Art & Craft
Diving In The World of An Art Prodigy: Pranesh Walawalkar
An insight into the life and craft of the immensely talented Hyperrealist Portrait rangoli artist Pranesh Praveen Walawalkar

Hyperrealism focuses on the suspension of the distance between reality and its imitative representation, interweaving the two so intricately that they are almost indistinguishable, what Jean Baudrillard puts as ‘the precession of simulacra’.
Today, we are going to introduce you to a young hyperrealist portrait Rangoli artist Pranesh Praveen Walawalkar. In an exchange with The Talented Indian, the artist reveals his journey from being a juvenile artist winning art competitions at school to a fully dedicated professional at the young age of 20. Pranesh is adept at pencil sketches and hyperrealist Portrait Rangoli.
A life of the artist starts at the cradle, develops over time and the seed of inherent talent nourished with the water of inspiration finally burgeons. Born and brought up in Mumbai, Pranesh’s artistic endeavor started early too. While at school he won many awards and strong support from family, friends and faculty because of the apparent talent in him. At an early age he became acquainted with hyperrealist Portrait Rangoli while visiting an exhibition where he was flabbergasted by “quality, realism, composition with theme creation, presentation of a subject and use of colours” in the displayed Portrait Rangolis. But the lack of resources and contacts at that point didn’t allow him to practice the same instantly. It was when he was 16 when he started practicing Portrait Rangoli. Still the issues like a lack of separate room for practicing Rangoli hurdled his way but he nevertheless crossed those hurdles.

While in college, getting connected with the internet and winning the second position in a Portrait Rangoli competition gave him a major push.
Inspiration is an omnipresent muse; you just want the eyes to see her. Blessed with this eye and curiosity to seek inspiration, Pranesh says that inspiration has revealed herself to him in various frames be it “surrounding, nature, others life, imagination, dreaming, and many different things some of them do not even exist”.
Pranesh is a self-motivated artist and believes that failure is a flavour that cannot be avoided. People who discourage career in art, maintains Pranesh, are a demotivating presence. However, he didn’t let philistines devour his love for art. In days when everything goes haywire, he tries to look at the positive and by looking at his past achievements he invests a belief in hard work. For him in the recipe of success hard-work is the quintessential ingredient and admits that he deals with the fear of failure by giving it his all.

Art is often believed as a form of meditation, just like meditation requires immense focus and a tremendous amount of strength and perseverance, practicing art requires the same amount of focus and strength. Pranesh tells us, that a Portrait rangoli takes 13-14 hours to complete and there have been times when he worked without any break to complete his task at hand. With his undivided attention dedicated to a piece of art for long hours and cathartic effect at the completion, he believes, indeed, art is a sort of meditation.
The simulacrum in his art carry an intrinsic message along with a wide range of themes like “social issues like child labour, recently COVID 19 awareness rangoli, inspirational portraits like Sachin Tendulkar, tribute to women in Indian Airforce, historical beauty showing ‘the grace of India sculptures’”. His art work is, thus, not only aesthetically pleasing but also has a didactic core.

Pranesh believes that anyone even without an artistic background can succeed in becoming an artist just by pursuing their passion with utmost patience and perseverance. Developing skills in art by learning and knowing more, according to him, is important.
At last, Pranesh leaves a message for all the young art enthusiasts and people in general to be patient for the things unfold at their own pace, to be perseverant because hard work has no alternative, to be motivated and to support other artists as well. He maintains that people can support an artist by sharing her/his work and by hiring them as and when required.
Artists create art for the upliftment of the society and they deserve support from the society in return as well.

Art & Craft
Illustration , A Medium To Percieve And Project Dreams And Nostalgia.
Art potentially can channel the utmost feelings that remain overlooked. Illustrators who churn a better perspective through their art.

