Uprising: Creating Beautiful Typography with Rohil Borole
Curious, observant, and fascinated by gadgets - these are some of the ways Rohil Borole describes himself in his younger years. His need for dismantling devices and pushing his understanding often got him into hot water, but it was all a necessary learning experience. “While my explorations occasionally got me into trouble, they served as early indicators of my passion for understanding how things functioned,” he explains.
As Rohil would watch cartoons or observe the world as a child, it became clear that he was focused on the small things. “I found myself captivated by intricate details, whether it was studying the nuances of a specific cartoon character or the sleek design of jets,” he says. “In those moments, I would lose myself, dedicating countless hours to replicating those details through drawing, often finding myself running out of paper in the process.”
A passion for drawing turned from a hobby into a lifestyle as he carried on with his sketches. He explains, “Drawing was a prominent hobby that consumed a significant portion of my time. I found immense joy and satisfaction in capturing the essence of various subjects on paper. What fascinated me most was the ability to convey intricate details and bring my imagination to life through pencil and paper.”
It was colouring and painting specifically that had a particular allure for him, so he pushed himself to create in more artistically challenging mediums. “As a result, I dedicated my time and energy to honing my sketching skills, pushing the boundaries of my artistic abilities.”
This innate desire to challenge himself came from Rohil’s upbringing in India, where at times, there was a limited access to things. “I learned from an early age how to make the most of what I had,” he says. “This experience taught me the invaluable lesson that less can often be more, and it sparked a deep sense of resourcefulness within me.” Finding creative solutions became second nature as adaptation, unconventional paths and finding nuances were key to keeping him on track.
With an ambitious personality and the desire to make his creative mark, it may be surprising to hear that Rohil started out as somewhat introverted, though that quickly changed. “Through my daily work and consistent interaction with a diverse range of people, I have become much more extroverted and outgoing. Building relationships and expanding my network has been a natural outcome of this shift.”
This began when he embarked on a graphic design course at DSK-IC in Pune, India. However, with unforeseen circumstances, the school shut down and left him at a bit of a loss.
One gap year later, Rohil made the bold decision to move to Berlin, Germany, take on an internship at Innocean Berlin and, the following year, enrol at the Miami Ad School Berlin to study art direction. But backtracking a little bit, he explains how one of his early internships at Non Zero in Mumbai gave him the skills to continually develop himself, even now. “During my time there, we had a unique practice that greatly contributed to my development as a creative professional. We followed a rule of dedicating 70% of our time to client work, while reserving the remaining 30% for self-learning and experimentation on a daily basis.”
During the early days, it was the art of communication, articulating ideas and presenting proposals which were a key element to Rohil’s daily working life. These skills are what he’s taken into every professional project, from designing a logo for musical artist Quistek to working on a project for the cannabis brand Freedom Grams.
Describing the latter as a project that truly changed his career and perspective he says, “The brand aimed to raise awareness among consumers that, while they could legally purchase cannabis today, there were still individuals in prison for possessing the same amounts in the past.” The powerful mission of funding legal action to free individuals was something that struck a chord, and he dove head first into the consumer packing design, finding ways to capture and inform the audience.
“Beyond packaging, I delved into design systems, generative design, collaborations, and extensive,” he reflects. “Moreover, I gained hands-on experience in print production, photo and film production, sound design, motion design, typography, and merchandising. Each of these played a crucial role in bringing the initiative to life.” From the project, he learnt the power of activism and how it can be used to support campaigns, advocating for genuine, meaningful change – something that he’s keen to work more on.
When finding inspiration, Rohil often looks to “Boutique creative shops and their commitment to exceptional craft,” he says and gives some examples, “Like alaska___alaska, studiotemp and TomorrowBureau.” With original ideas and a commitment to craft, they’re people he looks up to for inspiration and fresh takes rather than tried and tested ideas.
Specifically avoiding ‘trend hunting’ and creating meaningful work is a real priority in his day to day, due to the fact that “the lack of originality always results in projects that are generic and lacking in substance.” He explains that one particular brand that always captures his attention for consistent and thought-provoking projects is MSCHF.
Speaking of substance, when it comes to things in the industry that he’d like to see changed, a commitment to diverse leadership is high on the list. Rohil explains, “It is essential to foster an environment where individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences have equal opportunities to lead and shape the industry.”
But, it’s not just this. He’s also an advocate for accessibility and inclusion in the workplace, and also the wider industry. “I have had the privilege of collaborating with our Korean partners, Dot Inc., on two impactful projects focused on accessibility for the visually impaired.” The first is Dot Go and the second, is Dot Pad – both assisting the visually impaired with technology to support accessibility.
As someone who is totally committed to his craft, the challenge for Rohil comes from finding the right balance between social life and work. “As someone who is almost too passionate about my work, it's easy to get fully absorbed and dedicated to my professional responsibilities. However, I also recognise the importance of maintaining a healthy personal life, nurturing relationships, pursuing hobbies, and taking care of my well-being.”
Part of striking the balance comes from hobbies outside of work, such as swimming, gaming and dancing, among others. “One of my main passions is lettering,” he adds. “From an early age, I found myself sketching graffiti, which ignited my love for typography. Over time, this passion has grown, and I have become deeply fascinated with all aspects of typography.” Changing up the layout and types of lettering, Rohil creates new and different compositions – “my next challenge is to learn Kanji and Hangul calligraphy,” he mentions, while explaining the rigorous and intense processes behind those two in particular.
Aside from that, YouTube is also where he finds both inspiration and entertainment, specifically in the channels ‘Corridor Crew’, with insights on CGI and filmmaking, and the filmed podcast ‘Unfiltered’ with Samdish. “The host interviews a wide range of Bollywood creatives and actors,” he says, “I appreciate this show because it provides a platform for in-depth conversations and personal stories from renowned individuals in the Bollywood industry. It allows me to gain insights into their creative processes, experiences, and perspectives, and it provides inspiration for my own work.”
Music also lives in Rohil’s veins. He says, “One of my passions is mixing music and curating sets. I thoroughly enjoy the process of hunting for the perfect songs and blending them together to create a seamless and captivating musical journey. In addition to the mixing aspect, I also enjoy designing custom covers for these sets.”
And when he isn’t doing any of those things, he tries to make time for working on pro bono projects, opportunities to collaborate and projects which allow him to try unconventional approaches.
That’s all part of what keeps him going, his motivation being the “Opportunity to positively influence daily lives at scale.”
