Muhammed Sajid

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Farmers working in green fields with smart farming devices by Muhammed Sajid

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An abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables full of natural beauty

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A woman's head is the canvas for diverse and thought-provoking elements

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Muhammed erschafft eigenwillige Bildräume zwischen Mythos und Moderne.

Ein illustrativer Stil mit narrativer Wucht, surrealer Bildsprache und kultureller Tiefenschärfe.

People, colour, culture and nature all play important roles in Muhammed’s work. One of his goals setting out as an artist was to depict the lives and way of life in his home village in Kerala. However, rather than folk art or traditional landscapes, his imagery is reminiscent of a high-end graphic novel, where the characters grapple with everything from ancient, mystical beliefs to the latest technology. Muhammed’s clients include global brands, who praise his ideas, creativity and execution. He’s an artist who always brings something different to a project – something only otherwise seen in dreams or visions.

Approach

The creative process for Muhammed begins with scribbles, moving towards formal sketches which he then colours. In addition to the digital tools he uses, Muhammed loves creating posters, working directly onto paper using watercolour, pastel and pencil.

Key software

Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Procreate.

Style

Surreal and imaginative, Muhammed’s creations are also full of raw energy and vibrant colours. He likes to brace the viewer and tackle cultural taboos.

Languages

English and Malayalam.

Impressions

Interview

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Interview

What led you to become an illustrator? For me, illustration started from a strong curiosity toward visuals, culture, and storytelling. I was always drawn to observing people, local environments, traditional elements, and everyday moments, and illustration became the best medium to translate those observations into something expressive and personal. Over time, experimenting with different styles, textures, and concepts helped me shape my own visual language. What keeps me motivated is the ability to create emotion, atmosphere, and narrative through imagery. Did you study illustration in college? I studied at the College of Fine Arts in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, which played an important role in shaping my approach to illustration and visual storytelling. Alongside academics, a lot of my learning also came through personal experimentation and independent projects over the years. Where did you grow up? I grew up in Kerala and later spent significant time in Bangalore. Do you have a childhood memory relating to art that you hold dear? Yes, I do. One of my favorite childhood memories related to art is drawing a monkey on a large chart paper with the help of my mother. I still remember the excitement of creating something at that scale and seeing it come together. I don’t have a digital copy of it now, but the memory has stayed with me for a long time and still feels very special. Where do you live now and what drew you there? I currently live in Bangalore. What initially drew me here was my day-to-day work as a visual designer, along with the city’s creative environment and opportunities. Over time, Bangalore itself became a big source of inspiration for me. I’m constantly inspired by its street life, local characters, visual contrasts, and the mix of cultures and ideas. At the same time, my roots in Kerala continue to strongly influence my work, so I feel creatively connected to both places. Describe your studio for us My studio setup is quite simple and functional. It’s a space where I balance both my work as a visual designer and my personal illustration practice. I usually keep a mix of digital and traditional elements around me, sketches, books, textures, references, and ongoing experiments. I enjoy keeping the environment visually inspiring but not overly structured, so ideas can develop naturally. Music, everyday observations, and collected visual references also play a big role in the atmosphere of my workspace. Who or What is your biggest inspiration? I’m particularly inspired by local characters, street life, traditional rituals, cinema, old print aesthetics, music, and folk art forms. I also enjoy observing ordinary moments and transforming them into something expressive and narrative through illustration. What’s your favourite way to spend a day off? Spending life with my family and playing football. What causes are you passionate about? I feel strongly about preserving and celebrating local culture, stories, and traditional art forms through contemporary visual language. A lot of my work is influenced by everyday people, regional identities, and folk aesthetics, so I’m passionate about documenting and reinterpreting these elements in a way that keeps them relevant and accessible to newer audiences. I’m also interested in creating work that feels emotionally honest and connected to real human experiences rather than purely commercial visuals. Do you collect anything? Stamps.What do you listen to when you work? I honestly don’t have a fixed playlist right now. I usually listen to all kinds of genres depending on the mood. Malayalam rap, English music, relaxing ambient tracks, metal, and a lot more. I really enjoy exploring new music and discovering different sounds. But when I want to slow down and feel calm, I often go back to 'Coming Back to Life' by Pink Floyd. What is your favourite quote? Actually, I have a few favorite quotes and thoughts that I often relate to. One is that “Everything happens for a good reason.” And “Don’t overthink the future, don’t carry guilt from the past, live in the present moment.” I think these ideas help me stay grounded both in life and creatively. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? Paris. If you could only any eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Non veg Biryani, Crab and Blue mussel. If a client paid you enough money to take a year off and create whatever you want – an open brief - no constraints - what would you deliver? I’ll probably find a wall and create a large-scale painting or illustration of something I genuinely like and connect with. If you were not an illustrator, what would you be? Luxury hotel reviewer/Travel journalist. Is there a work lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way? One work lesson I had to learn the hard way was during my early days of doing commissioned projects. At first, it was challenging for me to fully accept client feedback and adapt my work accordingly. Over time, I understood that feedback is an important part of the creative process and collaboration. Learning how to balance my own creative voice while also understanding the client’s vision helped me grow both professionally and personally. What is the most challenging part of being an illustrator? One of the hardest parts is staying creatively fresh while constantly producing work. Balancing originality, deadlines, client expectations, and personal creative satisfaction at the same time can be really demanding. Often, the biggest challenge is not the technical execution, but turning a vague feeling or idea into something visually meaningful. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? The best piece of advice I’ve been given is to keep practicing and not give up. I think consistency matters a lot in any creative field. There are always phases of self-doubt or creative blocks, but continuing to create and improve over time is what really shapes you as an artist. What career advice would you give your younger self? I would probably tell my younger self not to stress too much about exams and marks, because eventually I was going to find my place in the art and creative field. I think I would also remind myself to trust the process more and focus on developing creativity and curiosity rather than constantly worrying about the future.

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