Daily Times

We all love to imagine what it’s going to be like living in the future and many a time, sci-fi films give shapes to such imaginations.

But what exactly might change and what would remain intact? Have you thought about that? The changing landscapes of urban spaces with tall skyscrapers have already made living ‘closer to the sky possible’ but does it mean our connection with earthy roots will disappear? Will hi-tech technologies curtail the little joys and pleasures in our everyday life? From our cherished chai-session by roadside teashops to dhoodhwalas delivering door-to-door milk, will all these just be a ‘thing of the past’?

Well, for 30-year-old Pakistani illustrator and designer Omar Gilani, no matter how advanced we get, there will be a few intangible elements alive despite development. Gilani’s vibrant and peppy artworks have taken Pakistan by storm, and now, even the world has been mesmerised by its futurist imagination. And with a similar desi-element, Indians have found a common ground to appreciate his work. So, we got in touch with the Lahore-based self-taught artist to explore more.

Gilani says that he always enjoyed drawing but never thought he could turn his passion into his profession. “I’ve always enjoyed drawing, but it was at hobby status for the longest time. In Peshawar where I grew up, art wasn’t considered a profession, and so I pursued studies in Engineering.” The artist who has MSc in Mechanical Engineering, and an MPhil in Robotics realised very recently that art could be made into a viable career. He began learning more about digital art to pursue his dream through books and online tutorials and initially approached the work part-time, managing between passion and work about four years ago.

Starting off with his passion-career he worked on all sorts of commercial designing projects -from manual design to magazine covers to website backgrounds to posters. He has even worked for the United Nations, Save the Children initiative and British Council in the country. Throwing light about these prestigious project Gilani said, “With the UN I designed a couple of books and safety manuals for schools, and for Save the Children I created art for a child empowerment campaign.” Currently, he is also working in the mobile game industry, and for working with Patari.pk, country’s leading music startup.

Talking about the recent sci-fi artworks that have awed everyone that designer said it was not a planned one. “This project is pretty recent; I made a few pieces sporadically over the past year when I got back home from work, just for fun. It was around November 2016, when I quit my day job, that I gave this more focused attention.”