Design can actually make a difference - Anika Rastogi

Craft is a skill that involves art in it. The product could be the utility product or the decorative product.
Every place has its own unique craft (depending on the material availability, geographical reason etc.) with the help of which craftsmen (one who practices craft) earn their living from. Craftsmen do not do any course or take any classes to educate themselves; it’s like their family business which they adopt from their father. Craftsmen generally use the raw material which is available near their area and generally use hand skills not machines.

But as the craft is getting older so it is fading out, unlike other products which are getting advance as they get old. There are many reason to it, like lack of demand, raw-material, skilled workers, finished goods, machines and most important lack of knowledge of current trends.

There are many problems which could be solved just by designers. The lack of demand is the main problem due to which many of the craftsmen are committing suicide. The demand is going down because the products lack freshness and trends. These craftsmen are making those tradition products since ages which don’t find there space in modern world.

Design can actually make difference to the existing craft. Designers can provide craftsmen with new designs and product which could be made from that craft and also in trends in present. Designer can provide them with different and new motifs and color scheme which is totally different from which they use to do in earlier days. It could change the perception of craftsmen and give fresh product to the consumer. Design could also help them to mix and match different type of crafts. It will break the monotony of that craft. Designing and changing the purpose of that craft will also change the current perception of the consumer and they demand the product more.