Art & Craft
Practice Makes Perfect: The Artistic Journey You Have to Watch
Subhojit Mondal(@subhojit_modal_art) and Vishal(@draw_with_vishal) share their art journey in hopes to inspire others and motivate them.
Art is a way for us to express what we feel – our emotions and thoughts. Art is an escape from reality. But art is also a way to depict reality. Art is our way of understanding the mysteries of the world and sharing it; a way to express our desires, when words alone aren’t enough.
People create characters and narrate stories through art – a reality that doesn’t exist. Others portray real-life elements and people in their drawings. But for all of these you need to understand how to create art. While you do have full artistic freedom, you still need to learn the language.
It’s similar to learning a language like English or Hindi, to communicate our thoughts. You first will need to learn and understand how to use the letters and words. Then you move on to sentence formations. Then you can actually communicate whatever image you have in your head in a way that people around you can understand.
This works for art too. You need to learn how to draw 3-dimensional figures in a 2-dimensional surface. Understanding planes and perspectives, lights and shadows, and how to draw them following guidelines helps you communicate your story better. No artist learns to paint the perfect piece in one day. There is no short cut.
The art journey of two immaculate young artists who are now earning a living creating art proves this.
Subhojit Mondal (@subhojit_mondal_art) is a 16-year-old artist from West-Bengal with an Instagram following of over 16,000. His YouTube channel, Subhojit Mondal Art has over 160,000 subscribers. He makes realistic portraits using different mediums and does a lot of commission work. Not only this, his Youtube channel is filled with entertaining challenges and inspiring content.
But Subhojit Mondal didn’t get all this success in one day. It took years for him to master his art and he continues to learn. And we get to see this journey of 9 years in a video titled “My Art Journey” uploaded on the 24th of February. This video shows the reality, the efforts, the practice that he has put over the years to better and perfect his art. Flipping through thousands of art pieces, you get to see the maturity that comes. All the way from his first painting of carrots to the most recent one, he goes through books after books. Same art piece practised over and over again, some good some bad.
And it’s the over 1000 pieces that have helped him get where he is today.
Vishal (@draw_with_vishal) is another young artist who decided to share his art journey in hopes to inspire and motivate others. In his video “My 10 years of Art Journey” which he uploaded on the 6th of July’20, he emphasizes on the importance of practice. His video is more emotional as he narrates his experience with art over the course of his life. Sharing his work, he shows the raw reality of an artist – they aren’t perfect. They too needed to learn and practice. With each painting, they get better. Experimenting with different mediums to find their perfect one, practising and mastering the mediums, you simply have to do it over and over again. Before showing his recent art – which is awe-inspiring – he shows all the art studies and anatomy practices that he has done to understand how to portray 3-dimensional elements on a paper.
We get a chance to see both the artists start from scratch, learn and grow. The simple reality is with each piece you create, you evolve. You learn, you see things differently. And this helps you mature, both in your work and your perception of the world.
Art & Craft
The Diverse Techniques Behind Instagram’s Most Exciting New Art
Explore the art of life. Every artist uses paintings to tell a story of people and the world around us in every stroke.
Art has been a means of expression for centuries now. From cave paintings to digital depictions, art has evolved alongside society. Through the generations, art forms advance to capture beliefs, emotions and historical moments of their respective eras. Artworks serve as a source of knowledge relative to different time periods. They give a comprehensive view of life in society as time progresses. Art is a universal language that can be shared across cultures and communities.
Over the years, methods of sharing and displaying art have evolved. The expansion of technology has made art more accessible and interactive. Artists find inspiration online through various platforms as well as share works of their own. This provides a broader perspective for artists and encourages hybrid as well as collaborative art forms. Instagram provides an engaging and innovative environment for artists to share their work. It is globally accessible, allowing collaborations and fusion of art styles. These instagram artists are some of the inspiring and rising talents among the art community.
