Paintings made from charcoal provide an impactful medium to express feelings of emotion. Dramatic emotional components are created by using various techniques of charcoal art. Dust and smudges created while using charcoal add an additional level of beauty to the finished product. They add dimension to the artistic piece.

Charcoal drawings show abstract emotional feeling rather than exact representation. Faces drawn with charcoal show signs of life provided through suffering, stories and emotion. Charcoal drawings provide the feeling of being “real” and “live”, while expressing emotion. Some talented charcoal artists can be discovered through their work on instagram.

@_singhart

@_singhart is an artist from Rajasthan, who utilizes Instagram to document his creative pursuits. He shares his pencil sketches as well as increasingly diverse acrylic painting experiments with the broader world. @_singhart considers himself to be an avid art lover and sells his artwork globally via his platform. The content featured on his page primarily consists of graphite pencil sketches and poetic captions written in Hindi. His first post featuring acrylic painting was in January 2026 as part of a New Year New Resolution to experiment with acrylic paints.

Memorable pieces created by @_singhart are powerful minimalist charcoal abstracts, which convey strong emotion. The portrait entitled ‘Soul Is Art’ utilized a mix of blending and dusting and conveys a strong inner emotion. His piece titled ‘Light and Dust’ utilized many layers of charcoal and erasing techniques to develop a sense of realism. Numerous reels created by @_singhart generate strong viewer interest with sketches garnering tens of thousands of likes.

@swapnilssketches (Swapnil Kardile Patil)

Swapnil Kardile Patil documents his talent as an artist through his Instagram account. Swapnil has developed a unique style using different materials including charcoal, pencils, colour pencils, ball pens and inks. He predominantly creates portraits of people, filled with emotion. His art allow the viewer to connect with the subject, particularly through facial expressions and human interactions. In many of these portraits, the shading and blending techniques are very detailed. His art has a particular focus on making the eyes appear as if they have depth.

Some of his best-known works include an outstanding portrait of Peter Dinklage with particularly expressive eyes and pencil drawing of Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli. He has also made several heart-felt charcoal drawings of couples with their emotions captured authentically. As he has continued to grow within his own artistic process, his audience has steadily increased as well. Swapnil effectively combines technology, artistic skill and emotional content to reach out to an ever-expanding number of fans.

@nishikantpalande (Nishikant Palande)

Nishikant Palande is a professional creator, illustrator and mentor located in Mumbai, India. He is an innovator and co-founder of ‘Kala Arambh,’ an initiative to assist emerging talent in the arts through creative training and workshops. He is also a coach for other creators seeking path support. His work encompasses many different artistic expressions including hyper-realistic portraiture, watercolour paintings and detailed landscapes in charcoal. He also does commercial advertising illustrations for companies like Swiggy and National Geographic among others. Watercolour is the primary medium Palande uses to tell his stories with rich colour and emotional depth.

His has won a Silver Medal for Advertising at the Cannes Awards, a Bronze Medal from the International Watercolour Society and a Silver Medal from Camlin. Nishikant has also received numerous recognitions from the Bombay Art Society. He also taught online classes to over 5,000 students during the lockdown period. In addition to these activities, he offers “Nishi Online Classes” and Weekend Watercolour Workshops. He supports approximately a thousand of his students from ‘Kala Arambh’ and serves as Brand Ambassador for companies such as ‘Wrap and Woof’.

@himanshu_rao.arts (Himanshu)

Himanshu Rao is known for using charcoal to create realistic portraits which evoke strong feelings, intricate texture and strong contrasts. He prefers to work with light and dark and to blend colours together dramatically. He also experiments occasionally with pen drawings, primarily those drawn with blue ink and capturing emotion.

His popularity comes from the amount of engagement generated across numerous social media platforms. His videos detail his process and sketchbook footage. He has influenced many other artists who have created tribute works and micro-art pieces, in his honour.  Himanshu offers free tutorials via YouTube on how to work with charcoal and accepts requests for commissions and collaborations.

@ronin_artclub_ (Ronin)

Ronin uses precise hatching with graphite to produce a wide range of textures, including fur on horses and fabric. He creates depth using graduated layers of tone. The processes of creating his art are often shown in real time through reels. He demonstrates methods of highlighting and shadowing and adding very subtle elevations of colour to divine figures.

