bigwigs are taking cues from the Indian fashion gurus. India is slowly but steadily being recognised as a trendsetter. Indian models are achieving accolades in international competitions and Indian clothes are being considered as fashion statements in the West. The market for designer dresses is expanding very fast creating career opportunities for young minds with artistic inclinations.

 

 

Footwear Designer/Technologist

There are various categories of footwear - those made from leather, synthetic material and other fibres. Since all humans are different in size and taste, shoe manufacture needs to keep in mind different needs and wants - shoes for men, women, children, formal shoes, casual shoes, trekking shoes, sports shoes and so on. As you can imagine, the list of different styles of shoes is endless.

In India, we have both the organized and unorganized sector in the shoe manufacturing industry. In the organized sector shoe manufactures use sophisticated machinery and skilled manpower. Here shoe manufacturing is a highly mechanized process. This sector comes under the purview of the Ministry of Commerce, which has set up institutes to help expand footwear production and export.

On the other hand we have the unorganized sector like the village sector where the work is handled by the state level artisans. They form a part of the Khadi and Village Industries Cooperatives.

There are also other players in the private sector that deal with the production and export of footwear, in collaboration with international contacts.
The functions carried out in a footwear industry can be classified into:

Designing: This is purely for the creative brains. It involves creating new styles and patterns, of footwear. The job of footwear designers today has gone high tech as they use computer aided design systems to churn out beautiful footwear. If footwear designers had their way and dress the feet in their creations, we'd be looking at people's feet rather then at their faces. Footwear designer are faced with the constant challenge of coming up with new styles to adorn our feet.
Manufacturing: After the design comes the actual process of making the footwear. It has become a mechanized process where skilled technicians are required to operate the machines. If you happen to work for a sports shoe manufacturer like Nike or Reebok your main task will be to design shoes for the competitive athlete.
Marketing: Here you'll be involved in selling various types of shoes to the various retail outlets. Knowledge of the domestic and international market will hold you in good stead. You will also be involved in organizing shoe fairs and exhibitions in and around India. Marketing managers generally work with advertising agencies to work out marketing strategies.

Requirements

If your work involves designing footware then it goes without saying that you need to be creative. "As a designer, I am constantly noticing things that inspire creative thoughts. During one of my visits to Japan, I was inspired by this organic building that contrasted all the other conventional homes in the neighborhood. For the Air Fantaposite Max, I was particularly interested in how different shapes and patterns can wrap around 360 degrees to form a unique 3-D structure," says Matt Holmes, Nike Footwear Designer.

Though it is not mandatory for footwear designers to be involved in the production part of it, technical knowledge can sure be an added advantage. It's always good to know what the different components that go into the making of the shoes. It gives you the insight you need when it comes to designing.

There is a lot of hard work involved if you want to make a career out of it. Recognition comes very hard, once you have made your presence felt in the field. You got to be passionate about your work along with the ability to experiment. Precision is one of the most important factors in footwear designing. While designing the footware the designer has to keep the prospective buyer in mind. Unlike designing a piece of garment, which can be altered later according to the specifications of the buyer, a pair of sandals cannot be amended later on. So you have to be extra careful.

All aspiring footwear designers must also keep themselves abreast of the latest happenings in the field. Finally the west is taking note of the footware industry in India and that is good news for all aspiring footware technologists. Today our designs are selling well in the international market. So knowing the developments in the indust ry helps.

Being computer savvy is an added qualification because most footwear technology courses are computer aided. Use of CAD (Computer Aided Design) in footwear designing has made it much easier. And thanks to the Internet, today you can send a design to any part of the world.

To make an entry in to this field you need to go for a course in footwear technology or designing right after your HSC. Some certificate and short-term courses require only an SSC. There are various courses that you can choose from, depending on your interest. The duration of the courses can vary from 12 weeks to two years. You can opt for a Diploma in footwear designing or even choose to do B.Tech in footwear technology.
The National Institute of Design, Paldi, Ahmedabad offers courses both after 10+2 and graduation.
After 10+2 NID offers Graduate Diploma Programmes of four-year duration. Eligibility is 10+2. The Institute conducts an entrance examination consisting of a test and interview. Competence in technical and related subjects is normally be considered an advantage. Upper age limit for candidates is 22 years (for SC/ST candidates the age limit is relax able by 3 years). Candidates with higher qualifications are also eligible to apply. Central Footwear Training Institute (CFTI) also offers courses in Footware technology.

Job Opportunities

After completing your course you can either apply for a job with shoe houses or do projects with them. As this can give you considerable amount of working knowledge it is always good to begin by taking on projects with footwear manufacturers. If designing is what you want to pursue, you could approach a garment designer with samples of your works. In this way you could do collections on a small scale for designers.
If you have the infrastructure and capital, then you could also open a small unit of your own and supply to retail stores. Nowadays Internet is becoming a favourite shopping mall for many. You can also display pictures of your collection on the Net, which will enable sales.

Money & Other Benefits

Starting salaries for designers of all kinds will be in the range of Rs 6,000 per month. However if you are from a good institute you can expect a few more thousands in your initial salary packet. After that as you progress in your profession, the salary will be proportionate to the kind of work that you can churn out. It's not unheard of about dedicated designers earning around Rs 50,000 per month after being in the industry for a few years.