Ashwani Verma (@creativespace_ashwani)
Ashwani Verma is an artist known for creating watercolour paintings that reflect the beauty and essence of city life. His paintings include streets, bridges and cityscapes, which are made with utmost care and attention to detail. His paintings often reflect misty mornings, sunny days and the liveliness of city life. Ashwani Verma is known to use watercolors in a highly expressive and thoughtful manner. He has a style that reflects his own perspective and point of view.
His paintings reflect clarity and emotion. He portrays the city as a character rather than a backdrop. He asks people to look at their surroundings and slow down. His work is inspired by universal experiences that resonate with people around the world. He employs techniques like wet-on-wet washes to portray atmosphere and light. Dry brushing is used to apply textures and details. Glazing techniques are used to achieve layers and brightness. His paintings remind people to stop and look at the beauty in everyday life.

Akash Srivastava (@akash.visualartist)
Akash Shrivastav is an artist who creates vivid artworks that evoke great interest. He paints images of the faces of people, showing their expressions, which are both haunting and mesmerizing. His work consists of images of skulls, using dark tones with beautiful contrasts. He uses water-soluble graphite pencils, with which he is extremely skilled. Akash is an oil painting artist, using vivid colors, textures and tones. He feels that chaos is what makes him feel calm. He wants people to see with their eyes and feel with their heart.
Akash feels that faces are emotional landscapes, showing people’s inner feelings. His inspiration comes from real life experiences and literature. His artwork starts by sketching, followed by choosing the right material for the painting. It is an evolving process, where he keeps experimenting. Akash feels that the eyes are extremely important, showing great significance. Art pieces by him, such as Moon, Ghunghat and Eclipse, show great skill. His artworks have been showcased, gaining recognition with awards.

Daman Ghambir (@daman.gambhir)
Daman Ghambir is an oil painting artist who presents an interesting perspective. His composition includes animals, people at work and intimate self-portraits. His artwork celebrates the human experience and the relationship with nature. The artist utilizes unconventional lighting to add depth to the artwork. His artwork uses light to add power to the story. The people in the artwork seem to be lost in thought during quiet moments. The pieces feature candid moments inspired by travel, nature and life.
He encourages people to look, observe and reflect deeply. His work transforms mundane life into significant and interesting compositions. The self-portraits showcase the inner thoughts, feelings and emotions of the artist. The portraits of people at work showcase emotion and life. The artist starts with observation, followed by sketching out the ideas. Daman focuses on emotional connections to convey the essence of the painting. Three of his works qualified for The Art Society of India’s annual exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery.

Harpreet Singh (@artbyharpreetsingh)
Harpreet Singh is an accomplished Indian artist who is best known for creating expressive paintings, sketches and illustrations. His artworks are characterized by their ability to convey human emotions, which is achieved through figurative sketches, landscapes and detailed portraits. His interest in drawing and painting began during his childhood and over time, he has developed his skill.
At the early stages of his career, he won the Best Portrait Award at Kala Arambh. His artworks are done using different mediums, including watercolours and he is always looking for different techniques to apply. His art has been showcased at different exhibitions. He creates numerous works from memory. Each artwork is associated with different stories. His inspirations are derived from life as he observes people and their surroundings. He experiments with different techniques, including layers, angles and positions, to create natural compositions. His art is realistic yet full of emotion.

Anusha Sathya (@anushasathya.art)
Anusha Sathya balances her scientific career with a passion for art. She makes paintings that depict serenity and inner peace. She primarily works with watercolours and gouache. Her work includes serene landscape paintings. In her paintings, she includes elements of peaceful waterfalls, streams and sunsets. She also works with other techniques of digital art, shading and ink sketches. She works with tools like dip pens and palette knives. Anusha incorporates abstract impressionism as a style for painting.
She does this for relaxation and self-expression and does not mind the mess of paint and ink. Her journey as a painter started with simple sketches and evolved over time. The paintings evoke a feeling of escape and relaxation in the viewer. Her watercolour portraits convey emotion with softness and care. Anusha’s digital art demonstrates her ability to excel in various mediums. Her work allows her to continue learning and growing as a painter while staying grounded in her inner self.