Ronin’s art is in a variety. There are spiritual works that use smooth blending techniques to produce the illusion of an ethereal glow. On the other hand, he also does realistic representations with precise details to produce the effect of realism. Occasionally, he creates bold portraits by using charcoal powder as a medium for making his mark. He then takes a gardening type of tool to make the final touch of light and dust and create impact.

These artists are beautiful examples of keeping charcoal art alive. Their work showcases the depth and beauty that is captured through art. They encourage their followers to find inspiration in the ordinary and express themselves without words.

Illustration is more than just the art of drawing,it is the language through which imagination gains form, emotion finds expression, and stories come alive. In a world saturated with images, illustration artists stand out as the quiet architects shaping how we perceive ideas, characters, and entire worlds. Their work bridges the gap between concept and experience, transforming abstract thoughts into visuals that resonate across cultures and generations. Whether crafted digitally or through traditional mediums, illustrations guide us, teach us, inspire us, and often linger in our memory long after the first glance. From book covers and graphic novels to advertising, animation, game design, and editorial storytelling, illustrators play a vital role in every creative industry. Their ability to blend technique with narrative makes them indispensable in today’s visually driven era. This article explores the diverse world of illustration artists,their craft, their evolving tools, and the unique vision each one brings to the canvas. By understanding the creative processes behind their work, we gain a deeper appreciation for the mastery that turns simple lines and colors into powerful visual stories.

1] Anna Jovita Rajan

Anna Jovita Rajan is a vibrant and versatile artist who turns every canvas into a living experience. She paints emotions in motion, creating colourful artwork at live weddings where moments bloom into lasting memories. With every stroke, she captures the laughter, love and connection that define the celebration of life. Her custom illustrations, both in print and digital form, carry soulful messages that stay long after the first glance.

Anna builds strong visual narratives through images that speak directly to the heart. She transforms simple scenes into stories filled with depth and meaning, using colour as her language and emotion as her rhythm. Her caricatures bring smiles with their simplicity, yet reveal striking accuracy in expression and personality. Each piece reflects her artistic sincerity and her gift for turning real-life moments into timeless art.

Inspired by nature and everyday beauty, she fills spaces with joy, warmth and wonder. Her work evokes peace and positivity, making walls come alive with feeling and imagination. Whether at an event or in her studio, Anna spreads happiness through her art.

2] Art by Mouniq

A vibrant artist brings everyday life to canvas with colours that breathe joy and warmth. She creates customized artworks that celebrate love, laughter and simple living. Mouniq creates invitation cards, posters, calendars and journals sparkle with cheerful hues and heart-touching messages.  At every event, she paints live cartoon portraits and caricatures, filling the space with laughter and a refreshed feeling. Mouniq’s  soft, cloth-made toys and tactile art pieces invite people to touch, smile and remember childhood innocence.

Mouniq transforms family pictures into cute little frames that capture happy home moments. Her return gifts and cards speak a language of affection, conveying beautiful life lessons in an aesthetically pleasing way. Each line and shade tells a story of companionship, hope and celebration. She designs comic pictures that make ordinary things exciting and brings humour into the simplest corners of life. Mouniq’s art glows with sincerity, transforming daily activities into reminders of gratitude and happiness. Wherever she exhibits her work, people pause, smile and carry home a piece of her joy. Through Mouniq’s art, she spreads colour and kindness, reminding everyone that life’s true beauty lies in its simple, love-filled moments.

3] Sanket Lawande

Sanket Lawande, an artist based in Goa, celebrates life through colour, character and spontaneous creativity. He draws caricature tributes to famous personalities with expressive precision and visual charm. His pencil sketches reveal skill, patience and an eye for fine details. He paints cartoon illustrations that reflect real emotions and lively gestures. Each artwork blends structure, imagination and beautifully balanced colour combinations.

Sanket brings joy to parties and events with his on-the-spot caricatures. He captures the lighter side of people and moments, making everyone smile. His brush pen sketches and watercolour scenes express a playful yet thoughtful touch. He experiments with single wash sketches to practice shapes and likeness. He portrays women with elegance, grace and expressive simplicity.