Illustration in today’s world has completely engulfed a large majority of attention. Digital art has made art accessible in a way, that it carries ambiguity as well as direct interpretation. The imagination to illustrate and create has no barriers and limits. A way of expression for all to perceive and create. A list of phenomenal artists who willingly shares a piece of life through their art. Reminiscing childhood, unnoticed occurrence, the joy of the moment, the creation of a fascinating world, a soul driven by passions and dreams, almost all spheres of reflection are clearly depicted in today’s art.
Angshuman
Angshuman Dhar’s illustration has an intimation of minute discoveries of joy in childhood nostalgia to diving into adulthood. The undertone in Angushman’s work oddly instantly connects you to the piece. As if an instance, moment, or memory is taken right out of your life and illustrated through his art. Angshuman art emerges out of monotonous life and the beauty in its simplicity, occurrences often ignored or forgotten. Beckoned back to life as you get to relive them again. He comes out with a series of ‘ Today I Present To You, Oddly Specific’, where he specifies certain things that are habitually rooted in us and the set appears relatable with intricate details in comic style and textual explanation.




Ani and Sri
The longing to relive as a child under a sheltered comfort what feels like the ultimate safe haven is exactly the words to describe the soothing and serenity you feel with a smile while looking at Anita’s illustration. Carrying the essence of abode, she gives us a glimpse of her cherished moments growing up with her, Appa (dad). Her art appears so delicate, holding the essence of innocence and joy. She presents her illustration with a detailed narration of the incident. Making you feel so involved and invoking you to recollect your set of sweet memories growing up. All her arts have warm distinct shades of orange and green, a sight so appealing and soothing.




Thomas Fernandes
Thomas transfers to a whole different world with his animations. His work mostly consisting immense diversity with a mystical hint and spectacular background to outline. His competency to make a normal human, illustrated in a way alluring and enchanting image is captivating. Thomas seems to find his inspiration in a crowd and certainly aces at creating a creation in a utopian world. His landscape contains immense vastness and intricacy yet they appear so simple to the eyes. A new world to dwell in? Thomas is providing easy access for you to widen your imagination.




Aparna
Shades of dreams and persuasion of pure bliss are layered in Aparna’s fascinating depiction of illustration. Aparna paints a picture like a replica of dreams of belonging in a locus so similar to all of us. Choice of colour palette so appealing to eyes and inclination towards hues of blues as a representation of water in most of her art. There’s aspiration depicted through effortless art amidst the chaos and emphasising the beauty within the moments. There is a pattern of her muses or characters looking up immersed in tranquillity. Her art paired with inspiring poems and words is a perfect presentation of her expression.




Art & Craft
Illustrations, Doodles, and Caricatures: Meet Creative Artists
Presenting a bundle of art to look at, from digital art, caricatures, illustrations to doodling, these artists have us covered thoroughly.

The medium of art has significantly increased in recent years. With the possibilities of digital art, artists have been able to express themselves and their art in different forms. Meanwhile, on the other hand, the manual paint brushes and pencils have still maintained their reign. The many mediums, thoughts, expressions, and types have significantly raised and transformed the very definition of modern art. Doodling, caricatures, comic strips, illustrations, etc are works of creative geniuses. We bring you some exceptionally talented artists and their imaginative creations.
Sanket Lawande
Based in Goa, Sanket Lawande is a caricature illustrator. A caricature illustration is a rendered image with exaggerated or simplified features of the subject depicted through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic mediums. Sanket Lawande’s caricature collection is phenomenal! His original caricatures cover multiple famous personalities, from celebrities to politicians, writers and models. One of his recent caricatures of Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt is both marvellous and comical at the same time.




Steffi Stanley
Steffi Stanley is an illustrator and a character designer. She mostly works for children’s books, comics and also portraits. Her playful illustrations and doodles are dripped with reminiscence and nostalgia. Covering children’s stories, her drawings and art will make you go back to your childhood days when innocence drove most of our behaviours. Sweet and simple illustrations dazzled with bright colours, Steffi Stanley provides just the right amounts of giggles and appreciation.




Somnath Bannerjee (Also known as Aalo)
Somnath Bannerjee is an engineering student from Odisha. He’s currently balancing art and engineering, and he’s doing that very well, for his art page is flourishing with creatives and colours. Covering portraits and caricatures, Somnath Bannerjee has mastered digital art. Most of his illustrations narrate bitter sweet and innocent tales of childhood. Apart from spotlighting delightful tales and themes, Somnath also doodles, and draws portraits and comical caricatures.