Shraddhanjali Jena (@paintbrushparade)
Shraddhanjali Jena is an artist who specializes in creating beautiful and delicate artwork, especially in ink and watercolours. Her art is soothing and creates a sense of wonder. She specializes in creating beautiful and peaceful scenes, especially in nature, villages and fantasy worlds. Her artwork is very detailed and reflects her inspirations from places like Saint-Suliac in France and the Nordic winter wonderlands. She also creates unique and imaginative scenes like a tea café floating in a lake. Her work reflects her ability to tell stories. Her creation is very inviting and creates a sense of wonder and peace.
Shraddhanjali Jena creates very imaginative scenes where everything is in harmony. Her artwork creates a sense of emotional connection through feelings of nostalgia. She adds life and character to her scenes using skillful techniques. Her method involves creativity, observation and sensitivity. The artist observes her subjects carefully and adds personal significance to every picture she creates. Her art provides a peaceful escape into imaginative and beautifully created worlds. She strikes a good balance between reality and creativity in her art.

These artists provide inspiration and learning opportunities for upcoming artists. Their dedication motivates creators to find their own style and approach to personalize their art.
Art & Craft
Why Charcoal is a Powerful Medium for Portraits and Landscapes
A strong work of charcoal art that carries deep emotion, turning simple strokes into powerful stories for every soul now.
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.
Art & Craft
From Village Walls to Global Galleries: Evolution of India’s Folk Art
Tradition and ritual flow through paintings, living art that binds community across generations in harmony.
IIndia’s living heritage has roots of resilience. Across centuries, India’s artistic traditions have flourished in an offline ecosystems of the family, community and culture. These crafts and rituals, whether embroidery, painting, metalwork or storytelling carry within them the essence of resilience, creativity and devotion. They thrived long before the age of the social media. This proves that true artistry does not depend on the validation of the people, who are active online through the social media. It depends on the passion and dedication of artisans and communities.
These skills have weathered challenges, being handed down to the respective artisans through generations. The motifs and rituals along with their respective legacy continued to thrive, which is a living testimony to India’s cultural legacy. Together, they form a mosaic of heritage. It is not only exquisite in its diversity but also enduring in its contribution to the nation’s identity.
Living Legacies: Indian Folk Art Traditions
Rogan Art from Kutch, Gujarat is an exquisite oil-based painting on cloth. Rogan Art uses castor oil and pigment paste to create intricate designs. For over 300–400 years, the Khatri family of Nirona has safeguarded this tradition. It once adorned ghagras, bridal fabrics, and wall hangings. Today, its artistry extends to diverse objects, thriving through the patronage of communities and tourists.
Pichai Paintings from Rajasthan & Gujarat is originally temple backdrops. Pichai paintings depict Krishna as Srinathji. These sacred cloths were integral to daily and seasonal rituals at Vaishnava shrines. It sustained within temple ecosystems and pilgrimage networks. The art remains a devotional expression of faith and lineage.
Warli Paintings from Maharashtra is born from tribal traditions. Warli paintings employ a pictographic style, of white pigment on red or ochre mud walls. With simple human and animal forms, they narrate community life of sowing, harvesting, marriage, and rituals. It is preserved orally and visually, and continue to be passed down through generations.
Pattachitra from Odisha & Bengal is a vibrant scroll paintings crafted with mineral and vegetable colours. It is sealed with lacquer. Pattachitra narrates epics and Jagannath stories. It is painted on cloth or palm leaves. These works by ‘Chitrakars’ have survived through temple commissions, village fairs, and itinerant storytelling, keeping myth and memory alive. This highlights the continuity, cultural roots, and survival networks of each art form.
Echoes of Craft: Naga & Dhokra Traditions
Naga handicrafts from Nagaland are intricate creations in wood, cane, bamboo, jewellery and textiles. Naga handicrafts embody the material culture of the tribes. They once served daily needs, displays of rituals and even head‑hunting era status symbols. These works survived centuries of isolation and minimal outside visibility. Today, they stand as living testaments to resilience and artistry.