Festivals inspire him to create bright and lively drawings that connect art with celebration. His lines move effortlessly, catching energy and emotion in seconds. He fills each canvas with warmth and personality. His Instagram feed brightens with quick sketches and vibrant compositions. Followers admire the spontaneity and charm of his live art. Sanket continues to merge humour, technique and emotion in every stroke. His work celebrates everyday life with brilliance, wit and colour.

4] Pouume Art

Pouume creates vibrant water-colour paintings that tell stories filled with imagination, culture and warmth. The artist paints beautiful lifelike expressions that capture emotion and spirit that adds a pleasant Indian twist to famous family movies. The artist transforms familiar scenes into colourful journeys through memory and meaning.  Their work was exhibited at Comic Con Guwahati and showcased as an exhibitor at Comic Con India. They paint while traveling, collecting inspiration from streets, markets and nature. The artist prepares each artwork with care, colour and heartfelt storytelling. They made lovely standing calendars for 2026 featuring playful and seasonal themes.

Pouume’s paintings reflect the beauty of Indian villages, festive traditions and everyday life. They create humans with mesmerizing expressions that feel alive and relatable. The artist enjoys portraying ancient events with a modern cartoon touch. The artist paints Hindi versions of global stories, which blends humour and nostalgia. Pouume illustrates street-style versions of popular games with bold creativity. The artist designs stylized portraits that bring individuality to life. Pouume completes quick sketches of cute children capturing joy in seconds. They create commissioned art pieces and unique book cover illustrations. Through every brushstroke, Pouume builds memories, celebrates imagination and shares colours that connect hearts.

5] Bhendiiiii Kalpesh

Bhendiiiii Kalpesh creates expressive illustrations that bring Mumbai and Nashik’s everyday scenes to life. He draws inspiration from streets, shops and simple corners. Kalpesh paints characters who reflect the city’s rhythm and heart. His work captures ordinary people with extraordinary warmth and detail. The artist paints a beautiful flower vendor glowing with colours and emotion. He sketches an old shoemaker with timeless patience and rustic charm. Kalpesh recreates the fading era of local hair salons using digital art. His artwork revisits childhood fears of haircuts through playful visual storytelling. He builds compositions with balanced colour schemes and refined proportions.

Kalpesh paints portraits of famous personalities he admires, celebrating inspiration through vivid character design.  He blends humour, realism and tenderness in every frame. Kalpesh experiments boldly with digital oil painting techniques to capture depth and mood. He shares his entire creative process through engaging posts on Instagram. His art turns fleeting street memories into lasting visual stories. Kalpesh paints humanity with honesty, warmthand rhythm. His art transforms simple scenes into soulful reflections of urban life and emotion.

Caricature Art in India is widely misunderstood. It is a style of portraiture that exaggerates a person’s distinctive features for a comic, satirical or grotesque effect. A caricaturist aims to capture the subject’s personality and essence through these exaggerated drawings. A caricaturist’s goal isn’t mockery, but meaning — to capture the soul of a subject through playful exaggeration. This article is a deep dive into Ritesh Gupta, a young artist and painter, founder of the Creative Caricature Club.

Born in 2006 in the restless heart of Mumbai, Ritesh Gupta found his world not in textbooks but in colours. While other children found themselves focused on grades, he chased the feeling of creation, the quiet satisfaction that comes when a blank page begins to breathe yellow, blue and green. What began with school crayons slowly shaped into a goal, an ambition that would define his life. Today, as the founder of the Creative Caricature Club, Ritesh continues to balance learning and leading — growing as an artist while working on live caricature events across the country.

Origins: Middle-class Mumbai, Discovering Art

Ritesh grew up in a middle-class family where art was seen more as a hobby than a future. He wasn’t particularly inclined toward academics in his early years, but things changed when he began participating in art competitions from Class 3. By the time he reached Class 6, he had already made a conscious decision—art would be his chosen path. Ritesh learned that drawing and painting weren’t mere forms of expression but a language through which one could observe, feel, and communicate with the world. From then on, he began preparing seriously for drawing and painting examinations, laying the foundation for his artistic journey.

After class 10, Ritesh formally took up the arts stream. He joined the renowned Sir J. J. School of Art in Mumbai and is currently in his third year of a painting degree. During his journey he undertook meaningful projects: he created work for the municipal corporation, Indian Army, Indian Navy and other civic bodies. He also contributed to the “Mann Ki Baat” initiative of the Prime Minister and created numerous “Swachh Bharat” paintings, including an intense week in Delhi when his work was featured.