Post/Average Candidate/Candidate from FDDI/Candidate from CLRI & CFTC

Designers & Supervisors/Rs 3,500 (starting pay)/Rs 5,500-7,500/-

Managers/Rs 6,500 (starting pay)/Rs 7,000-9,000/-

Candidates with MFT /Rs. 6,500 (starting pay)/

Senior Managers with MFT/Rs 20,000

Technical Officers (Dip. in FT)/Rs 7000-9000

Assistant Managers (PG in FT)/Rs 10,000-12,000

Career Prospects

Footwear designing may not have created ripples in the career field the way IT or Biotechnology have. But it is a field that is slowly catching up. With the boom in the fashion industry, footwear designing is becoming a popular career choice.

A number of international footwear companies have also stepped in. "There is a lot of scope in the field of footwear designing. People just need to be made more aware of it," says Prem Pal, Director of the Central Footwear Training Institute (CFTI).
Earlier, a career in the field of footwear designing was unheard of in India. "We have always looked to the West when it came to fashion. The fashion capital of footwear has always been Italy," says Sadiq Mohammed, a scientist with Central Leather Research Institute of India (CLRI). "India had always been in the backyard as far as footwear designing went. The designs were imported. But that has changed and now buyers look upon us to design and manufacture the shoes," he says.
There is tremendous amount of scope for this industry as the Ministry of Commerce continues to place emphasis on it. About 20-30 per ce nt growth is expected in the coming years, which translates into career opportunities for many.

Export industry is also picking up and is planning to reach 400 million pairs in the next 5 years! The investment cost being low, a number of private units are also being established. Students, on the individual level, are given support from the institutes such as the FDDI, in the form of loans given on merit. Therefore, those interested in this field should definitely pursue it as the Footwear Industry certainly holds a good future.

 

Interior Designer

First of all, interior designing is not the same as interior decoration. The former is all about intelligent and aesthetic use of space. Interior Designers work with engineers, illustrators, administrators and the likes. Good designers pay attention to style as well as function. To be successful in this field you need to be creative.

As an interior designer you will not just design the space but also plan, develop and execute the site. Once that is done you will also design furniture pieces. Your work will focus on researching, planning, developing and implementing designs for indoor environments, such as living rooms or office lobbies. The space designed will have to be beautiful and functional as well.

Interior decoration on the other hand, is a less tedious process. Here all you have to do is select readymade furniture pieces to suit the space and fit it in. Most interior decorators are not academically trained.

For now, let's stick to Interior Design. Apart from having a strong design sense you also need to be fully aware of what your client wants. Often you will work within tight budget constraints and close deadlines. Making innumerable blueprints of your ideas will be a part of your job.

In addition to structuring space and drawing blueprints, you'll also be responsible for choosing furniture, carpeting, paint and fixtures. It also includes preparing tender documents, selecting and entrusting the work to suitable contractors, supervising, checking, certifying bills, etc. Be prepared to break your head with the clients, contractors, electricians, plumbers, and what have you.

Computer skills will come handy while preparing those innumerable blueprints. Most design fields, these days rely heavily on CAD (Computer Aided Design) and illustration programmes such as AutoCAD.

As an interior designer you could specialise in designing restaurants, private homes, office spaces, hospitals or hotels. Two new avenues related to interior designing - Vaastu Shastra and its Chinese counterpart Feng Shui have only made it richer. If you weave your designs around it, well then you have finally arrived!

Requirements

* Artistic talent (creativity)
* Strong communication and listening skills (you have to listen to know exactly what your client wants)
* Innovative
* Good reasoning skills
* Excellent ability to visualise concepts (ability to think in 3-dimensional)
* Good commercial sense - you understand costs and are good at convincing people
* Patience

Above all you have to be creative. A strong vocal chord is another essential criterion. It will come handy when you have to visit sites and scream your lungs out with the workers. You need loads of confidence and never let your client know that you aren't sure of something (that would amount to professional suicide)

A diploma or degree in Interior Designing/Furniture Design is a must. Graduation in Commercial Arts or Architecture with specialisation in Interior Designing is a better option.

You could even opt for a diploma after HSC or after graduation in Fine Arts or Applied Arts or Architecture. A B.Sc. in Interior Design is also possible.

Job Opportunities

* Fresh from a design school, your first option is joining an interior designing firm to gain hands-on experience. Nothing can match the real experience you'll gain by actually working at a firm as an apprentice/assistant to an established interior designer. You will hone your skills here.

* Once you gain experience (after 2-3 years) and confidence that you can handle a project all by yourself, you can branch out on your own.

* You can even work as a consultant in furnishing companies, stores, paint companies and in educational institutions.

But the real opportunity lies in setting up your own firm. Of course it is easier said than done, but once you establish a name for yourself work will just pour in.

Money & Other Benefits

Salaries range from Rs 2,000-5,000 or more per month for trainees. On an average a freelance designer makes at least Rs 10,000 a month. The earnings grow with experience. A reputed designer can earn Rs 2 lakh a month or even more.

Consultants generally charge Rs 10 per square feet for drawings, or around 10-15 per cent of the total cost of the project. The latter goes for turnkey projects too. The contacts you make through networking will often lead to jobs down the line.

Career Prospects

Opportunities for Interior Designers are definitely on the rise. Plush interiors are no longer just the privilege of the rich and famous. With the increase in the average income of the middle and upper middle class Indian families, interior designing is fast becoming a done thing for homes. The scope has only widened with increased awareness among the corporates to develop a very employee friendly office.