Dhokra Metal Casting from the central & eastern parts of India is a pre‑industrial marvel. Dhokra is the ancient lost‑wax technique of metal casting. Artisans shape figures, jewellery, utility objects and ritual pieces with timeless precision. It is passed down through nomadic and settled communities. This lineage has endured for centuries long before modern metallurgy. This preserves a craft that bridges utility, ritual and art. This proves the cultural depth, survival stories and artistry of the traditions.
Threads of Tradition: Kantha, Bandhani & Patola
Kantha from West Bengal is born from thrift and creativity. Kantha embroidery uses simple running stitches to fill motifs on layered old sarees, quilted together into vibrant textiles. It was once crafted mainly for family use. This domestic tradition was lovingly passed down from mothers to daughters. It remained anonymous for centuries. Kantha has now stepped into the spotlight as a celebrated design trend.
Bandhani & Patola from Gujarat and Rajasthan are centuries old textile arts. Their presence is evident in the medieval paintings and texts. Bandhani’s tie‑and‑dye precision and Patola’s double‑ikat mastery flourished within karkhana household systems. Local communities specialised in these crafts. It was sustained through lineage and devotion. These art forms continue to thrive today as living symbols of India’s textile heritage.
This shows the intimacy of Kantha’s domestic roots and the community‑driven resilience of Bandhani and Patola.
Skills, Rituals & Art: Sacred Echoes of Tradition
Mata ni Pachedi from Gujarat is a vibrant textile art depicting the Mother Goddess. Mata ni Pachedi is painted on red cotton backgrounds using natural dyes and pigments. Nomadic Vaghris communities created these portable shrines as temples for ritual worship. Skilled artisans have kept these sacred tradition alive, portraying goddesses in diverse forms and mythological scenes.
Tholapavakoothu from Kerala is ‘Shadow leather puppetry’, or Tholapavakoothu, is a dramatic art form, performed in temples to narrate mythological tales. It is rooted in ritual storytelling. Dedicated families and the Pulaya community of Palghat preserve this craft. They have passed the craft down through generations as a living cultural heritage.
Madhubani / Mithila Painting from Bihar and Nepal Region is created by women on mud walls and floors. They use rice paste and natural pigments. Madhubani paintings depict motifs tied to ritual functions and community life. It is transmitted within families. This art form embodies devotion, storytelling and the continuity of tradition across centuries.
Manjusha Art from Bihar originated in the 7th century A.D. Manjusha is a folk art, deeply connected to the legend of ‘Bihula–Bishahari’. It is a tale of love, sacrifice and devotion that is practised with vibrant colours. The Kumbhakar community crafted ritual boxes, while the Malakar community painted them. Once, it was on the verge of decline. The government initiatives and the efforts by the local artisans helped in reviving the same. This ensured its survival as a cultural treasure and heritage.
Timeless Threads of Tradition
Tradition carries a quiet and profound power. It is woven through the communities, families and generations. Each art form is a testament to human creativity, resilience and devotion. They thrived long before the age of Instagram or social media. These skills remind us that true artistry does not seek virtual applause. It flourishes through lived experiences, rituals and shared memory.
Let us support, cherish and celebrate all these crafts, not just as heritage but but also as the living inspirations. Since they continue to enrich our lives through reading, learning and engaging with them, we become part of the stories of these arts and related artisans ensuring that they shine even more for the generations to come.
Check out the article Wisdom of the Heart: Emotional Intelligence in Indian Traditions here!
Art & Craft
The Vibrant Visual Storytelling of Illustration Artists
Artists paint life with art that adds colour to every moment, celebrating creativity through vibrant expression.
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.
Art & Craft
Redefining the Face of Art: India’s Newest Portrait Artist Sensations
Meet five rising Indian portrait artists redefining tradition through digital art. From graphite to acrylics, discover where to find them.
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 inIndia’s artistic story, proving that while mediums may change, the soul of Indian art never fades it only shines brighter.
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