How did Ritesh Gupta Start Caricatures?

When the lockdown struck, Ritesh found himself with more time yet fewer opportunities—but also with possibility. He discovered caricature on social media and began to experiment: taking people’s photos, creating caricatures, posting on Facebook and Instagram. What began as a personal curiosity soon became a public voice. At the end of 2021 he did his first live caricature session in Dadar. That live-event experience boosted his confidence: the anxiety of public creation gave way to the thrill of engaging an audience. A big help was his friend who had been in the caricature field for long. Observing his quick wit and calm, he was able to adopt the same stance too.

In 2022, Ritesh formally founded the Creative Caricature Club. His aim: not just to be a content creator, but to build a strong portfolio for artists. Within 2-4 months the page gained significant followers thanks to consistent process and artistic focus.

Creative Caricature Club: Structure, Vision, Style

By 2023-24 the Caricature Club had made impressive progress. The team expanded (in 2024 Ritesh hired India’s best caricature artists), events spanned all over India (corporate, social, weddings). He himself handles Saturday & Sunday events, while the team covers others.

What sets Ritesh’s caricature apart is storytelling. He says: “I focus on the bond, the relationship. We don’t just do physical caricature in that sense.” He especially loves doing caricatures of older couples (60-70 yrs): capturing the love, the bond, the lived experience. This is the philosophical thread: caricature isn’t mere exaggeration, it is life distilled and celebrated.

In a caricature session of 5-6 minutes (for one person) or 10-11 minutes (for a couple), Ritesh follows a thoughtful process: he observes the faces for one minute, notes distinctive features, watches how the couple interact (who speaks more, what their rapport is), then creates a mini-story on paper. Exaggeration is purposeful, not random. The aim is to reflect humor, love, character.

Thus his work remains personal, relational, celebratory rather than partisan. His philosophy: art is a spiritual journey — sādhanā. He adds: “Art is a big and most important part of my life.”
And he perceives creative work as a mirror of his mental, physical well-being. Ritesh insists that as artists we must build strong sleeping schedules, clean diet, and regular exercise to keep our mental and emotional palate healthy.

Ritesh Gupta on Balancing life, Goals and Growth

Though still a student, Ritesh balances multiple roles: his painting degree, running the Creative Caricature Club, live events, team-management, travel, workshops. He follows a disciplined routine: Monday–Friday for painting academy/study, Saturday–Sunday for events; meanwhile gym and diet are his priorities. He believes: only when you keep your mental health and physical well-being intact can your creativity flow.

His goals are ambitious yet grounded: buy a house in Mumbai, travel abroad, explore places and cultures. Moreover, he wants toinnovate in caricature so that when his subjects see their caricature they laugh immediately, create an unanticipating, humorous and memorable moment for them. The vision for his club is to raise awareness that caricature can be a personalised, meaningful feature in weddings and functions across India.

Reflections — Art as life, Caricature as Connection

Reading Ritesh’s journey one senses a philosophical thread: art as life, life as narrative, caricature as connection. He began with child-like affinity for art which grew into bigger ambitions, one that was at a tug-of-war with his middle-class background, a liking his parents weren’t so supportive of, which eventually progressed into formal education, and earning through it, built a team, and now seeks to touch the human bond in his drawings.

He says: “Whatever I think observe, see, and think in my subjects, I reflect that through caricature.”
It’s a subtle statement of artistic authenticity. The creative act becomes not just drawing lines, but listening to life, seeing relationships, capturing essence.

In a world where art is often commodified or seen as a side hobby, Ritesh reminds us that the true artist holds both the eye of the observer and the heart of the participant. The caricaturist becomes a storyteller, the paper becomes a mirror, the people become countless narratives.

Words of Advice for all Aspiring Artists and Dreamers

For Ritesh Gupta, founder of the Creative Caricature Club, the path is still unfolding. The house in Mumbai, the travel, the expansion of the club—all are milestones. But the deeper horizon lies in how his art will continue to reflect life’s relationships, how his caricatures will make people laugh and remember, and how the club he’s built will enable others to discover their voice. His journey is a reminder: when you answer the soul’s whisper early, and walk the path with discipline and love, art becomes more than a career, it becomes purpose.