 

 

Graphic Designer

A graphic designer as regards to a web designer would mean a person who decides on the layout and aesthetic value of a site. The job would entail knowing how to present the design content of a site, to optimise the use of graphics so as to minimise download time. You have to structure links in such a way so as to give maximum ease of navigation to the visitor on the site. In short you have to integrate creativity with technology.

Basically, letting your creativity flow is the most essential part of being a graphic designer. Everyone of us is creative - we just need to consciously bring it out. If you choose to work for a website you should be able to grasp the gist of the content for the website you are designing. You should also have a fair idea of the kind of crowd that is likely to visit the site.

"Great design is born out of pure emotion. You have to feel rather than reflect. Designing is cultivated from within. The more you are in tune with your intuition, the more you will shine," adds Dheer.

Your work doesn't end at luring surfers to your site by means of attractive designs and concepts. You have to constantly work at retaining the number of surfers and stopping them from leaving the site by introducing new designs, concepts and ideas. And trust us, this is not half as easy as it sounds.

In order to increase the number of hits on your site, you will have to constantly come up with newer design ideas and concepts so that the user finds something new each time he/she visits the site. For this, you will need to arm yourself with loads of imagination and you also have to have a fair idea of what's happening in the world (in short, brush up your knowledge of current affairs) of arts and design.

How often have you left a site just because the visuals and graphics on the site were not good enough? Often, isn't it? Well, as a graphic designer you will have to ensure that the page designed by you is not dull and drab. Breathe life into it the page with good graphics and images.

As a graphic designer for a dotcom company, you will be exposing your designs to anyone who has access to the Internet across the globe, as compared to the publishing industry where your designs would be viewed by only a few thousand people who subscribe to that particular magazine or newspaper.

As a graphic designer you will bear immense responsibility for making or breaking a site. Your choice of colours and style of art will speak volumes about the site you design for. It is also your job to make the pages as interactive as possible without unduly overburdening the byte size of the page.

Requirements

Graphic designers have to work under extreme time pressures and very defined financial and design limits to produce quality work.

"The process of becoming a good artist is to start with no assumptions, and no fixed ideas. I have disowned all my previous work as one needs to begin with nothing to end up with something original," says graphic designer Sudarshan Dheer, one of the top graphic designers in India.

This profession takes a person who can:

The job is highly visible; successes and failures alike are recognised and are put on display. Those who are insecure about their skills or their ideas have a hard time accepting the amount of risk and rejection this career entails.

A graphic designer in the publishing industry is expected to know packages like:

For a web site:

Freshers must assemble a portfolio to approach companies for work.

Unfortunately, despite the great prospects, none of the art institutes teach computer-based art. Some private design schools that teach you graphic designing charge around Rs 15,000 for a two and a half-month course, which includes basics of CorelDraw and PhotoShop among other packages. Advanced courses and higher level classes cost more. Talking to the ex-students of the institute is the best way of gauging the authenticity of the institute.

Job Opportunities

A graphic designer is almost an indispensable part of any media or web organisation. The primary job of a web designer is to give an attractive look to the site and design the various images and animations that have to be displayed on the web pages.

With websites vying with each other to offer enchanting e-greetings, wallpapers, screensavers and animated pictures to surfers, the dot com companies have come to rely heavily on graphic designers.

In print and television media, and advertising agencies too, a graphic designer is required to draw cartoons, visuals, illustrations, charts, etc. One may also land a job at garment manufacturing firms, publishing houses and film and documentary companies.

Apart from working in a dot com company you can also be employed in newspapers, magazines, television, films, special effects companies, technical publications, advertising agencies, etc.

At a publishing house you will be known as an illustrator and your job will involve providing visual relief to articles where pictures don't help. A typical example would be the design on the front page of Ascent (the employment supplement of the Times of India).

Money & Other Benefits

According to Dheer, whose career began in 1955, graphic designing is not a highly protitable profession. "Financial incentive for professional in this field has augmented marginally in comparison to the existing rate of inflation. The number of designers opting to work in the field of multimedia, though is on the rise," he says.
Freshers out of college can expect Rs 3000-5000 a month, which goes up to Rs 8000-10,000 after a year.
A seasoned professional with 2-3 years of experience can command a salary of Rs 10-15,000. There are many instances of graphic designers earning more than half a lakh rupees per month.
What's more, there is vast scope for freelance in this profession. Everyone wants to have a presence on the web these days and that makes for a lot of work for web designers.
Initially, the going might be a little tough when you have to depend on friends and acquaintances t o get you work, but once you make a name for yourself then sky's the limit.

Career Prospects

Graphic design will become ever more significant as computer technology becomes more universally available and as more and more companies realise that a definitive, distinctive logo and product design can make an enormous difference.
A graphic designer can work in newspapers, magazines, television, films, special effects companies, technical publications, advertising agencies, web sites, etc.

 

 

Jewellery Designer

Not so long ago, people bought gold ornaments as an investment or asset. Aesthetic value stood second. But now people are beginning to look for 'exclusivity' in jewellery. And the designs are no longer restricted to the traditional, neighbourhood goldsmith with names like De Beers and Swarovski becoming the all-familiar jewellery brands. Students opting for jewellery designing can work as:

Jewellery designers - You'll design various patterns using different stones and metals.
Ornament makers - You will use your expertise in the production aspect and see your designs turn to reality.

