We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mahima Jain. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mahima below.

Mahima, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is a personal illustration series I began during and after quarantine. At the time, I was struggling to process a lot of emotions I couldn’t quite put into words, even in therapy. So I started visualizing them instead. Each illustration became a reflection of a different emotional state – isolation, anxiety, restlessness, calm, translated into forms, textures, and colors that spoke louder than words could.

The project gradually evolved from a form of self-expression into something larger: an exploration of mental health and how design can make the invisible visible. I experimented with 3D illustration paired with minimal graphic language to mirror the contrast between what we feel inside and what we show on the surface.

What began as a private coping mechanism became a body of work that others could relate to, people told me they saw their own feelings in my visuals. That connection made me realize how powerful visual design can be, not just to communicate ideas, but to express vulnerability, empathy, and healing.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a multidisciplinary designer and illustrator who blends emotional storytelling with interactive and visual design. My background is in product and experience design, but over the years I’ve found myself drawn to the deeply human side of creativity, how visuals can articulate what words often can’t.

My journey into design began with curiosity about how form, color, and motion can influence how people feel. That curiosity evolved into a career in digital product design, where I now build thoughtful, intuitive, and expressive experiences for users. Alongside my professional work, I explore illustration and motion as a personal outlet, creating visual narratives around identity, emotions, and mental health.

Ultimately, I want my work to invite reflection and empathy. I want people to feel something, to see a bit of themselves in what I create. Whether I’m designing a digital experience or an emotional narrative, my goal is to make invisible feelings visible through thoughtful, human-centered design.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is having a safe place to let out what I can’t always say out loud. I’ve always struggled to fully express my inner turmoil in words, and my practice has become a way to translate those hidden emotions into something visible. Every illustration, animation, or design becomes a release, a way to process, vent, and transform private feelings into something tangible and, hopefully, relatable to others.

What makes it even more meaningful is seeing other people connect with that work. When someone recognizes their own experience in one of my visuals, it feels like we’re sharing an unspoken conversation. That’s the real gift of being a creative for me, turning my personal struggle into something that resonates, comforts, or sparks reflection in someone else.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn, and still remind myself of often, is the belief that I need to be perfect to be good enough. For the longest time, I equated worth with flawless execution. I’d hesitate to start something new because I was afraid it wouldn’t turn out the way I imagined. That pressure to appear “put together” made me my own harshest critic.

Over time, and especially through my illustration work, I’ve learned that imperfection is not failure, it’s honesty. The moments when I’ve allowed myself to create freely, without overthinking, are the ones that feel most alive and authentic. I’m still learning to see process as progress, to value the act of expressing over achieving. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s where the real growth and connection happen.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mahima.work/
• Instagram: @mostly_m
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahima-j-9a405915b/