To all the young and aspiring artists, Ritesh offers simple yet profound counsel:

1. Work on what you like. Passion is the root.
   
2. Participate in competitions; learning comes from doing and showing your work.
   
3. Stop worrying if there is a “future” in this field — just start working hard in your chosen direction; time will prove you.

He emphasizes fundamentals: “If your portrait fundamentals are strong, then you’ll be able to caricature. Caricature is advanced than portrait.” He encourages sketching everything around you, building observation, then moving into caricature.

Art isn’t just decoration in India, it’s devotion. From the rhythmic strokes of ancient cave painters to the intricate brushwork and portraits of miniature masters, art has always lived at the core of Indian identity. It’s in temple walls, festival colors, embroidered fabrics, and even the way we decorate our doorsteps with rangoli. Creativity, in India, is both an offering and an emotion.

Today, that same spirit thrives online, on canvases, sketchbooks, and yes, even smartphone screens. A new wave of artists is keeping India’s artistic flame alive, blending tradition with technology. They sketch, paint, record, and upload, turning pixels into poetry. Let’s dive into the world of five extraordinary Indian artists who have built their own creative empires, one portrait at a time.

Nikhil Khinchi (@nksketch_arts) – The Young Visionary from Ajmer

At just twenty, Nikhil Khinchi has achieved what many dream of, a thriving art career rooted in passion and precision. A self-taught artist from Ajmer, Rajasthan, Nikhil specializes in hyper-realistic portrait sketches that seem to breathe life. His chosen tools? Graphite, charcoal, and fine liners, wielded with astonishing control.

Every portrait he draws carries a spark of realism, the glint in an eye, the subtle shadow under a smile. He’s completed over a hundred commissioned artworks, each custom-made for clients across India. And he does it all independently, from inquiries on WhatsApp to delivery.

But Nikhil isn’t just an artist; he’s a digital entrepreneur. On Instagram, his feed bursts with creative energy, over 376 posts, 2,000+ followers, and endless progress reels. His YouTube channel, boasting nearly 100K subscribers, documents every sketch, milestone, and creative experiment. With more than 360 videos, he’s transforming his artistic journey into a learning space for others.

What makes him stand out?
His consistency. His discipline. And the way he blends youth, ambition, and art into a story of self-made success. For Nikhil, every pencil stroke is not just art, it’s a promise of growth.

Palak Verma (@palakvvermaa) – The Queen of Graphite Art

In the heart of Delhi’s chaos, Palak Verma finds calm, through graphite and charcoal. Her portraits, done entirely by hand, reflect her quiet mastery of light, texture, and tone. She doesn’t chase colors; she chases depth.

Palak works in traditional black-and-white mediums, and her art feels almost meditative. The way she layers graphite gives her drawings a soulful glow, while her control of charcoal adds drama and dimension. Every portrait she creates feels intimate, as if the paper itself whispers emotion.

With over 29K followers on Instagram, Palak’s art speaks louder than captions. Her YouTube channel, though smaller, offers glimpses into her process, gentle, patient, and rooted in precision. She takes commissions via DMs or email, handling every client interaction with professionalism and warmth.

What makes her stand out?
In a digital world obsessed with filters and shortcuts, Palak stays true to tradition. Her work reminds us that sometimes, a single pencil can express more emotion than a thousand colors.

Sneha Singh (@sketchwithsneha) – The Cultural Muse with a Spiritual Soul

Sneha Singh is not just an artist, she’s a storyteller, a teacher, and a believer. Her art flows from devotion, often inspired by her faith in Lord Krishna. Even her profile opens with “॥श्रीकृष्णः शरणं मम्॥” (Lord Krishna is my refuge) Every sketch she creates carries that same serenity.

Her preferred mediums are pencil and pen, often with soft shading that mirrors emotion rather than just form. Sneha’s portraits have an ethereal quality light, expressive, and deeply Indian in spirit. But what makes her special is her versatility. When she’s not drawing, she’s singing, reading, writing, or traveling each pursuit feeding her creativity.

Her online presence is thriving: 42K Instagram followers, 2.9K YouTube subscribers, and over a hundred videos filled with tutorials, art tips, and cultural reflections. She makes learning art approachable, teaching her viewers not just how to draw, but how to feel while drawing.