Gem and Stone consultants - You will ascertain the value of precious stones.

Though your work will essentially involve creating ornaments, there is much more to the job than just that. It also needs detailed study of subjects such as metallurgy and gemmology, insight into current styles, comprehensive planning and even marketing the creations.

Jewellery designing is a multi process job, which starts with conceiving a pattern. You will then have to sketch it in detail on paper. Then comes making the sample model. The last and the most important step is looking for buyers for your piece.

While gold, silver, pearl, diamond and other semi-precious and precious stones remain the most popular medium of making jewellery, designers these days are also keen to experiment with new materials like wood, brass, copper, shells, glass and even dried flowers and papier mache.

As a jewellery designer you'll work on a wide range of products from traditional and bulky pieces to contemporary, wacky and delicate ornaments. Traditional jewellery includes pieces created from gold, silver or diamond, which are heavy, formal and suited for special occasions like marriages. Contemporary designs are comparatively more sleek and delicate.

Requirements

Previously, the only way one could learn this craft was as an apprentice to an experienced jeweller. These days there are various courses in jewellery that will teach you the craft. Of course you got to have a talent for designing.
Courses in jewellery designing can be done after class XII. You will learn amongst other things Elements of Fashion, Gem Identification and Colouring, Metallurgical Processes, Drawing Techniques, Design Methodology, Computer Aided Designing, Traditional and Modern Processes, etc.

The course will also give you basic information on different kinds of stones, colour schemes in jewellery designing, design themes, presentation and framing of designs, designing individual jewellery pieces, men's jewellery, costume jewellery, jewellery costing, etc.

This upcoming profession requires creativity in abundance and a knack to catch trends early on. People want newer designs and you should be able to keep pace with that. Accessory designers need to be creative, have an eye for detail, keen observation, fashion awareness and precision. This field requires working with materials, which are expensive and precious. A meticulous and precise approach is required.

You got to have an excellent aesthetic sense, imagination, and ability to innovate and create designer pieces. Keen observation and concentration too are necessary to succeed in the field.

If you wish to take up this career you can't be colour blind. A good sense of colour coordination and fashion consciousness is imperative here. Also, you should be ready to adapt your creations to suit your client's specifications and market requirements. Good communication and planning skills too make a positive difference.

Job Opportunities

The best way to start off would be to work under a jeweller and learn the tricks of the trade. Though it won't pay too well but this is necessary if you want to solidify your base. You could specialise in any of the types of jewellery like South Indian Jewellery, Bengali Jewellery, Mughal Jewellery, Maharastrian jewelery etc.

Most professional in this field branch out on their own. Apart from loads of confidence and creativity you need a rich dad to finance you. You also need to have the right contacts. Be warned that you'll have to break you head over workers who refuse to see beyond the traditional designs.

This is one business where trust matters a lot and word-of-mouth spreads quickly. The clients that you cultivate would keep coming back to you for generations and generations

Another alternative (for the ones without a rich dad) is getting your designs made in a workshop. There are many workshops in Zaveri Bazaar, Mumbai where karigars will execute your designs. This could be a good way to start off.

Money & Other Benefits

As with most creative fields, the work is tedious and the rise steep. It is advisable for new entrants to first find work with an established designer, or jewellery house and learn the ropes. At this stage, the pay is are not very high, ranging from Rs 3500-5000.

Once successful in establishing a name for yourself, you can command your own price, depending on the exclusivity of the design and the clientele you are catering to.

Career Prospects

The job involves visualising and creating attractive jewellery pieces, keeping in mind the latest trends and customer needs. As a jewellery designer you are supposed to keep abreast of the various gems and metals, manufacturing details, traditional and contemporary designs and ornaments, financial aspects of the business and also the latest fashion. The job would interest those who want to stay away from 9 to 5 routines or convert their hobby into a career.

The diamond kings' arrest notwithstanding, this still is a lucrative business. The margins you make are pretty high. If you make a name for yourself, your designs could be the talk of the town. Indian craftsmanship has always been appreciated. The Indian market too is moving away from traditional jewellery to work wear. Platinum is the latest metal making its presence felt.

 

Photography

Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye. A photographer reveals what the naked eye may have missed. Photographers capture history for posterity. As a photographer you'll take pictures of people, places, objects, and events and try to artistically capture and evoke a mood, feeling, or drama.
In a way, it is an artistic job as you'll use your camera much the way an artist uses his brush, as a tool to capture your unique perspective of the world around you.

This job calls for a great deal of practise in order to master the technical knowledge of light, camera settings, lenses, film, and filters and apply this knowledge creatively. Photographers use a wide variety of lenses and filters designed for close-up, mid-range or long distance photography.

You have the option of developing and printing your pictures (most photographers prefer to do that), but you can even hand your film over to the company you work for or to a commercial lab for processing.

The work hours are long and irregular. Sometimes you even have to make yourself available on short notice. It's a high-pressure job with tight deadlines. But if you are self-employed photographers your work hours will be more flexible.

There are various categories of photographers:

Press photographer: You'll work for newspapers and shoot pictures of the day's events, that will accompany the article on the newspaper the next day. The photographs you shoot are also stored in archive. You could be working for magazines, newspapers and sometimes book publishers (for covers). It's a dare devil job where you often have to risk your life in attempting to take pictures of newsworthy events, people and places.