Samyukta Harish
Samyukta Harish is an artist through and through. Not only is she making illustrations, but she is also a dancer. Most of her illustrations are inspired from Indian classical dance forms. Her drawings are rich with the spark of Indian heritage and culture. Her inspirations are rooted in the Indian arts and traditions, and it is very refreshing to see quirky characters adorned in Indian attire and jewellery. The detailing of the jewelleries and outfits is immaculate and the amount of hard work and passion she pours in the drawings is vivid.




Doodlernie by Aparajita
Aparajita, or more famously known as Doodlernie, is a doodler and an illustrator. She has used her artistic skills to spread positivity and happiness. Her cartoon characters have a distinct ‘doodlernie’ signature to them. Through one of her most loved cartoon characters, ‘Kai’, she doodles positive affirmations and positive reminders for all of us.




Art & Craft
Illustrations and Animations: Laying Some Steps Down the Memory Lane
Art is for all kinds of emotions but today we present specific illustrations and animations fuelling nostalgic feelings

Technological advancement has increased our ways of producing art pieces. Digital art, like illustrations and animations, has shown a more layered and deep understanding of art. It has increased the medium of expression, making art more accessible and variegated. Animation and illustrations have always appealed to a majority of the audience. The visual freedom in animations and illustrations gives both the artist and the audience to enjoy it more freely and deeply.
Childhood memories, even though so old, are somehow very vivid in our minds. Certain food, certain places, certain tv shows, or certain smells and streets take us down the bitter sweet memory lane. Nostalgia often engulfs with sweet longings. Childhood memories might not only be the trigger for nostalgia, it could be the 90s Bollywood playing on the radio, or visiting your old school. We cannot club this one word in a few lines, so we turn to these amazing artists delivering illustrations and animations, filled with nostalgic emotions, brimming our hearts with bittersweet feelings.
Diah Chakraborty
Diah Chakraborty is a 23-year-old illustrator majorly covering children’s book’s illustrations. With swift strokes and brimming creativity, Diah Chakraborty while creating illustrations and animations for children also gives us the taste of nostalgia. Only recently she started a ‘grandma’ series. The series beautifully captures the essence of the presence of grandmothers in our lives. The delicacies of grandma’s food is unmatched, her night tales had a different aura, and her love for us shown through small acts like combing our hair or dressing us up, all has been effectively portrayed by Diah Chakraborty through her animations and illustrations, and this is just a gist of Diah’s treasury.





Maitrayee Mitra
Maitrayee Mitra is a visual storyteller, animator, and an illustrator. Maitrayee Mitra’s Instagram is like a breath of fresh air. That is how relieved it makes you feel. This is because her art and animations so immaculately display the beauty and the simplicity of the lives of children. As you surf along her page, you’ll find nooks of your childhood playfully drawn by Maitrayee. The hustle and bustle of school life, the playful bickering with your siblings, or the hushed, slow and calm life of your childhood spent before urbanization and technology fast forwarded our lives, Maitrayee Mitra beautifully draws all that and more. She brings the forgotten peaceful phase of our lives on the threshold.





Mansi Joshi
Mansi Joshi is a self-taught illustrator and animator. Using her creative skills, she creates art on a plethora of topics, and the most loved out of all of them are her self-deprecating humour arts, and the nostalgic childhood animations and illustrations she creates. Mansi Joshi has posted a few lovely animations. One of them is reminiscing about childhood mischief during the summer vacations. Other, stealing food just prepared by your mom for the guests about to visit. Mansi Joshi has just tapped on the most cherished memories from our childhood, a time when we didn’t have the world’s worry. They’re created with spoonfuls of sweet memories, and you can definitely taste them viewing her illustrations! Nostalgia through art is truly an emotion to experience.





Art & Craft
Defining Contemporary Art: Meet Artists Painting the New Way
Presenting creative artists contributing to contemporary art with their elegant and unique paintings and sketches.

