Making the Cut

From intricate laser-cut mandala wall art to a hand-carved resin-wood furniture range, Ahmedabad-based product designer Karan Nawab’s experiments are an ode to creativity and an ongoing labour of love.

- DIKSHA JAWLE

“Little drops of water, little grains of sand; make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land” — these lines by Julia Carney sums up the artistic journey of Ahmedabad-based product designer Karan Nawab. Having studied mechanical engineering, he had no plans of venturing into the arts, and aimed to join his father’s factory that manufactures carbon fibre products. However, it was dabbling in the technique of laser cutting that inspired him to be a self-taught product designer that he is today. “My father, who is an aeromodeller by hobby, used to make aircraft models by laser cutting. As a kid, I used to help him build these models and that’s what developed my interest in art. It was during my final year in mechanical engineering when I was truly mesmerised by this amazing technology. It made me think of the things one can make with laser cutting. Upon doing a lot of research, I decided to make something of my own,” he explains. Thus, his brand Woodpecker was born.