Photojournalist: This is slightly different from press photography as your photographs itself have to tell the whole story. This means they have to be more precise.
Technical/Industrial Photographer: You'll use specialised photographic instruments to photograph industrial equipments to be used in company brochures and other publication.

Scientific photographers: You'll specialise in areas like astronomic photography, astrophysics photography, photography of chemical and biological materials, specimen, etc. You will photograph laboratory experiments, etc.

Commercial Photographers: It involves taking pictures of merchandise, buildings, machinery, fashions, livestock, and groups of people to be used in advertisements, marketing reports, brochures, catalogs, and postcards. You will also be photographing events, marketing promotion operations, etc.

Fashion Photographer: You'll take attractive images of fashion products like designer clothes, accessories, etc.

Personal Photographer: This is the best part. Here you'll hobnob with the best faces in the fashion industry like models and film stars. You'll specialise in capturing images of people. You will also work in Fashion photography.

Nature And Wildlife Photographer: If you are green at heart, this is it. Here you'll capture animals in their natural habitat. Sub marine or under water photography is another branch of this stream.

Film Photographers: You will shoot feature films, advertising films, documentaries, etc.

Video Photographers: You will shoot moving films with a video camera. Your subjects can be anything from a marriage ceremony to a 16 mm film.

Forensic Photographers: Here you'll travel with the police to crime scenes to photograph evidence. Adventourous, isn't it?

Some photographers specialize in special events such as wedding, awards ceremonies, etc.

Requirements

For pursuing photography as a career you need:

· A keen visual sense
· A good understanding of shapes, colours, patterns, and hues
· A perfect eye for observing everything around - life and nature.
· An interest and ability to express life and nature in a visual art form
· An excellent spatial perception - the ability to capture and understand objects
from different dimensions and locations.
· A love for details - you will know what is missing in a given scene.

A successful career in photography doesn't call for a degree or diploma in the subject. All you need is a strong sense of aesthetics and creativity. And loads of focus. You should go the extra nine yards to make your work a satisfying experience for your clients.

But you will do better with a basic course in photography. Certain skills have to be learnt, and you will have to know the instruments and equipment. A formal training course will give you confidence and make you aware of the latest technologies. For film and video, you must have a formal training.

Job Opportunities

There are ample opportunities for a budding photographer.

You could work for an advertising agency, newspaper houses, magazine or a photo studio.

You can work for television channels, television software (what you call television serials) producers, film producers, web site.

There is immense scope for freelancing. There are agencies where your photographs can be syndicated and you can earn royalty in the process.

Other avenues for employment include scientific laboratories, research institutions and industries.

You can even operate as a full-time outdoor photographer and send your transparencies to stock picture agencies like Dinodia Picture Agency (DPA) in Mumbai.

Money & Other Benefits

Though the initial investment (in terms of a sophisticated camera with all state-of-the-art accessories) is quite high, the return may go through the roof.

Beginners get Rs 3,500-7,500 a month. Experienced Photographer charge Rs 10,000-35,000 or more a month. In fact once you have established yourself you can command up to Rs 5,000 or more for a day of shooting and earn more than a lakh a month.

Fashion photographer charge Rs 5,000 a day at the minimum. The best in this field can command up to Rs 75,000 per shoot and more than 5 lakh a campaign.

Specialist photographers like wildlife photographers, under water photographers are paid on a project-to-project basis. These may go up to Rs 2-10 lakh or more per project.

Photojournalist and Press photographers get Rs 4,000-25,000 a month or more.

Assistant Film Photographers get Rs 50,000-100,000 a film. But when you are reputed, it's better not disclosing the figure as the taxmen will come chasing!

Well, those salaried in a company/newspaper house should not expect these astronomical figures. You will get about Rs 7,000-40,000 a month as your salary.

Career Prospects

Bombay is India's advertising capital and the other metros source photographers and filmmakers from Bombay. Your prospects depend more on your quality of work more than anything else. There is a demand for photographers but more often than not it is the good ones that capture a large share of this market. So try to develop your reputation real fast in this field. Dotcoms are a new industry, which is in need of photographers.

 

Sculptor

You will use your hands to give shape to your thoughts. Material like stone, wood, clay, plaster of Paris or metals such as bronze will be your resources. Computers, lasers, sound, plastics, fibre and textiles are some other materials you could dabble with. Successful sculptors continually study and learn new techniques, experiment with different materials, keep abreast with world trends and attend art gallery exhibitions.

You could also take up pottery and create designer pots. You'll keep yourself busy with throwing, glazing and firing pots. Many potters consider pottery as more of a lifestyle than a career even though they may have their wares located across the nation in speciality shops or art studios.

Requirements

The most essential traits in this field are:
· Talent
· A strong desire to express your feelings in art form
· Dedication
· An eye for form
· Ability to utilise colours
· Creativity
· Originality
· Patience

History is rife with examples of self-schooled artists with no formal educational training who are both brilliant and innovative; unfortunately, history is also rife with examples of starving artists, dying in obscurity. Formal educational training in this field is becoming the norm.