Contemporary art has reached out more closely to people. Living under city scapes, in the era of urbanisation, technology, and the varied cultures, contemporary paintings and sketches might come easily to the present time generation. Contemporary art, if defined, is the art of today’s time, or specifically produced in the second half of the 20th century. In a globalising world, it is exhilarating to see artists being influenced by a number of factors, producing art, completely different and unique. Art in a broad sense, can be understood as including music, paintings, props, sculptors, instalments, etc. Today we will be presenting contemporary artists producing irresistible paintings and sketches.
Paul Chiranjit
Paul Chiranjit, along with being a contemporary artist, is also a fine arts teacher. With his magic filled hands, he has been painting a myriad of beguiling oil sketches. The canvas is his space of utmost creativity of the human faces and their surroundings. As you scroll through Paul Chiranjit’s paintings, a constant dazzlement oozes out of his oil sketches. Covering mainly sketches of female goddesses and women portraits, Paul Chiranjit plays transparently with the oil on the canvas. His creative energies are vividly expressed in his oil strokes and minute details. Apart from oil sketches, Paul Chiranjit also has mastery with pencil on paper.




Rajmohan Ramamoorthi
Rajmohan Ramamoorthi is a professional contemporary artist, with experience and talent in pencil sketches, digital art as well as watercolour portraits. His real life, captivating, lifelike portraits, speak of Rajmohan Ramamoorthi’s adeptness and artistic skills. Each eye that he has drawn speaks of its own story and has its own life. Be it the pencil strokes, or the splashed colours, each speck of his art is produced with the same detail, attention, and accuracy. While his watercolour portraits deliver a more nuanced dream like story, the pencil sketches speak in a more intense manner.




Debayan Kar
Debayan Kar, with his classic elegance and creative energies, has been producing exceptional art pieces. His collection is so unique, unblemished, and stunning, with art drawn and produced through different mediums and methods. From watercolours, to pencil sketches, to charcoal, and line contouring, Debayan Kar, has been using art as a medium to express his inner thoughts. Most of his art pieces are also a tribute to and pay respect to famous and legendary icons. This contemporary artist has truly mastered the essence of portraits, and each piece speaks of the raw skills of Debayan Kar.




Samir Mondal
Samir Mondal is a contemporary watercolour artist. His art pieces are unique and are challenging the very idea of what art should be. Giving the textures of oil painting through water colours, Samir Mondal is freely showing his inner artistic creations in more ways than one. In his art pieces, one can easily find a newness, an invention and experimental aura. Samir Mondal plays with his colours very enthusiastically. He is for sure defining and being an active part of contemporary art and contemporary artists.




Art & Craft
These Illustrations Talk About Life More Than Imaginative Stories
Designers, illustrators and drawing artists build their own space of unique storytelling. Viewers are finding it interesting.

Stories are not just to be told; they can be drawn. Life presents us with many delightful and chaotic situations that ultimately become a thing to laugh about in the future. Designing is an arena where art is blended with creativity. These illustrations are in high demand to be sent as gifts for dear ones on their memorable special days. Their affectionate style of drawing makes it look more appealing and relatable. Here are some artists who have captured those moments to bring interesting illustrations for us to watch.
Sketchedup20
Illustrations are by default interesting and heartwarming. When comic themes are incorporated, it becomes a cherry on the cake. Sketchedup20 is an amazing page on Instagram where Rahul Patil produces such entrancing illustrations. Let it be a ‘save the date’ wedding portrait, inspirational quotes, or characters of different ages, Rahul displays perfection and uniqueness. He has also authored a book titled ‘The Essential Handbook for Creating Characters’. Rahul believes in Zen master Shunryo Suzuki’s verses, “in the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s, there are few”. He gives the audience even tips to enhance the illustrations’ making process too.



Indianscribbles
Vibha Rao is a comic artist who has great humour sense and presents every cute mischieve we have done as kids and even as an adult into her drawings and illustrations. Most beautiful moments of parents and kids, siblings, grandparents, and friends are the favorite topics of Vibha. She has also worked with the animation team of Studioeeksaurus for the enchanting yet horror-thriller Malayalam animation short film ‘Kanditund’.



Tallgirlcartoons
Every tall girl faces problems being tall through body shaming or abuse. Tallgirlcartoons presents these issues, their solutions, and also many perks of being tall in a comic mood. The artist gives good positive vibes. These drawing are interesting and at the same time thoughtful. Any kind of body shaming is violative of their right to be what they want to be. This page on Instagram brings up the experiences and adventures of a tall girl as the protagonist. Every tall girl would find it relatable and honest.



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