What makes her stand out?
Sneha blends spirituality with skill. Her sketches remind us that art, at its best, is prayer — quiet, mindful, and infinitely human.

Jugal Sarkar (@jugalsarkar_official) – The Artist Who Paints With Stories

From Kolkata, the city that breathes literature and melody, comes Jugal Sarkar, a full-time artist who lives and dreams in color. His art is rooted in graphite and colored pencils, but his creative world extends far beyond technique. He calls his work “the harmony between imagination and reality,” and that phrase sums up his entire approach.

With 116K Instagram followers and nearly 3,000 posts, Jugal’s consistency is remarkable. He’s not just painting portraits; he’s building conversations. His YouTube channel, with almost 8K subscribers, is a blend of tutorials, motivational talks, and podcasts. He shares not only how to draw, but why to draw.

His videos cover everything from creative burnout to finding artistic purpose. Each upload feels like a conversation with a friend who truly understands art’s emotional rollercoaster.

What makes him stand out?
Jugal doesn’t treat art as a product — he treats it as philosophy. His work invites viewers to slow down, think, and reconnect with their creative side.

Debojyoti Boruah (@debojyoti.boruah.art) – The Realist from the Land of Blue Hills

From Assam, a region bursting with natural beauty and culture, Debojyoti Boruah brings realism to life with unmatched mastery. His medium of choice? Acrylic paint, one of the most challenging materials for realistic art. Acrylic dries fast, leaving little room for error, but Debojyoti handles it with finesse. His portraits are so lifelike that they often resemble high-resolution photographs.

His art style, “Realism with Acrylics”, has become his signature. Through detailed layering and subtle color blending, he captures skin tones, reflections, and emotions with surgical precision. His subjects, whether ordinary people or imagined faces, look alive.

Debojyoti’s online presence is enormous: 72K Instagram followers, 99.9K YouTube subscribers, and over 700 videos, the highest count among this group. Yet, he follows no one. His focus remains solely on his work and his students. He also offers a structured online course called “Learn to Paint Realistic Portraits”, turning his art into a bridge for others to cross.

What makes him stand out?

Debojyoti represents the quiet power of discipline. From a lesser-represented corner of India, he’s made his art global, proof that skill and sincerity need no spotlight to shine.

The New Canvas of Indian Art

From Ajmer’s graphite sketches to Assam’s acrylic wonders, these artists remind us that art in India is alive, evolving, and as diverse as the country itself. They’ve turned social media into modern galleries, where tradition meets technology and skill meets storytelling.

So, where can you find them?
Not in dusty old museums, but right where today’s creativity lives on Instagram feeds, YouTube videos, and digital canvases. Each of them paints a new chapter in India’s artistic story, proving that while mediums may change, the soul of Indian art never fades it only shines brighter.

Art was never a profession for the 63-year-old Parimal Vaghela, known for his hyper-realistic still lifes, landscapes, and portraits. It was more like a quiet companion he has carried through life, by his side — from childhood through his decades-long career as a civil engineer, and now into his sixties. Even as he spent decades as a civil engineer, he’d come back to his blank canvases, painting them with his reflections of the day – the ‘overlooked’ that Vaghela loved capturing.

A Childhood Shaped by Art

Vaghela’s artistic gift revealed itself early. By the age of 12, he was sculpting with chalk sticks, work that was also featured in Phool Vadi, a well-known Gujarati children’s magazine. His teachers and headmasters urged him to join a fine arts school, but in the 1970s, art education meant a five-year course with no guarantee of a livelihood. Coming from a modest background, Vaghela chose the safer path of civil engineering — a profession that could ensure survival, even if it meant putting art on the margins. Yet painting never left him. Vaghela proudly states that God has sent him with a pre-installed application on art and painting. “There is a driving force within me,” he reflects, “telling me which composition is right and which is not.”

With poster colours and ordinary paper in his childhood, he graduated to oil and canvas in his twenties. At first, he painted landscapes, inspired by the survey field visits he undertook as an engineer. Later came figure paintings, drawn from melas and cultural gatherings. Over time, he found himself drawn most to still life, where his brush could transform humble, overlooked and ignored objects — a bulb, a broken switch, a spice heap, into compositions of visual treat.