You can go for a Bachelor in Fine Arts (BFA). It is a four-year degree program segmented into two courses, namely Foundation course (1 year) and specialisation course (3 years). Further professional study can be pursued through a Masters in Fine Arts (MFA) programme usually spanning over two years. Eligibility for joining BFA is HSC. Diploma in Fine Arts is another option for you.

Job Opportunities

As a sculptor, you could design themes for world-wide events, seasons, specific promotions or a particular message. Sculpting is not a career, which can be taken up off-hand. It is an art that has more to do with in-born talent.

Initially in the beginning you will have to assist a well known sculptor. After some year's experience you can branch out on your own. You can also work as an art critic. Art and culture is getting increasing attention in the media these days. You could even write features and articles for newspapers and magazines. You can also earn money by being a freelancer. But remember only a small number of artists can make a living by sculpting alone. So you might have to find an alternative source of income.

Money & Other Benefits

Though this profession doesn't pay too well the reason why people choose to join the unremunerative and very selective fine arts--is because they love what they do.
Initially you'll have to start your career by presenting your works to people for free! You could exhibit your work in a gallery and earn anything between Rs 1,500 - 5,000 on an individual piece of work. Gradually, this could move on to the 10,000 - 30,000 bracket.
Once your work is recognised then an individual piece could cost up to Rs 2 Lakh or more. Good, no?

Career Prospects

The methods and mediums of art may change, but the intention has remained the same: To reinvent, to communicate in a new and fascinating way. In the future, the role that art plays will not change drastically, but painting, photography, sketching, sculpting, metalworking, and many other mediums will be joined by computer art.

This is an industry where your reputation counts a lot. You need to produce work that creates hype and buzz in the artistic community. Your contacts in the advertising business and art dealers should get you steady amount of work. Be prepared for a lot of frustration though. You may not always get what you want.

 

 

Cosmetologist

A wide range of beauty products are available in the market today. Which one's right for your skin type? What hairstyle will suit your face? These are some of the basic solutions provided by a cosmetologist. They are beauticians who are trained in the art of making a person look his/her best. Cosmetologists perform a wide range of services like hair cuts, styling, perming, colouring, facials and massages for relaxation.
While suggesting hairstyles a cosmetologist keeps in mind the facial structure, hair texture and lifestyle of the client. They need to be abreast with the latest in hairstyles and cutting techniques. They also shampoo, straighten hair or give it a permanent wave.

In addition, most cosmetologists are trained to give manicures, pedicures, and scalp and facial treatments; provide make-up analysis for women; and clean and style wigs and hairpieces.
It is the responsibility to the Cosmetologists to keep the work environment clean by sanitizing all their hairdressing implements. Apart from accommodating new clients they also keep a track of the skin type, preferences, skin care routine, and other such details of their regular clients.
A growing number of workers in beautycare offer specialised services.
The largest and fastest growing of these is hairstylists, who cut, trim, perm, colour, style hair.
Another group of specialists is estheticians, who cleanse and beautify the skin by giving facials, full-body treatments, head and neck massages, and offer hair-removal through waxing.
Electrologists use an electrolysis machine to remove hair.
Finally, shampooers specialise in shampooing and conditioning patrons' hair in some larger salons.
Most cosmetologists work regular hours, but are expected to put in extra hours on weekends, festivals and the wedding season.

Requirements

The first and foremost requirement for this line of work is an eye for beauty. You need to be abreast with the latest in beauty products, techniques and styles. For that you need to be a keen reader and even keep track of some of the style shows on television.

You got to be ready with suggestion as well as open to recommendations from your client. You need to understand what your client is seeking and then offer suitable suggestions. For that it is very important to be aware of the lifestyles and preferences. Most cosmetologists prefer to keep a record of these things.

Communication is an integral part of the profession. You need to be adept at keeping your client engaged in small talk. It helps to be a good listener to be able to offer good solutions. Image, and attitude also play an important role in career success.

Business skills are also important for those who plan to operate their own salons, and the ability to be an effective salesperson is becoming vital for nearly all cosmetologists.

The task of a cosmetologist involves long hours of standing on the feet. Procedures like curling and perming takes 2-3 hours. Apart from good stamina an e ye for colour is also needed in this line. Prolonged exposure to some hair and nail chemicals may be hazardous and cause irritation, so special care must be taken.

There are many private vocational schools offer classes in cosmetology. These are mostly run by reputed salons. Full-time programmes in cosmetology usually last 10 to 24 months. These include classroom study, demonstrations, and practical work. There is no eligibility criterion for admission.

Cosmetologists are also trained in communication, sales, and general business practices. There are advanced courses for cosmetologists in hairstyling and colouring. Most schools teach hairstyling of men's as well as women's hair.

Industry insiders recommend visiting several salons prior to beginning your career in Cosmetology, just to get a feel for the industry, whether or not it works for you. Employment in a professional salon, rather than starting on your own, provides more benefits and stability in the long term.

Job Opportunities

After completing the course you could approach a beauty salon for a job. During the first few months on the job, you will be entrusted with relatively simple tasks. Once you have demonstrated your skills, you are gradually permitted to perform the more complicated tasks such as giving shaves, colouring hair, perming.

Cosmetologists are constantly learning on the job to build on the basics learned in cosmetology school. Because trends in hair styles, hair colour, etc are constantly changing, cosmetologists must keep abreast of the latest fashions and beauty techniques.

