We were lucky to catch up with Ritika Govindan recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ritika, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
With a background in Sequential Arts and illustration, I was very fortunate to stumble across the opportunity to participate in an internship at Mattel as an action figure designer. After graduating from college, this internship then turned into a full time job as a toy designer. My journey getting here has been really interesting, I started out by working on a concept art project with WWE during my junior year of school, after this I was exposed to the culture and knowledge of the brand. Combining my experience working with WWE as well as my background in concept art, I was able to create a really strong foundation for the art of toy design. Looking back, I wouldn’t have sped up my process or done things differently because I think the process has taught me so much. Everyday I am learning more about the toy design process and how I can implement my ideas and creativity into the products.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I got into my industry through an internship with Mattel, as well as experience working with WWE on concept art content. I am a toy designer, I mainly work on creating action figures- but I am super passionate about all realms of toys and am constantly creating designs and concepts for various different brands. I think my background in sequential arts and motion really sets me apart because I think in terms of movement- I love creating storyboards and animatics to explain my thought process. I am also incredibly passionate about diversity and inclusivity, all my passion projects revolve around cultural diversity and representation.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I think society needs to acknowledge the importance of artists in the world, I feel like a lot of times creative talent can be taken for granted- the “I could make this” mindset- but there is so much energy that goes into not just the creativity and idea generation but also the administration, and how we market ourselves. However, I also think its important to also emphasize the idea of artists supporting each other within these creative ecosystem- we need to create space and voices for those who’s have not been heard.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I think one of the most rewarding things about being a creative for me is the fact that I am constantly learning and solving new problems. The creative field is one that is constantly evolving with new technology and ideas. especially in the product design/toy design industry, there is always innovation and various different ways to implement that innovation. It is truly so exciting to see all the different aesthetics, fashions and styles trending. I love the fact that I get to explore all of these things constantly as a part of my job, its never boring.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: ritikadraws
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritika-govindan-45533622b/