A Mentor Across Borders

Growing up in a small town with no internet, mentors, or access to proper art resources, Vaghela taught himself through observation and books. A turning point came when he discovered A Brush with Art by British painter Alwyn Crawshaw. Deeply moved, he wrote to Crawshaw’s publisher, narrating the story of Eklavya from the Mahabharata — the boy who learned archery by observing Drona from afar.

To his surprise, Crawshaw replied. He sent Vaghela books, videotapes, and cassettes, offering guidance and tips on art and painting, across continents. For Vaghela, Crawshaw became his Drona, and he, the Eklavya who trained in solitude. Crawshaw’s motto — “Go for the top of the mountain” — became Vaghela’s own life mantra, sustaining him through decades of balancing engineering and painting.

Exhibitions and Recognition

Despite his full-time profession, Vaghela held annual solo exhibitions, including three one-man shows at Mumbai’s Jehangir Art Gallery, as well as at Nehru Centre and Lila Art Gallery. His Ahmedabad exhibition caught the eye of a Times of India reporter, who was struck by the originality of his still life work. Over the years, he experimented with oil before settling into acrylics, which now dominate his canvases.

Apart from his observations of the daily life, Vaghela’s subjects are also deeply inspired by culture and locality like folk symbols from Gujarat, cultural events and melas. A painting of spices and herbs even won him a national award. His works also reached prominent personalities: Ramesh Chauhan of Bisleri is a deep admirer of Parimal Vaghela. Vedica’s bottle label has a mountain-view painting done by Vaghela, and one of his portraits was used in a Jackie Shroff-starrer film Grahan.

The Pull of the Ordinary – Parimal Vaghela’s Signature Style

For Vaghela, beauty lies in what most people miss. He recalls finding inspiration in a broken switch on a wall in Nagpur or an old rack in his grandmother’s kitchen. To him, these details are not trivial but deeply alive, waiting for someone to notice them. His newspaper series — paintings of headlines about GST slabs or the passing of Lata Mangeshkar — were not intended as commentary but emerged as by-products of the society he lived in. While Vaghela doesn’t call his arts an attempt at ‘intellectual operation’, or ‘morality’ yet, viewers often find deeper meanings in them.

For Vaghela, the surrender before beauty is the essence of art: to lose oneself in what is before you. He sees painting as a form of self-discovery, a relief from life’s difficulties, and a practice that gives mental peace.

Between Market Realities and Inner Calling

Though he has exhibited widely in India, Vaghela speaks honestly about the exploitative nature of the art market. Dealers often take more than their share, and monopolies dominate pricing. He recalls reading how a celebrated Gujarati artist’s work, sold in crores, earned the artist only some few lakhs. Such inequalities, along with delayed payments and financial misuse, often reminds us of the cruel capitalistic ladder which often disrespects the real origin of hardwork and creativity.

The Artist Who Endures

Parimal Vaghela firmly believes artists are born, not made: “90% of the ability I have today was with me since childhood.” Yet his own life also testifies to persistence — decades of practice without formal training, exhibitions pursued alongside government work, letters sent across borders, and above all, a fire that still burns to this day.

This higher force within him, a relentless drive to make a breakthrough in the art world draws inspiration from figures like Swami Vivekananda and Amrita Sher-Gil, personalities who left a profound impact on society despite their short lives. He nurtured a similar desire to create something extraordinary in his youth. “I always wanted to make a breakthrough in art at a younger age, and I believe I tried my best to achieve that,” he says. What sustained him through the years was this powerful will, coupled with his belief in his artistic skill and his constant striving to reach, in his mentor’s words, “the top of the mountain.”

Message to Young Artists

To all the beginners and budding artists, Parimal Vaghela reminds that an artist must decide within himself to do something extraordinary. “Consistency, patience, and putting your mind and soul into the work — that is what makes you stand out.” For him, art has never been about fame or market success. It has been about endurance, self-expression, and staying alive to the unnoticed beauty of the world — and that is what he asks of all young and aspiring artists.

Parimal Vaghela is a civil engineer by profession and an artist by mind, soul, and heart. He has been painting since a child, calling it a ‘fire’ within him that never stopped burning. Ever since, Vaghela has captured mere objects into timeless art – creating hyperrealistic paintings, landscape paintings, etc. His work has also featured in Jackie Shroff’s film, Grahan, as well as, Bisleri’s water bottle – Vedika.