This is done by attending product shows and workshops. These shows offer workshops and demonstrations of the latest techniques and expose cosmetologists to a wide range of products that they can recommend to clients-an important skill as retail sales become a more important part of the salon industry.

Cosmetologists who operate their own salons have managerial duties that include hiring, supervising as well as keeping records and ordering supplies.

After acquiring a few year's of experience of managing large salons cosmetologists open their own establishments. Teaching at a cosmetology school is another option.

Sales representatives for cosmetics firms, beauty editors for newspapers or magazines, etc also offer good prospects. Other options include working as beauty or fashion consultants.

Cosmetologists are also recruited by TV, film and modeling agencies as make up artists.

To a large degree, advancement in this field is based not only on talent, but on the cosmetologist's willingness to continue training to keep up with changing hair styles and beauty techniques.

Money & Other Benefits

Cosmetologists usually receive a monthly salary. Apart from that they also get tips and many receive commissions on the products they sell.

A number of factors determine the earnings of a cosmetologists. These include the size and location of the salon, the number of hours worked, customers' tipping habits, and the competition from other salons.

A cosmetologist's initiative and ability to attract and hold regular clients also are key factors in determining their earnings.

Earnings for entry-level workers are usually low; however, for those who stay in the profession, earnings can be considerably higher.

For starters, a make-up artist can command around Rs 1,500-2,500 for a day's work on an advertising campaign. For a modelling assignment, emoluments would be higher at around Rs 3,500. Top-of-the-line professionals command higher rate.

Salons pay Rs 2,500-3,5 00 a month to beginners.

Career Prospects

The increasing desire for personal services by a growing population is the source of growth in this field. The self-employment rate in this field is high. There is even scope for freelance wherein you work for a salon but also visit homes to render services. There are also more opportunities for part-time work for those who desire it.

Increased demand for specialty personalized services has created opportunities for the entrepreneurially minded Cosmetologist.

 

Mehendi Artist

The mehendi ceremony is an integral part of Indian marriages. So much so that unless you have a hi-profile mehendi artist to the wedding, you aren't happening. And it's not just the bride and the groom that you'll be applying the mehendi on. Even the relatives, friends and acquaintances want fancy designs on their palms. And that's not all. Each one will want a different design from the rest. So, stop reading if you aren't the creative types.

A mehendi artist not just applies the mehendi but also sources the various ingredients that go into the preparing mehendi cone. You got to know exactly what goes into these mixtures or else you might scar your client's hands. And you don't that. Do you?

Next you will prepare the cones with which you will apply the mehndi. Then comes sitting with your clients and deciding what pattern they would like. Although the all-time favourite is the herbal mehendi, chemical dyes and glitter mehndi called 'Zardosi' is also a hot favourite these days. To be popular as a mehendi artist you need to have your finger on the latest trends and fads.

Requirements

Creative is the most important aspect of this job. You need to look at a person's hands and decide what patterns would suit her/him. You constantly need to innovate and keep coming up with new and unique designs. You need to have steady hands. That is a must.

The circles that you draw must look like circles and not eggs! Patience is another virtue that you must develop. You need to sit for hours with your clients who might be fidgety and want everything done quick time. This is especially true while working with kids.

The best place to start off is with any one of the numerous private classes that teach you the basics. This would involve learning to make the pastes and the proportions right to get the exact shade. You will also be taught some elementary designs.

Job Opportunities

This is a hobby career. So most people do it from the comforts of their home. This is ideal for college kids and bored housewives. As your reputation spreads your amount of work will also increase. You then will have to decide whether you want to pursue it as full time career or continue as a hobby.

Once you take it up as a profession you can employ a few mehendi artists who will work for you on a profit sharing basis. Then you could do the apply mehendi for the bride while your associates work on the rest of the family.

You could also branch out into cosmetics or open a beauty parlour. Teaching always remains an attractive alternative as many people are interested in the 'do it yourself' kind of workshops.

Money & Other Benefits

Depending on the number of clients you get, you could earn somewhere between Rs 2,000-5,000 a month. This is in the beginning. You have to constantly sharpen your skills and come up with new designs. This will not only help maintain your existing clientele but also help establish your reputation. With enough experience you could earn as much as 5,000-7,000 per session.

Career Prospects

Business is usually booming from October to May, which is considered the marriage season. That's your time to mint money.

The concept of mehendi tattoo is the rage today. Youngsters are sporting them not just on the hands and feet but also on the arm, neck and even the back! Mehndi is also crossing over the boundaries of Indian fashion. Actresses like Demi Moore have made Mehndi 'cool' in the west.

Mehendi is now one of newest Indian export to Hollywood. Even Pop icon Madonna sported it in one of her videos. So don't be too surprised if you soon find a Mehndi parlour next to a Tiffany showroom on Beverly Hills!

 

Makeup Artist

You have to have a good eye for colours. You need to be very observant of your client's personality, the way they carry themselves, the outfit they are going to wear, etc. It's your responsibility to make your client look sophisticated by enhancing their natural beauty.

It's not as easy as it sounds - just dabbing a little bit of powder, lipsticks and mascara. It takes lot of hard work and time to get the right look. You have to plan your work before hand to finish off early.

You might have to deal with abusive clients and even people who cheat on payments or don't pay at all. You'll have to put up with your client's tantrums. Be ready to cancel that dinner if you client wants you at the studio for a late night shoot.

You have to face criticism head on. You should maintain the consistency of the work and keep up the standards of your skills. A good understanding of the bone structure, skin complexion, situation in case of films, dress sense are considered utmost important here. Your work should highlight the strengths of the face rather than hide it behind the makeup mask. You got to make them look glamorous and sophisticated.

There are different types of makeup like the special effect makeup for films, glamour for ramp and fashion, bridal and simple everyday makeup. Each has its own unique requirements.

To start work as a makeup artist is an expensive proposition. You might have to spend lakhs on good quality beauty kits. You have to invest in the latest beauty equipments, cosmetics and accessories, which are quite expensive.

There is no career path or hierarchy in this field. You have to slog your way up the ladder. You have to keep improvising on your skills and not compromise with the quality you provide the clients. You have build up your own network as most of the assignments are procured through word-of-mouth.

Requirements

You should have:
· Artistic inclination
· Ability to visualise
· Affiliation to colours
· Broad vision
· Keep pace with the latest trends
· Have patience
· Ability to work continuously for long hours
· Right temperament
· Ability to balance personal and professional life
· Punctual

You don't need any academic qualifications to be a makeup artist. If you are interested and have the ability to spend money, time and effort you can get into this art.

Usually make up is taught using the traditional method of passing on the knowledge from teacher to student, basically apprenticeship. You could do a specialised course in makeup from London or America. However, there are very few makeup schools in India.

Job Opportunities

Makeup artists are celebrities in the fashion world. The toil is worth the package and recognition you get at the end of the day.

You could start as an assistant or apprentice to a reputed makeup artist. You could work in a beauty parlour, theatre or be a TV makeup artist.

You could also conduct workshops, seminars and lectures on grooming. If you are interested in writing then you could contribute beauty articles to magazines, newspapers and websites on beauty and personal grooming.

With considerable expertise you could work as independent consultants or with companies like Lakme, Revlon, etc.

Money & Other Benefits

You could earn anything between Rs 300-400 a day to Rs 3000-5000 a day. You could also charge per face.

The pay is more exciting in the fashion industry than the silver screen. In film industry, you could earn anything from Rs 1500 - 5000 based on the shifts you are working or the number of faces. The rate varies with the type of make as well. You will earn more if you are doing special effects makeup than the usual ones required for the film industry.

Career Prospects

The industry at the moment has reached a saturation point with a recession in the economy. But there is no dearth of jobs for the deserving. There are many openings in small towns and cities with more and more people realising the importance of personal grooming. With increasing demand for cosmetics and grooming the industry has a good growth prospect.

 

 

Flower Making

Artificial flowers can be made using a variety of materials like paper, wax, stockings, ribbons, satins, chemicals, duplex paper, solowood, organdy (starched cloth), etc.

There are two ways of learning flower making. If you are the types who loves to experiment you could bring these materials home and start carving your own flowers with a little help from the books. But if that's not your forte, no sweat.
You could take a crash course in flower making. Here you will be taught the basics, along with blending different materials to get the right combination.

The time and effort required to create these flowers depend on the type of flower and the materials used. Like for instance a wax flower takes longer to make than a chemical flower. But having said that chemical flowers are sold at a higher price because the chemicals used are imported. It is made by twisting the copper wire to get the desired shape and finally dipping it in chemical.

Flowers from solowood (thin half-white strip made from a stem that grows in sweet water) and stockings are more time consuming than the satin or ribbon flowers. The base of all artificial flowers is the copper wire.

Requirements

Any creative soul can learn this art and make it a source for living. All it takes is an interest to play with different materials and colours. However, you have to invest some amount of money to start with. The investment depends on the type of flower, the quantity and the materials you decide to use. It could range from Rs 500-1500 for each flower.

Of course, it's not as easy as it seems. You need to practice a lot. The courses in flower making are of no fixed durations. It depends on your ability to learn and grasp things. The number of flowers you make depends on your speed as well as the type of flower.

To sum it up you need:
· patience to work long hours
· eye for detail
· imagination
· colour sense
· artistic
· ability to innovate and experiment
· understand what the client needs

Though this is a purely artistic field, which requires no educational background a course in flower making would definitely help.

Job Opportunities

Flower making is seen more as a hobby than a full time occupation. However if you excel at what you do, you could turn it into a profitable business alongside a 9 to 5 job.

Once you gather a fair number orders you could go all out and float you own brand. Approaching corporates and lifestyle stores to display your range will come next. Here you'll have to market your own stuff and as such good communicational skills will come handy. Knowing the market and the current trends in gifting will give you an edge over your competitors.

You can also hold classes in flower making. Holding exhibitions of your work is another way of generating business and creating brand awareness for your products. However, you have to be consistent in your work. Your business will purely depend on word-of-mouth and your artistic and creative ability.

Money & Other Benefits

You'll decide the price of the flowers depending on your cost of production and your client's budget. This will range from Rs 5-1000 per piece depending on the type of flower and the area.

If you hold classes you could easily earn around Rs 3000-10, 000 depending on the number of students and the locality.

Career Prospects

Flower making can be a good career option for both bored housewives as well as office-goers.

Artificial flowers are a rage today considering the amazing varieties they come in. In fact it scores over natural flowers for their shelf life and low cost.

Interior decorators and homemakers use artificial flowers as a prop to decorate homes. It is also used as a gift for marriages, anniversaries, birthdays and other events.